Lowe is NL Pitcher of the Month, and Braves' Game 1 starter
After nearly two seasons of mostly unspectacular, often disappointing starts, pitcher Derek Lowe produced a month's worth of exceptional performances when the Braves needed them most.
Now he's penciled in to start Game 1 Thursday at San Francisco in the Braves' first playoff series since 2005, and will go in as the freshly minted National League Pitcher of the Month for September.
The veteran right-hander received the honor Monday after going 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five September starts, with 29 strikeouts and three walks in 30-2/3 innings.
"All that stuff is stuff you look back at in the offseason and go, that was a good run," Lowe said after winning against Florida Wednesday on short rest. "But clearly you want to pitch like this in the postseason. People will remember that more than what you do in September."
Lowe, 37, is 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA in his past six postseason starts, including series-clinching wins for the 2004 Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees and the World Series against St. Louis.
In Thursday's division series opener against the Giants, Lowe (16-12, 4.00 ERA) will face reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (16-10, 2.43 ERA).
Although Lincecum's ERA was nearly a run higher than in 2009 (2.48), he led the NL in strikeouts for a third consecutive season with 231 in 212-1/3 innings. He also received votes for Pitcher of the Month after going 5-1 with a 1.94 ERA in September.
The Braves haven't announced their other starters for the series but are expected to go with Tim Hudson and Tommy Hanson in Games 2 and 3, probably in that order.
Lowe, 37, has won three consecutive starts against the Giants (two this season) and has a 1.32 ERA in his past five games against them. The former Dodgers right-hander is 7-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 17 career starts against San Francisco.
Lowe has drastically improved since missing a start for elbow inflammation caused by a bone chip. He was 3-8 with a 4.60 ERA in his last 18 starts before skipping a scheduled Sept. 3 start and getting a cortisone injection in his elbow.
Wren wants them to remember
It's the Braves' first playoff appearance in five years, and they could have five or six rookies on their 25-man postseason roster.
"There's so many guys going through this for the first time, young guys, and I want them to take a good look," general manager Frank Wren said during Sunday's celebration. "Because we want to keep doing this year after year."
Right fielder Jason Heyward, infielder Brooks Conrad and reliever Jonny Venters are among rookies who'll make the Braves' division-series roster, and other possibilities include pitchers Craig Kimbrel, Brandon Beachy, Mike Dunn, Cristhian Martinez and Mike Minor, first baseman Freddie Freeman, and infielder Diory Hernandez.
If manager Bobby Cox decides to go with three catchers, J.C. Boscan could make the cut. The roster can be changed from one postseason series to the next.
The Braves don't have to set their playoff roster until Thursday morning, but will likely announce it Tuesday or Wednesday. They'll work out at Turner Field at 1 p.m. Tuesday, then fly to San Francisco.
They have a scheduled Wednesday workout at San Francisco's AT&T Park at 4:45 p.m., Pacific Time.
After surviving a nine-game April losing streak and a late-season slump in which they lost their division and wild-card leads, the Braves won on the last day of the season to qualify for the playoffs.
Hinske back in the postseason
After playing for three different teams in the past three World Series, Eric Hinske is back in the postseason. The Braves would like to see the veteran backup and pinch-hitter extend his streak to an unprecedented four consecutive World Series with four different teams.
"Awesome," Hinske said during the Braves' champagne-soaked celebration Sunday after clinching the NL wild card with a win against Philadelphia, coupled with San Diego's loss to San Francisco. "I mean, it took 162 [games], but we're here. We would have liked to do it in Friday or Saturday's games [against the Phillies], but we've been living on the edge all year.
"Great group of guys in here. We're a family."
Despite advancing to the past three World Series with Boston, Tampa Bay and the Yankees, Hinske, 33, isn't jaded. Qualifying for the postseason still seemed to excite him as much as any of the many Braves going for the first time.
"Every year it's the best," said Hinske, who is credited by teammates for being a strong leader since the beginning of spring training.
"When you're with the same guys for 7-1/2 months, then get to the playoffs, it's very gratifying, as you can see in here," he said, nodding toward the clubhouse celebration a few feet away.
