Roger Arrieta
Freddie Freeman wasn’t interested in talking about baseball on Friday when Andrew Friedman introduced him as a Dodger. More than anything, Freeman wanted to let everyone know how important it was that the Dodgers kept the lines of communication open.
When reporters asked Freeman what convinced him Los Angeles was the right fit for him, he acknowledged the star-studded lineup and chance to win, but his heart showed on his sleeve — he couldn’t stop talking about his family.
“It’s so exciting to get to come home,” Freeman, who grew up in Southern California and played high school baseball in Orange, said.
Coming home means Freeman’s wife and son will get to watch him play “every day,” and his father and grandfather will be right around the corner.
Friedman mentioned that part of the Dodgers’ desire to sign one of the most consistent hitters in baseball was, in part, due to relieving the stress he put on the team in the innings before he came up. But (almost) as important was the human aspect and passion Freeman has for life off the field.
“I think any time you’re making an investment of this magnitude, the human, the family [aspect], talking to him
Two Phone Calls
No one expected Freeman to leave Atlanta after he helped lead them to a world championship last year. The face of the franchise said publicly that he intended to be a lifelong Brave. He wanted to keep playing with the organization he’d dedicated the last 15 years of his life to.
On Friday, Freeman said he didn’t think he was ever going to reach free agency.
But the Braves didn’t appear to feel the same way. While Freeman was sure he was going back to Atlanta — he hadn’t signed anywhere else, he said, so why wouldn’t that be his natural landing spot? — he didn’t hear from the Braves’ front office.
“The communication wasn’t there all offseason,” he said. “I got two phone calls all offseason.”
Freeman said the Braves made calls to “check in” with him the day before the lockout started and then another the day the lockout lifted.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, made sure they were blowing up Freeman’s phone whenever they were allowed.
As opposed to the two calls from Atlanta all offseason, Freeman said he got “more from Andrews and my agents in a couple of hours.”
Friedman recanted a tale about sneaking away while he and Justin Turner were at Mookie Betts’s wedding, a day before the lockout started, to call Freeman and remind him, “Don’t forget about us.
Slim Pickings
Luring the five-time All-Star away from his adopted home in Georgia was always going to be a heavy lift.
“The likelihood, I think going into the offseason probably felt like it was pretty slim for a combination of different reasons,” Friedman said.
A Zoom conversation helped strengthen the mutual appreciation the Dodgers and Freeman had, but Friedman said he didn’t think it did much to move the needle toward bringing him home.
After the lockout ended, Friedman had his priority list drawn up. The first call he made was to Clayton Kershaw. The second? — Casey Close, the agent who represents both Kershaw and Freeman.
In the meantime, after the Braves placed that second call to “check in” with their star player, they were placing a few others — to Matt Olson.
Whether the Braves communicated the fact they were talking to other first basemen isn’t clear, but considering the emotion in Freeman’s voice on Friday, it’s safe to assume he wasn’t looped in for those conversations.
“When the lockout lifted they made their decision to make the trade,” Freeman said, referring to the Braves. “At that point, it was time to come home.”
