The Atlanta Braves have reached a preliminary agreement to acquire
center fielder Mark Kotsay from the Oakland Athletics, filling the
hole created by the departure of Andruw Jones. The deal will be
finalized once Kotsay passes a physical for Atlanta, where he is
expected to fly to on Sunday, and assuming the commissioner's office
approves the cash negotiated to be exchanged in the deal, sources say.

In return for Kotsay, the Braves are trading pitcher Joey Devine, and
Oakland will assume $5.325 million of the $7.325 million owed to the
center fielder for this year.

Kotsay, 32, played in 56 games in 2007 after having back surgery,
hitting .214 with 15 extra-bases hits in 206 at-bats. In 2005, before
Kotsay began having serious back trouble, he batted .280, with 51
extra-base hits and a .325 on-base percentage.

He has rated highly as a center fielder, and the Braves are trying to
find a temporary center fielder for at least the start of the 2008
season, or until they deem top-prospect Jordan Schaefer ready to take
over the position permanently.

Devine, a 24-year-old right-hander, was a first round pick in 2005,
and has pitched 19.2 innings in the majors, compiling a 6.86 ERA.

Kotsay becomes the third veteran player traded away by Oakland, as the
Athletics continue what is a major reconstruction of their team. They
already have dealt pitcher Dan Haren to Arizona and outfielder Nick
Swisher to Chicago this winter, and it is expected they will weigh
offers for starting pitcher Joe Blanton and closer Huston Street
sometime before the July 31 trade deadline.

Buster Olney is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

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