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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PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 01: Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates high fives Starling Marte #6 before the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on August 1, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – AUGUST 01: Chris Archer #24 of the Pittsburgh Pirates high fives Starling Marte #6 before the game against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on August 1, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

Alternatives

In any reading of this, understand that there are interchangeable parts available here:  specific player acquisitions and specific trade deals are absolutely malleable.

If either Boyd or Mancini is deemed too expensive to acquire, then Pittsburgh might get the next call. They have two players worth moving: Starling Marte and Chris Archer.

Archer is certainly due for a rebound year and perhaps he could be the next pitcher to suddenly improve simply by leaving the Steel City… if he’s indeed fully healthy now. For certain, the Pirates wouldn’t mind cutting the cord on that ill-conceived Rays trade.

Archer is a bit more expensive at $9 million (he has an option for 2021 worth $11 million), but sending Inciarte to the Pirates would be a good way to offset that increase… while also opening the door for Pache.

Marte isn’t quite Mancini, but there’s reason to believe he’d just be happy to get out of Pittsburgh, too. He’s also pricier than Mancini ($11.5m in 2020; add $1m for 2021 on an option), but he should therefore be cheaper to acquire via trade in terms of the prospects offered… another reason to send Inciarte and his $6m in return.

If finances are really tight, then selling off Duvall (and his $3.5-$4m) for a wild card prospect could be done… another Matt Joyce-like bat would cheaply fill that role again.

You could rightly argue that Archer doesn’t overtly project as being any better than Julio Teheran was, but the better upside of Archer has to be considered. In this scheme Archer would slot in as starter #5… and that’s not a bad arm for the backend.

Of course, Boyd wouldn’t need to be any better than a ‘3’ or ‘4’ either.

SOME ADDITIONAL POSSIBILITIES:

  • Seager and/or Haniger from Seattle
  • Yeah, Kris Bryant is still out there too
  • Heck… just take roll of the better players on these ‘Have Not’ teams… there will be players available.

Regardless how you slice it… there are straightforward ways for the Atlanta Braves to stretch a little more for 2020 and really set themselves up for a noteworthy season.  Or two.  Or three.

There’s even an argument to be made that Donaldson wouldn’t be necessary given the impact these trades might have.

Next. Teheran's off the table. dark

Then again, Braves Country has suffered with being ‘close, but not quite there’ for nearly 25 years now. Some of us didn’t even experience that.  We don’t want ‘close’ anymore… we want to crush the opposition.

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