--LHP Mike Gonzalez settled his potential arbitration case by agreeing to a one-year, $3.45 million deal. Gonzalez was up-and-down last season in his return from Tommy John surgery (14 saves, 4.28 ERA).
--OF Matt Diaz avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1,237,500 deal. Diaz missed four months last season with a left knee injury. He played just 43 games, hitting .244. --RHP Derek Lowe is officially in the fold and ready to help pitching coach Roger McDowell teach the sinker to anyone who will listen. "Our game sometimes gets so velocity-oriented with (radar) guns in every single stadium," he said at his Jan. 16 introductory press conference at Turner Field. "And I know power is a huge advantage. But you can have low pitch counts, and it's a lot easier on your body."
--Free agent LHP Tom Glavine, rehabbing from left elbow surgery, originally planned his first mound session for Jan. 12, but he put it off until later in the week. It wasn't a setback, he said; he simply decided to be conservative.
--RHP Kenshin Kawakami, signed to a three-year deal, plans to throw only once between starts as he adjusts to a five-man rotation from the six-man rotation he was used to in Japan. But he notes he is accustomed to throwing 130-140 pitches in a game.
--INF/OF Omar Infante has been signed to a two-year contract. Infante started 77 total games at five positions last season, including third base (26), left field (26), shortstop (15), second base (9) and center field (1).
--RHP Peter Moylan, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, could be ready to go as early as April, according to general manager Frank Wren's estimate.
BY THE NUMBERS: 130-140 -- Pitches newly signed RHP Kenshin Kawakami typically throws in a game.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You ever hear of Rosetta Stone?" -- Manager Bobby Cox, on how C Brian McCann will be able to communicate with newly acquired RHP Kenshin Kawakami, the Braves' first Japanese player.
