Derek Lowe, Pedro Martinez

[Pogotheostrich]

I think he could have gotten around 15 wins if he were still on the Sox.

Beckett won 16 this year so it isn't like that is all that special.

[gfantasy]

I think he could have gotten around 15 wins if he were still on the Sox.

Beckett won 16 this year so it isn't like that is all that special.

and Beckett SUCKS

[Amazinz]

After Pedro's performance last year Epstein's decision looked bad. After Pedro's injury-plagued season this year it looks better but it shows you how much things can change in a year.

When the Mets signed Pedro this board was ripe with people claiming that this was a bad deal for the Mets because Pedro's arm wouldn't hold up. Well they were half right. The second year was full of injuries but those injuries involved his big toe and a hip injury that happened when he slipped in the clubhouse.

Considering his performance and everything Pedro brought to the Mets last year the signing was already worth it and everything they got from that point on was just butter. Unfortunately the Mets didn't get no butter this year.

Pedro isn't battling arm injuries so maybe this story isn't finished being written. Perhaps a degenerative big toe condition will end up making Epstein appear genius but let's not forget that these decisions were made based on a phantom tear in Pedro's labrum.

[George_Foreman]

Lowe's performance is a vindication (well, more vindication) for DePodesta, not a condemnation of Epstein. His game just plays a lot better in LA than in Boston.

[Melo255]

Derek Lowe won his seventh straight decision as the Dodgers beat the Rockies to maintain a one-game lead in the NL wild-card race.

Letting Pedro go seems to have been a good move by Theo, but losing Lowe doesn't look so good right now when you compare him to Beckett and Matt Clement.

Do you really think Lowe would be putting up the same stats in the AL East pitching half his games in Fenway?

It always gets me when people say stuff like Arroyo or Lowe would be doing anywhere near as well as they are now if they were still on the Sox. That just isn't so. It seems like if a guy goes to the AL he is expected to do worse but when a pitcher goes to the NL and improves, as everyone expects him to with the league and division change, the team that let him go made a mistake. Going from the AL east to the NL SHOULD result in great improvement.
The problem the Red Sox are having is that they keep picking up 'decent' young pitchers from the NL with very little track record of success and expecting them to improve and thrive in the AL east.

[thomasps3]

I really think that Melo has it right here, although I think that Beckett will be fine once he matures and starts to become a pitcher instead of a thrower. Numerous sources up here in Boston have said that as he got whacked around, he just threw harder and harder instead of regaining his composure. He will grow out of that.

However, Clement and BK Kim are both perfect examples of this, Clement to the tune of $24MM, and BK to the tune of $10MM. I can only thank god that Theo didn't sign Clement to Burnett $$ for 5 years!

[RynMan]

Lets not forget Lowe has had a pretty good defense behind him this year.

As Pogo pointed out, there is no way he produces these numbers in the AL East.

[gfantasy]

Derek Lowe won his seventh straight decision as the Dodgers beat the Rockies to maintain a one-game lead in the NL wild-card race.

Letting Pedro go seems to have been a good move by Theo, but losing Lowe doesn't look so good right now when you compare him to Beckett and Matt Clement.

Do you really think Lowe would be putting up the same stats in the AL East pitching half his games in Fenway?

It always gets me when people say stuff like Arroyo or Lowe would be doing anywhere near as well as they are now if they were still on the Sox. That just isn't so. It seems like if a guy goes to the AL he is expected to do worse but when a pitcher goes to the NL and improves, as everyone expects him to with the league and division change, the team that let him go made a mistake. Going from the AL east to the NL SHOULD result in great improvement.
The problem the Red Sox are having is that they keep picking up 'decent' young pitchers from the NL with very little track record of success and expecting them to improve and thrive in the AL east.

I think the Sox are just going in a diff. direction...im not even sure where that is.