http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...

Drafted - Selected by Atlanta Braves in 31st Round (941st overall) of 2004 amateur entry draft (June-Reg)  

2.49 era
217.1 ip
h/9      hr/9    bb/9    k/9     whip
8.25 0.37 1.29 6.72 1.06

http://www.minorleagueball.com/story...

5. Joey Devine, RHP, Grade B

13. Jamie Richmond, RHP, Grade C+

Ranked 24th in Atlanta's system in the 2007 Handbook.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/R/Jamie-Richmond.shtml

6'3" 190 lbs, lots of projection. SP with 90-91 MPH fastball, curve and change. Offspeed stuff projects as average but is willing to throw his curve when behind in the count. Fastball has natural cutting action. Spent last year in Low-A, Stockton has another new arm to play with.

I still can't believe Beane got two prospects and a million dollars to dump Kotsay.

neither guy is in their top 10:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...

just Best Slider   Joey Devine

1. ALCS HR

2. Just now when he got traded.

Woooooooooooooooooo!

are pissed

"Mark is one of the most accomplished defensive center fielders in the game and is a true professional," general manager Frank Wren said in a statement. "We feel that we have added another quality baseball player to our club."

"Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo," said Oakland general manager Billy Beane, "hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!"

I liked him in SD, and I liked him as an A.  But we need to rid ourselves of injury prone players, and he had become a liability.  I'll still miss him in CF, though.

I'm surprised we got two players for him, especially anyone of the caliber of Devine.  Maybe Atlanta felt sorry about the outcome of the Hudson trade and wanted to throw us a bone?

Cust in center, i would definitely pay to see that.

the physical????

i think his back is like the business cycle, it's good for a few weeks, shitty for a few, so i think we got lucky lol

how many spaces can there be for right-handed relievers who are better against righties because they throw from a low arm angle?

For fetus and embryo-- prospects have "infinite possibilities" says one minor league scout.

I'm an A's fan by heart and a Braves fan by proximity and I'm actually happy with both sides of this deal.  

Devine:
I think the Braves will end up regretting how they handled Devine, but it really did seem he needed a change of scenery.  I think the Braves front office and field management tend to "trust their eyes" and be thrown off by memories of high moments (bad or good), of which Devine had several seriously nasty ones.  Even then, the Braves bullpen is solid enough to probably not miss him.  For the A's, Devine does have the potential to be a solid reliever, but there are certainly some ifs there (is his head messed up?  does his stuff not translate to the bigs?).  It's certainly worth trading a season of Kotsay to find out.

Kotsay:
For the Braves - with last year's addition of Teixeira, the Braves don't need to replace Andruw's offense, just some of his defense.  If healthy, Kotsay does that.  Certainly worth the risk at $2M and a pitcher you are sour on (and a throw-in).  For the A's, they had to pay Kotsay this year, so may as well pay for the potential of future cheap bullpen help.  I'm skeptical Devine will be a stud, but since Kotsay had to be paid, it's worth finding out what he can do.  

I'll say Kudos to Beane for finding something worthwhile out of the money he had to pay Kotsay in '08, but I really don't think Wren got fleeced.  He filled a need without spending too much or committing to some FA long-term.  I'd rather this than sign the Cameron contract.

http://www.talkingchop.com/story/200...

12 Jamie Richmond, RHP - When I met him last year at spring training I was a little stunned that he seemed to have a smaller frame than he's listed at - 6-3, 190 lbs. Add to that he looks like he's skin and bones, so certainly there is a lot of room for him to grow into his frame (if he is indeed that tall). Ever since then I haven't been as high on him as I was last year when he dominated the Appy League; at least not until he fills out. Of course, I'm starting to discount the stats Braves prospects put up in the Appy League a little. Nonetheless, Richmond got off to a tough start at Rome, part of that may have been due to the really cold weather last April, but it could also have been a bit of a shock reaction to the competition level. He settled down in the following months and finished with a decent 3.05 ERA. He'll be at Myrtle Beach next year, and that will be the real test to see if he is a legit prospect.

I think Kots will be happy in Hotlanta' and I'm interested to see what we get out of Devine and J-Rich 11.......I do however wonder if Street gets a safe pass on the trading block at this point. We have so many arms already and he is still only 24???

Anyways, adios Mark! We loved ya while you were here and you were a class act mate!

Cheers! Go A's!!

... already hate Kotsay more than any of us here ever did.

of Kotsay in this thread.

We're all glad he's gone, but he had some great moments here in years past.

incredible AB in front of Milty's walk-off HR on AN Day.

And then let's forget Kotsay. Because to err is human; to get too much back in a trade Devine.

Great trade for the A's, IMO.

May you have so much success in Atlanta that we start to second-guess this trade!

that this is a Beane master stroke, because I can’t separate the miracle well rescue from having fallen in in the first place.  I mean, I’m glad the A’s got some value from that which we thought was valueless, relative to a straight DFA, and I understand the sunk cost concept.  And perhaps a good GM needs a closer’s mentality, not letting yesterday’s blown deal influence tomorrow’s opportunity.  But the shackles of the Kotsay contract were a prison of Beane’s own device.

Let me mix in another metaphor.  If I were President and racked up a trillion dollar national debt in my first seven years, I’m not sure how widely I should be praised for recouping a $100 billion surplus in year eight.

i will miss you!

with you and huddy in atlanta, i will have to start watching some more braves games!

I hate to see him go. I was hoping he would produce for the A's this year and prove all the haters wrong. Best to Kotsay in Atlanta.

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/med...

It was a great moment for me about Kots.

...because it's not going to Japan now.

I'm particularly interested to see how Joey Devine does in Oakland after his rough times in Atlanta.

the video of Scutaro's double at home that drove the crowd nuts. If anyone can find a good quality (non-youtube) video I'd be very appreciative.

It wont be too long before men throughout Atlanta begin proclaiming their uncomfortable man-crushes on Mark Kotsay. That is, of course, until his back spasms return.

He's your problem now, Atlanta!!!

arriving home from work this evening in Alaska. I will have a moment of silence for Kotsay.....okay, I'm good.

I'm not one to speak ill of the dead (that's a blatant lie, actually), but I am glad this deal went through.

Three days ago I said this in response to the Kotsay speculation, "If they can get somebody like Devine for him, that would be incredible. I'd be fine with Kris Medlen or Jamie Richmond."

I almost screamed tonight in class when, on break, I went to mlb.com and saw the A's got Devine AND Richmond. I'm giddy right now. Disgustingly giddy. This almost makes up for the winter depression caused by losing Swish.

great ball player, just a shame about the back injury.

Unfortunately he didn't have a future here - the money wasn't an issue, it was more to do with him taking at bats away from other players.

All the best, Mark, let's hope you recover somewhat from the back surgery and put up some decent numbers....and of course play a mean centrefield.

We get to keep Jamie Kotsay.

in the Danville Montessori Preschool across from the Blackhawk Grill.  He IS back!