Jaret Wright came to the Braves from San Diego in August. Click to enlarge photo.
photo by Major League baseball.
Right handed pitcher Jaret Wright and the Braves avoided arbitration when they came to terms on a one-year deal that was announced on Friday afternoon.
The 27-year-old right-hander earned $725,000 while playing for the Padres and Braves last year.
Wright, who is still best known for his performance as a 21-year starter for the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series, went 2-5 with a 7.35 ERA in 50 appearances for the Padres this past season.
The Braves claimed him off waivers on Aug. 29 and he immediately proved valuable in the bullpen.
In nine regular-season innings with the Braves, Wright was 1-0 and allowed just two earned runs while recording nine strikeouts and issuing three walks. He also threw four scoreless innings while making four Division Series appearances against the Cubs.
Wright's once very promising career was detoured by major shoulder injuries. He had surgery on his right labrum in 2000 and 13 months later was forced to undergo another surgical procedure to repair his clavicle.
He split time between Cleveland and their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo during the second half of the 2002 season before hooking on with the Padres last winter.
Wright has expressed interest in returning to a starting role. But by the time last season ended, his arm was so tired that Braves manager Bobby Cox couldn't have even used the right-hander for more than one inning.
Wright will likely join Kevin Gryboski and Will Cunnane as the primary setup men for closer John Smoltz.
Cunnane, another key mid-season acquisition by the Braves last year, is arbitration-eligible.
Currently, Ray King appears to be in line to be the top left-handed setup man out of the bullpen. But the Yankees are looking to trade former Chattanooga Lookout Chris Hammond and are believed to be willing to eat most of his $2.4 million salary.
Hammond posted a 0.95 ERA while throwing 76 innings for the Braves during a 2002 season that resurrected his career. The 37-year-old southpaw would welcome a trade to Atlanta, which is located approximately 90 minutes away from his family's rural Alabama home.
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Adapted from article on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's website.
Former Lookout left-hander Chris Hammond may be headed back to the Braves. Click to enlarge photo.
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