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Fox Sports South Announces Braves' All-Decade Team

By Jerry Trotta

Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and Ronald Acuna Jr celebrating against the Phillies.
Freddie Freeman, Ozzie Albies, and Ronald Acuna Jr celebrating against the Phillies. / Hunter Martin/Getty Images

The Atlanta Braves boasted a strong beginning and conclusion to the decade that included three NL East titles and two Wild Card berths. In fact, the only seasons they weren't in playoff contention were the rebuilding years of 2015-2017. That brief retooling has them set up to contend for the foreseeable future.

To say that there was a plethora of players that deserved to be named to the club's All-Decade team is an understatement, and Fox Sports South just so happened to reveal their squad on Tuesday.

Their 10-man list features some surprises, including Braves legend Chipper Jones, who, despite being an All-Star in 2011 and 2012, retired following the 2012 campaign. Outfielder Justin Upton also made the list despite spending just two seasons (2013 and 2014) with Atlanta, and not making the All-Star team in either year.

Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies were awarded a spot despite neither being over 22 years old or boasting more than three full seasons in the MLB, though it's fair to say that we all recognize their superstar potential.

Some positions don't warrant much debate at all, as there are clear-cut choices at first base, catcher and reliever in Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann and Craig Kimbrel, respectively.

Freeman has been one of the more underrated players in the game for the last decade despite being an All-Star in 2013, 2014, 2018 and 2019. Kimbrel was simply the best reliever in baseball during his five-year stint with the Braves, leading the league in saves in consecutive seasons from 2011-2014.

McCann, another club legend, clubbed 188 home runs and drove in 706 RBI during his whopping 1,190 games with Atlanta across 10 years before finally hanging up the cleats after the 2019 season.

Of the players listed, only three remain members of the Braves -- Acuna, Albies and Freeman. Tim Hudson, McCann and Jones have all retired from baseball, while Andrelton Simmons, Jason Heyward, Upton and Kimbrel are all practicing their trade elsewhere in the league.