EG>The Braves traded David Lentz to the Pirates for saying:
EG> DL> Face the music, the Brave got taken to the bank on this one.
EG>Baloney, David. The Braves, at worst, get a left-handed reliever and a 
year's
EG>worth of the best leadoff hitter in baseball (At a bargain price, I might
EG>add). Justice wasn't in the Brave's long-term plans so it was worth giving 
up
EG>$6 mil in salary to "rent" Loften, if that's how it turns out. The Braves
EG>saved $7.8 mil in salary and taxes on this deal and if they get rid of
EG>McGriff, they save another $4.8+ mil and if they lose Lofton, they save
EG>another $4.8+ mil. The WORST that can happen is that the Braves lose 
ofton
EG>and then have over $15 mil to re-sign their top two pitchers AND find a
EG>replacement at left field (Plus they open up a spot in their organization 
for
EG>an outfielder to move up). They'd also shore up their outfield defense by
EG>moving Klesko to first by getting rid of McGriff. The long-term 
ramifications
EG>of the this deal make Atlanta the big winner. Cleveland took on the burden 
of
EG>an extra $6 mil in salary AND made an outfielder very unhappy (Giles).
EG>Atlanta's got the kind of flexibility that Cleveland (or any number of 
teams,
EG>for that matter) would love to have.
What the big deal about a relief pitcher with a career ERA of over six?
Heck for an ERA of six, the Braves could have had Steve Howe for the
price of a contract.
Look at the number, the Braves trade two good ball players, Marquis
Grissom and David Justice, and get one good, or better, player in turn
Kenny Lofton, and a throw in that happens to be left-handed.  Two for
one, is not a good deal.
Happy Modeming -- David
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