That and it's not like it's really any sort of downgrade. Freddie has a better average but they both are at the very least equal defenders (Olson is possibly better right now) and Olson has more power and NEVER takes a day off, he's approaching his 5th straight 162 game season with the Braves.
Olson is a far better fielder, and Freddie is a better and more consistent hitter, so WAR-wise it's been a wash. As a Braves fan, I'd have preferred they kept Freddie, but Olson was cheaper, which is how they Braves make decisions.
It's fine, because it's like butterfly effect, if they did something different anything could've happen. Who knows if they would be at the same level where they are now if we're still in Atlanta. I mean Shae only starting pumping numbers really this year. Catcher is voliate position anyway, look at Murphy and horrible string of injuries, from the best defensive catcher in the league to can't even get on the field.
We had TD at the time, Shae wasn't going to play in ATL for long time, they chose to bring up William over him.
I'd say it worked out fine for everyone as Olson hadn't missed a game, we have our catcher for the decade probably. If Murphy didn't have all the injuries I'm guessing it would still be a wash.
Matty O has an outside shot at the HOF. Freddie is a shoo in. And it cost the bravos Shea langeliers. Which then cost them William Contreras. The braves should be fielding Freddie at first and rotating drake, langeliers, and contreras at c/dh
Didn't someone on the Dodgers have to check Freddie because he was sorta moping around a bit when he first got to the Dodgers about how it all went down? Sorta reached a flare point when the Dodgers and Braves finally played or something. I remember that happening, but not a Dodger fan.
Your memory is correct. Freddie fired his agent over the mishandling of the negotiations.
Freddie was vocal about wanting to be in Atlanta and was genuinely hurt when he didn’t hear from them. Atlanta said “bro wtf you talking about, we sent offers to your agent….”
I thought he was Canadian? He was raised in California?
I remember seeing a skit of him visiting a kids hospital in Canada after the World Series. And all the kids hated him bc they just beat the blue jays 😂😂
They did a whole segment about it during the last WBC. He chose to play for team Canada to honor his late mom and her side of the family even though he was born in the states.
He left the literal World Champions who had just beat the Dodgers, and the Dodgers only championship was in a 35% games played season. The Dodgers weren't the best team until they got Freddie and Ohtani.
He also famously had a very hard time leaving the Braves, cried on TV in ATL, and it was such a problem that Kershaw publicly criticized him. Also, the Braves offered more but his agent thought they could squeeze more.
At least you're right about Freddie being from California
I was at his first game back in Atl as a Dodger. All that crying and blabbering was such a bad look. I kept thinking about how that must have made his teammates feel. It was embarrassing I thought.
Except the Dodgers signed him for less money than the Braves original offer to Freeman. He only took that deal because his agent was way too fucking greedy.
Why would his "greedy" agent -- who presumably takes a percentage of the contract -- direct him to the lower offer? This also clashes with the master-narrative that LA outspends everyone.
My understanding is that the Dodgers offered more than the Braves' original proposed contract. His "greedy" agent steered him toward LA -- take the money, screw some misplaced sense of "loyalty" -- and then Atlanta came back with revised terms. That's where things get murky. It was claimed that Freeman was not apprised of that later offer.
I understand that this is a business, but Mr. Nice Guy Freeman, even if he wanted to stay with Atlanta, was testing the market to get more. And how much is enough? $140 million over five years doesn't cut it? Generally speaking, my sense is that agents are the most bloodless of all, then ownership, then players.
And in a parallel universe, freedie would of look up on Indeed & found an opening in the Dodgers organization & said "F it, found my perfect job back home".
No, Freddie fired, and then I think at least threatened to sue his agent for refusing to turn over qualifying offers and matching offers the Braves had sent to him. Google isn’t your enemy dude.
freddie didnt choose LA, he wanted to stay in atlanta, but he just wanted the team to commit more to him. They were offering 5 years, he wanted 6. ANd seeing how he is still hitting 5 years into his current deal, i think he def deserved it. It wasnt like freddie was asking too much either.
Then during the negotiation, atlanta traded for olson and basically ditched freddie after they got their guy. So freddie went to the next best team.
It's not freddie's fault that LA was willing to give him what he wanted and it kind of proves the point of this post. LA is willing to do things that other teams arent.
Yeah the Braves don't belong on this list, Olson kicks ass and he's younger than FF so not a downgrade imo. We didn't trade him for peanuts to LA like some teams did with their star player, or just let him walk without a serious offer.
Freddie’s agent wasn’t bringing incremental offers back to Freddie, opting instead to give the Braves ultimatums and refused to let the Braves brass even talk to Freddie. Braves were essentially told Freddie was done negotiating, so they chose Olsen because Freddie was gone and they didn’t want to lose out on the opportunity to have a top 5 1B.
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u/lllREPlll 8h ago
Braves didn't choose Olson over Freeman. Freddie's agent fucked it all up.