House That Hank Built
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It’s time for the Atlanta Braves to go big and get greedy

By Alan Carpenter

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves fails to come up with this single hit by Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning at SunTrust Park on September 17, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves fails to come up with this single hit by Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning at SunTrust Park on September 17, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – AUGUST 22: Trey Mancini #16 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – AUGUST 22: Trey Mancini #16 of the Baltimore Orioles rounds the bases against the Tampa Bay Rays. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Trade #1.  The Corner Outfielder

Regardless of whether the Braves ultimately land Donaldson, this trade would be the one that solidifies both the outfield and the bench in one swift move.

Trey Mancini of the Orioles was their best offensive producer in 2019… and with a breakout season at that. He turns 28 in March and would be under team control for 3 more seasons… three seasons in which Baltimore has almost zero chance of competing against the Yankees, Rays, and the rest of the AL East.

The Orioles have already dealt Dylan Bundy and Jonathan Villar this off-season. They are looking for every scrap-heap player they can find to fill out the roster and actively trying to dump their actual talent in the process.

They need prospects with upside and full team control – chiefly pitching – and the Braves can certainly help that out while also saving them the roughly $6 million that Mancini will be making in 2020.

A reasonably balanced offer for Mancini would look something like this:

Is this an overpay?  That may well depend on your point of view, but do know that the Braves have prospects to spare and some pitching they don’t have a place for, so there’s reason to add enough to insure that the Orioles take the offer.

In Mancini, you add the potential of another .900 OPS bat (how that would look behind Donaldson!) while solidifying left field for 3 seasons.

It would also allow Atlanta to use Nick Markakis and Adam Duvall as lefty/righty bench bats that would look very strong at the end of the game – even as defensive replacements as required.

While that pair as a platoon isn’t necessarily a feared entry in the regular lineup, having them attack from the bench is a completely different thing.

RHH Mancini, on that subject, actually sports a reverse split: he consistently hits right-handed pitching better than southpaws, so he’d be perfect batting fifth in a Braves lineup that could stymie pitchers coming from either side.

But there’s one more deal Atlanta needs.

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