By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

So I’m just having a normal Saturday, taking advantage of the weekend and running errands.

Now I’m doing my best to keep up with MLB’s trade rumors since I have a side gig as a sports columnist, and I’m keeping my ear to ground because I know that my local team. The Atlanta Braves, could be moving a lot of players in the next few days.

Nick Markakis maybe, probably Jeff Francoeur; there are some relievers and infielders that could be ripe for moving too.

And of course, in the back of my mind I know that the Braves would love to get rid of the suspended headache that is Hector Olivera.

Olivera isn’t at the forefront since he hasn’t played since the sixth game of the season due to a suspension for domestic abuse, and his production doesn’t match his overlong and overpriced contract. Basically I know that Hector Olivera is only getting moved when he gets thrown into another deal.

Except that Hector Olivera got traded for Matt Kemp and cash on Saturday. That’s it.  No other players were involved. The San Diego Padres received Hector Olivera and the Atlanta Braves received Matt Kemp and around $11 million. Why?

Well it’s a case of teams wanting to unload. The Braves wanted to unload a player that they didn’t want representing them on or off the field, and the Padres wanted to unload a contract they didn’t want to pay for.

To be clear, the Padres were dumping salary, they had no interest in Hector Olivera, who was designated for assignment once San Diego got their hands on him. But by taking on that contract and giving up a tick over $10 million, they’re actually saving themselves some $30 million.

Do we like this trade for Atlanta? Well…it’s fine. Look, to get the negatives out of the way, the Braves now having a poorly aging outfielder getting paid beyond what he’s worth.

You might argue we already have one of those, but Markakis was never the player Kemp was, and the salary difference shows it.

Kemp will never sniff 40/40 like he nearly did in 2011, and his defense is declining with every inning. So why would we want that?

Well, Matt Kemp now has the most home runs on the team. The 31-year-old has sent 23 balls over the fence in 2016, 5 more than Freddie Freeman and 16 more than Tyler Flowers, who now has the third most long balls on the squad. Kemp may not be MVP caliber these days, but he will provide pop that the Braves desperately need.

Now about that contract; it seems ridiculous to take on such a load, even with some cash coming along to offset the cost.

I might argue that it all depends on how you look at it. Let’s assume that Olivera was never going to get back into the Atlanta dugout or even if he was, that he would continue to not produce.

MLB contracts are guaranteed, so the Braves would be spending that $28.5 million over the next four years on nothing. So let’s consider that a sunk cost.

The Braves have dumped a player they don’t want for one that at least will provide some value, particularly in an area in which they are woefully lacking, and will be merely paying an extra $8.5 million on top of what they already had committed.

The financials are what they are. With any luck, money will be less of a problem starting next year, so really the big takeaway here should be that the Braves got a little pop added to their lineup and didn’t give up anything they didn’t want to be rid of anyway.  No prospects lost, a little money spent.

Kemp may be a risky move, but the cost was nil and that makes it worthwhile.