14+ hour, 48+ min ago (684+ words) A 20th round draft pick, not much was expected of Hartman. But he showed up and showed out in 2025 How was he acquired? Hartman was selected with Atlanta's 20th round pick in the 2024 draft, using the 611th overall selection on the outfielder from Holy Trinity Academy out of Alberta, Canada. He was given a signing bonus $337,500, which was understandably significantly higher than his slot value. What were the expectations in 2025? When it was announced the Braves had actually signed all 20 selections in their 2024 class " including Hartman " it came as a bit of a surprise. Simply put, the odds of signing a young, talented position player in the final round of a draft are incredibly slim as most opt to go the collegiate route and improve their draft stock. However, through some crafty financial maneuvering, the Braves were able to lure Hartman away from…...

16+ hour, 48+ min ago (833+ words) Is there something here? We all got pretty excited about Dylan Dodd a few years ago. 2024 was better (derogatory), and the Atlanta Braves seemed committed to him as a starter. But the outlook remained the same - he looked like a depth piece. Dodd was drafted in the third round in 2021. A casualty of the COVID-affected season, he was already 23 years old. Dodd was a depth piece at this point. Everything screamed pedestrian at this point when you looked at him from a rotation perspective. Dodd crashed and burned in both the minors and the majors as a starter in 2023, and again, wasn't much better in the minors in 2024 (he made one relief appearance for the big-league Braves that year). But the immediate usage showed that Atlanta no longer saw him as a rotation piece. They moved him to the bullpen,…...

19+ hour, 48+ min ago (106+ words) Let's not even bring up Hector Neris Even on a sleepy pre-Thanksgiving Sunday, the Braves found a way to make minor news by signing Joel Payamps to a one-year, $2.25 million major league deal. The Braves claimed Payamps from the Brewers late in the 2025 season, gave him a couple of appearances before the season ended, and then outrighted him before the non-tender deadline, with Payamps electing free agency in response. Will the Braves make a surprise move this Saturday night? The Braves could also non-tender a non-arbitration-eligible guy, but that seems mean-spirited The stove's finally lit....

1+ day, 11+ hour ago (321+ words) Atlanta hopes the veteran reliever can return to his pre-2025 form. The Atlanta Braves announced this afternoon that they have agreed on a one-year deal with reliever Joel Payamps. Payamps ended the 2025 season after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Atlanta outrighted him off the 40-man roster earlier this off-season. He'll return to the Braves with a $2.25M deal in 2026. Payamps struggled in 30 games between the Braves and Brewers last season, but from 2021 through 2024 he was a highly-effective reliever. In 2023 and 2024, he struck-out more than 25-percent of the batters he faced while having a xFIP below 4.00 in both seasons. Last year, his barrel rate increased significantly while strikeout rate took a downturn. In two games with Atlanta, he tossed 2.2 inning and struck out two but allowing a home run. Including his time in Milwaukee, he had a…...

1+ day, 11+ hour ago (321+ words) Atlanta hopes the veteran reliever can return to his pre-2025 form. The Atlanta Braves announced this afternoon that they have agreed on a one-year deal with reliever Joel Payamps. Payamps ended the 2025 season after the Braves claimed him off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Atlanta outrighted him off the 40-man roster earlier this off-season. He'll return to the Braves with a $2.25M deal in 2026. Payamps struggled in 30 games between the Braves and Brewers last season, but from 2021 through 2024 he was a highly-effective reliever. In 2023 and 2024, he struck-out more than 25-percent of the batters he faced while having a xFIP below 4.00 in both seasons. Last year, his barrel rate increased significantly while strikeout rate took a downturn. In two games with Atlanta, he tossed 2.2 inning and struck out two but allowing a home run. Including his time in Milwaukee, he had a…...

1+ day, 16+ hour ago (282+ words) After a long time away, Zach Thompson finally made it back to the big leagues. How long did that last? Shortly after Atlanta's season ended in the 2024 NL Wild Card Series, the Braves quietly signed Zach Thompson to a minor league deal. Thompson's 2025 ended with 0.1 fWAR in 3 2/3 innings, with a 0 ERA-, 58 FIP-, and a 107 xFIP-. The defense behind him gave the batters that faced him a .000 BABIP. Unfortunately for him, that game came in a blowout, as he entered with the Braves down 6-1 and held the fort down such that they'd eventually lose 6-3. Unfortunately, his subpar performance in the minors probably explains why he didn't really get more of a look with the Braves at the major league level. It's hard to make your way up in the baseball world with an ERA that's closing in on seven and a…...

1+ day, 16+ hour ago (282+ words) After a long time away, Zach Thompson finally made it back to the big leagues. How long did that last? Shortly after Atlanta's season ended in the 2024 NL Wild Card Series, the Braves quietly signed Zach Thompson to a minor league deal. Thompson's 2025 ended with 0.1 fWAR in 3 2/3 innings, with a 0 ERA-, 58 FIP-, and a 107 xFIP-. The defense behind him gave the batters that faced him a .000 BABIP. Unfortunately for him, that game came in a blowout, as he entered with the Braves down 6-1 and held the fort down such that they'd eventually lose 6-3. Unfortunately, his subpar performance in the minors probably explains why he didn't really get more of a look with the Braves at the major league level. It's hard to make your way up in the baseball world with an ERA that's closing in on seven and a…...

1+ day, 19+ hour ago (103+ words) The Philles might have a down year. The Mets could continue to act Metsy. Those are two things that I am growing in confidence over. But then again, it's the interwebz here. Why am I peddling the idea that something good will happen? It's late November, though. If you're not optimistic now, then why are you baseballing? The Braves could also non-tender a non-arbitration-eligible guy, but that seems mean-spirited The stove's finally lit. Let's not even get into the minor league portion" 13 chances for it to happen, but the odds aren't great....

2+ day, 19+ hour ago (825+ words) Writing the Dane Dunning review, I ran across this July 31st game versus the Reds. Dunning pitched in that game, and it didn't go great. A little too much BABIP for Dane's taste and for us fans. This was likely the most certifiably nutty game of the year. Not that it made us nutty, 2025 had long since accomplished that. So do you remember this game? Ok, where to begin here. This game between the Braves and Reds was the first of two games in Great American Ball Park after the trade deadline had passed and before they would play in the Speedway Classic at Bristol, TN. So Raisel Iglesias and Marcell Ozuna were still on the team. In fact, they would combine for 0.62 WPA. The Braves sent Carlos Carrasco to the mound for his first Braves start. The Reds countered with…...

2+ day, 20+ hour ago (288+ words) I'd say this worked out pretty well for the Pirates. 1954 - The Pirates draft Roberto Clemente from the Triple A roster of the Brooklyn Dodgers. 1957 - Mickey Mantle edges out Ted Williams to win the MVP Award in the American League. Mantle hit .365 with 34 home runs. Williams led the AL with a .388 average, 38 home runs and a .731 slugging percentage. Two Chicago writers listed Williams ninth and 10th on their ballots. 1960 - The American League proposes that both leagues expand to nine teams in 1961 and begin interleague play. Expansion will take place in the American League in 1961, but interleague play won't happen until 1997. 1961 - Frank Robinson becomes the first Red player in 21 years to win the MVP Award. 1968 - Johnny Bench beats out Jerry Koosman for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. Bench is the third Reds player to win the award in the last six…...