Freddie Freeman
 

Simply inexplicable to me how the Braves have kicked Freeman to the curb. Any team can decide to move on, but from outwards appearances it seems like they have gone out of their way to treat an immensely loyal, extraordinarily well respected player poorly. There must be some personal aspect of this that is unknown to fans and outsiders.

Its money. They downgraded the position and traded their 2 best prospects away for a cheaper player.

It was kind of strange to me too, but when I thought further it made a little more sense.

Matt Olson is a very good player in his own right and might not have peaked yet. He is 5 years younger, a better defender (maybe the best first baseman defensively in MLB) and an Atlanta native.

Freeman is 32 and depending on how much annually he wanted and for how long - as painful as it might be for Braves fans...this might be a good move for them.

Well, they just paid up for Matty O - $168 mil !

Yeah, they must have a lot of faith in Olson . . . but still. I'm a Mets fans and used to hating on Braves. . . . but in the last few years this guy has been one of the mostly widely respected faces in the sport. Just seems like a really great guy. Almost like a David Wright to Mets fans. Whole thing just seems odd to me. I mean would it kill the GM to have a presser and say we love the guy and he's a wonderful player and person but we just decided to go in another direction?

I totally agree, Steve. It does seem odd.

I'm also a Mets fan–I'd be curious to hear how Braves fans feel.

I'm sure the Braves gave him their max offer and he said no, he could get more from the Dodgers or Yankees. What do you want them to do? The problem I see is the prospects the Braves gave up for Olson, the Braves got burned royally on the prospects they gave the Cardinals in 03 for J. D. Drew and the prospects they gave the Rangers for Teixeira in 07, but at least in this case they will be able to keep Olson for several years.

Crazy Olson stat if you haven't seen it.

https://www.athleticsnation.com/2021...ord-oakland-as

Most homers off lefties in a season

25: Dick Allen, PHI, 1966 (righty)
25: Cecil Fielder, DET, 1990 (righty)
22: Matt Olson, OAK, 2021 (lefty)
21: Ken Griffey Jr, SEA, 1996 (lefty)
21: Ken Griffey Jr, SEA, 1998 (lefty)
21: Barry Bonds, SFG, 2002 (lefty)

From an article in The Athletic today.


FREDDIE’S PLACE IN BASEBALL HISTORY: Let me ask you this. How often would you say a player like Freddie Freeman ever leaves any team? How often does a star player reach the big leagues with any franchise, win an MVP award, spend enough years with that franchise to qualify for free agency, then leave as a free agent the offseason after that team wins the World Series with him?

Interesting question, right? I asked our friends at STATS Perform to look into it. I could think of only one player who has ever followed that script. I remembered it right.

According to STATS, since the start of free agency in 1976, exactly one other former MVP has won a World Series with his original team and then left as a free agent immediately after winning the World Series. That player was a fellow named Albert Pujols. The team was the Cardinals. The year was 2011. Maybe there’s a lesson there — for everybody. But that’s the only precedent in the entire free-agent era.

As a life-long Braves fan (EVEN in the 'dark ages'), I have a different opinion from what has been posted already:

First, there was no 'kicking to the curb'- Atlanta's offer was 5 years for $135M or $27M per season ; Dodgers just added the sixth year- 6 years for $162M - again, $27 per season.

Freddie is a California kid and will enjoy being out there.

Matt Olson is an Atlanta native and will be happy here. They locked him up for 8 years at $21M per season.

Now, right now, he's no Freddie Freeman...but he is the closest they could get.

The rankings on MLB network have Olson listed as the third best First Baseman, behind Freddie and Vlad, Jr.

My question is will the Braves retire Freeman's #5.

The organization has not shunned Freddie...he has been treated better than Hank Aaron whose #44 SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THEIR SLEEVES LAST YEAR!! THAT irked me more than anything they've done!! The BREWERS had his number on their sleeves ; The Dodgers lost Tommy and Sutton and had both of their numbers on their sleeves. The Braves didn't have Niekro's #35 on their sleeves either. All they did was have #'s 35 and 44 on the back of the batting helmets...where they were much less visible! Sure, they had #44 in the centerfield grass...but nothing for road games. They had the 150th Anniversary of the Franchise on one sleeve and, ORGINALLY, the All-Star logo on the other...but there was PLENTY of time to Pivot and honor the Franchise's greatest player in the traditional way. No Excuse! Were they pouting? SHAMEFULL!!

Rant over.



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I think it came down to the fact that Freeman wanted that sixth year, which the Braves didn't want to commit to. Which kind of blows my mind considering, he's probably the most meaningful homegrown talent they've had since Chipper. Also the fact that he came through in the clutch, when they needed him most last season, to help them win a world series. He also took a bit of a Hometown discount on his original extension a few years back.

I don't feel bad for the guy, he's still being paid millions to play a game, but goes to show you that a baseball team, like any corporation, will replace someone if there's a cheaper, younger alternative, that has the potential to be just as good.

Letting Freeman go is about the dumbest move Atlanta could make. What a bunch of morons.

Freeman was born and raised in Southern California and has chosen to live there rather than Atlanta in the off-season for several years, this is 100% his choice.

Uh, no.


PHOENIX — Freddie Freeman was working out in a gym with his father Monday morning when the news broke across his phone. He stared in utter disbelief, speechless. He didn’t know whether to cry or scream or both.

"He was in shock," father Fred Freeman said. "He said, 'I can’t believe it. Why didn’t they tell me? How did this happen? Out of nowhere, they didn’t tell me they were moving on. How does that happen?' "

The Atlanta Braves had just traded for Oakland A’s All-Star first baseman Matt Olson, abruptly ending Freeman’s 11-year tenure in Atlanta.

Freeman was so stunned that his father accompanied him home, and the entire family sat together for the next two hours, with Freeman’s wife, Chelsea, the kids and everyone in tears.

Just heard this from the man himself on WSB radio: “Being at home and with my family was the deciding factor”. I’ll take him at his word. ETA: WSB radio just played another soundbite from Freeman that I will paraphrase: “When it came down to it I wanted my 67 year old Dad and 87 year old Grandfather to see me play”. Believe what you want to believe, Freeman is an Los Angeles Dodger because that’s what he wants be, if I was in his shoes I would have done the same exact thing.

He seems to be saying a lot of things. Not all consistent.

Whatever. Good guy. Wish him well.

Anyone who think Freeman wanted to leave Atlanta after the events of the past week . . . well, I have bridge to sell you in downtown Atlanta.

What happened?

Im sure when you look at long run when teams get rid of their 'franchise' player who still commands an elite salary who is in 30s...it turned out just fine for them.

I dont see the ccardinals losing out on Pujols to the Angels was horrible.....Tulowiski to the Blue Jays? Nomar to the Cubs?

people like to chime in early and later on they tend to look silly. (how can freeman leaving braves make sense today....) ..let it play out, we will look at this post years from now and see the deal is far from terrible for the braves...if olson isnt good they can bring someone else in as well for faaar cheaper... i think they offered a 6 year deal for freddie..so we are on YEAR 1...and it doesnt even look bad now...

Elway never won the big game..until won 2... let it play out..

If Freeman didnt want to leave Atlanta, he could of easily not left....why wait til the last minute...if WANTed to not leave the braves..would not have been hard too..... all these false narratives now..money is money.....theres a lot of paperwork and time spent before you can really leave...you have to do a LOT of effort to leave..


hes in the facility most days..did he say 'hey want do you need to make it work' 'hey agent, make sure i am with braves' When he was given the contract to sign for the Dodgers, he could of said 'hey i dont want to leave'

its not like the braves made a terrible offer.....

'Pay your fair share' 'Want to leave' always up to interpretation, but we do know the offer he was given by the braves ...if he WANTED to be with braves he would of been a Brave, period.


Im sure Tony Gwynn and cal ripken almost left' a few times but they did not WANT to leave..whatever it took

very good point.
and sadly the braves offer was not the best for him and he took the money from LA.

Either location is great for him. He moves from 1 big spending winning team to another. Both teams have great culture of winning.

Hopefully he kept the balance with the quality of life for his family.