Determined to rebuild a once-proud pitching staff that fell into disarray, the Atlanta Braves reached a preliminary agreement yesterday on a $60 million, four-year contract with Derek Lowe and finalized a deal with Japanese all-star pitcher Kenshin Kawakami.

"You've got to have pitching," manager Bobby Cox said. "You could have the best hitting team in the history of baseball and you still may not get it done. We will feel confident now that whoever toes the mound on any particular night, we've got a good chance of winning."

The Braves would not comment on the preliminary agreement with Lowe, which was subject to the pitcher passing a physical, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been completed.

Last year, the right-handed Lowe, 35, was 14-11 with a 3.24 ERA in 211 innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

PENN FEATURED

Hilo's BJ Penn will be featured in the UFC Primetime television show today on the Spike TV cable station.

UFC Primetime is being promoted as a three-part "behind-the-scenes look into the lives of two of the UFC's biggest stars" in Penn and Canada's Georges St-Pierre.

Penn and St-Pierre are scheduled to fight on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas for the UFC welterweight world championship. It is one of the most anticipated bouts in the history of the prestigious UFC organization.

The first episode of UFC Primetime is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. (Hawai'i time) today. The second and third episodes will follow on Jan. 21 and Jan. 28.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Preston Gomez, the first manager of the San Diego Padres in 1969, died yesterday in Fullerton, Calif., at the age of 85. Gomez was hit by a truck last March and never fully recovered from head injuries. ... Louisiana Tech forward Kenny Cooper, who was averaging 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, was suspended yesterday for the remainder of the season for repeatedly violating team rules. ... Maya Moore had 18 points and 12 rebounds to help top-ranked and host Connecticut beat DePaul, 77-62, last night.