Braves trade for Wickman

[Guest Riv]

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The Atlanta Braves, looking for bullpen help as they make a run at the National League wild card, acquired closer Bob Wickman from Cleveland for minor league catcher Max Ramirez on Thursday.

Wickman, 37, is 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA and 15 saves this season. He's eligible for free agency this winter.

The Braves were desperate to upgrade a bullpen that's tied with Kansas City for first in the major leagues with 20 blown saves. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox has used Chris Reitsma, Mike Remlinger, Ken Ray and Jorge Sosa, among others, to close games this season.

Ramirez, 21, was rated Atlanta's No. 20 prospect by Baseball America before this season. He was hitting .285 with nine homers in 267 at-bats for the Braves' Class A Rome affiliate. He was picked for the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.

With Cleveland at 42-52 and 21 games out of first place in the American League Central Division, baseball front office people expect Indians general manager Mark Shapiro to shop Aaron Boone, Guillermo Mota, Ronnie Belliard and possibly one or two more veterans between now and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Braves have won 14 straight division titles, but their chances looked to be in doubt when they were 33-46. Since then, Atlanta has won 12 of 16 to get back into wild-card contention, five games behind Cincinnati.

Atlanta's seven-game winning streak ended Wednesday night at St. Louis. The Braves were off Thursday, and play a weekend series in Philadelphia.

Wickman earned his 15th save Wednesday to help the Indians end a five-game losing streak. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 29 games.

Cleveland has been a disappointment this season and fallen far back in the AL Central and wild-card races.

Ray, who has five saves in eight chances, had perhaps the most success, but no reliever fared well enough to hold the job.

The Braves also struggled to close games last year, when former closer John Smoltz made his return to the starting rotation.

Wickman has been a reliable closer despite often allowing baserunners.

It was no different Wednesday when he gave up a two-out double to Orlando Cabrera before striking out Vladimir Guerrero in a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Wickman, in his seventh season with the Indians, is the club's career saves leader with 138. He has a lifetime record of 60-55 with a 3.64 ERA and 229 saves in 14 seasons.

Last year, Wickman converted 45 of 50 save opportunities and made his second All-Star appearance. It was Wickman's first full season after having elbow surgery that caused him to miss the 2003 season and the first half of 2004.

Wickman chose to sign a one-year, $5 million contract in December after the Indians were unsuccessful in signing B.J. Ryan or Trevor Hoffman.

The Braves are well-stocked at catcher. Brian McCann, at 22, made the NL All-Star team this year and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, playing at Double-A Mississippi, is regarded as a top prospect.

Wickman joined the Indians in 2000, coming over in a seven-player deal that sent Richie Sexson to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hard-throwing rookie Fausto Carmona appears to be the favorite to take over the closer role for the Indians, who expected to be contenders after winning 93 games last season.

Wickman was the most obvious trade candidate for the Indians, who entered Thursday 21 games back in the AL Central. He could have vetoed the trade because he has more than 10 years in the league and at least five with the same team.

[Popeye]

Hell yeah now we get a real closer.

[Plainview1981]

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The Atlanta Braves, looking for bullpen help as they make a run at the National League wild card, acquired closer Bob Wickman from Cleveland for minor league catcher Max Ramirez on Thursday.

Wickman, 37, is 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA and 15 saves this season. He's eligible for free agency this winter.

The Braves were desperate to upgrade a bullpen that's tied with Kansas City for first in the major leagues with 20 blown saves. Atlanta manager Bobby Cox has used Chris Reitsma, Mike Remlinger, Ken Ray and Jorge Sosa, among others, to close games this season.

Ramirez, 21, was rated Atlanta's No. 20 prospect by Baseball America before this season. He was hitting .285 with nine homers in 267 at-bats for the Braves' Class A Rome affiliate. He was picked for the South Atlantic League All-Star Game.

With Cleveland at 42-52 and 21 games out of first place in the American League Central Division, baseball front office people expect Indians general manager Mark Shapiro to shop Aaron Boone, Guillermo Mota, Ronnie Belliard and possibly one or two more veterans between now and the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

The Braves have won 14 straight division titles, but their chances looked to be in doubt when they were 33-46. Since then, Atlanta has won 12 of 16 to get back into wild-card contention, five games behind Cincinnati.

Atlanta's seven-game winning streak ended Wednesday night at St. Louis. The Braves were off Thursday, and play a weekend series in Philadelphia.

Wickman earned his 15th save Wednesday to help the Indians end a five-game losing streak. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 4.18 ERA in 29 games.

Cleveland has been a disappointment this season and fallen far back in the AL Central and wild-card races.

Ray, who has five saves in eight chances, had perhaps the most success, but no reliever fared well enough to hold the job.

The Braves also struggled to close games last year, when former closer John Smoltz made his return to the starting rotation.

Wickman has been a reliable closer despite often allowing baserunners.

It was no different Wednesday when he gave up a two-out double to Orlando Cabrera before striking out Vladimir Guerrero in a 6-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Wickman, in his seventh season with the Indians, is the club's career saves leader with 138. He has a lifetime record of 60-55 with a 3.64 ERA and 229 saves in 14 seasons.

Last year, Wickman converted 45 of 50 save opportunities and made his second All-Star appearance. It was Wickman's first full season after having elbow surgery that caused him to miss the 2003 season and the first half of 2004.

Wickman chose to sign a one-year, $5 million contract in December after the Indians were unsuccessful in signing B.J. Ryan or Trevor Hoffman.

The Braves are well-stocked at catcher. Brian McCann, at 22, made the NL All-Star team this year and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, playing at Double-A Mississippi, is regarded as a top prospect.

Wickman joined the Indians in 2000, coming over in a seven-player deal that sent Richie Sexson to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Hard-throwing rookie Fausto Carmona appears to be the favorite to take over the closer role for the Indians, who expected to be contenders after winning 93 games last season.

Wickman was the most obvious trade candidate for the Indians, who entered Thursday 21 games back in the AL Central. He could have vetoed the trade because he has more than 10 years in the league and at least five with the same team.

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It seems like a good move... But with Wickmans age you never know if he'll hold up.

However, the NL could favor him more and actually help him be better. Who knows?

[Yubs]

20 blown saves?? Didn't realize it was that much.

God... if we managed to even save half those blown saves, we'd be 55-40, rather than 45-50.

[AHF]

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20 blown saves?? Didn't realize it was that much.

God... if we managed to even save half those blown saves, we'd be 55-40, rather than 45-50.

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I don't think we lost every game where we blew a save (such as the marathon game last week where we blew the save and came back to win) but I know what you mean. That is an excessively high number.

[KB21]

There is some talk that Jorge Sosa will be sent to Colorado for Ray King. The Braves will have a super sized bullpen then, with Bob Wickman, Ray King, and Chad Paronto.

[Dukegotgame]

why would you trade sosa for ray king? thats dumb

[Popeye]

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There is some talk that Jorge Sosa will be sent to Colorado for Ray King. The Braves will have a super sized bullpen then, with Bob Wickman, Ray King, and Chad Paronto.

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we dont need a supersized bullpen, just a good one.

[CBAreject]

I want Jose Mesa from the Rockies. Problem is, they're in the race for the wild card, too. I've wanted to get Mesa for a few years to be a set-up man.

[drzachary]

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There is some talk that Jorge Sosa will be sent to Colorado for Ray King. The Braves will have a super sized bullpen then, with Bob Wickman, Ray King, and Chad Paronto.

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Haha! That is really ironic. I was just talking to a friend earlier about how we'd have the fattest bullpen ever if we had kept K*lb and Ray King..

[drzachary]

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kept K*lb and Ray King

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I didn't realize Kolb was a curse word, oh I mean K*lb, pardon my french...

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It is culturally insensitive to call curse words "French."

[KB21]

Probably because Ray King has proven to be an effective reliever in the past. This year is the first bad season he has had in a while, and a lot of that can probably be attributed to being in Colorado.

When he last pitched for the Braves, Ray posted a 3.55 ERA with a 3-4 overall record. In 80 appearances and 59 innings, he only gave up 3 home runs. He had an even better season with the Cardinals in 2004, where he posted a 5-2 record with a 2.61 ERA in 86 appearances and 62 innings pitched. He also gave up just one home run during that season.

Basically, Ray King has been a fairly effective lefty in the past, and when you are trading Jorge Sosa at this point, it's best to get what you can.

[drzachary]

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kept K*lb and Ray King

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I didn't realize Kolb was a curse word, oh I mean K*lb, pardon my french...

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It is culturally insensitive to call curse words "French."

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Hahaha, you crack me up Dr. And by the way, Happy Birthday!

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Thank you! I appreciate the well-wishes.

[joannes3000]

I wonder what's to become of the rumors that we were looking at getting Scott Linebrink from SD. Dude is lights out setting up Hoffman and even if we don't use him as a closer now that we have Wickman, it wouldn't hurt to strengthen the bullpen further.

[KB21]

With Hoffman struggling some and the Padres right in the thick of things in the west, I don't think they will trade Scott Linebrink.

[CBAreject]

SD approached ATL about Wilson Betemit for Linebrink. Braves stalled, and SD backed off when they realized how important he was to their pen.

Scheurholz doesn't like to give up bona fide prospects. He will trade prospects that he doesn't think will pan out (watch what happens to Marte...), but he will very rarely trade a guy who looks like a sure big-leaguer.

[AHF]

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Scheurholz doesn't like to give up bona fide prospects. He will trade prospects that he doesn't think will pan out (watch what happens to Marte...), but he will very rarely trade a guy who looks like a sure big-leaguer.

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There have been a couple young guys that got away, but no one should complain about the body of Scheurholz's work. [Nodding]