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Talking Chop

https://www.talkingchop.com/ | 334 entries published

Your one stop shop for everything Atlanta Braves

Latest Entries

Braves finalize 2026 coaching staff, shift Tony Mansolino to bench coach

The Atlanta Braves have finalized their coaching staff for the 2026 season with new manager Walt Weiss. There is a lengthy press releases to announce the moves, but here’s the I-can’t-read-size-six-font version. Tim Hyers will return for his second year as hitting coach, as expected. It was an uneven first year under Hyers, but the […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

2025 Player Reviews: Hayden Harris

For multiple seasons now, whenever someone in the Atlanta Braves bullpen struggled, or even when they didn’t, we’d hear a familiar refrain: “When will they call up Hayden Harris? Why hasn’t Hayden Harris been called up yet?” Well, the second one is hard to answer, but the answer to the former was apparently “late in […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

How mad would you have been if Drake Baldwin didn’t win Rookie of the Year?

I absolutely did not remember that Rookie of the Year was being announced yesterday. If I had, a variant of the title of this post would’ve been yesterday’s question. At that time, whether justice would prevail or not was still uncertain. Right now, we can all celebrate. Something good happened this year, hooray. But, what […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

This Day in Braves History: John Smoltz wins the N.L. Cy Young Award

Braves Franchise History  1995 – Gaffney Street, near the former site of Braves Field in Boston, MA, is renamed Harry Agganis Way, after the former Boston University and Boston Red Sox star, who died during the 1955 season. 1996 – John Smoltz, who won a major league-high 24 games for the Atlanta Braves, wins the […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Braves News: Drake Baldwin Wins NL Rookie of the Year, 2026 Draft, More

Heck Yes. Drake Baldwin is the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year. After a stellar first year in the majors (statistically one of the best by a rookie catcher over the past half century), Baldwin earned 21 of the 3o first place votes, beating out fellow finalists Cade Horton of the Cubs and Caleb Durbin […]

about 1 month ago | 3 reads

Drake Baldwin wins 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Award

For the 10th time in Atlanta Braves franchise history and for the third time since 2018, the National League Rookie of the Year is an Atlanta Braves player. Drake Baldwin joins a list that includes Earl Williams in 1971, Bob Horner in 1978, David Justice in 1990, Rafael Furcal in 2000, Craig Kimbrel in 2011, […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Braves adding Tommy Watkins to coaching staff, per reports

The Atlanta Braves seem primed to add long-time Minnesota Twins coach Tommy Watkins to their coaching staff per multiple reports. Dan Hayes of the Athletic was first to report the news earlier this afternoon. As Aaron Gleeman of the Athletic noted, Watkins had been with the Twins for 27 years. Reporting on the Braves side […]

about 1 month ago | 3 reads

2025 Atlanta Braves Prospect Reviews: Colby Jones

How Acquired The Braves drafted Colby Jones in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of a Florida JUCO. Jones was an Alabama commitment who was known more as a sum of all parts gamer type of player with some speed. What Were Expectations? There weren’t a ton of expectations for Jones this […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

2025 Atlanta Braves Prospect Reviews: Didier Fuentes

How Acquired The Braves signed Didier Fuentes as an international free agent from Colombia in the 2022 class. Fuentes was hardly the headliner in that class, as he received a more modest $75k bonus in the class that was headlined by Diego Benitez. What Were Expectations? Expectations were high for Fuentes in 2025 coming off […]

about 1 month ago | 7 reads

2025 Atlanta Braves Player Review: Kevin Herget

In 2024, the Braves used a journeyman reliever named Jimmy Herget for a grand total of eight appearances and 12 1/3 innings. In 2025, the Braves used a journeyman reliever named Kevin Herget for a grand total of one appearance and one inning. In 2026, maybe they won’t use any Hergets, or maybe they’ll hire […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Which old friends will the Braves reunite with for the 2026 season?

Look, the Braves are nothing if not loyal… for the most part. One thing they’ve loved to do in recent years? Bring back old friends for a last, or even not-so-last, hurrah. Off the top of my head, I can think of getting Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson back at the 2024 Trade Deadline, the […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

This Day in Braves History: Bobby Cox is named N.L. Manager of the Year

Braves Franchise History  1964 – The Braves sign a 25-year lease to play in the new Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. 1998 – The Atlanta Braves trade pitchers Denny Neagle and Rob Bell and outfielder Michael Tucker to the Cincinnati Reds for second baseman Bret Boone and Mike Remlinger. 2004 – Bobby Cox is named Manager of […]

about 1 month ago | 3 reads

Braves News: MLB Rookie of the Year Awards, Drake Baldwin, More

It seems that over the past few years, more often than not, if there is news concerning the Atlanta Braves there is a good chance it will happen on a Monday. Last Monday, the Braves announced Walt Weiss as their new manager. Today, the NL Rookie of the Year will be named. Both Cade Horton […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Offseason open thread: November 9

Hope everybody in the Atlanta metro area is staying nice and warm through tonight and tomorrow. It’s gonna be a chilly one out there! Stay right by that hot stove! Anyways, I hope y’all are having a lovely weekend and that it translates into a great week as well. The floor is yours.

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

2025 Atlanta Braves Player Review: Jake Fraley

As a man with a long beard, I am really in love with Jake Fraley’s beard. We have a similar hair color, but mine doesn’t come in quite as full as his. It’s really a magnificent beard. I probably need to try rounding mine out a bit more and see if that helps. Oh, baseball. […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Who are your top 4 hateable teams?

A couple of weeks ago, I asked who are the most hateable teams from a Braves fan perspective. The Phillies and Mets are run away favorites. So much so that they have already advanced in the bracket. The question now is who joins them in next Sunday’s playoff. Your top two vote-getters will advance. I’m […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

This Day in Braves History: Sam Jethroe wins 1950 NL Rookie of the Year

Braves Franchise History 1950 – Sam Jethroe of the Boston Braves is named as Rookie of the Year for the National League. Jethroe, at 31 years of age, is the oldest rookie to win the award.  MLB History 1925 – The Brooklyn Robins claim Rabbit Maranville off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs.  1937 – […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Braves News: Offseason musings, familiar faces return, more

Monday will be a big day for Drake Baldwin and the Braves, as the young catcher looks to take home an awesome personal award in the NL Rookie of the Year award and also earn the team an additional first round pick in the 2026 draft. This has ramifications for later in the offseason as […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

2025 Player Reviews: José Azocar

He’s sure to be a trivia question for the sickos years from now, because outfielder Josê Azocar pulled off a rare feat in his two weeks with Atlanta in late Spring: he became one of two players to play in the outfield and get only one plate appearance with the Braves, joining Scott Schebler in […]

about 1 month ago | 3 reads

Braves re-sign Carlos Carrasco, Darius Vines to MiLB deals, per report

Matt Eddy of Baseball America, in a run-down of minor league signings, reports that the Atlanta Braves have re-signed starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Darius Vines to minor league deals. He also notes that pitcher Luis Vargas has inked a minor league deal as well. Carrasco, 38, is a long-time big league veteran who started […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Did Kevin Seitzer get the last laugh?

In case you missed it, the Atlanta Braves replaced their pitching coach, bullpen coach, first base coach and third base coach this week. They moved Brian Snitker to an off-field role and installed Walt Weiss as manager. We’re not sure who’s going to be the bench coach but the hitting coach looks to still have […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Braves News: Coaching staff additions, Eddie Rosario player review, and more

Following the news of Walt Weiss’ promotion to manager, the Atlanta Braves have continued to announce changes to the coaching staff. Up next, the club hired Tony Mansolino as third base coach and J.P. Martinez as bullpen coach.  Mansolino, 43, previously served as the third base coach of the Baltimore Orioles for five seasons, until […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads