Derek Lowe a Fit For The Seattle Mariners?

As the hot stove season moves alone the talent level and the big names start to come off the market. This week Jason Bay, the second best hitter on the free agent market was plucked off the market when Bay and the New York Mets came to an agreement on a four year, $66 million dollar contract with an "easy vesting option" that can push the contract to $80 million over five years.

That leaves Cardinals/A's left fielder Matt Halliday as the main headline hitter left on the free agent market.

There is a pretty weak crop of starting pitchers left on the free agent market with Joel Pineiro, Ben Sheets, Jarrod Washburn, Aroldis Chapman and Erik Bedard all make up the decent crop of remaining free agent starting pitchers.

So that leaves the trade market for teams, including the Mariners to find a starting pitcher. The Braves have already moved Javier Vazquez to the Yankees. The Phillies and Mariners were involved in a monumental blockbuster trade which sent Roy Halliday to the Phillies and Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners.

That leaves Braves SP Derek Lowe, Reds SP Aaron Harang, and possibly Bronson Arroyo but if the Reds move Harang they won't move Arroyo. So one of the two Reds starting pitchers and Derek Lowe remain the top pitchers on the trading block.

Now the Seattle Mariners and GM Jack Zduriencik have stated this off season that they want to acquire two top tier starting pitchers to add to the rotation behind Cy Young runner up Felix Hernandez.

Zduriencik has already acquired one top end starter in Cliff Lee and his search is now to find a suitable No 3. starter behind Felix and Cliff Lee.

Derek Lowe would be a viable option as a No 3. starter that Zduriencik could look to acquire.

The Braves, if they decided to move Lowe want to dump the majority of his $15 million dollar salary and are willing to receive major league players as well as maybe a prospect to get a deal done involving Lowe.

The Mariners as it stands right now would have a starting rotation like this.

Felix Hernandez
Cliff Lee
Ryan Rowland-Smith
Ian Snell
Doug Fister

The Mariners and GM Jack Zduriencik are looking for a solid 15 wins pitcher to put in that third slot so that they can move down Rowland-Smith and Snell.

Derek Lowe would be the perfect fit for the Mariners. Lowe is a ground ball pitcher and in a park like Safeco that's a wonderful trait to have. Not only would Lowe work great in a pitchers park like Safeco but the Mariners also have one of if not the best defensive infield in baseball with Chone Figgins (3B), Jack Wilson (SS), Jose Lopez at 2B and other fill in players around the diamond.

Now the only tricky part in this deal would be how the Mariners can offset the contract of Lowe who stands to make $15 million in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The Mariners could work a deal with the Braves involving OF Milton Bradley, who stands to make $9 million in 2010 and $12 million in 2011.

Most likely the Mariners would have the Braves compensate for the missing $6 million between Lowe's contract and Bradley's contract. Most likely the Mariners would have to throw in a mid level prospect to get the Braves to take $6-8 million of Lowe's salary for the deal to become complete.

So as the title of the article asks is Derek Lowe a fit for the Seattle Mariners? Well with a few tweaks in a possible trade the answer would be yes.

Lowe would be a welcome addition to the Mariners starting rotation and be a great No 3. starter behind Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee.

Over the last eight seasons Derek Lowe has averaged 206 IP, 127 K's, 58 BB's and 15 wins each season.