Live from the ballyard: Gettin’ ready for Freddie’s MLB debut
Freddie Freeman: The young man is outstanding in his field. (Artistic photo by M. Bradley)
Freddie Freeman planned to address the media before tonight’s game. Then Bobby Cox told him he was starting at first base. Then Freeman decided he had better things to do before his first major-league game, like learn the Braves’ signs. All of which tells me this guy has a bad case of misplaced priorities.
Yes, I’m kidding. But everybody’s a little giddy out here today. Both Frank Wren and John Schuerholz were behind the batting cage at 4:30 p.m., watching Freddie swing. (He has, as you’ve heard, a good swing.) He was loosing liners to all fields in batting practice, and a rope into the right-field corner prompted this from Brian McCann: “The best player in the IL [International League]!”
Since Freddie wasn’t speaking, at least until after the game, his dad hustled down to the field and did the honors.
“It’s hard to believe it,” said Fred Freeman, speaking of the reality of young Freddie about to start in the first major-league game for which he has been eligible. “It was almost yesterday that he was in high school.”
Someone noted that Freddie Freeman exited high school in that long-ago year of 2007. Right, said Fred, who added: “It was almost yesterday.”
Not much riding on Freeman’s first at-bat: Just the fate of his professional career. Given that Freeman’s (slightly) older buddy Jason Heyward hit a three-run homer on his first big-league swing, Freeman has no recourse but to hoist a four-run job — does he not? And if he doesn’t?
“We send him back,” Wren said. “We can still send him back.”
Freddie's dad. That's what I said. (M. Bradley)
Yes, he was likewise kidding. But the neat part about Freeman making his long-awaited debut in the same calendar year that Heyward made his is that a season that started as hot as Georgia asphalt keeps burnin’ rubber. We’ve got a team in first place; the 24 last at-bat wins; the crusty skipper in his final voyage, and a slew of daring deeds by the most extraordinary folks …
Wren again: “We’ve had a lot of things happen, and most of them have been good. Every season you have a lot of things happen, and it’s not always this way.”
Wren said he had no input on Freeman’s insertion into the lineup. That was all Bobby Cox, who said of his thinking: “Just put him in there. And Derrek [Lee] needs a day off.”
Cox said he told Freeman he was playing before the game. “I kidded around with him.” Did that mean Freeman arrived as early as Cox, the man ahead of whom nobody arrives? “He was here early, but not that early.”
And how did Freeman take Cox’s news? “He was excited.”
What, Cox was asked, were the chances of Freeman one-upping Heyward with a first-swing grand slam? “He might. Wouldn’t shock me.”
The 2010 Atlanta Braves: In a season that has defied credulity, that’s as good a slogan as any. Nothing’s shocking anymore.
And with that, the figurative floor is again open for questions, comments and sightings of men in neon yellow shirts. (Y’all know what I’m talking about.) I’ll be here all evening, the Good Lord willin’, and we’ll see if the new man can give us another moment.
He's in the cage here, but he emerged from it a free man. Get it? (Hilarity by M. Bradley)
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624 comments Add your comment
bubba
September 1st, 2010
9:45 pm
I don’t know if it was somebody from the Braves or someone here or in the media that assumed McLouth was called up for his speed which isn’t the case. Apparently it was for his.165 and decreasing bat because all he has been used for thus far is a pinch hitter and not a pinch runner. (Can’t run around the basepaths relying on his bat to get him there) There will no longer be a Mendoza line ,it will soon to be replaced by the Mclouth line that is based on the Norton standard of hitting.
MitchC
September 1st, 2010
9:45 pm
Another win over the Metropolitans. Ho-hum. Just kidding. I know we need every single win we can get this time of year.
Again, I missed parts of the game, but I saw the scoring. It s good Freeman is here, and Hanson and Wagner pitched well. All in all, a solid game.
I know that before this series I said three out of four. Well, I’m greedy. I want a sweep, especially since Philly won two of three at LA, and is only three games out. They are wayyyy too close for comfort!
Heath
September 1st, 2010
9:45 pm
Boy, Bisher hated relievers.
robdawg08
September 1st, 2010
9:46 pm
All time strikeouts and saves by a lefty is HOF material.
robdawg08
September 1st, 2010
9:48 pm
If a Billy Goat & Big Show had a kid (pun intended) he’d be called Show Goat.
niekro's knuckles
September 1st, 2010
9:54 pm
HOF material doesn”t HOF make. Baseball writers are a wierd bunch. No offense Mark. Your a sports writer or blogger or something.
Swallows Fan
September 1st, 2010
9:54 pm
And if the kid went to Shanghai he would be a Show Goat to China
Go Braves- sweep tomorrow!
Swallows Fan
September 1st, 2010
9:58 pm
Oh- and for Kawakami on Friday: がんばっれ 川上さん (Gambarre Kawakami-san)!
Katherine
September 1st, 2010
10:01 pm
kawakami on friday omg…say it aint so…..noooooo
Jt
September 1st, 2010
10:44 pm
Heyward is becoming, for late August and Sept, what Glaus was in May and early June. Unbelievable for a rookie!! Wonder who else has done this? He is in the process of picking the Braves up (along with Infante and Prado) and putting them on his shoulders. Nice stretch! Hope he figured some things out- sure is fun to watch
Jeff
September 1st, 2010
10:51 pm
I don’t know about MB and you other Braves fans, but this team excites me… it has since late May when they went on a tear. You know what? That 7-run 9th to beat Cincinnati with Conrad’s grand slam on May 20 may have been just one game, but I think it absolutely ignited this team and this town’s passion for this team like we haven’t seen in several years.
This team has good pitching, gritty players who play hard, a veteran manager who has seen everything and is pushing all the right buttons, and a good mix of veterans, rookies, stars and supporting players. And despite all the superstar power of the Pujuols and Howards and Lincecums of these other teams, ya know what? It’s September first and the ATLANTA BRAVES are in first place!!!
And what excites me even MORE is that this team has a lot of good young talent… it’s not a first place team littered with Julio Francos and Tom Glavines and Andres Gallaragas and Steve Bedrosians and Terry Pendletons… this is a team where the core stars are, for the most part, 27 years old are youger… this team is primarily fueled by McCann and Heyward and Prado and Infante and Hanson and Jurrjens and Venters and Medlen. Yeah, we’ve got some older guys (Chipper, Huddy, Wagner, Hinske, etc.), but the nucleus of this team SHOULD be around for years to come… which means good things for 2011, 2012, 2013, etc. etc. etc. It starts with a rotation of Hudson, Jurrjens, Hanson, Medlen and Minor for next year, it includes fresh-faced kids like Heyward and Freeman anchoring the middle of the lineup, and it includes some great stories of guys who fit in to Atlanta’s team perfectly — Brooks Conrad, Melky Cabrera, Rick Ankiel, Omar Infante, etc.
I’m excited about this team — I hope you are too! Let’s sell out every home game in September, folks… and get ready for the playoffs because here we come! Go Braves!!!!!
Mark Bradley
September 1st, 2010
11:14 pm
Here’s the game column, if you’re inclined. If not, thanks for hanging with me again. Sorry if I was a little sluggish tonight. I’ll try to do better.
Jeff
September 1st, 2010
11:25 pm
You do a great job, MB…. don’t let the morons in life get ya down!
Proof that Atlanta isn’t as bad a sports town as you might think. « Get The Picture
September 2nd, 2010
8:24 am
[...] that Atlanta isn’t as bad a sports town as you might think. Jump to Comments From Mark Bradley’s game blog of last night’s Braves-Mets tilt: The Ramblin’ Wreck and the Tech cheerleaders are driving [...]
Christopher Chance
September 2nd, 2010
7:12 pm
Mr. Bradley……do you think that the Braves are a better team with Infante and Lee replacing Chipper and Glaus in the line-up and on the field?
Christopher Chance
September 4th, 2010
7:30 pm
Chipper Jones just made his biggest contribution of the 2010 season to the Braves (other than graciously tearing his knee out so Omar Infante could be inserted into the lead-off spot in the order):
He took one for the team in ripping the home plate umpire and getting thrown out of the game after some of the horrible non calls he made with Jurrjens on the mound.
Christopher Chance
September 4th, 2010
8:56 pm
…I just dont understand how we can still be in first place. We have to have the WORST base running/defense of any first place team in the HISTORY of baseball.
Christopher Chance
September 4th, 2010
8:57 pm
Does Bobby Cox and his staff EVER do any coaching? Everything from when to take the extra base……to when not to throw the ball to the wrong base…………..has cost us runs AS WELL as giving up extra runs.
Christopher Chance
September 4th, 2010
9:01 pm
,,..Yet despite all that ……we are up 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth AND have a slim one game lead on the Phillies coming into tonight’s game against the Marlins
Christopher Chance
September 4th, 2010
9:02 pm
It’s a miracle that we still have a 1 game lead on the Phillies…despite shooting ourselves in the foot many times throughout the year.
Christopher Chance
September 5th, 2010
12:18 pm
This is a classic example of what baffles me when it comes to Bobby Cox: Troy “freaking” Glaus should not be in the line-up. A right hander is on the mound. Freddie Freeman should be playing 1st, not Glaus.
Just another example of Bobby trying to get one of his favored veterans “going” by giving him some welfare at-bats. Freeman plays better defense, plus is in position to hit righties better than Glaus is right now.
Christopher Chance
September 5th, 2010
12:22 pm
Nate “noodle arm” McLouth cant prevent a triple that is hit to left center.
Christopher Chance
September 5th, 2010
12:46 pm
By the looks of it, we could very well fall into a tie for first place by the end of the day.
Christopher Chance
September 5th, 2010
12:50 pm
One positive is that Minor is quickly establishing that he can pick runners off from both first and second. If word gets around that you’ll get picked off if you try to run on MInor, that will be a big plus.