Derek Lowe: Lowe is a pitcher who is in demand on the free agent market because he is seen as a safer and maybe cheaper alternative to pitchers like C.C. Sabathia, A.J.Burnett, and Ben Sheets. Lowe has pitched over 180 innings for the past 7 seasons and he is one of only 9 pitchers in history to pitch 175 innings or more and have an ERA+ of 110 or higher through ages 32-35. However, the two most recent pitchers to do this, Greg Maddux and Kevin Brown, weren't able to continue to pitch 175 innings or more and have a ERA+ of 110 or higher. Maddux did it one more time and Brown never did it again after age 35. The only pitchers who were able to repeat their success after age 35 were Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro, and Warren Spahn. Gaylord Perry was known to doctor baseballs, Phil Niekro threw a knuckleball, and Warren Spahn was one of the greatest pitchers of all-time. Now last time I checked, Derek Lowe is no Warren Spahn and does not doctor baseballs or throw a knuckleball. Lowe does have a killer sinker though, but I would think twice before offering him a contract for 4 years or more at $12-$13 million per year, because you might only get 1 or 2 more solid seasons out of him. History is definitely not on his side and even less so if he ends up in the better hitting American League.
Jake Peavy: Another option out there for any team looking for pitching help is Jake Peavy. The latest news on Peavy has him most likely headed to the Cubs, but also has a third team involved, who is believed to be the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles want to acquire Felix Pie from the Cubs and would probably send another player like pitcher Garrett Olsen to the Padres. The other potential hold up to the trade is that the Cubs would then probably have to move one of their starting pitchers, which most likely would be Jason Marquis. The Padres have had a hard time finding a suitable deal for their ace pitcher Peavy, which is strange considering he has been an excellent pitcher throughout his career.
Oakland A's: The A's continue to keep themselves in the news this offseason after already having added Matt Holliday in a trade. The A's are rumored to be interested in 1B Nick Johnson in addition to Jason Giambi and Rafael Furcal, who were already known targets for Oakland. Johnson when healthy is a solid player, but has not played a full season since 2006. For his career, Johnson has a productive line of .269 AVG/.396 OBP/.456 SLG. He definitely fits the mold of the A's type of player who gets on base often with his .396 career OBP, which is currently 12th among active players. Still no word on where Furcal will be signing, but it seems like the A's are still heavily involved, along with the Giants, Braves, and Reds. My guess is that he ends up with either Oakland or the Giants.
Jake Peavy: Another option out there for any team looking for pitching help is Jake Peavy. The latest news on Peavy has him most likely headed to the Cubs, but also has a third team involved, who is believed to be the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles want to acquire Felix Pie from the Cubs and would probably send another player like pitcher Garrett Olsen to the Padres. The other potential hold up to the trade is that the Cubs would then probably have to move one of their starting pitchers, which most likely would be Jason Marquis. The Padres have had a hard time finding a suitable deal for their ace pitcher Peavy, which is strange considering he has been an excellent pitcher throughout his career.
Oakland A's: The A's continue to keep themselves in the news this offseason after already having added Matt Holliday in a trade. The A's are rumored to be interested in 1B Nick Johnson in addition to Jason Giambi and Rafael Furcal, who were already known targets for Oakland. Johnson when healthy is a solid player, but has not played a full season since 2006. For his career, Johnson has a productive line of .269 AVG/.396 OBP/.456 SLG. He definitely fits the mold of the A's type of player who gets on base often with his .396 career OBP, which is currently 12th among active players. Still no word on where Furcal will be signing, but it seems like the A's are still heavily involved, along with the Giants, Braves, and Reds. My guess is that he ends up with either Oakland or the Giants.
More: MLB & MLB Weekly
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