Braves agree to deal with outfielder Garret Anderson

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — The Braves finally added a proven hitter to their outfield, agreeing with free agent Garret Anderson on a one-year, $2.5 million contract, said a person familiar with negotiations.

An announcement could come as soon as today, and Anderson is expected to join the Braves at spring training within two days. MLB.com also reported the agreement, citing unnamed sources.

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AP

Longtime Angels outfielder and designated hitter Garret Anderson could play in a platoon in left field with Matt Diaz or in an everyday role.

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The 36-year-old left-handed hitter has a .296 career average and 272 home runs in 15 seasons in the majors, all with the American League Los Angeles Angels.

“I’ve always loved this guy,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said of Anderson, who hit .293 with 15 home runs and 84 RBIs last season. “He’s got one of the sweetest swings in baseball. He’s a guy you want up with the game on the line, and he uses all fields. I hope we get him.”

Four days after Ken Griffey Jr. signed with Seattle instead of Atlanta, the Braves landed Anderson, a three-time All-Star. He’s expected to play left field, either in a platoon with Matt Diaz or in more of an everyday role.

The Braves have been trying for months to acquire a middle-of-the-order hitter to complement Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. Anderson has hit in the fourth spot more than any other during his career as an outfielder and designated hitter.

“I like it,” McCann said. “The track record on him is, he can hit. And he’s got a ton of knowledge, too, which will be good for us to pick his brain. I’ve heard from a bunch of people that he’s a great guy. It gives us one more experienced hitter.”

After a sluggish start in 2008, Anderson hit .337 over his final 69 games beginning July 1, posting 49 RBIs and a robust .871 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in that stretch.

While he doesn’t have the name cachet of Griffey, it can be argued Anderson is a better fit for the Braves. He doesn’t have the history of injuries that have reduced Griffey’s once-great defensive skills, and his production against left-handers hasn’t eroded like Griffey’s.

Griffey hit .249 with 18 homers and 71 RBIs last season, including .202 with a .299 on-base percentage against lefties. That would have relegated him to a likely platoon role if he’d joined the Braves. Anderson hit .290 with a .333 OBP vs. lefties.

With runners in scoring position, Anderson hit .338, including .356 with two outs. Griffey hit .258 with runners in scoring position, including .239 with two outs.

Griffey signed a one-year deal for $2 million with incentives that could push the total to $4.5 million. Anderson’s contract is for $2.5 million with no incentives.

Soon after Griffey announced his decision, the Braves moved on to Anderson — even as they were stating publicly that they would take a look at their organization’s young outfielders and not immediately pursue another free agent or a trade for a veteran.

Anderson doesn’t draw many walks, but he also doesn’t strike out much and is regarded as a “professional hitter” with a penchant for big hits. In the late innings of close games, he .371 with a .441 OBP in 89 at-bats last season.

He has split time between DH and the outfield in the latter years of his career, and at this stage he’s not an exceptional defensive player. However, he’s better defensively than most other veteran free agents who were available this offseason.

While the Braves would have platooned Griffey, it’s possible Anderson could get plenty of at-bats against lefties. “He hits right-handers and left-handers; it doesn’t matter,” Cox said.

Anderson hit .293 and slugged .450 with 39 extra-base hits vs. right-handers in 2008. He hit .290 and slugged .371 with six extra-base hits (one homer) in 124 at-bats against lefties.

For his career, he’s hit .299 with a .481 slugging percentage against right-handers, and .291 with a .441 slugging percentage against lefties.

The Los Angeles native was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round in 1990, when the franchise was still the California Angels.

Anderson was runner-up for rookie of the year in 1995, and his best stretch was 2000-03, when he had four consecutive seasons of at least 28 homers and 116 RBIs. He hit .299 with 121 homers and 479 RBIs in that four-year span, and he finished fourth, 14th and 21st in MVP balloting.

He hasn’t posted 20 homers or 100 RBIs in the five seasons since, and has a .290 average with 420 RBIs and a .768 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 647 games. In that same period, Griffey hit .268 with 388 RBIs and an .852 OPS in 607 games.