An eighth-round pick by the Seattle Mariners, Lowe turned down a basketball scholarship at Michigan to sign with the M’s in 1991. After six years as a starter in the minors, he was shipped to the Boston Red Sox in July 1997 along with Jason Varitek for Heathcliff Slocumb. Shifted to the bullpen by the Red Sox, Lowe became the Boston’s closer in 1999, and led the American League in saves with 42 in 2000.
