Hint #3 (Individual Accolades): This player was a 3X all-star, World Series Champion in 2009 with the New York Yankees, 3X Gold Glove Award winner and 3X Silver Slugger Award winner.
Hint #4 (Braves Stats): This player was with the Braves in 2007 and 2008. Neither season was a full one as he only played in 157 total games with Atlanta across these two years. He hit .283 with 37 home runs and 134 runs batted in over this stretch.
Hint #5 (Random Fact): This player was a switch hitting first baseman who also made appearances for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Answer: Mark Teixeria
Mark Teixeria began his MLB career with the Rangers in 2003 at the age of 23. The Braves snagged him as a potential difference maker for the end of the 2007 season, but let him go before season’s end in 2008.
Teixeria was a player that the Atlanta Braves typically did not pursue. Knowing the likelihood of him staying in Atlanta was low but his price remained high made it surprising that he ended up with the Braves at all.
He performed well in his short stint with Atlanta, but there was no way the Braves could ever match the offer the New York Yankees would give him when he hit the free agent market.