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Braves trade for All-Star outfielder McLouth
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
One day after sending Jordan Schafer to the minors, the Braves made a bold move to improve their outfield by trading three prospects to Pittsburgh for All-Star center fielder Nate McLouth.
They shipped right-handed starter Charlie Morton, center-field prospect Gorkys Hernandez and minor league lefty Jeff Locke to the Pirates for McLouth, an All-Star and Gold Glove winner last season when he hit 26 homers with 94 RBIs and led the National League with 46 doubles.
AJC File
Nate McLouth made the All-Star team and won a Gold Glove last season with Pittsburgh.
“He’s a great pickup for us,” third baseman Chipper Jones said of McLouth, 27, whose nine homers, 34 RBIs and seven stolen bases this season easily surpass the Braves’ current team leaders in each of those categories.
“A week ago I didn’t expect to be able to make a deal for a bat this early,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said after announcing the trade during Wednesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs. “I thought it would be later in June or July at the very earliest.”
The Braves acquired a speedy slugger who can bat anywhere in the top half of their order, and who they’ll have under contract for three or four more seasons.
McLouth signed a three-year, $15.75 million deal this spring that runs through 2011, with a club option in 2012.
“This happening this early is opportune for us,” Wren said, “because it gives us a lot more of the season to put our team together and gives us a chance to win games.”
McLouth joins a Braves outfield that was tied for last in the majors with 10 homers through Tuesday, and finished last with 27 homers in 2008. He almost single-handedly matched the Braves’ outfield total with his career-high 26 homers in 2008, when he hit .276.
He stole 23 bases in 26 attempts in 2008, and he has not been caught stealing this season.
“He’s a baller, dude,” said Braves closer Mike Gonzalez, a former Pittsburgh teammate. “Definitely an upgrade. He changes the whole offense. And he’s not just a hitter - he can go get it in center field. He’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse. He’s fluent in Spanish, too. Really smart guy.”
McLouth has hit .256 this season and has a .261 career average with 60 homers and 194 RBIs in 481 games since 2005, all with the Pirates.
He’s posted solid on-base percentages of .351, .356 and .349 the past three seasons, and in 2008 he batted .273 with 17 homers and a .362 OBP in 326 at-bats from the leadoff position.
“Very good player,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “He can steal bases, hit, drive in runs, and hit homers. And he won the Gold Glove — and played like a Gold Glover against us.”
McLouth’s contract had a $1.5 million signing bonus and salaries of $2 million this season, $4.5 million in 2010 and $6.5 million in 2011, with a $10.65 million club option in 2012 that carries a $1.25 million buyout.
“This is not to rent a guy for a year,” Wren said. “This is not to get a guy who’s going to be a free agent. This is a guy that’s going to be here for four years. That makes all the difference in the world.”
The Braves paid a hefty price: Morton was 7-2 with a 2.51 ERA in 10 starts at Gwinnett, and Hernandez, 21, hit .316 with 11 doubles, two triples, 19 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in 52 games at Class AA Mississippi.
Locke, 21, was 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 starts for Class A Myrtle Beach.
“We have great [young pitching] depth,” Wren said, “and we’re going to pick seventh in the draft next week and I’m sure we’ll get some more. [Scouting director] Roy Clark and his guys have identified some guys that we really like, so, if you’re going to improve your club that’s how you’re going to do it.”
Wren said the Braves decided during their 2-5 road trip that ended Sunday that it was time to ramp up their effort to make moves, including adding top pitching prospect Tommy Hanson to the rotation and pulling the trigger on a deal for McLouth.
Although the Braves had targeted McLouth for a year or more, it wasn’t until the past several days that it became clear to them that he might be available if the Braves could satisfy Pittsburgh’s needs.
“We just didn’t want the season to be too far gone before we made moves, if there were moves to be made,” Wren said. “And I think over the weekend, talking with a lot of our guys, our advisers and staff, and Bobby, we felt that if we could make some aggressive moves we could really improve our club and put us in good position.
“And part of that was evaluating our pitching and evaluating who gives us the best chance to win every fifth day. We like our starting pitching. Tommy Hanson just continued to dominate. We felt that putting him in our rotation strengthened our rotation as good as anybody’s in our league,” Wren added.
“Our bullpen has been strong, so if we could shore up our offense it would put us in a strong position. And this really helps do that.”
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