Freddie Freeman Opens Up About Leaving the Atlanta Braves

Freshly minted Los Angeles Dodger Freddie Freeman is just like the rest of us, he wants to feel loved, and let's just say the Atlanta Braves did not do a very good job of that this past offseason. Freeman recently opened up about signing in LA and it sounds like the Braves hardly made it known they wanted to keep him around. 

Freeman met with the media recently and had this to say about the lack of interest from Atlanta:

I got two phone calls all offseason (from the Braves). I got more from Andrew (Friedman) to my agent in a matter of a couple hours. … So I don't know how to interpret that. When the Dodgers and other teams expressed interest and wanted to communicate … to want to get me here, that was huge for me. I didn't think I'd ever get to free agency if we're being honest about it. … If it wasn't going to be the Braves, I think (this) was the best decision. When the team that plays at home wants you to come home, too, I think that's what makes it such an easy and special decision.

While the Braves weren't in the business of reaching out, they were busy finding Freeman's replacement in Matt Olson, a trade with Oakland that stunned the long-time Brave:

The emotions were all over the place, to be honest. I got the news when I was at (a) workout that the trade had happened. I had no idea that was going to happen. ... I didn't really speak for a couple of hours.

Talk about a tale of two tapes. One side saying he hardly knew the Braves were interested, meanwhile Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos was busying shedding tears at media availabilities about the Olson trade and losing Freeman.  The Dodgers first baseman responded - "I saw them. That's all I'll say" when asked about Anthopoulos' tears. Needless to say, this one must be leaving Braves fans scratching their heads.