DODGERS THINK HIGHLY OF LOWE.

Byline: Rich Hammond Staff Writer

Derek Lowe just signed a four-year contract worth $36 million, but these are the only numbers that the Dodgers care about right now: 5.42 and 1.86.

The first figure was Lowe's ghastly ERA during the 2004 season, and the latter was his ERA in four steel-nerved postseason appearances during the historic championship run of the Boston Red Sox.

Only time will tell which Lowe the Dodgers have received - the one who pitched himself out of favor in Boston last summer or the one who became a cult hero and revamped his reputation in October.

``I think he's going to benefit from pitching in this league, I think he's going to benefit from having our defense behind him and I think he's going to benefit from pitching in this ballpark,'' Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said. ``We really feel that Derek is a very significant piece of the puzzle for us, not only in 2005 but hopefully through the duration of his contract.''

The Dodgers stopped short of calling Lowe their new ace, and Lowe, a 31-year-old right-hander, flatly rejected that title Wednesday. But clearly both sides have a lot at stake. Lowe called the Dodgers ``a perfect fit,'' but the real measure will be how closely Lowe can match his playoff success.

``I'm going to try to take that intensity and drive and focus I had in the playoffs and incorporate that into every single start this year,'' Lowe said. ``My number one focus going into the offseason was to find a way to maintain that intensity throughout the regular season.''

Lowe will make $7.5 million this season, $9 million in 2006, $9.5 million in 2007 and $10 million in 2008, big numbers for a pitcher who remains something of an unknown quantity.

Boston turned Lowe, who had 42 saves in 2000, into a starter, and in 2002 he went 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA. He slipped a bit in 2003, going 17-7 with a 4.47 ERA, and went 14-12 last year.

Lowe allowed at least five earned runs in nine of his 33 starts last year, and his win total was bolstered by a powerful Boston offense that averaged more than six runs in each of his starts.

That's a far cry for the Dodgers' offense, which could be called average at best last season and could be worse this year with the departures of Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green. More importantly, three-fourths of the Dodgers' formerly vaunted infield has changed, which could impact Lowe, a ground-ball pitcher.

``You have to have quality starting pitching in place,'' Lowe said. ``When you have that, you can go a long way. I know there's been a lot of talk in the last couple weeks about the turnover within this organization, but they wouldn't be doing this if they didn't think it would work.

``They have a plan, and that's the most important thing. It's not a perfect world, and you can't have everything. They obviously felt that the guys they brought in are going to make up for the guys they lost. If I didn't think this organization had a chance to win this year and in years to come, I wouldn't be here.''

Lowe was one of the final top free-agent pitchers still on the market, even though he said the Dodgers were his first choice all along. The sticking points, it seems, were the Dodgers' ability to free up money by trading Green and their agreement to add a fourth year to Lowe's contract.

The pieces fell in place at the beginning of this month, and both sides got what they wanted. Lowe was able to switch leagues and play for a contender, as he desired, and the Dodgers got a potential top-of-the-rotation pitcher who never has been on the disabled list.

``In two other places we were offered more money,'' said Scott Boras, Lowe's agent. ``We really felt he could be outstanding in a National League environment, and we really focused on L.A. from the start. In the end, I told Paul that we'd take a little less money to come here.''

There is plenty of evidence that Lowe could shine in Los Angeles. He won 52 games over the past three seasons, tied with Curt Schilling for second-most in the majors during that span, one behind Bartolo Colon, and he started and won the games that closed out the ALCS and World Series for the Red Sox.

That run erased the bitter feelings of May, when Lowe had an 8.19 ERA in six starts, and his last four starts of the season, when he allowed 18 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings and briefly fell out of the rotation.

``In the middle of the year, I struggled, and I'll be the first to admit it,'' Lowe said. ``There wasn't a more disappointed guy in all of baseball than myself when it came to those four or five weeks when I struggled. I just kept telling myself that it was a long year and things could turn around.''

They did, and now Lowe joins Brad Penny, Odalis Perez, Jeff Weaver and either Wilson Alvarez or Edwin Jackson in what could be the National League West's top rotation.

``I like what they've done with this organization,'' Lowe said. ``I saw first hand how important starting pitching is and how far it can take you in the playoffs, and as I look at this starting five, we can compete with anybody, not only in the National League but also in the American League.

``This is a perfect fit; a groundball pitcher in a pitcher's park.''

Of course, that will largely depend on Lowe, and his ability to parlay his playoff success.

Rich Hammond, [phone]

rich.hammond(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Derek Lowe when from goat to hero because of his performance during the 2004 ALCS.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

(2) The Dodgers hope the Derek Lowe they signed is the one who shone during Boston's championship run.

Getty Images

Box:

LOWE STATISTICS