Player Profiles: Starting Pitchers - Derek Lowe

Ok, now that position players are done, we'll move onto pitchers, starters first, then relievers.

Player: Derek Lowe

2008 Stats: 14-11, 3.24 ERA, 147 Ks (34 starts)

2008 Analysis: After a slow start to the season, Derek Lowe really kicked it into gear and started pitching like a man who was going to be a free agent in the offseason.

I detailed some of his more impressive stats in this post, but simply put, Lowe had an excellent year.

2009 Outlook: Lowe is currently a free agent, and it doesn't look like he'll be returning to the Dodgers for 2009. The Mets are making a strong push for him at the moment.

The Dodgers have yet to make him an offer other than arbitration, and Lowe hasn't done much to show he wants to be back. In fact, several times during the season, Lowe dropped quotes indicating that he wouldn't resign with the Dodgers and that he'd be looking to return to the East Coast and/or an AL team.

I'm sure Lowe will get a nice multi-year contract with some other non-Dodger team, and we... well, we'll get a draft pick for that, so that's ok.