Hot- Stove

The Angels have won the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes. First baseman Casey Kotchman and Class AA right-hander Stephen Marek are headed to Atlanta in exchange for the power-hitting first baseman in a headline-grabbing trade Tuesday that adds a new dimension to an already potent Angels squad.

The deal came two days before baseball’s deadline for making trades without waivers. Teixeira — hitting .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs this season — was among the top names in the rumor mill, and should boost a club that wanted to add another big bat to back its potent pitching staff.

The Diamondbacks had emerged as an early front-runner for Teixeira, but the Angels maintained steady interest. They were willing to acquire Teixeira only if they did not break up the core of their roster, which has produced the best record in the majors.

At 65-40, the Angels have the best record in baseball, lead the AL West by 11 1/2 games and have now made a bold move in preparation for a World Series run.

In trading Teixeira for Kotchman and Marek, the Braves will receive better value than the two premium draft picks they would have received if they simply lost Teixeira as a free agent.

Kotchman, who is batting .287 this season with a career-high 12 homers, will be under the Braves’ control for three more seasons.

Marek, 2-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 34 relief appearances as a reliever at Class AA Arkansas, eventually projects to be a member of the Braves’ bullpen.

Beset by injuries, the Braves have struggled below .500 this year and fallen to the fringe of the NL East race.

The Angels could attempt to keep Teixeira long-term, but those negotiations could be complicated by their need to reach a new deal with right fielder Vladimir Guerrero, who will be a free agent after next season.

If the Angels lose Teixeira to free agency, they could simply replace him with Kendry Morales, who currently is at Class AAA. They then would receive two premium draft picks as compensation if they offered Teixeira salary arbitration.

Teixeira, a switch-hitter who plays Gold Glove-caliber defense, will provide a major boost to an Angels offense that has revived in July. He has a lifetime batting average of .286 with 190 total home runs. His best season was in 2005 for the Rangers, when he established career highs in average (.301), home runs (43), RBIs (144), and hits (194) and was selected to his first All-Star team.

Not only do the Angels want Teixeira, but they also would be interested in an expanded deal that would include one of the Braves’ left-handed relievers, Will Ohman or Mike Gonzalez, according to major-league sources.

The Angels would not include either right-hander Ervin Santana or left-hander Joe Saunders in a Teixeira package, sources say. But they would be willing to make the move if the price was first baseman Casey Kotchman and outfielder Juan Rivera plus a third piece, most likely a prospect. Rivera had a good ‘06 season when he batted .310 with 23 HR and 85 RBI but hasnt seen a lot of playing time the last 2 seasons.

The Diamondbacks wont budge on including Conner Jackson and the Braves do want a first baseman whom they could keep beyond this season and Kotchman may just be the one.