By The Associated Press

ATLANTA — The Braves made another move to strengthen their pitching staff Thursday, agreeing to a $3.2 million, one-year contract with reliever Takashi Saito.

Saito, who turns 40 in February, has 83 saves in four major league seasons after a long career in Japan. He made the NL All-Star team in 2007, when he had 39 saves for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last season, the right-hander went 3-3 with two saves and a 2.43 ERA in a setup role for the Boston Red Sox.

Saito is expected to remain in that spot with the Braves, who signed closer Billy Wagner to a $7 million, one-year deal on Wednesday, though there might be an occasional chance to save games.

General manager Frank Wren was determined to restock a bullpen that had depth in 2009 with Rafael Soriano (27 saves) and Mike Gonzalez (10 saves) sharing the closer duties, while Peter Moylan set a franchise record with 87 appearances. Soriano and Gonzalez are free agents and won’t be back.

“We’ve added two guys who will significantly enhance our chances of winning games late,” Wren said. “They both have the ability to close. I think they complement each other very well in their abilities to close out games. When one’s not available, the other one can be.”

Braves manager Bobby Cox already likes the team that is coming together as he prepares for his last season in the dugout.

“We’ve got two outstanding relief pitchers in the last two days and we haven’t even been to the winter meetings yet, so we are way ahead of the game,” Cox said. “You’re not going to go very far if you don’t have a great bullpen.”

Cox said he might flip-flop Wagner, a left-hander, and Saito based on the situation. Cox had success last season doing that with Soriano and Gonzalez.

“When Wagner’s not closing, (Saito will) be closing,” the manager said. “And vice versa at times, depending on who we’re facing.”

Saito likes the sound of that, and it also could benefit him financially. The agreement provides $500,000 in bonuses for appearances and a hefty $1.8 million in bonuses based on games finished.

“I definitely wanted to be in those pressure situations,” Saito said through an interpreter. “As a professional athlete, I think you always strive for competing at the most important, pressure-filled situations. That definitely affected my decision.”

Saito will be the second Japanese player to suit up for the Braves. Kenshin Kawakami spent most of last season in the starting rotation, going 7-12 with a 3.86 ERA.

The agreement with Saito likely completes the Braves’ pitching staff for 2010. They also re-signed Tim Hudson, giving Atlanta six established starters, one of whom almost certainly will be dealt for offensive help.

Wren has said the team is in the market for a power-hitting outfielder or first baseman, perhaps both, heading into next week’s winter meetings.

“Frank and Bruce (Manno, the assistant GM) are working on something else right now and maybe give us a chance to score a few more runs,” Cox said.

Phillies add Polanco
PHILADELPHIA — Placido Polanco is putting aside his Gold Glove and switching positions to have a chance at winning a championship.

Polanco returned to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, agreeing to an $18 million, three-year contract.

The 34-year-old free agent won Gold Gloves at second base for the Detroit Tigers in 2007 and this year, but will shift to third base, which hasn’t been his primary position since 2002. He replaces Pedro Feliz, who became a free agent after the Phillies declined his $5.5 million option.

“I always wanted to be here, I never wanted to leave,” Polanco said. “One of the reasons I wanted to come back is because it’s pretty obvious the team is committed to winning. And I want to win. That’s it. They asked me if I was willing to play another position and I was like, ‘Sure.’ I can play third base. I played in college, in St. Louis and I also played some third here. I feel pretty confident about it.”

Polanco first joined the Phillies in the trade that sent Scott Rolen to St. Louis in July 2002. He hit .297 with 38 homers and 160 RBIs in parts of four seasons in Philadelphia. Once Chase Utley become the regular second baseman, Polanco’s role was reduced. He was traded to Detroit in June 2005 for reliever Ugueth Urbina and infielder Ramon Martinez.

Polanco batted .285 for the Tigers last season with 31 doubles, 10 homers and 72 RBIs. He hit .341 and made the All-Star team in 2007.

“For him to come back to Philadelphia to change positions, it’s just one of the things he’s about,” Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “He’s not only a tremendous professional and a championship-type player, but he’s a championship-type person, and that’s what we’re trying to do here, bring championship-type people, both talent-wise and personnel-wise.”

Polanco gets a $500,00 signing bonus, $5 million next season, $5.25 million in 2011 and $6.25 million in 2012. The deal includes a $5.5 million mutual option for 2013 with a $1 million buyout.

“The Phillies were always my first choice,” he said. “I played here, I know most of the guys here, I know the city. And they have a pretty good team that’s committed to win. I thank all of the other teams that expressed interest in me, but the Phillies were always my first choice.”

Polanco is a .303 hitter with 90 homers, 579 RBIs and 71 stolen bases in 12 seasons.

He joins a potent lineup that features five All-Stars – Utley, Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez – and former MVP Jimmy Rollins. He’s an ideal No. 2 hitter, but that’s been Victorino’s spot in the order.

“I want to win and you look around and we have a lot of great players,” Polanco said. “It seems like you could flip this lineup around and it would still be good, you know? Whatever Charlie wants me to do, I’d be more than happy to do it. I just know everyone here plays to win. Chase, Victorino, Rollins, Howard, everybody.”

The NL champions also agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with infielder Juan Castro, who hit .277 with one home run and nine RBIs in 57 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.

The 37-year-old Castro replaces utilityman Eric Bruntlett, who became a free agent. Castro made 19 starts at shortstop, eight at second base and two at third base, while also appearing in left field for two games.

Castro’s contract includes a $700,000 salary next year, and the deal has a $750,000 club option for 2011 with a $50,000 buyout.

“In Juan Castro, we have a versatile guy who can play multiple positions and is coming off a year in which he swung the bat fairly well,” Amaro said. “We’re very happy to add him to our club, as he will give Charlie options.”

 Athletics trade for infield help

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics acquired third baseman Jake Fox, second baseman Aaron Miles and cash considerations from the Chicago Cubs on Thursday for three players.

The Cubs got right-handed pitcher Jeff Gray, minor league outfielder Matt Spencer and minor league righty Ronny Morla.

The trade gives Oakland added depth in an infield that has been injury plagued in recent seasons. While general manager Billy Beane hopes six-time Gold Glove third baseman Eric Chavez will be healthy after season-ending back surgery, the A’s knew they needed a contingency plan.

Chavez could now spend a good chunk of his time as designated hitter. The last-place A’s recently signed free-agent third baseman Dallas McPherson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.

Fox gives Oakland versatility considering he also plays the outfield. In two stays with the Cubs this year, he hit .259 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs in 82 games. He began the season at Triple-A Iowa, batting .409 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 45 games.

The Athletics were looking for some much-needed pop from the right side, and wanted Fox.

“He can hit. We’ve always liked his bat,” assistant GM David Forst said.

The switch-hitting Miles signed a two-year, $4.9 million contract with the Cubs last winter, then batted a career-low .185 with no home runs and 74 RBIs. He spent two stints on the disabled list, with a strained right shoulder strain and a hyperextended right elbow.

“Aaron Miles coming off a disappointing year, we thought this might give him a better chance to make a ballclub and play for the A’s,” Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

“Jake Fox really did a quality job for us and has been with us quite a while. I think we’re giving him a real good opportunity to play more on a regular basis in the American League. He’s too young in his career just to be a bat off the bench. We certainly felt like we maximized his value in the trade.”

With Thursday’s acquisitions, Oakland appears to have moved on without former AL Rookie of the Year shortstop Bobby Crosby and perhaps also free-agent second baseman Adam Kennedy.

Mark Ellis remains Oakland’s second baseman, Forst said. Ellis signed an $11 million, two-year contract in October 2008 that includes a club option for the 2011 season.

Gray was with Oakland four different times in 2009, going 0-1 with a 3.76 ERA in 24 relief appearances. He also went 2-2 with a 1.54 ERA and a team-high 16 saves in 37 appearances with Triple-A Sacramento.

Hendry said the Cubs were impressed with Gray’s velocity and that he would have a chance to make the team in spring training.

Spencer split his time between Class-A Stockton and Double-A Midland, batting a combined .289 with 19 home runs and 91 RBIs in 123 games.

Morla began the year in extended spring training before going 1-7 and a 4.86 ERA in 17 games at Single-A short-season Vancouver.

Hendry added that the deal wasn’t related to a potential trade of Milton Bradley.

Bradley, suspended the final two weeks, is still owed $21 million over the final two years of his contract. If the Cubs trade him, they would probably have to pick up some of the tab.

“It didn’t have anything to do with saving some money to put toward Milton,” Hendry said. “That really didn’t play into it.”

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