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12-03-2009, 10:34 PM
The Braves have made another move to strengthen their pitching staff, agreeing to a one-year contract with right-handed reliever Takashi Saito.
Saito's base salary will be $3.2 million, according to a major-league source. He can earn $2.3 million in appearance-based incentives â $500,000 based on straight appearances, $1.8 million based on games finished (which will be difficult to reach, because Wagner will be closing).
Cox said he might flip-flop Wagner, a left-hander, and Saito based on the situation.
"When Wagner's not closing, (Saito will) be closing," the manager said. "And vice versa at times, depending on who we're facing."
Saito, who turns 40 in February, has 83 saves in four major league seasons after a long career in Japan. He made the NL All-Star team in 2007, when he had 39 saves for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last season, the right-hander went 3-3 with two saves and a 2.43 ERA in a setup role for the Boston Red Sox.
"I definitely wanted to be in those pressure situations," Saito said through an interpreter. "As a professional athlete, I think you always strive for competing at the most important, pressure-filled situations. That definitely affected my decision."
Saito is expected to remain in that spot with the Braves, who signed free-agent left-hander Billy Wagner to a $7 million, one-year deal on Wednesday. Saito, 39, could serve as his setup man.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10469...-of-Saito-
Saito's base salary will be $3.2 million, according to a major-league source. He can earn $2.3 million in appearance-based incentives â $500,000 based on straight appearances, $1.8 million based on games finished (which will be difficult to reach, because Wagner will be closing).
Cox said he might flip-flop Wagner, a left-hander, and Saito based on the situation.
"When Wagner's not closing, (Saito will) be closing," the manager said. "And vice versa at times, depending on who we're facing."
Saito, who turns 40 in February, has 83 saves in four major league seasons after a long career in Japan. He made the NL All-Star team in 2007, when he had 39 saves for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last season, the right-hander went 3-3 with two saves and a 2.43 ERA in a setup role for the Boston Red Sox.
"I definitely wanted to be in those pressure situations," Saito said through an interpreter. "As a professional athlete, I think you always strive for competing at the most important, pressure-filled situations. That definitely affected my decision."
Saito is expected to remain in that spot with the Braves, who signed free-agent left-hander Billy Wagner to a $7 million, one-year deal on Wednesday. Saito, 39, could serve as his setup man.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/10469...-of-Saito-
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12-13-2009, 01:08 PM
The biggest mistake the Braves made was letting Andrew Jones go. What was they thinking?
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