Starting Pitcher: Lowe to Meet Braves in Atlanta
Update, 2:09 pm:
Earlier this afternoon, Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote, “Braves GM Frank Wren arranged the meeting,” prior to learning John Smoltz would sign with the Red Sox.
According to Bowman, Bobby Cox traveled to Turner Field late Thursday morning to meet with Lowe, while Chipper Jones already made a recruiting pitch to the veteran sinkerballer.
Update, 12:19 pm:
Gordon Edes of Yahoo! Sports writes, “The Braves have zeroed in on Derek Lowe, who reportedly had been seeking a long-term deal for $16 million a year but whose price appears to have dropped now that he no longer has the leverage of the Yankees as potential bidders.”
Original Post, 10:07 am:
In the Boston Globe, Tony Massarotti reports, “Derek Lowe is scheduled to meet with representatives of the Braves this afternoon in Atlanta,” according to a baseball source.
Massarotti adds, “The Braves may have to guarantee a fourth year at a higher average annual salary in order to get a deal done with the pitcher,” while noting the Red Sox are not involved in negotiations.
In a post to his new blog, NY Baseball Hack, Dan Graziano wonders who initiated the meeting between Derek Lowe and the Braves – the agent or the team?
Last week on the MLB Network’s Hot Stove Live, SI.com’s Jon Heyman said Lowe rejected Omar Minaya’s three-year, $36 million offer, because he is seeking $16 million per season.
According to John Harper in the Daily News, Boras is looking to get Lowe a four-year, $64 million deal.
As such, Harper adds, “The Mets are likely to eventually raise its offer to the $40 million range if told it will get a deal done,” according to a person with knowledge of the team’s thinking.
Mark Bowman of MLB.com recently wrote that the Braves are unlikely to exceed Minaya’s initial three-year, $36 million offer.
However, Edes characterizes Atlanta’s interest as ‘significant,’ according to a source close to negotiations.
