Dodgers Name Lowe Opening Day Starter

Derek Lowe

2006 Stats: 34 GS, 16 W, 8 L, 218 IP, 123 SO, 3.63 ERA, 1.27 WHIP

You can expect about the same performance out of Lowe as last year, decent ERA and WHIP, 200 plus innings, and around 15 wins. He never has been a strikeout pitcher, so he won't help you much in that category. Lowe should be taken in the middle rounds after the top 35 pitchers are gone (top 150 overall). It is always nice to have an opening day starting going!

From the AP:

The Los Angeles Dodgers picked Derek Lowe to start on opening day for the third straight year.

Lowe will be penciled in to pitch the team's season opener April 2 in Milwaukee, Dodgers manager Grady Little said Tuesday. The right-hander is looking forward to redeeming himself after he gave up seven earned runs in an 11-10 loss to Atlanta in last season's opener.

"It's always exciting to pitch opening day," Lowe said. "The way I pitched last year was disappointing, so I get another opportunity."

Lowe finished 16-8 with a 3.63 ERA last year.

Although Little was quick to select his opening day starter, he said he's still working on filling out the rest of the rotation, looking at who matches up best against particular opponents.

Brad Penny and newcomers Jason Schmidt and Randy Wolf are locks to be in the rotation. The fifth spot is still up for grabs, with Chad Billingsley, Brett Tomko, Mark Hendrickson and Hong-Chih Kuo among the candidates.
Source: AP