Where Do We Lowe from Here?

The Mets negotiations with Derek Lowe are going as smoothly as James Carville having dinner with Ann Coulter. The Mets have gone from being the only player in the market for Lowe to potentially losing him to the dreaded Atlanta Braves.

Now it's not that Lowe is the Mets saviour, but he's the best guy available in an otherwise weak starting pitcher market. I wouldn't even care if the Mets didn't get him as long as he didn't end up with the Braves or Phillies. I even heard the Nationals want to make a play at him.

The Braves didn't get AJ Burnett, they lost Smoltzy to Boston and they're looking at Tom Glavine potentially being their opening day starter. That's pretty desperate times down in Georgia, so I wouldn't be shocked to see the Braves up the ante on Lowe.

The Mets have been said to be interested in Tim Redding, Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf and I'm sure a Jose Contreras rumor is just waiting to pop up. Perez would be fine, but not ideal. And the rest of these guys are pretty low on the pecking order.

If the Mets don't get Lowe and settle for the tier 2 crop of pitchers, I think they should look to improve the offense a bit. Whether it's Orlando Hudson, a bat in the outfiled, or come on how about a little Manny on the Mets, I think they still need to make another move before spring training. And it better not be signing Pedro Martinez.