Pirates-Braves trade finalized
ATLANTA (AP) – The Atlanta Braves had difficulty holding leads last season. The Pittsburgh Pirates, held back by a shortage of left-handed power hitter, struggled to score runs. The Braves finalized their trade Friday to acquire reliever Mike Gonzalez from the Pirates in a deal that sent first baseman Adam LaRoche to Pittsburgh. Two Class-A players also switched teams, with Atlanta getting shortstop prospect Brent Lillibridge and the Pirates receiving outfielder Jamie Romak.
“It gives us as strong a bullpen, in my view, that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said John Schuerholz, the Braves’ general manager since 1991. “I feel real good about that.”
Atlanta, which had an NL-high 29 blown saves last year, also re-signed 37-year-old right-hander Bob Wickman, who converted 18 of 19 save chances and had a 1.04 ERA after he was acquired from Cleveland on July 20.
The Braves acquired right-hander Rafael Soriano from Seattle for starter Horacio Ramirez. Then came the deal for Gonzalez and bring back left-hander Macay McBride, who was 4-1 with a 3.65 ERA, and Tyler Yates, Oscar Villarreal and Chad Paronto.
Gonzalez, a 28-year-old left-hander, was 3-4 with a 2.17 ERA and was 24 for 24 in save chances, but he didn’t pitch after Aug. 24 because of elbow tendinitis. Salomon Torres took over as the closer and had 12 saves.
Like Soriano, Gonzalez is viewed as a possible future closer for Atlanta, but he cost the team an emerging slugger in the 27-year-old LaRoche.
The Pirates, who hit an NL-low 141 homers during a 95-loss season last year, have been desperate to add a left-handed power bat to take advantage of PNC Park’s short right-field fence. The left-handed hitting LaRoche is a pull hitter who flourished last year in his first season as a full-time starter.
“The acquisition of Adam LaRoche certainly strengthens our lineup and defense and gives us the left-handed bat we were looking for this offseason,” Pirates general manager Dave Littlefield said. “Trading a player like Mike Gonzalez is never easy, but in order to receive a talented player like LaRoche we had to part with him.”
LaRoche hit .285 with 32 homers and 90 RBIs and was seventh in the NL with a .561 slugging percentage. He is expected to join 2004 NL Rookie of the Year Jason Bay in the middle of the Pirates’ lineup.
“Sure, he was a hard guy to give up,” said Schuerholz of LaRoche. “He had a breakout year this year offensively. He’s a silky smooth defensive first baseman. Had we not had Scott Thorman here, we likely would not have been able to do this.”
Schuerholz said Thorman is expected to be the starting first baseman, even though the team agreed Thursday to a $2 million, one-year contract with Craig Wilson.
Wilson is a right-handed hitter who seemed to be a natural fit in a platoon with the left-handed hitting Thorman.
“I don’t suspect that will happen,” Schuerholz said. “We believe it’s time for another young player to matriculate, if you will, to everyday responsibility, and we believe he can do the job as an everyday player.”
Thorman batted .234 with five homers in 128 at-bats with Atlanta last season after hitting 15 homers at Triple-A Richmond. In 2005, Thorman totaled 21 homers with two minor league teams.
Atlanta manager Bobby Cox will ultimately make the call each day.
“Craig Wilson can also play first base, and I’m sure Bobby will give him the opportunity to do that in certain situations, but Scotty Thorman will be our first baseman,” Schuerholz said. “He is going to be a real productive offensive player and a more than adequate defensive player.”
Lillibridge, 23, hit .305 with 13 homers, 71 RBIs and 51 stolen bases while splitting his 2006 season between two Class A teams in the Pittsburgh chain.
Lillibridge was the Pirates’ fourth-round pick in the 2005 amateur draft.
Romak, 21, had a .247 average, 16 homers and 68 RBIs in 108 games at Class-A Rome.
NOTES: RHP Shawn Chacon, the leading contender for the final spot in the Pirates’ rotation, agreed to a one-year contract worth $3,825,000. Chacon, who split last season between the Yankees and Pirates, filed for $4.25 million in arbitration and the Pirates offered $3.7 million. Chacon can make up to $225,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 160 and 180 innings and $125,000 for 200 innings.