Mets Make Offer to Lowe

The Mets have offered Derek Lowe a three-year contract worth a total of 36 million dollars ($12 million per year). That's much smaller than the five-year $90 million deal Lowe was apparently seeking at the beginning of the offseason.

There isn't much competition for Lowe, if there is any at all. The Red Sox are the only other team that have been mentioned and they just signed Brad Penny to round out their rotation. Boston now has Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, and Penny. Plus Clay Buchholz is waiting in the wings, so it appers the Sox don't need Lowe at all.

Lowe would be a great addition to the Mets rotation and would give them one of the strongest rotations in the NL. He would also help ease the bullpen's workload because he throws many innings. Since becoming a starter in 2002, Lowe has averaged 208 innings pitched and just 57 walks per season. Last season, Lowe walked just 45 batters.