WELCOME TO ATLANTA, DANNY KOLB!!!!! :D LOVIN' YOU! LOVIN' YOU!
ANAHEIM -- For the second straight offseason, Braves general manager John Schuerholz has opted to trade his top pitching prospect to fill Atlanta's biggest need at the Major League level.
This year's sacrifice could prove to be very satisfying to John Smoltz, who looks like he's going to be given the opportunity to be a starting pitcher again.
The Braves and Brewers completed a trade on Saturday that will send Danny Kolb from Milwaukee to Atlanta in exchange for the talented Jose Capellan, who is one of the game's most exciting young players.
Kolb converted 39 of 44 save opportunites and posted a 2.98 ERA in a career-high 64 appearances last year. The 29-year-old right-hander is in his final arbitration-eligible season and could earn close to $3 million through the proceedings.
While Kolb might not come with quite the same fame as J.D. Drew, who was obtained for Adam Wainwright during last year's Winter Meetings, the right-hander, known for his effective sinker, is desirable enough for the Braves to give up a pitcher that many believe could find plenty of success in the Majors.
Capellan, whose fastball has been clocked as high as 100 mph, posted a 2.32 ERA while pitching at three different levels in the Braves' minor league system last year. The 23-year-old right-hander recorded 139 strikeouts and compiled 152 2/3 innings during that span.
Unfortunately for Capellan, life in the Majors wasn't as kind. His inability to command his lively fastball, or throw his changeup for strikes, proved disastrous. In three September appearances, including two starts, he posted an 11.25 ERA and opponents hit .400 against him.
There was some thought of giving Capellan a shot to fill one of the spots in the Braves' rotation this spring, but this chance to acquire a top closer at a economical rate was something Atlanta didn't want to miss.
When it was apparent they weren't going to be able to acquire Tim Hudson without parting with Marcus Giles, the Braves decided Smoltz was their best option for a front-line starter -- their biggest offseason need.
Smoltz's current contract, which is worth $12 million, calls for him to receive $100,000 for each start that he makes. A new multiyear deal that would enable the veteran right-hander an opportunity to retire in Atlanta will likely be constructed next week.
As long as the new deal, which will likely be for three years, supersedes the $12 million that Smoltz is owed this year, the Players' Association will not have a problem with the right-hander taking a slight pay cut for the 2005 season.
Smoltz, who won the 1996 National League Cy Young Award, has been one of the game's best closers since elbow problems forced him into that role after he returned from Tommy John surgery in 2001. He hasn't been part of the rotation for an entire season since 1999 and hasn't made more than 30 starts since 1997.
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Also, Russ Ortiz signed wirth Arizona for 4 years. Its ok. We still have Thomson, Byrd, maybe Wright, and Smoltzie :D WOOHOO da2kokib/al19fl jules