Noah Lowry

Noah Lowry
San Francisco Giants – No. 51
Starting Pitcher
Bats: Right Throws: Left
debut
September 5, 2003, for the San Francisco Giants
Career statistics (through August 19, 2007)
Wins-Losses	39-30
Earned Run Average	3.89
Strikeouts	415
Teams
San Francisco Giants (2003-present)

Noah Ryan Lowry (born 1980-10-10 in Ventura, California) is a left-handed starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball.

With only average velocity on his fastball, Lowry was not widely regarded as a top prospect, and did not make Baseball America's list of the team's 10 best prospects in either 2003 or 2004. However, he has found quick success in the Major Leagues, largely thanks to his changeup, which has been ranked among the National League's best. He also throws a curveball and a slider.

Lowry, who bats right-handed, is also known as one of the best hitting pitchers in the National League, with a career batting average of .170. When he was called up in September of 2003, he hit a double in his first career at bat. In 2005, he hit .271, drove in seven runs, and had six extra base hits in 59 at bats. He is often called upon to pinch hit when the team is out of position players. He is also occasionally used as a pinch runner.

College and the Draft

Lowry was first drafted out of high school by the Texas Rangers in the 19th round of the 1999 MLB Draft, but instead opted to attend Pepperdine University, where he roomed with Dan Haren. At Pepperdine, Lowry went 14-2 with a 1.71 ERA as a junior. After his college career, he was drafted by the Giants in the first round (30th overall) of the 2001 draft.

Major League career

2004

Following a September call-up in 2003, Lowry enjoyed a very successful partial rookie year in 2004, going 6-0, which is second in San Francisco Giants franchise history only to that of Kirk Rueter who went 10-0 to start his career. Lowry had a 3.82 ERA over 92 innings (14 starts). He was named the National League's player of the week for the week of August 9.

2005

In 2005, Lowry started out poorly with a 5.07 ERA in his 18 starts before the all-star break, but improved greatly in the second half, posting an 8-4 record and 2.43 ERA after the All-Star break. Lowry's best month came in August, when he went 5-0 with a 0.69 ERA and earned pitcher of the month honors. He finished the season with a 13-13 record, 3.78 ERA, and 172 strikeouts in 204⅔ innings. When Kirk Rueter was released in July 2005, Lowry became the only left-handed starting pitcher on the Giants' staff.

2006

In spring training in 2006, Lowry was rewarded for his 2005 performance with a four-year, $9.25 million deal. At the time, it was the second largest contract for a pitcher with only one full season of big league service. Lowry received a $1 million signing bonus and $385,000 salary for 2006. The contract guarantees him totals of $1.115 million for 2007, $2.25 million for 2008, and $4.5 million for 2009. The contract includes a 2010 option for $6.25 million that will be activated automatically if a certain number of starts, innings and Cy Young Award vote placement is achieved. The 2010 option also includes another $1.5 million in incentives.

2006 was a rough year for Lowry. He went 7-10 with a 4.74 ERA in only 159 1/3 innings. Starting the home opener, Lowry was removed from the game in the second inning due to an oblique strain. He missed the first month of the season. Lowry also suffered from an elbow injury in September. On an April 19, 2007 telecast, Giants announcers Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper told viewers that Lowry explained his problems in 2006 as being caused by bad habits and bad mechanics that were initially caused by the injuries.

On July 8th, 2006, he Lowry his first career home run off Derek Lowe in an 11-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

2007

On June 8, 2007, Lowry played in right field in an extra inning ballgame against the Oakland Athletics when backup catcher Eliézer Alfonzo was injured in the 10th inning. Having used all up their position players, the Giants moved Pedro Feliz from third base to catcher, Randy Winn moved from center field to third, Dan Ortmeier moved from right field to center, and Lowry came into the game in right. He was the first pitcher to play in the field since Jason Simontacchi did it in 2004.

As of August 27, he is the winningest pitcher on the Giants staff, tied for the league lead in wins by a lefty, and has the lowest ERA in the rotation.

Statistics

Year	Ag	Tm	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	GF	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	HBP	WP	BFP	BK	ERA	WHIP	OBA
2003	22	SF	NL	0	0	4	0	0	0	3	6⅓	1	0	0	0	2	5	1	0	24	0	0.00	0.47	.048
2004	23	SF	NL	6	0	16	14	2	1	0	92	91	41	39	10	28	72	0	2	383	0	3.82	1.29	.259
2005	24	SF	NL	13	13	33	33	0	0	0	204⅔	193	92	86	21	76	172	7	2	875	0	3.78	1.31	.249
2006	25	SF	NL	7	10	27	27	1	1	0	159⅓	166	89	84	21	56	84	6	2	689	1	4.74	1.39	.273
2007	26	SF	NL	14	7	25	25	1	0	0	153	148	69	61	9	83	86	5	5	673	0	3.59	1.51	.261
Totals:				40	30	105	99	4	2	3	615⅓	599	291	270	61	245	419	19	11	2,644	1	3.95	1.37	.258

• Through August 27, 2007

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
• San Francisco Giants Player File
• Template:Espn mlb