OK, folks, your wish is granted: Freddie Freeman gets the call
I mentioned yesterday that Freddie was almost ready. Today the Braves made it official: Freddie Freeman, the 20-year-old first baseman, will be promoted to the majors Wednesday, which is Sept. 1, which is the day big-league rosters can expand to 40.
I’m like you: I want to see the guy play. But I’m not sure how much we will. The Braves already have a new first baseman in Derrek Lee and a backup plan in Troy Glaus. But this has been, as we’ve noted a time or two, a stunning season.
Who would have predicted that Glaus, so bad in April, would be the National League’s May player of the month? Who saw Jonny Venters coming? Who envisioned Omar Infante as an All-Star? Who figured a career utility man might well lead the National League in hitting? Who guessed a team without Chipper Jones leading the reigning National League champion by three games with 31 to play?
So, as much as I’m trying to tamp down civic enthusiasm regarding Mr. FF, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say: Given the tenor of our times, it would only make sense if Freeman gets pushed into the lineup as a callow rookie — and then is named MVP of the 2010 Fall Classic. Not saying it will happen that way. Just saying that, with these Braves, pretty much anything could.
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459 comments Add your comment
robdawg08
September 1st, 2010
7:57 am
I just hope the Braves can get a (free agent ?) CF next year that can hit .300 and play great defense (with speed).
robdawg08
September 1st, 2010
8:21 am
When Utley,Howard,Werth,& Rollins all start smashing the ball you might eat those words… I hope they never get rolling.
MitchC
September 1st, 2010
8:27 am
Mark, even in the years when the Braves were winning division titles every year, attendance always dropped off when school went back. Joe, Skip. (God rest his soul) Pete and Don used to say that on TBS games all the time.
Bottom line: This team is playing great. Unless an absolute collapse happens, we will make the playoffs. Now, if we can just all hold our collective breath during the killer DC/Phillies/NY road trip in Sept, all will be fine. Hopefully we can fatten our lead by a few more games before then, so even if we have a not so great trip, it wont matter.
Oh, and Phillies trolls on this board: Why dont you guys just admit already that both the Braves and Phillies are good teams, who will likely settle this in the NLCS? One is going to win the NL East, the other the wild card. I hope we see a Braves-Phils NLCS, with the Braves as the East champs of course. I think it will be a great series.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 1st, 2010
8:48 am
Congrats to FF.
Why the hell is McOUT back on this team?
STOOPID Booby Cox!
Don
September 1st, 2010
8:49 am
The problem is — Why didn’t he get the call weeks and weeks and weeks ago when Glaus stopped producing. Of course, we do not know whether or not Freeman would have hit — And, if he had not, you certainly would not have wanted to have kept him up and kept using him and possibly damaged his development. But, when the Braves were getting almost no production from First Base, did they not bring him up and given him a try – to see what happened. He may have hit great and helped to carry the Braves for the remainder of the season. They had almost nothing to lose and everything to gain if they had given it a try. Who knows how many losses this may have cost them by playing Glaus on and on and on. This is just another example of Bobby Cox’s slowness to make changes that are obvious to almost everyone. For an obvious needed change, it takes Cox weeks, sometimes months, sometimes never.
Even now with Cox managing,with Freeman coming up in September, he may not get any playing time -even if Lee does not produce. Lee is starting hit some, but it seems to be mainly in games that we are winning by big magins. In how many close games with good pitching, has he hit??
jerry
September 1st, 2010
8:53 am
Another a$$ kicking by the Yankees on the horizon?
Matt
September 1st, 2010
10:25 am
Phillies, Class of the NL, re: attendance: It could be because Philadelphia has about three times as many people living in the city than Atlanta. 90% of the Atlanta metro area lives outside of the city, which means people must drive 30 miles or more to get to the game during rush hour (more than an hour’s driving for most people). The Braves have always been a medium-market team in terms of attendance, but they have television contracts with three networks (not counting the nationally televised games).
JP
September 1st, 2010
4:31 pm
Freddie starting at 1st tonight!
BRAVOMAN
September 2nd, 2010
3:18 pm
What a year man. Some of my nicknames:
Freddie the Free Man, Onward and Heyward, Proud-o-Prado, Infinite Omar, The Chipster, Glossy Glaus, The Mouth of The South Nate McLouth, Matt Never Say Diaz, Brian I Know I McCann, The name’s Jurrjens, but you can call me JJ, cuz I’m DYNOMITE!, The Huddy Hudson Comes First, The Man Band Hanson, Get a Wagner!, D-LO, D-LEE, BMAC.