Patchwork is Braves blueprint for a competitive 2017

The Reds and the Braves have officially agreed to a deal that sends second basemen Brandon Phillips to Atlanta for pitchers Andrew McKirahan and Carlos Portuondo.

Phillips, 35, is a Griffin, GA native coming off a less-than-spectacular season in his 11th year of service. He still managed to hit .261 with 11 homers for a ball club that dwelled at the bottom of the cellar last season with the Braves.

Does this trade make the Braves World Series contenders? Far from it. NL East favorites? No, it's better to let the Nationals fall short of those expectations. Does this move at least make them competitive in the division, possibly a long shot at the Wild Card? Quite possibly, yes.

With the addition of Phillips, the Braves now have a well-rounded lineup that should finish in the .500 range. To put where the Braves stand into a metaphor, the organization is an unfinished quilt. The missing pieces are talented prospects not yet ready for major league action, so the Braves have employed patchwork to round out the holes.

Young outfielders Dustin Peterson and Ronald Acuna not ready yet? Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis hold their places in the meantime with consistent bats.

Need to make sure Ozzie Albeis is completely healthy coming off a tough elbow injury at the end of last season? Trade for Brandon Phillips and ensure that second base produces .261 at the least.

Unsure if the plethora of young pitchers are ready for a major league mound? Sign Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey to eat innings and lead by example for Wisler and Blair.

Most have doubted Coppollela and John Hart's patchwork system more than they've trusted it, but this latest move should show the fans that this team has intentions of winning more games than it loses. Per reports, Phillips adds strong character to a locker room that wont be short on veteran experience. Something Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte and Freddie Freeman need to keep notes on for the future as the cornerstones of this franchise going forward.

The potential daily lineup for Atlanta could be:

1 - Ender Inciarte, CF (L)

2 - Dansby Swanson, SS (R)

3 - Freddie Freeman, 1B (L)

4 - Matt Kemp, LF (R)

5 - Nick Markakis, RF (L)

6 - Brandon Phillips, 2B (R)

7 - Adonis Garcia, 3B (R)

8 - Tyler Flowers/Anthony Recker/Kurt Suzuki, C

9 - Pitcher

That's a realtively pleasing lineup at little-to-no cost. The Reds and Padres are still eating Kemp's and Phillips' contracts; Markakis' deal is worth what he produces; Dansby on his rookie contract; Freeman and Inciarte locked up long term; and Adonis only making 500k.

Should Adonis "Donny" Garcia hold up the hot corner at third base as well as he did after getting called up from Gwinnett, this roster will lurk in the background and surprise some people.

Brandon Phillips and Dansby Swanson will be sure handed as a double play tandem, and they might even switch places on the lineup card from time-to-time - but here's my take on Dansby getting the nod to play second:

He's 22-years old and the top-prospect in the organization. The second or third overall prospect in the major league, depending on what list you look at. He's the marketable hometown star that the organization needs to find out if he's the 2-hole hitter for the next 20 years or the 6-hole hitter for the next five. Swanson isn't on the "hot seat" by any means, but it's sink or swim time for #2 in the 2-hole.

Projections for the season will come after I can get a look at some Spring Training action in the coming weeks.