Braves reach agreement with Glaus

~ The former Cardinals third baseman played in only 14 games last season

ATLANTA -- The power-hungry Atlanta Braves are hoping longtime third baseman Troy Glaus can fill the team's void at first base.

The Braves have reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract with Troy Glaus, a person with knowledge of the negotiations to The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal is not final.

The agreement is pending a physical planned for the first week of January.

Glaus has played third base most of his career, but the Braves probably would use the 33-year-old at first base in place of Adam LaRoche, who became a free agent.

"We think he's 100 percent healthy," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "I have talked to him and told him we would love to have him here."

Glaus played in two games at first base for St. Louis this year after missing most of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He hit .172 in only 14 games.

If healthy, Glaus could give the Braves much-needed power behind Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. The Braves ranked 22nd in the major leagues with 149 homers last season.

Glaus hit 27 homers with 99 RBIs for St. Louis in 2008 and had 30 or more homers in five of seven seasons from 2000 to 2006 with the Angels, Arizona and Toronto. He has 304 career homers.

"He's been a power guy every year except when he got hurt," Cox said. "He's still a young guy, and he's always been athletic. He can learn to play first in a heartbeat, and I know he has played there some already."

LaRoche has only one season with at least 30 homers -- 32 with the Braves in 2006.

Atlanta apparently is looking for a short-term answer at first base while top prospect Freddie Freeman progresses through the minor leagues.

General manager Frank Wren acquired outfielder Melky Cabrera on Tuesday as part of a five-play trade that sent right-hander Javier Vazquez to the New York Yankees. Cabrera, a switch-hitter, hit .274 with 13 homers and 68 RBIs last season.

Wren said Tuesday trading Vazquez freed up the payroll to acquire a power hitter. Wren would not comment on Glaus' deal, which was first reported by foxsports.com.