The Atlanta Braves have signed right-handed reliever Rafael Soriano to a 2-year, $9 million deal. Here’s a quick demonstration of why it’s good to lock up the guys you already have rather than pay top dollar on the open market:

Rafael Soriano vs Octavio Dotel

 
2006-2007 Stats
2008 Age, Contract

IP
ERA
WHIP
K/BB
Age
Yrs
$

Soriano
132
2.66
0.962
3.75
28
2
$9M

Dotel
40.1
5.75
1.721
2.09
34
2
$11M

I know we just picked on the Dotel signing, but seriously, what am I missing?

The Atlanta Braves have acquired center fielder Mark Kotsay from the Oakland A’s for right-handers Joey Devine and Jamie Richmond. The good news is that Atlanta is on the hook for just $2 million of Kotsay’s $7.325 salary in ‘08. The bad news is that Kotsay hasn’t been even marginally productive since 2005.
Kotsay is 32 years old and has battled numerous injuries over the years, primarily back problems. Kotsay, of course, says he feels great, but it’s easy to feel great in January, when you’re not playing actual games.
Personally I have a soft spot for Kotsay, who did a nice …read more

The Atlanta Braves have shipped shortstop Edgar Renteria to the Detroit Tigers for right-hander Jair Jurrjens and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez. What a curious trade. This gives the Tigers two outstanding shortstops, and leaves the Braves with none.
Well, on the surface anyway.

A reader tipped me off to this story. John Schuerholz, general manager of the Atlanta Braves since 1990, is stepping down and being replaced by his assistant, Frank Wren.
I’m in shock. Schuerholz engineered the most successful run in professional sports history, and now he’s done (well, technically he’ll stick around as team president). I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this move in the coming days and weeks. For now, it’s just… bizarre…

You will recall that starting this year, teams now have until August 15 to sign their picks from the June draft. Guess what, kids; the deadline is almost here.
From Rain Delay comes word that the Atlanta Braves have inked their first-round pick, outfielder Jason Heyward. Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers are hopeful that Heyward’s signing will help them in negotiations with right-hander Blake Beavan. And in Kansas City, Joe Posnanski talks about the Royals’ efforts to bring Mike Moustakas into the fold.
Complicated stuff…

I am watching the Atlanta Braves destroy Milwaukee’s bullpen. The Brewers took a 2-1 lead into the eighth, and it’s now 8-2, Atlanta, with two out in the inning. The NL Central is just brutal…

Matt Watson at the FanHouse points us to a sordid tale of, um, well — actually we don’t know if it’s sordid. In fact, we don’t really know much about it at all.
Let me be a little more clear. Or at least as clear as I can be given the circumstances. Seems Atlanta Braves infielder Willy Aybar, currently on the disabled list, has done something to irritate his employer. If the three-game suspension wasn’t enough of a clue, then maybe this quote from Chipper Jones is: “I didn’t even know he was still on the team.”
This reminds me of Office …read more

Atlanta Braves left-hander Mike Hampton is done for the season.
Again.
Hampton will undergo elbow surgery on Tuesday and is expected to miss 6-9 months. He missed all of last season and made just 12 starts for the Braves in 2005. Bummer for Hampton and the Braves, to say the very least.
Not to change the subject or anything, but how was signing Barry Zito to a 7-year contract a good idea? And no, I’m not reacting to his two poor starts to start the season. Anyone who thinks that Zito comes without risk needs to take a good hard look at Hampton …read more

The Atlanta Braves have given catcher Brian McCann a six-year contract extension worth $27.8 million. Six years is a long time for a catcher, but at the ripe old age of 23, McCann may still have room for improvement. That’s a scary proposition considering he hit .333/.388/.572 in his first full big-league season.
If you look around for decent comps for McCann, you won’t find any. The closest probably is Minnesota’s Joe Mauer, and he also happens to be at a similar stage in his career, so we can’t look to his numbers for guidance.
I will say that I’m extremely leery …read more

Hey if it wasn’t for bad luck y’all
Oh! I wouldn’t have no luck at all
I doubt the late, great Ray Charles was singing about Atlanta Braves left-hander Mike Hampton, but the sentiment applies. Hampton, who missed all of 2006 while recovering from “Tommy John” surgery, hurt himself Wednesday during batting practice:
While taking his third and final round of batting practice at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex on Wednesday afternoon, Hampton took a swing and fell to the ground in pain. It’s still unknown whether he suffered a strained left oblique or broken rib.
Depending on the severity of the injury, …read more