1996 Off-Season in Full Swing

The Atlanta Braves have made numerous transactions after doing no major moves in 1995. The Braves just recently extended starting pitcher Greg Maddux' contract for another 10 years ($73.5 million), while acquiring OF Johnny Damon, OF Brian McRae, among others. The team also said goodbye to RF David Justice, 1B Fred McGriff and OF Tony Phillips.

Here are some of the other deals around the league...

• Wade Boggs signs with the Minnesota Twins for two-year deal worth $8.4 million.
• Kevin Brown signs 7-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds for a total of $44.8 million ($6.4 million per year). 
• Barry Bonds shocked the baseball world by signing a 6-year deal with the Montreal Expos for $40.2 million ($6.7 million per year).
• The Los Angeles Dodgers sign CF Devon White to a 5-year deal worth $21.2 million ($4.24 m per season).
• Harold Baines announces retirement at age 36 (considerably earlier than his real-life counterpart which retired after the 2001 Season). He was last playing for the Houston Astros, and has only 370 at-bats combined during his last 3 seasons.
• Orel Hershiser signed 2-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates ($1.88 million per year).
• The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired RP Doug Henry via trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for OF Chris Singleton and minor league 3B Keith Johnson.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers signed RP Mark Guthrie to a 2-year deal worth $6 million.
• The Kansas City Royals traded closer Tony Castillo to the New York Yankees in exchange for LF Carl Everett, 1B Tom L Wilson & $95,000 in cash.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers signed RP Lee Smith to a 2-year deal worth $2.24 million.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers kept busy & signed 1B John Olerud to a 6-year deal worth $39 million ($6.5 million per year).
• The California Angels trade OF Garret Anderson and RHP Miguel Fermin to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for SP John Burkett.
• The Cincinnati Reds sign closer John Wetteland to 2-year deal worth $5.0 million.
• The Dodgers stay aggressive as they sign SP Bret Saberhagen with 4-year deal worth a total of $4.1 million. Saberhagen has won 77 games so far in the 90's compared to his real-life counterpart that won 62 through 1995 -- while also having 169 career wins at the moment compared to his real-life 167 win career.
• Marquis Grissom signs 4-year deal with the Texas Rangers worth $7.36 million ($1.86 million per year).
• Dennis Eckersley resigns with the Montreal Expos on a one-year deal worth $1.82 million.
• Chuck Finley will join 1996 N.L. Cy Young Winner - Al Leiter on the St. Louis Cardinals after signing 4-year deal worth $18.44 million (making $4.68 million for first three seasons, with team option for 4th.
• The Atlanta Braves sign RP Dan Pleasac to a 4-year deal worth $9.6 million ($2.4 million per year).

The Braves fell asleep in negotiations with Eric Plunk, as Plunk signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, that's when Braves switched gears and went for Pleasac. The Braves momentarily signed SS Greg Gagne as well, but he was swooped up in the Rule 5 Draft by the Texas Rangers.