By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

The MLB Hot Stove seemed like it had gotten overstuffed on Thanksgiving Day turkey as it trudged into December with nary a big move in sight.

Clayton Kershaw decided to forego hitting the market and resigned with Los Angeles; after that, it was all rumor and no action for baseball.

Then the Atlanta Braves decided to strike a match and light up the stove. Alex Anthopoulos welcomed home Brian McCann after five years away, signing the former All-Star backstop to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Before the dust could settle on that acquisition, the news broke that the Braves had also signed third baseman and 2015 AL MVP Josh Donaldson to a one-year, $23 million deal.

Let’s tackle these both briefly for now and chronologically.

McCann’s return managed to be both inflated and a little deflating at the same time. For the past several months it seemed like Atlanta might be able to pry JT Realmuto, arguably the game’s best catcher, away from Miami.

McCann, a fan favorite from 2005-2013, is beloved by the Braves’ fanbase, but is past his prime. While this signing doesn’t mean that Anthopoulos is 100% not looking for another catcher, it’s likely that Atlanta will see a third year of platooning behind the plate. This time with a lefty/righty combination with Mac and Tyler Flowers.

I love Brian McCann. I think his presence in the clubhouse can only be a good thing for this young team. However, my excitement for his return is more reserved than it would be if he were being signed to serve as the backup catcher for someone in their prime.

The Donaldson signing came seemingly out of nowhere. It seemed like the Braves’ lineup focus would be at catcher and replacing Nick Markakis with a stud outfielder.

Third base wasn’t an area of need, with Johan Camargo capably manning the hot corner in 2017. But sign a third baseman they did, and it’s a lineup-changing acquisition.

Donaldson is coming off an injury-plagued year in which he played in just 52 games and didn’t come close to putting up his usual high-caliber numbers.

That being said, this is a great signing. It’s a low-risk, high-reward situation, with Donaldson potentially providing the Braves with 30 home runs and 95+ RBI from the cleanup spot behind Freddie Freeman; if he can stay healthy and return to form. And if he can’t? The Braves still have Johan Camargo.

That may be the best part of both of these signings, but Donaldson’s in particular: we gave up nothing. No prospects sent off, no part of last year’s NL East-winning team shipped away.

All it cost was $23 million dollars for a player who, when he was healthy for the five years prior to his injuries, averaged hitting .282/.377/.524 with 33 bombs and 98 runs driven in. Not to mention, top 10 MVP rankings in four of those years (the fifth, 2017, was the first sign of his injury problems: he hit 33 homeruns in 113 games and got some MVP votes anyway).

If those days are behind him, so be it. It’s one-year, so the deal doesn’t hurt the Braves long-term. Plus, $23 million is barely more than this year’s free agent qualifying offer, which players with worse track records than Donaldson’s rejected.

Some maniacs may think that if the Braves spent $23 million on an aging, potentially broken-down superstar, they should have just ponied up and signed the likes of Bryce Harper.

Don’t pay attention to those maniacs. If Bryce Harper for some reason wanted to take a one-year deal from someone, it would cost, AT LEAST, $40 million dollars. He won’t get that annually on a multi-year deal, but for just one season? He’d hit that mark easily.

That price for the potential that Donaldson offers is a drop in the bucket, even for the Braves, who should still have enough spending room to address the other holes (bullpen, a starter) on the roster.

Whatever happens with the rest of the NL East (the Mets are apparently trying to trade for Robinson Cano, which is the most “Mets” things I’ve ever heard in my life), the Braves are making it clear that the rebuild is over, and they are looking to repeat.