Lowe to the Braves

I had yet to post about the debate between Derek Lowe and Oliver Perez, but now it is a moot point. Lowe is going to the Atlanta Braves with a four year deal, leaving the Mets with just Oliver Perez out of the two that Omar was hoping to sign to fill the hole in the rotation.

This is a huge move for the Braves, whose rotation was in complete shambles. Turning the Mets down to go to those hated rivals, having to face him a few times a season, I know I will come to hate Lowe now. As I'm sure Braves fans hate Oliver Perez for how much he managed to beat them, so if we see some Perez vs. Lowe matchups, that could be interesting.

Of course, we are dealing with Scott Boras here, and it remains to be seen whether the Mets will be willing to give an offer that Boras and Perez find acceptable, but the Mets may have to act with a bit more desperation now. Having to settle for a guy like Randy Wolf or Jon Garland to fill that hole in the rotation is not something I would feel comfortable with.

I have been in support of Ollie's return since the end of last season. Yes, he can be inconsistent and dangerously bad. But he seemed to do his best in big games, and that is why I love him. Division games, playoff games; this is when we need him.

Overall, would Lowe be a better pitcher? Probably. He's a safer choice, for sure. However, I think Perez has more potential, comfortable with the team after being here for a couple years, and can be on the top of his game when it matters most. Hopefully Omar does what he must to bring him back, because I really don't want to see the team have to go to one of the fall-back options.