The Braves got Vazquez and left-handed reliever Boone Logan for infielder Brent Lillibridge, power-hitting catching prospect Tyler Flowers, minor league third baseman Jon Gil- more and young left-handed prospect Santos Rodriguez.
Vazquez has a 127-129 career record and 4.32 ERA in 11 seasons. Vazquez was 12-16 with a 4.67 ERA in 2008 after going 15-8 with a 3.74 ERA in 2007. He was criticized publicly late in the season by manager Ozzie Guillen, who said Vazquez wasn’t a big-game pitcher.
He went 0-4 with a 13.22 ERA in his final four starts.
The Braves entered the offseason determined to acquire two veteran starters after injuries to veterans last season. Wren said the search for a power-hitting outfield bat might not be resolved until spring training or even during the season. The Braves lost out on 22-year-old Japanese pitching prospect Junichi Tazawa, who finalized a deal with Boston after spurning offers from Atlanta and others.
The Braves have a handful of highly rated pitching prospects they expect to start filtering into the big-league club in the next few years, led by prospect Tommy Hanson, who could compete for a rotation spot in 2009.
The Braves expect to sign veteran catcher Dave Ross to a two-year contract to back up Brian McCann. Ross, 31, is adept at throwing out baserunners and hit 38 homers in 558 at-bats during the 2006-07 seasons for Cincinnati, 25 of those in the Reds’ small ballpark. Ross had a .369 on-base percentage in 2008 while batting .225 with three homers with Cincinnati and Boston.
