By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The month of December was an enormous one for Major League Baseball; or maybe it would be more accurate to say that it was an enormous month for Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, and a few others.

Maybe it would be even more accurate to say that it was an enormous month for that most famous of sports agents, Scott Boras. Boras represents all three of the now very wealthy superstars I name dropped earlier.

Cole, Strasburg, and Rendon all signed huge deals with the New York Yankees, the Washington Nationals, and the Anaheim Angels, respectively. In the blink of an eye, three of the biggest free agents of the offseason are off the board.

Other recent signings have further put last season’s offseason turmoil in the rearview mirror; like Didi Gregorious and Zack Wheeler signing with the Philadelphia Phillies. Also, Yasmandi Grandal, the most highly sought-after catcher on the market, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers.

In Braves Country, these have seemed like disappointing signings. The Braves need pitching. Two of the best pitchers on the market are going elsewhere (technically, Strasburg is merely staying put, but you get what I mean).

The dreams of these superstars coming to play their home games at SunTrust Park (or whatever it’s going to be called) have been dashed.

Except, here’s the thing. The Braves were never going to sign any of those players. Certainly not the Boras clients.

I wanted Gerrit Cole, too. I really did. But even before he signed, I knew how unlikely it would be that the Braves were going to open their checkbook wide enough for him.

After his completely insane deal with the Yankees, I know there was no chance in hell he was ever coming here. Atlanta would never have been able to go anywhere near the NINE-year, $324 million contract that he inked with New York.

The Braves signed Cole Hamels to a one-year deal prior to the nearly billion dollars that was given away to Boras’ boys that week. Is that a thrilling, franchise-changing signing? It is not.

But it’s not nothing. It’s enough. Coupled with the massive and awesome bullpen reinvention the Braves have instituted, the Braves aren’t falling behind with the lack of a massive signings. Instead, they’re working with what they have and keeping option open.

For example, while Rendon was never a reasonable option, the Braves kept third base open for a Josh Donaldson return.

Regardless of whether or not the Bringer of Rain returns to Atlanta in 2020, the Braves has shown that they are not remaining passive in the offseason.

Whoever else joins the Braves next season will be joining a strong core of players, a core that was written off before 2019 for not making any big splashes in the offseason that year as well.

This team was already good.