Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - The Atlanta Braves introduced starting pitcher Mike Hampton at an afternoon press conference on Wednesday. Hampton officially became a Brave on Monday after MLB approved what turned out to be a three-team trade.

The Braves acquired Hampton and minor league pitcher Ryan Baker in exchange for pitcher Tim Spooneybarger from the Florida Marlins. Hampton was traded to Florida from Colorado last week.

The deal was agreed to on Saturday, but the clubs waited for commissioner Bud Selig's approval before making the official announcement. The Braves will only be paying $35.5 of the $85.5 million still owed to Hampton. The Rockies and Marlins will pick up the rest of his salary.

"Some pretty smart people, I think, put this all together," Hampton said. "It's a situation where a lot of guys got their heads together and came up with the best deal for each ballclub."

The addition of Hampton potentially adds to Atlanta's lethal starting rotation. However, former Cy Young Award winners Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are free agents, and may choose not to return.

"Right now, I'm one of five quality starters," Hampton said. "That's the way I'm going to look at it. I'm here to continue a great tradition."

Hampton went 22-4 with the Astros in 1999 and finished second in that year's NL Cy Young Award balloting. He followed that up with a successful 2000 season during which he helped the New York Mets reach the World Series with an Most Valuable Player performance in the National League Championship Series.

But since signing an eight-year, $121 million-dollar, free-agent deal with the Rockies before the start of the 2001 season, the southpaw has seen his success significantly diminish.

Hampton won nine of his first 11 decisions with the Rockies and was named to the 2001 NL All-Star team. But his performance quickly evaporated and he won just 12 of his next 38 decisions over the next season-and-a-half with the Rockies. He went 7-15 with a 6.15 ERA this past season.

"I want to focus on here and now," Hampton said. "That was a time that was pretty much in the past. If anything, confidence might have been the main factor. But I'm looking to move forward and move ahead. I feel I'm the same guy, that I can be the same pitcher that I was before. I'm looking forward to starting that as soon as possible."

The original deal that sent Hampton to Florida went through after Charles Johnson waived his no-trade clause. That deal sent Johnson, outfielder Preston Wilson, reliever Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna to Colorado, with Hampton and outfielder Juan Pierre going to the Marlins.