THIS IS IT

The Braves have made several moves as the hot stove heats up. Rafeal Furcal was signed by the LA Dodgers for 39 million/3 years. They traded away Johnny Estrada and Danny Kolb for pitchers in separate deals. They also traded for Edgar Rentaria from Boston in exchange for top third base prospect Andy Marte. They still need to make a move to acquire a top-notch closer. So look for that report later.

Red Sox deal Renteria to Braves for Marte

The Braves and Red Sox have agreed on a deal that would ship shortstop Edgar Renteria to Atlanta in exchange for Braves third-base prospect Andy Marte, ESPN’s Peter Gammons has learned.

An official announcement is expected in an hour.

The Red Sox signed Renteria to a four-year, $40 million deal as a free agent last offseason. But Renteria struggled in his first season in Boston, batting .276 with eight home runs and 70 RBI with just nine stolen bases. He had a career year with the Cardinals in 2003, batting .330, hitting 13 homers and driving in 100 runs. He also stole 34 bases.

Renteria will replace Rafael Furcal at shortstop for the Braves. Furcal finalized a three-year, $39 million deal with the Dodgers on Wednesday to become their shortstop.

Marte is rated as the top prospect in the Braves organization by Baseball America. Last season in Triple-A, he batted .275 with 20 homers and 74 RBI. In 9 at-bats with the Braves in 2005, he hit two homers and drove in six runs.
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Braves trade Kolb back to Brewers for Obermueller

DALLAS —After flopping as Atlanta’s closer and losing his job less than two months into the season, Dan Kolb was traded by the Braves back to the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday for right-hander Wes Obermueller.

Kolb, a 30-year-old right-hander, was 3-8 with a 5.93 ERA last season, his first with the Braves. Atlanta acquired him from the Brewers at last year’s winter meetings for Jose Capellan and Alex Zumwalt.

He was an All-Star for the Brewers in 2004, when he had 39 saves, and the Braves acquired him to move John Smoltz back into the starting rotation. But by mid-May, he had four losses and three blown saves, allowing 18 hits and 16 walks—one more than his 2004 total—in 16 2/3 innings.

“Working with Mike Maddux, Dan had great success for us in the past and he adds to the depth of our relief,” Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin said, referring to the team’s pitching coach. “We think that he has great potential to return to his form of 2004 and make a significant contribution to our staff.”

During his second stint in Milwaukee, Kolb will be a setup man for Derrick Turnbow, who had 39 saves in 43 chances last season.

The 28-year-old Obermueller went 1-4 with a 5.26 ERA in eight starts and 15 relief appearances for Milwaukee this year after going 6-8 in 20 starts and five relief appearances the previous season.
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Braves trade Estrada for two Diamondback pitchers

DALLAS —New Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes completed his first trade Wednesday, filling one of the Diamondbacks’ pressing needs with the acquisition of All-Star catcher Johnny Estrada from the Atlanta Braves for right-handed relievers Lance Cormier and Oscar Villarreal.

The Diamondbacks are confident that Estrada is healthy after being limited to 105 games last season following a collision at home plate on June 6 with Darin Erstad of the Los Angeles Angels. Estrada was hospitalized overnight with a concussion and didn’t play for a week after that.

“The doctors spoke and we’re comfortable with the information,” Byrnes said.

“We know for certain that he is completely recovered from that,” Braves GM John Schuerholz said.

Estrada’s injury provided an opportunity for rookie Brian McCann to play more. McCann hit .278 in 59 regular season games and then hit a home run off Roger Clemens in his first postseason at-bat.

With the Braves likely to start McCann behind the plate next year, they had the chance to trade Estrada in an attempt to improve their beleaguered bullpen.

Cormier was 7-3 with a 5.11 ERA in 67 relief appearances last season, and Villarreal went 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA in 11 relief appearances. Cormier is 25 and Villarreal is 24.

“I think these guys can help us,” Schuerholz said.

The Braves didn’t offer salary arbitration Wednesday night to 47-year-old first baseman Julio Franco, outfielder Todd Hollandsworth or right-hander Jay Powell. None of those free agents could re-sign with Atlanta before May 1.

The 29-year-old Estrada, acquired in December 2002 from Philadelphia for pitcher Kevin Millwood, hit .261 last season with four home runs and 39 RBI. He made the NL All-Star team in 2004, when he batted .314 with nine homers and 76 RBI.

“We had a need, and we hope it’s filled for several years now,” the 35-year-old Byrnes said.

Arizona catcher Chris Snyder is considered a strong defensive player, but hit just .202 in 115 games last season.

Byrnes was the assistant GM for the Boston Red Sox before being hired by the Diamondbacks to replace Joe Garagiola Jr., who resigned to become senior vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office.

Byrnes completed his first trade with Schuerholz, the longest-tenured GM in the majors after 15 seasons with the Braves.

“One of the youngest and least experienced GMs, and one of the oldest and most experienced hook up and make a deal,” Schuerholz said.

“He absolutely knows what he wants. He’s very direct and to the point,” Byrnes said. “He is certainly the best GM in my lifetime, and maybe of all time.”

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