Braves ship Miller to Diamondbacks
The Atlanta Braves traded away another of their best and most popular players Tuesday, but this time it should be tough for many to criticize the move based on the impressive return they got from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Braves traded all-star righthander Shelby Miller to Arizona in exchange for outfielder Ender Enciarte, right-handed prospect Aaron Blair and top shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2015 June draft out of Vanderbilt.
The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, finalized their $206.5 million (U.S.), six-year contract with Zack Greinke on Tuesday, a deal with a $34.4 million average salary that is the highest in baseball history. LACKEY TO CUBS: Joe Maddon thought back to 2002, when he was the Angels’ bench coach and John Lackey, a 24-year-old rookie, beat the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the World Series.
“He actually helped pay for my daughter’s wedding,” Maddon said. “I was really grateful.”
In a deal that reunites the pair, Lackey and the Chicago Cubs finalized a $32 million, two-year contract.
Now 37, Lackey will slot behind NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester in the rotation as the Cubs seek their first World Series title since 1908.
Lackey went 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA in 33 starts for NL Central champion St. Louis.
On a busy day for the Cubs, they also signed free-agent infielder Ben Zobrist to a four-year contract. A person familiar with the negotiations says the contract is worth $56 million.
With the agreement, the Cubs then traded infielder Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees for right-hander Adam Warren and a player to be named. SAY WHAT? Dusty Baker thinks the Washington Nationals need more speed, so he wants more African-American and Latino players on the roster.
He also vigorously defended Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, who was accused of choking his girlfriend and shooting a gun during an incident in October. And Baker also had a different take on domestic violence.
At the winter meetings as a manager for the first time since he was fired by the Reds after the 2013 season, Baker answered more than 30 questions in a free-wheeling interview session Tuesday.
“You’re always in need of left-handed pitching, left-handed hitting and in need of speed,” he said. “I think that’s the number one thing that’s missing . . . is speed. You know, with the need for minorities, you can help yourself — you’ve got a better chance of getting some speed with Latin and African-Americans.
“I’m not being racist. That’s just how it is.”
There were no black managers in the major leagues at the time Baker was hired by Washington last month. The 66-year-old former manager of the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Reds came to the defence of Chapman, who played for Baker in his first three big league seasons after defecting from Cuba.
“He’s a heck of a guy. I’ll go on record and say I wouldn’t mind having Chapman,” Baker said.
Baker said he did not read the police report.
“I heard it from my son,” he said. “Who’s to say the allegations are true, number one? And who’s to say what caused the problem?”