Atlanta acquires infielder Greg Norton from Seattle

Atlanta acquires infielder Greg Norton from Seattle
Infielder Martin Prado placed on 15-day disabled list

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners made a trade today, as Atlanta has acquired switch-hitting infielder Greg Norton in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Norton, 35, played in six games for the Mariners this season before being designated for assignment on April 30. He went 7-for-16 (.435) for the Mariners and 9-for-22 (.409) in seven games for Tacoma (AAA). Norton appeared in 19 spring training games for Seattle and batted .326 (15-for-46) with two home runs and nine runs batted in.

Prior to this season, Norton played the previous two campaigns with Tampa Bay and batted .296 for the Rays in 98 games in 2006. Following a slow start in 2007, Norton came on strong to close out the season by batting .345 in August and .293 in September. From August 6 to the end of the 2007 season, Norton hit .314 (27-for-86) in 33 games.

The 6-foot, 200-pound Norton has appeared in 901 career major league games with five clubs and owns a .253 career batting average with 82 home runs and 300 RBIs. He has played 289 career games at third base, 195 at first base, 70 in the outfield, six at shortstop and one at second base.

In other roster moves, the Braves today placed infielder Martin Prado on the 15-day disabled list and transferred right-handed pitcher Peter Moylan to the 60-day disabled list. Prado left yesterday's game with a strained left thumb and today was diagnosed with a grade 1-2 sprain. No surgery will be required, but Prado's left hand was placed in a cast and he is expected to miss six to eight weeks of action.
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