Lowe may be done

The Atlanta Braves had a couple of off-the-field incidents last week. It’s not something that happens with this organization. Other teams might have trouble once in a while, but the Braves just don’t.

Both things were acts of stupidity. Pitching coach Roger McDowell got into something with fans in San Francisco, while starting pitcher Derek Lowe was accused of driving under the influence and drag racing on Peachtree Street on Thursday in Atlanta.

We really still don’t know the whole story, but McDowell did apologize for “responding to heckling fans.” Sure, if he did it in front of kids, that was wrong. But it sounded like good-natured banter that sometimes takes place between fans that have liquid courage and a jovial baseball man known for being a prankster that simply gout out of hand.

McDowell’s accuser hired famous attorney Gloria Allred, who has sensationalism as her best friend. She called an elaborate news conference and then probably insulted more people than even McDowell did by personally demonstrating what McDowell did with the bat during his tirade. That was a bit much.

I would tell you to go search for the video on you tube, but it’s really not worth it.

Lowe’s act was simply ridiculous. Drag racing on Peachtree Street in Atlanta? Really? And doing it drunk?

Lowe is an adult, and adults are going to drink. But why would someone with that much to lose do something that stupid like getting behind the wheel -- and then dare someone who is stopped beside him at a stop light to race on the busiest road in Atlanta?

Truthfully, Lowe’s lucky he’s just facing DUI charges. He’s fortunate he didn’t kill someone -- if he was, in fact, racing on Peachtree Street.

Here’s a pitcher who makes $15 million per season. If he just wanted to go out and get drunk, couldn’t he have just hired someone to drive him around Atlanta?

From all accounts, Lowe is loved in the Atlanta clubhouse. He’s a veteran who the younger players look up to, and he has had a major impact on the other members of the rotation. While he has been expensive, Lowe’s presence and performance have made the investment the Braves made in him a good one.

But the Braves never want a player to give them a reason to get rid of them. And with all the depth in the Atlanta rotation, Lowe doesn’t want the Braves to pick him as the one to go.

We’ve told you about the depth in the rotation -- both in Atlanta, with five very good starting pitchers (not including Kris Medlen, who will be back late this season), and in the minor leagues. Julio Teheran is the best pitching prospect in baseball. He was outstanding in April as a 20-year-old in Triple-A, and Teheran is almost ready. The Braves also have Mike Minor, who is doing well again in Gwinnett and is not far from being ready to stick for a long time.

So two pitchers -- out of the five in Atlanta and the two top arms in Triple-A -- are going to be gone between now and next year’s opening day. Lowe just gave the Braves a reason to pick him to leave.

It won’t be easy. Lowe is due $15 million more next year. He turns 38 on June 1. It will have to be a team like the New York Yankees, who have a desperate need for starting pitching and could afford that salary. But if the Braves could get a big bat in return (Nick Swisher, maybe?), they might pull the trigger on a deal.

McDowell will be back in two weeks, and he should be. Sure, McDowell was stupid to do whatever he did to cross the line in San Francisco. But Lowe could have killed someone, and that’s something that could write his ticket right out of Atlanta.

Listen to The Bill Shanks Show on WPLA Fox Sports 1670 AM in Macon and online at www.foxsports1670.com.