Lowe

[Prosecutor]

The situation is becoming critical. Lowe's ERA's by month:

April 2.27
May 4.30
June 6.49
July 9.00 (3 starts)

He's not throwing hard enough to break an egg. It's like watching Nagy nibbling at the end of his career, throwing sinker after sinker, knowing it was just a matter of time before he got lit up. How long can they let this go on? They saw how he fell apart the second half of last season. History seems to be repeating itself.

He has pitched past the sixth inning in only one of his last eight starts.

He's been around for a long time, so maybe he can do some tweaking and get back to being a six inning/three runs allowed guy, which is actually his line for his last two starts. That would be OK I guess if he could do it consistently. But that ERA trend line is extremely troubling.

Gomez has been pretty decent in Columbus and I understand he's working on some specific things. I think Lowe's next start is going to be an important one.

[Bigfist]

Watching him yesterday, it seemed to me he was really in a hurry. He never took any time to slow himself down at all. Rocket after rocket was hit off of him, and he seemed in a rush...almost like he was anxious to be out of there.

[pod2dawg]

Lowe will be the first one sold.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

He isn't the guy from the first two months; this is who he really is.

[Adverb Harry]

Watching him yesterday, it seemed to me he was really in a hurry. He never took any time to slow himself down at all. Rocket after rocket was hit off of him, and he seemed in a rush...almost like he was anxious to be out of there.

He keeps it up, he will be out of there. Permanently.

[leadpipe]

Did anyone really think the Atlanta Braves (or really any other team for that matter) was going to just let a good pitcher stroll away?

Christ, was this clear months ago.

"Lightning in a bottle" is reserved for young players. Good luck with seniors.

[bookelly]

He could be serviceable in the pen maybe. As the long man maybe? Maybe?

He's totally out of gas. Glad Rob is back.

[Prosecutor]

Did anyone really think the Atlanta Braves (or really any other team for that matter) was going to just let a good pitcher stroll away?

Christ, was this clear months ago.

"Lightning in a bottle" is reserved for young players. Good luck with seniors.

Nobody thought the Braves were letting a good pitcher stroll or that we were getting lightning in a bottle. When the deal was announced I didn't get why they wanted a 39-year-old washed up pitcher. But they were right in signing him. Gomez wasn't ready, Carrasco was out, they thought McAlister needed more time. Then they got the bad news on Hernandez.

Lowe got off to a good start and won 8 games in the first half, tied for the team lead in wins. He bought them some time and helped them get into a position where we can at least talk about whether they should be buyers or sellers. And maybe some of his knowledge and experience rubbed off on Tomlin and McAlister and Masterson. The question is whether he has anything left for the second half.

Hernandez gets back in three weeks. If Lowe doesn't turn it around by then I expect him to be released. I don't see him as a bullpen option.