Freddie was emotional when he received his World Series ring in his first game. There is a time and a place.
Freddie was emotional when he walked into the interview room at Truist Park. He turned away from the cameras and walked out. He said toGimme a second. "Don't stop."
After a few minutes, he came back and did his best to navigate the interview that marked his return to the place he still loves. After signing a six-year, $162 million free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, former Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman did his best to express what this city and those fans still mean to him.
"I've always told you guys how much I love the city of Atlanta," he said. I think you can tell how much I love this organization and this city, even though I thought I loved it a lot. If I'm being honest, I don't know how I'm going to make it through this weekend.
With only an hour left before Friday's first pitch, the Braves' first baseman signed autographs for fans on both sides of Truist Park. After the Braves played a video tribute on their giant center-field screen, first baseman Freddie Freeman walked toward the pitcher's mound to receive his World Series ring, but he didn't want to see it until he came back to Atlanta. After a long hug, he addressed the crowd that was still standing
"I know I have a different uniform on, but I still love you all," he said at one point.
Two months ago, he had a reunion with his teammates in L.A., but he was expecting more emotion this weekend. As his highly anticipated return drew closer, some of the people close to him suggested that this series would represent some much-needed closure for a man who is still coming to grips with his departure from the Braves.
That wasn't dismissed by the man.
He was still fighting back tears. Why did I end my time here in such a special way? I don't have anything to close. One on one, the people I've talked to know that's a different side of the story is what I'm not here to discuss. We would be here a long time if I got into that. That emotion could change a lot.
He was a second-round pick out of high school.
The expectation was that he would return as a free agent, but there was no deal by the time the owners locked out the players. Sources say that after baseball resumed in March, the Braves received two offers from Freddie's agent, which were described as a take-it-or- leave it scenario.
On March 14, Anthopoulos went ahead and traded a package of prospects to the Oakland A's in order to get Matt Olson. After signing with the Dodgers, who are close to where he grew up in Orange County, he was left stunned by the way things unfolded.
The focus on Friday was what was accomplished before that.
"We went through a lot of ups and downs in my 12 years, and as we reached the pinnacle last year of winning it all, that ring is just not a ring to me." The sacrifice is all it is. Family time was missed. It was all the hours. There was a broken wrist in 2017: There is a 14-hour bus ride in the Minor Leagues. Getting to the hotels at 4 a.m. Every year is the grind. It's been a long time since man won it. The sport has no better feeling.
After the 2020 season, the National League's Most Valuable Player Award was given to the Braves' first baseman, who had won it in the previous season. During the Braves' World Series run last fall, he was at his best, batting.300 with five home runs and 11 runs scored in 16 playoffs games.
The Braves' fans stood and cheered as the organist played "We Are The Champ" as the first baseman arrived to bat. When he got to the batter's box, he didffed his helmet to acknowledge the crowd and his former teammates before drawing a walk against Ian Anderson.
It would be difficult to ignore his feelings over the weekend.
He said at one point that it was a lot harder than he thought.
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