Braves, Mariners Deal Arms
December 7, 2006 by Geoff Young
Filed under Hot Stove
The Atlanta Braves have traded left-handed starter Horacio Ramirez to the Seattle Mariners for right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano. Braves fans are, or should be, rejoicing.
Both pitchers are 27 years old. Ramirez enjoyed a solid rookie campaign in 2003 before getting hurt. He returned in 2005 to make 32 starts, with a roughly league-average ERA and a dangerously low (3.56) strikeout rate. Ramirez pitched a little worse this past season and got hurt again. He’s not a terrible option for the back end of a big-league rotation.
Soriano, on the other hand, just needs to stay healthy. He has electric stuff and was one of the most effective relievers in baseball last season, posting a 2.25 ERA over 60 innings, with excellent peripheral numbers (low hits, good strikeout-to-walk ratio). Soriano missed most of 2004 and 2005 due to injury, so there’s plenty of risk here. There’s also plenty of upside.
The Braves have added a stud to their bullpen for the price of a back-end starter. That’s a trade you make every time.
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