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By Mark Polishuk | at
Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s live baseball chat
MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com
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Hey guys. I posted this before but I wanted to post it again about the interview with Chipper Jones and the Freddie Freeman saga. Chipper seems to believe that after talking to Freeman his agents didn’t have his best interest at heart. Chipper did an interview with Buster Olney but that is behind a paywall. This is a very similar free interview he did on a radio show about the exact same thing. It’s worth listening to for a baseball fan of any team that wonders about the behind the scenes goings on with free agency and how agents can potentially hurt their clients.
omny.fm/shows/chuck-and-chernoff/hall-of-famer-chi…
Jon Heyman on Twitter:
There are about $57M in deferrals to be paid out from 2028 to 2040 in Freeman’s Dodgers contract, making it worth about $140M over 6 years
@feinsand
1st reported
The Braves offer was better at $140M over 5 years than the actual value of the Dodgers of $140M over 6 years
Freeman camp did propose two deals to the Braves late — $165M for 5 years and $175M for 6 — via sources, but he ultimately signed for $162M for 6 in LA.
@Buster_ESPN
also reported those figures.
Freeman definitely wanted to go to the Braves. Why did his agents demand his preferred team needed to pay $165M for 5 years while his less preferred team only had to pay actual value of $140M for 6 years? That’s a complete failure of representation by the agents. I would never use that agency for anything. Their motto might as well be “We will get you less money and make sure you don’t get to play for the team you want to play for.” I actually feel bad for Freeman. It seems he trusted those around him more than he trusted himself. It also seems his agents weren’t honest with him. If he was “shocked and blindsided by the Matt Olson trade” as he says, then his agents lied to him about what they had done because they didn’t want to tell him they overplayed his hand and screwed up.
I do believe Freeman when he says that, btw. I don’t think he is the person lying. It has to be his agents lying to him to cover up their obvious blunders.
Everyone likes to scapegoat the lawyers and agents.
Personally, I think BOTH the Atlanta ball club and Freddie got what they wanted.
And why not?! Good for them.
In the interview that Freeman gave on TV, he said the Braves only called him twice. Once to check in right before the lockout and once after the lockout. He said the Dodgers called him much more often and seemed very sincere and welcoming for him to come to LA. He even got calls from current Dodger players who told him what the culture of playing in LA is like. He shares the same agent as Kershaw and there was multiple conversations between the Dodger front office and Freemans agent about a potential fit in LA.
Freeman also said in the interview that he liked the idea that friends and family could come and see him in person on a nightly basis since as he said he could play at home. He lives in Orange County (CA) during the off-season about an hour from Dodger Stadium.
Max Muncy who was the incumbent 1st baseman, an all star, was excited to add Freeman as he realizes how much he can add to the team. The Dodgers roster is full of selfless players who put the team first and want to win.
@steve. Just listened to the linked podcast you provided. I have followed Chipper’s entire career closely as I began my Brave fandom in 1994. Freddie was my new Chipper btw. I see no reason not to believe Chipper. I think no matter what part of this definitely falls squarely on Freddie’s shoulders as he had all sorts of time to agree to an extension. It’s just sad that he had the chance to be a Braves legend and he tossed it away. I think Freddie probably trusted his reps too much but AA doesn’t fool around. Like Chipper said in the podcast that free agency is about where you want to play and I’m guessing Freddie overplayed his hand.
Thanks Mark for the chat!
So who had Correa going to Minn???????
Just about as many people as picked the St. Peter’s Peacocks to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
Mark,
You said Gonsolin waiting in wings, did you mean Dustin May, who is still months out on IR?
Urias-Kershaw-Buehler-Anderson-Heaney is their rotation as things stand. Gonsolin would be the odd one out after the Anderson move. He’s got an option left, right?
You misunderstood what Mark meant. What he meant was Gonsolin is available now, and went on to say May would be available later.
This is what he wrote” “…with Gonsolin in the wings, May probably coming back at some point,…”
Dark and Tad:
I see it as
W Buehler
J Urias
C Kershaw
A Heaney
Anderson
Dustin May waiting in wings (Anderson goes to bullpen or replaces IR SP)
Trevor Bauer in purgatory (Heaney goes to bullpen or replaces IR SP)
Gonsolin in bullpen whole season unless an IR SP before D. May or T. Bauer return, with spot starts maybe a tandem of D. Price and Gonsolin. Unless it’s Miller time, Bobby that is.
Superintendent Chalmers
11:04 The A’s seem to bounce back after every fire sale they have. Do you see them returning to contention in just a few short years?
Mark P
11:04 I have little doubt that Beane and Forst can turn things around again. But the frustrating part for A’s fans is that they have to watch this team now take self-imposed steps backwards again when they had a contending core already in place.
_
This is interesting and why I have some questions about Billy Beane and the A’s approach……
This is the 3rd, 4th, or 5th cycle that this has happened for the A’s.
They time their cycles to the 6 years of control they have for players. But they end up not having the revenue to keep most of those players as those players deserve substantial raises to stay another year or two. The A’s know they can’t afford to do that that so they make multiple trades and start the next cycle.
I look at the Rays that are in the same situation – possibly worse. They foresee the inevitable and begin moving some of their core players for quality prospects after 3-4 years, replacing them in the core with players that have 6 years of control. At the same time we see the Rays enter into a long-term contract with Franco guaranteeing that at least one building block will be there well through the initial cycle. What this rolling build does is guarantee that they don’t have to have a fire sale and start over again every 5-6 years.
I believe this is a major reason the A’s under Beane have won 2 playoff series in 25 years, while the Rays have won 7 playoff series and gotten to the WS twice in the same period.
Samuel:
The Cliff’s Notes for your post would be:
Rays start their cycle slightly sooner than the A’s and that works better.
Thanks for reading, so we don’t have toooooooooooooooooooo.
I’m downvoting your new name!
The Rays seem like they invest more into player development than the A’s. Not sure if it’s the FO’s doing or the owner, or even if my observation is correct.
As to the trade offer that was proposed for the Twins to acquire Montas and Manea, I laughed when Bundy having just been signed as a FA was the reason it wouldn’t happen. Oakland has not acquired a single player with less than 5 years of control remaining. Pache has the least amount of control of any player received back.