Major League Baseball

Source: Braves give Glaus one-year deal

Published Dec. 23, 2009 2:25 p.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

The Braves have reached agreement on a one-year contract with free agent Troy Glaus to play first base, according to a major-league source.

The deal, which also includes incentives, is pending a physical, the source said.

Glaus, 33, has made only six career appearances at first, two last season with the Cardinals. However, he will give the Braves a potent right-handed bat as they seek to improve their offense.

The Braves had balked at re-signing free-agent first baseman Adam LaRoche due to his high price, sources said.

Glaus underwent surgery on his right shoulder last January, but returned to appear in 14 games for the Cardinals last September.

All but 24 of Glaus’ 1,360 career appearances in the field have been at third base, where he made only seven errors with the Cardinals in 2008 and had the best fielding percentage of any major-league third baseman.

However, he was athletic enough to make eight appearances at shortstop for the Blue Jays in ’06, and the Braves evidently believe that his size (6-foot-5, 245 pounds), hands and feet will make him more than adequate at first.

Glaus boasts a career .856 on-base/slugging percentage. He has hit 20 or more home runs eight times, including in ’08, his most recent full season. He began his career with the Angels, and was MVP of the 2002 World Series.

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