ChopTalk: Your name was tossed around a lot at trade deadline time. What was your reaction when you heard Atlanta?
Mark Teixeira: I was excited. There are a lot of teams you may not want to be traded to, but Atlanta was definitely a team I was happy to come play for. I was here for college at Georgia Tech, and even spent a year (living) here after college. That made the comfort level that much greater. My wife, Leigh, and her family are from (Georgia, Habersham County north of Atlanta), and we both went to school here and still have friends living in Atlanta.
CT: What was your impression when you arrived? It seemed like a pretty seamless adjustment, as if you'd always been here.
Teixeira: No one has ever said something bad about the Braves organization, and I'm being completely honest. The reaction I've had from teammates, coaches, fans was what I expected. I knew a few of the guys. I played with Jeff Francoeur and Chipper Jones in the World Baseball Classic (in 2006), and I'd played against Matt Diaz in the American League and even played against him in college when he was at Florida State University. I knew a few other guys just from being around the game. They've all been great.
CT: So what's the biggest difference for you? And have you enjoyed playing in the NL?
Teixeira: It's a different game. There's more bunting, more substitutions, and I think the game is much more fun in the NL. Games are shorter, and there's more strategy. I like it.
Glad to hear Mark admit he likes the NL better.
CT: You live in Texas in the offseason?
Teixeira: Right. We live in Westlake, Texas, about 30 minutes from Arlington. We're planning to stay there for the foreseeable future. We love where we live. For now, with two little ones, it's too crazy to be moving. We like our home, and we have great friends. So, for now, that's where we'll stay.
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