Pool - Getty Images
Derek Lowe had a lot to do with this celebration.
Wasn't every Braves fan against this guy for most of the last two years? Derek Lowe has won the National League Pitcher of the Month Award:
The first-time recipient of the award went a perfect 5-0 in five September starts, with a miniscule 1.17 ERA and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 29:3.
And I'll be damned, it looks like he deserved it. Lowe will be our game-one starter against San Francisco, and waddayaknow he's pitched pretty awesomely at their park, with a 5-and-1 lifetime record in eight starts and a 1.98 ERA. He also won his only start there this year (though he walked seven in six innings).
0 recs | 36 comments
some players...
are really affected by the heat in atlanta and i think derek lowe is one of them. no coincidence that it starts cooling off and derek starts pitching better. let’s hope he carries his september dominance into the month of october.
ryan c - October 5, 2010
I also believe the Georgia summer heat has had a negative effect on Lowe’s pitching, but it only cooled off here in Georgia in the last week. Lowe was pitching great well before then, so that’s not it.
redwards95 - October 5, 2010
Three of those five starts were on the road in Pittsburgh, New York, and Washington. All three of them usually have cool Septembers, so it could be a possibility.
TonyAlmeyda - October 5, 2010
I was at the game he pitched in Washington and it was not cool. It was in the mid 90’s. I think he just changed his pitching style.
James Ford Butch Allen - October 5, 2010
yeah was was hot as hell that day
nuftjedi - October 5, 2010
since lowe starting using the slider more, he has actually become a different type of pitcher… really, it’s an amazing transition. i usually don’t like the “mental makeup” chatter, but i think the fact that he was able to identify a productive adjustment and actually succeed in its application so late in the year reflects some level of perspicacity, and is pretty damn fantastic.
brndn - October 5, 2010
you had me at
perspicacity
Sir Veza - October 5, 2010
Someone’s word of the day toilet paper is really paying off.
gondeee - October 5, 2010
Does that mean you only get one sheet per day?
bwellnjonesco - October 5, 2010
I just need one square!
BullManUGA - October 5, 2010
you can’t spare a square?
Mr. Sanchez - October 5, 2010
I go through dictionaries.
bwellnjonesco - October 5, 2010
Sheryl Crow approves this line of thinking.
Chopaholic - October 5, 2010
haha, uh... i didn't know this was an obscure word.
its components are very common… one shouldn’t even need to look it up!
brndn - October 5, 2010
if you look at the rude fangraph from last year, it showed Lowe's worst pitch was his slider...
And that if he actually were to eliminate it from his repertoire, he would have avoided some minor catastrophe….
i agree with the keeping cool comments, he runs hot as hell…i watched him at DC in a getaway day game EOM July and it was amazing he didn’t literally melt…
He’s a guy who’s gonna labor some, win or lose…so if its in pleasant weather it’s to our advantage.
This series is a god-send. Philly/Cincy should be pissed they aren’t getting us….Philly because they are familiar and are playing better than us, and Cincy because their reward shouldn’t be having to play surging Phils.
If they can mash on each other in those bandboxes and get deep into their pens, maybe we stand a chance against a ragged opponent in the NLCS….
I firmly believe we win this series in 4 games…..v SF…couldn’t be a better matchup for us….
Also, love the fact the game starts at 9:30 on Thurs…i can be well lubricated here on the East Coast.
flyers13 - October 5, 2010
The reason the slider is believed to be working is
From what I’ve seen the analysts point out, and they did again on ESPN last night, is that Lowe is standing more upright throughout his delivery, instead of crouching down. And since he is 6’6, he is able to use his height and leverage to get more downward movement on the slider and it doesn’t hang as much. This, couple with the fact that he throws a sinker confuses the hitters because they aren’t sure until its too late if they are looking at a sinking fastball or a slider that is going to dive either away from them or into them. I’m sure adjustments will be made but it’s probably pretty tough to pick up on no matter how much you’re ready for it.
michaelcooksey - October 5, 2010
Well lubricated?
Are you sure you aren’t in San Fran??
BravesDawg16 - October 5, 2010
There's no denying
Lowe has been a Jeckle/Hyde story since joining the Braves… But if this team is gonna make a run he’s one of the experienced veterans this team is going to have to lean on. I really think Lowe’s and Huddy’s postseason experience (albeit Lowe more than Huddy) coupled with Hanson’s power arm and recent return to the HAnson of old give Atlanta a great 1-2-3 for this five game series…. GO BRAVES!!!! Words cannot express how happy I am that this team is in the playoffs!!!
HansonManCrush - October 5, 2010
Lowe's nickname we've come up with...
Like it or not…
MAW Lowe….
The MAW is for Million a Win.
We did sign him because he had demonstrated success in the post-season for others, so if he does so for us, the signing will have to be at least a moderate success.
flyers13 - October 5, 2010
You also can’t deny this: if it weren’t for his Spetember roll, there would have been no postseason. There were no “Derek Lowe Wins”™ among those last several starts.
carpengui - October 5, 2010
You mean:
6.3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H, 2BB, 3K….110 pitches?
We win 9-6?
He’s a damn strikeout pitcher now….
flyers13 - October 5, 2010
There weren’t any 9-6 games in which Lowe pitched. What exactly are you referring to?
TonyAlmeyda - October 5, 2010
looks like he's referring to a prototypical "dlw" outing
tho those cant last longer than 5.2. I think he may not know we actually published something about this
15ks - October 5, 2010
I think his turnaround began when he started asking Roger McDowell for help.
ChrisK562 - October 5, 2010
I was happy to see Lowe have such a great September.
He actually looked like he was enjoying himself on the mound and it was fun to watch.
NCChopper - October 5, 2010
Lowe has always been unfairly maligned by Braves fans. It’s not his fault that Wren gave him $15M per year when he’s worth more like $10-12M. And besides, it’s not like overpaying for a guy by $3-5M is really THAT bad. Look at John Lackey, or Barry Zito, or Oliver Perez, or A.J. Burnett, or Jeff Suppan, or Carlos Zambrano… and so on. Lowe’s contract is actually pretty decent by the standards of free agent pitcher contracts. You could make the argument that we shouldn’t be signing any free agent pitchers to multi-year deals, but you can’t really make the argument that Lowe’s deal is out of line with the market.
I know I will always remember Lowe fondly for this past month, regardless of what he does through the rest of his contract. He was a huge part of this team making the playoffs, and thus a huge part of making Bobby’s last season end on a good note. As far as I’m concerned, that’s priceless. Congratulations, Derek.
Jacob Peterson - October 5, 2010
This could happen with somebody like Liriano if he came to Atlanta
So… in the future expectations should be tempered. Even when I think about it more deeply, Liriano is a classic risky signing. If Lowe wins game one and game four (if we don’t sweep… look, it would be nice, but let’s be realistic) he’s earned his contract. Not all wins are created equal.
Londonjoe - October 5, 2010
I wouldn’t. Any pitcher worth a damn that isn’t coming off a serious injury isn’t going to bite on a one-year deal. I reckon that’s alright for us, what with having a rotation of Hudson, Lowe, Hanson, Jurrjens, and Minor locked in for another year. But when we let Lowe hit the market, as I’m sure we will, we’ll surely have someone coming up from the farm to hold down the fifth spot.
But if a team needs a front line starter, they’ll have to offer multiple years to get him.
Chopaholic - October 5, 2010
31 wins in the past 2 seasons.
That’s more than he averaged in the 5 years before he came to Atlanta. He does have that valuable post-season experience also. Let’s hope he continues to shine this year.
DawgB - October 5, 2010
I’m glad Lowe’s starting to win more frequently again. This team needs him to pitch well in order to go deep in the playoffs.
TonyAlmeyda - October 5, 2010
I can see why
he was lights out in September, and he knows just how to get Giants out being a former Dodger
southman - October 5, 2010
DLowe has justified his pay for this season in my mind. Without his September, the Braves are watching San Fran/Cincy and SD/Philly.
If he continues to pitch as well in the playoffs, this team has a shot at the title.
UMDBHIK - October 5, 2010
That picture of Lowe
Is worth his contract lol
HansonManCrush - October 5, 2010
It is pretty awesome.
sddbaker - October 5, 2010
I've always liked Lowe
And defended him all year. Talk about someone who was really playing hurt when he shouldn’t have.
Also, “it looks like he deserved it” – really, gondee? Is i that hard to say he deserved it? No…you had to add the “looks like he deserved it.” Talk about a backhanded compliment.
sag969 - October 5, 2010
I was on his ass most of the year
And I’ve never been happier to have to shut up. I like him a lot as a guy (Huddy likes him, which is a major plus for me) and I’ve always just wanted him to do what we all saw him do in Boston and L.A.
His postseason experience and terrific career record in SF look pretty valuable right now.
Sam Jethroe - October 6, 2010
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