Ortiz back for another year with Braves

[Baseball Guru]

November 3, 2003
ATLANTA (AP) -- All-Star pitcher Russ Ortiz will be back with the Atlanta Braves for another season.

The Braves exercised an option Monday for a second year on Ortiz, who led the National League last season with a career-high 21 wins.

Acquired from San Francisco last offseason for left-hander Damian Moss and a minor leaguer, Ortiz was 21-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 34 starts for Atlanta.

Ortiz, 29, earned $4.6 million in 2003, and the club option was for $5.7 million in 2004. He can become a free agent after that.

[Fragmentsofme]

5.7? Maybe a little much. It's gonna be real hard for him if we don't resign some of the big bats.

[Yellow Dog]

With today's salaries, I don't think 5.7 is too much for a guy that you can count on to take the ball every fifth day, eat up alot of innings and keep you in practically every game. When you consider a guy like Millwood, who is comparable to Ortiz, got 10 million last year I think the Braves are getting a bargain.

I've heard two different reports on Sheffield. One says he is asking for 40 million for three years, which I would consider. Another says he wants 72 million for 6 years, which I wouldn't.

I haven't heard what kind of deal Lopez is demanding or what figure Furcal is going to ask for in his arbitration case. But if the Braves' 2004 budget is going to be 85 million, which has been reported, I don't see anyway Sheffield AND Javy will be back. Maybe one of them or neither, but not both. And I would tend to think Shefffield would be more likely of the two if he is willing to take a three year deal. But in reality, I look for both of them to be elsewhere next season