Rey Sanchez Shortstop Atlanta Braves Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 100 0 28 46 9 .303

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves, bolstering their defense for another run at the playoffs, acquired shortstop Rey Sanchez from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday for a pair of minor leaguers.

In a surprise move, the Braves also dumped Quilvio Veras by designating the injury-prone second baseman for assignment.

Atlanta wanted more stability and experience at shortstop after losing Rafael Furcal, the 2000 NL Rookie of the Year, to a season-ending shoulder injury just before the All-Star break.

Sanchez fit the role.

"He's an outstanding defensive guy and he's always hit," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "No power or anything like that, but he's hit and it's hard to strike him out."

Atlanta sent right-handed pitcher Brad Voyles and second baseman Alejandro Machado to the Royals for the 33-year-old Sanchez, who was hitting .303 with no homers and 28 RBI.

Braves general manager John Schuerholz was more impressed with Sanchez's defensive numbers. He has just three errors this season after making four in 674 chances a year ago.

"It's hard to turn your back on a guy who can add that kind of defense to your club," Schuerholz said. "We've won a lot of games with pitching and defense."

After Furcal was hurt, the Braves turned to Mark DeRosa, who began the season at Triple-A Richmond and had only 24 major league at-bats before this year.

DeRosa played well offensively, hitting .342 with one homer and 14 RBI, but he also had five errors in 34 games. With that in mind, Schuerholz kept looking for a more experienced player.

"Mark DeRosa has come up and played as well as anybody anticipated, if not better," the GM said. "We just get deeper and stronger."

Cox said he wouldn't make any decisions about how he would alter his lineup until after Sanchez arrived. But DeRosa knows he'll probably get less playing time.

"In the short run, it can't help me," DeRosa said. "But I really have not thought too much about it. Whatever role I have to play, I'll do it."

Veras was eligible for free agency after this season and the Braves weren't expected to re-sign him.

With the trade for Sanchez, the team decided to get rid of Veras two months early, even though he was the closest thing to a pure leadoff man on the roster.

The Braves have 10 days to trade Veras or place him on unconditional release waivers.

"They said they traded for Sanchez and they needed a spot," he said. "I won't be the first one or the last one to have that happen."

Veras, acquired in a 1999 deal from San Diego, batted .252 in 71 games with three homers and 25 RBI but had a plethora of ailments. He was on the 15-day DL with a strained rib cage when the Braves decided to let him go.

Last year, Veras hit .309 with 25 steals before suffering a torn ligament in his right knee July 14.

Rookie Marcus Giles was filling in at second base and likely becomes the fulltime starter. DeRosa also can play that position.

"I'm impressed with some of the other guys, the young kids," Cox said. "I was going to give those kids a chance to go, especially Giles."

Kansas City manager Tony Muser said the Braves were getting one of the game's best-fielding shortstops in Sanchez.

"He might be as consistent and persistent in catching the baseball as any shortstop that I've ever been around," Muser said, "and I've been around some good ones like Mark Belanger and Cookie Rojas."

Sanchez, who is eligible for free agency after the season, had already traveled with his family to Chicago for the Royals' game Tuesday night against the White Sox.

The Braves allowed him take his family back to Kansas City. He will join his new team for a game Wednesday night in St. Louis.

"I really wanted to finish here, but we couldn't come to an agreement," Sanchez said. "I hate moves, especially when you have a family."

He looks forward to joining the Braves, however.

"Atlanta's a great team. It brings a lot of positives," Sanchez said. "They have so many good players and it's a very good environment. I'm going to Atlanta to help them win and try to be friends with everybody."

The Braves, seeking their 10th straight postseason appearance, began Tuesday with a three-game lead over Philadelphia in the NL East.

Sanchez was set to make $2.3 million in the final year of his contract, which called for a $500,000 raise if he was traded. He turned down the Royals' offer to extend and was told he would be dealt.

Sanchez's fate was sealed when the Royals took part in a three-team deal last week, acquiring shortstop Neifi Perez from Colorado for Jermaine Dye.

"Once Neifi got here, you knew they were going to do something," Royals second baseman Luis Alicea said. "They are moving to a younger team."

Schuerholz refused to say which team would pick up the extra money in Sanchez's contract.

Sanchez started his career with the Texas Rangers and also played with the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants before signing with the Royals as a free agent before the 1999 season.

"I gave this organization the best I had," he said. "It's sad it has to come to this, but that's the way it is."

Voyles, 24, broke his right ankle in a fall just before spring training and didn't begin pitching until June 8. He had six saves and a 1.08 ERA in 15 games for Double-A Greenville.

Machado, a 19-year-old native of Venezuela, was in his third year with the Braves organization. He was hitting .272 with one homer and 23 RBI in 81 games for Class-A Macon this season.