Braves Cubs
Arodys Vizcaino Reed Johnson
+ ←→ + +＄
Jaye Chapman Paul Maholm
http://goo.gl/bSbnK MLBTR
Braves To Acquire Reed Johnson, Paul Maholm
By Ben Nicholson-Smith [July 30, 2012 at 10:41pm CST]
The Cubs have traded left-hander Paul Maholm, outfielder Reed Johnson and
cash considerations to the Braves in a four-player trade that provides
Atlanta with reinforcements for the season's final two months and bolsters
Chicago's minor league system. The Cubs obtain right-handers Jaye Chapman
and Arodys Vizcaino in the trade, which the teams have announced.
Maholm has a 3.74 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 49.9% ground ball rate
in 120 1/3 innings for the Cubs this year. The 30-year-old has never thrown
particularly hard; his average fastball checks in at 87.6 mph this year,
according to FanGraphs. He earns a $4.75MM salary in 2012 and his contract
includes a $6.5MM club option for 2013. The Royals and Pirates appeared to
have interest in Maholm earlier this month.
Johnson, 35, has a .307/.361/.452 batting line in 180 plate appearances
this year. The right-handed hitter has played all three outfield positions
for the Cubs and owns a career .313/.370/.469 line against left-handed
pitching. He's signed to a one-year, $1.15MM contract and will hit free
agency after the season.
Maholm has a 3.74 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 49.9% ground ball rate
in 120 1/3 innings for the Cubs this year. The 30-year-old has never thrown
particularly hard; his average fastball checks in at 87.6 mph this year,
according to FanGraphs. He earns a $4.75MM salary in 2012 and his contract
includes a $6.5MM club option for 2013. The Royals and Pirates appeared to
have interest in Maholm earlier this month.
Maholm joins a Braves rotation that includes Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson,
Mike Minor, Ben Sheets and, as of tomorrow, Kris Medlen. The Braves nearly
traded for Ryan Dempster this month, but the sides don't appear to have
obtained the right-hander's permission.