KC Royals: Why Trading For Nick Markakis Makes Sense

1) HE SHOULD BE AVAILABLE

The Atlanta Braves are 8-27 after Friday night’s 5-1 loss to the KC Royals. Even the most glass is half full kind of analyst would have to concede the season is probably hopeless. The Braves would need to make up 19 games just to finish .500.

More from KC Royals News

• KC Royals Rumors: Is a monster move in the cards?
• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: 3 Tampa Bay pitchers
• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update

To get into wild card contention, the Braves would need to win 87 games or so. That would require them to play .622 baseball over the last 127 games of the season.

Yeah. That’s not gonna happen.

Add in that Nick Markakis is 32-years-old, and he’s not going to be a productive player by the time the Braves field a contender. At this point, the way he best helps the franchise is by bringing back young talent that can help the Braves in the future.

It’s not as if Nick Markakis is the only “veteran presence” that can help show the young guys to way to succeed in major league baseball. The Braves roster includes players like shortstop Erick Ayabar, second baseman Kelly Johnson, and right fielder Jeff Francoeur who have all logged considerable time in the major leagues and can act as clubhouse examples for developing players.

Heck, the Braves even have a veteran to play right field if they deal Markakis in Francoeur.

Yeah, playing Frenchy full time isn’t ideal. But, what will be the harm? It’s not as if there’s much benefit to  winning 60 games instead of 50.

Next: The Royals Have The Trade Pieces