The Braves also obtained outfielder Eli Marrero from St. Louis while sending the Cardinals relief pitchers Ray King and Jason Marquis, along with minor league starting pitcher Adam Wainwright.
- RELATED:
- Star Bio: J.D. Drew
- MLB off-season moves
Drew will fill the spot in right field left by Gary Sheffield, who the Braves didn't offer arbitration to. Sheffield was reportedly close to signing with the New York Yankees, but that deal has apparently hit a snag.
Outfielder J.D. Drew is now a member of the Atlanta Braves. (AP Archive/Tom Gannam)
Drew, who is from Hahira, Georgia, played 53 games in right field and 26 in centre in another injury-filled season for the Cardinals in 2003. The left-handed hitting Drew hit .289 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs in 100 games. He was sidelined in August with a right oblique strain.
The 28-year-old Drew, who refused to sign with Philadelphia after being drafted, started his major-league career with the Cardinals in 1998 and since that time has compiled a .282 batting average with 96 homers and 280 RBIs in 597 games.
The 30-year-old Marrero batted .224 with a pair of homers and 20 RBIs in 41 games during an injury-plagued season, as he was sidelined with an ankle problem. Since starting his career in St. Louis in 1997, he has hit .238 with 43 homers and 187 RBIs.
"Drew is the perfect answer to our right field situation," said Braves executive vice president and general manager John Schuerholz. "We couldn't be happier with his acquisition."
The Braves locked up their 12th straight division title in 2003, but the off-season losses could make it difficult to get back on top.
In addition to Sheffield, four-time Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux, third baseman Vinny Castilla and catcher Javy Lopez have left Atlanta. To make matters worse, Atlanta's 2003 payroll of $95 million US could be reduced by $20 million for 2004.
"When you reduce payroll as dramatically as we have the results are what they are. Good players are no longer able to be accommodated at their salary level, and we have to make adjustments," said Schuerholz. "It may be more challenging for us to put a championship team together this year, but it's not impossible, it's not daunting."
The Cardinals will bolster their pitching with this move, especially the middle relief portion of their squad.
"We have stressed all along that our goal has been to strengthen our pitching staff," said Cardinals senior vice president and general manager Walt Jocketty.
"Marquis will be a solid addition to our pitching staff. King provides an excellent left-handed tandem with Steve Kline and Wainwright is a player that we've been interested in for quite a while."
The 25-year-old Marquis pitched in 21 games for Atlanta in 2003. The right-hander has a career record of 14-15 with a 4.45 ERA since breaking into the big leagues in 2000.
King, a 29-year-old southpaw, appeared in 80 games this past season for the Braves, tied for the third-most in the National League. He compiled a 3-4 mark with a 3.51 ERA. King has also pitched for the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers since starting his major league career in 1999 and is 9-12 with a 3.22 ERA.
The 22-year-old Wainwright was Atlanta's top pitching prospect. The right-hander went 10-8 with a 3.37 ERA in 27 starts for Double-A Greenville. He struck out 128 hitters, while walking just 37 in 149 2/3 innings.
Jocketty also said the Cardinals would likely be looking for a right fielder to replace Drew with Albert Pujols moving to first base in the long-term.
