One World Series hero exited, and another entered.
That was the week for the Braves rotation. After 21 years and 20 seasons with Atlanta, John Smoltz left as a free agent, accepting an incentive-laden, one-year deal with Boston. Smoltz, 41, said he didn't intend to leave the Braves, but the Red Sox offered a bigger guarantee to the veteran, who had right shoulder surgery last June.
The Braves didn't wait long to fill the hole in the rotation, signing 35-year-old right-hander Derek Lowe to a four-year, $60 million deal.
Lowe has posted double-digit victories and pitched at least 182 innings in each of the past seven seasons, the last four with the Dodgers. He was 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA in 2008.
Smoltz pitched in 24 playoff series and five World Series for Atlanta, putting up career postseason numbers of 15-4, four saves and a 2.65 ERA.
Lowe won the clincher for Boston in the 2004 AL Division Series, AL Championship Series and World Series. He is 5-5 with one save and a 3.33 career postseason ERA.
The Braves rotation will have a new look, as Lowe will join newcomers Kenshin Kawakami and Javier Vazquez. Mike Hampton left as a free agent, and Tom Glavine remains on the market for a team.
