라파엘 퍼칼 애틀란타 브레이브스와 계약

Source: Furcal to sign with Braves

by Ken Rosenthal

The Braves are on the verge of a major offseason upset.

Rafael Furcal is coming home.In a stunning turnaround, the free-agent shortstop has chosen the Braves over the A's, according to a major-league source.

A contract agreement is expected to be announced Tuesday, conditional on Furcal passing a physical.

"They're in deep," Furcal's agent, Paul Kinzer, told FOXSports.com on Monday night, before a decision had been reached. "He's seriously considering it." (라파엘 퍼칼이 갑작스럽게 그리고 빠르게 등장한 애틀란타 브레이브스로 가게 되었군요.애틀란타가 관심있다란 이야기는 있었으니 피비 트레이드가 물건너간 이후 즉 에스코바가 있기에 퍼칼 영입은 큰 관심사는 아니고 투수쪽에 관심을 두고 있는 것으로 알려졌었는데 애틀란타와 계약에 동의를 했고 낼 공식발표될 예정이며 잠정적인 신체 통과만 남았다고 합니다.퍼칼 에이전트는 월요일 저녁 상당히 깊게 논의되고 있다란 말로 그것에 관해 이야기를 했는데 동의를 했나봅니다.)

The A's are believed to have made the high offer for Furcal — four years in the $40 million range, according to major-league sources.

The Braves, however, made a late, rapid push for Furcal, and their offer was believed to be for three years with a vesting option for a fourth season.

Furcal, who owns homes in Atlanta and Los Angeles, preferred to rejoin the Braves or stay with the Dodgers, sources said.

One rival executive said Monday night, "He will do whatever he can not to go to Oakland," citing Furcal's preference to be with one of his prior teams.

Furcal, 31, left the Braves for the Dodgers after the 2005 season, signing a three-year, $39 million free-agent contract.

His return to Atlanta would give the Braves stunning flexibility in their middle infield, perhaps enabling them to revive their trade talks for Padres right-hander Jake Peavy.

Furcal could switch to second base, a position he has played in winter ball, if the Braves move Kelly Johnson to left field or trade Johnson for an outfielder or pitching help.

Or, Furcal could remain at shortstop if the Braves trade Yunel Escobar, either as part of a Peavy package or in a separate deal.

The availability of Peavy, however, is unclear.

"We are no longer actively pursuing any trade for Jake, which is not to say someone won't approach us," Padres president Sandy Alderson told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Monday.

"We said from the very beginning ... that we would not make a trade unless it made baseball sense."

The Braves began the offseason intent on landing two quality starting pitchers. They acquired right-hander Javier Vazquez from the White Sox but failed in attempts to land Peavy and sign free-agent right-hander A.J. Burnett. (오클랜드는 기존 오퍼를 높여서 4년 4천만불 오퍼를 했으나 브레이브스가 3+1 옵션으로 더 높은 금액을 오퍼하면서 브레이브스쪽으로 기울게 되었다고 하네요.퍼칼은 오클랜드로 크게 가고 싶어하지 않았으며 브레이브스와 다저스중 한 팀으로 가고 싶었는데 브레이브스가 조건을 본인이 원하는 것에 적절하게 제시하면서 그렇게 됐다고 하네요.퍼칼은 2루수가 될 수도 있는데 이럴 경우 켈리 존슨은 좌익수로 가거나 투수 트레이드용으로 사용될 수 있다고 합니다.또는 유격수로 남으면 에스코바를 트레이드 할 가능성이 있으나 이것은 아직은 불투명하다고 합니다.왜냐 파드레스 GM이 피비 트레이드를 할 생각이 적어도 당분간은 없다고 밝혔습니다.애틀란타는 두명의 퀄리티 선발투수를 영입하려고 하는데 바즈퀘즈를 트레이드로 영입했으나 버넷은 양키스로 갔습니다.로우에게는 관심이 없는 것으로 알려지고 있습니다.)

 

The addition of Furcal could lead the Braves to continue their pursuits of less prominent free-agent pitchers such as left-hander Randy Wolf and Japanese right-hander Kenshin Kawakami. But it also would give them the option to explore bigger deals.

Kinzer said last week that the A's, Dodgers, Blue Jays and Royals were the four finalists for Furcal. The Blue Jays and Royals, however, fell out of the running because of economic reasons, according to major-league sources. The Dodgers apparently were not willing to offer Furcal more than two years.

Orlando Cabrera would become the top shortstop on the free-agent market if the Braves complete their deal with Furcal, becoming a prime candidate for the Dodgers.

Other options for the Dodgers would include re-signing Angel Berroa, a lesser free agent, or trading for the Pirates' Jack Wilson. (그래서 퍼칼 이후에 일본인 투수 켄신 가와카미에 영입 경쟁에 나선것으로 알려져 있죠.랜디 존슨에게도 관심이 있다고 하네요.로젠탈은 올랜도 카브레라가 다저스의 관심사가 될거라고 했으나 화삭이 연봉조정 신청을 한지라 큰 관심을 보일 것 같지는 않네요.)