Relief Pitcher #4
Derek Lowe (with Red Sox from 1997-2004)
70-55, .560, 85 SV, 3.72 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 1037 IP, 127 ERA+ (with Red Sox)
Derek Lowe was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the eighth round of the 1991 amateur draft. Six years later, the Mariners kicked themselves in the jimmies when they traded Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb. The Mariners got 96 innings of a 4.97 ERA from Slocumb. The Red Sox got the heart-and-soul of their team, Jason Varitek, and a pitcher who would lead the league in saves one year, then win 21 games two years later.
Lowe was primarily a reliever early in his career with the Red Sox. He appeared in 74 games in back-to-back seasons in 1999 and 2000. He also led the league in saves in that 2000 season. In 2001, he had 21 saves through the end of July, but lost his closer’s job when the Red Sox traded for Ugueth Urbina at the trade deadline.
Lowe wasn’t happy about being bumped from the closer’s job. He was used as a setup man for most of the rest of the season, but asked to be given a shot as a starting pitcher at the end of the season. He made starts in his final three appearances and was 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA.
He took that late-season success into the 2002 season. Lowe was 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA. He made the all-star team for the second time and finished third in AL Cy Young voting. It was an impressive move from the bullpen to being a successful starter. Most pitchers go the other direction.
Lowe couldn’t repeat his success over the next couple seasons. He had a 4.47 ERA in 2003 and a 5.42 ERA in 2004. Even though he pitched poorly in the regular season in 2004, he did well in the post-season, going 3-0 with a 1.87 ERA in 19 1/3 innings. Lowe was the winning pitcher in the series-clinching Game Four victory that gave the Red Sox their first World Series title since 1918. About a month after that historic World Series win, Lowe was granted free agency by the Red Sox and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Boston Red Sox All-Time 25-Man Roster:
Starting Lineup
3B Wade Boggs
RF Dwight Evans
LF Ted Williams
DH David Ortiz
1B Carl Yastrzemski
C Carlton Fisk
CF Tris Speaker
SS Nomar Garciaparra
2B Dustin Pedroia
Bench
C Jason Varitek
1B Jimmie Foxx
2B Bobby Doerr
3B Rico Petrocelli
OF Jim Rice
OF Dom DiMaggio
OF Harry Hooper
Starting Rotation
SP Roger Clemens
SP Pedro Martinez
SP Cy Young
SP Lefty Grove
SP Luis Tiant
Relievers
RP Jonathan Papelbon
RP Bob Stanley
RP Dick Radatz
RP Derek Lowe
Just Missed the Cut (the next 10 players)
1B Kevin Youkilis
SS Johnny Pesky
SS Joe Cronin
OF Reggie Smith
OF Fred Lynn
OF Manny Ramirez
SP Jon Lester
SP Joe Wood
SP Mel Parnell
SP Tim Wakefield