Olney: Freeman #1 1B in baseball

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http://www.espn.com/blog/buster-olne.../post?id=15474

1. Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

He was hitting .242 on June 12 last season, and then Freeman had an epiphany, because of timing or circumstance. He was not going to swing at bad pitches anymore; he was going to swing at strikes. It was the sort of thing all hitters say to themselves all the time, but for Freeman, the commitment to discipline remained the rest of the season, and he wrecked pitchers. Freeman hit .340 after June 12, with 33 doubles, five triples and 25 homers, an OPS of 1.104, and because of this surge, Freeman finished sixth in the NL MVP voting despite playing on a team that wasn't in contention last season. Evaluators regard him as a solid defender –- maybe not at the level of Anthony Rizzo or Eric Hosmer, but pretty good.

Among all first basemen last season, Freeman was the runaway winner in fWAR:

Freeman -- 6.1

Rizzo -- 5.2

Votto -- 5.0

Miguel Cabrera -- 4.9

"He was a monster offensive player in a tough hitter's park, playing most of the year with almost nobody else in his lineup," said one evaluator.

If you ranked the first basemen according to their career resumes, Freeman would be at No. 5, among the top five. If you ranked them according to the trajectory established in 2016, and what they could be expected to produce in 2017, then Freeman is No. 1.

If this is the real Freeman now and if he can keep this up for 4-6 more years... wow. Hard to believe that out of him and Heyward, he's the one turning out to be a real superstar. Most projectors said he had too much of a line drive swing and would be more a doubles hitter... solid first base potential, but not star potential. I love it.... he's an absolute stud.

Freeman is an absolute beast! I expect him to go nuts with the short porch in right field at Sun Trust.

Yes Freeman is a beast and he's going to be here for a while.

Remember that someone on here (not to name names) was adamant that we trade him... the best 1st baseman in baseball.

I thank God that we choose him over Heyward and gave him the contract we did. Seriously, we are SO lucky.

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Originally Posted by UNCBlue012

I thank God that we choose him over Heyward and gave him the contract we did. Seriously, we are SO lucky.

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Actually, I think they both got similar offers. Heywards might have even been higher.... I am really glad Freddie was the one to accept.

Actually reminds me of the scenario with McCann and Frenchy. I am really glad Mac was the one to accept.

I think the Braves offered Heywood 5/80.

I don't recall the offer to Heyward ever being made public, but I do seem to recall there being discussion that is was either around the same or less than what Freeman was offered. I want to say it was less.

Freeman is awesome, but I wouldn't predict him to be number one. Last year was by far his best season and had a .370 BABIP for a lumbering slow guy.

He's really, really good, but I would peg him something like 4.5-5 WAR and .285/.390/.500.

To be in the conversation iwth Goldschmidt, Belt, Rizzo, Votto, and Cabrera is impressive though.

I can see it being sustainable. Look what happened when Freeman had protection in the lineup, namely Kemp.

54 G, 49, 16, 49 , 2 .340/.461/.680/1.141

Before that, his numbers were pretty much right in line with his career - .285/.367/.514/.881 18 HR in 104 Games

I just want him to stay healthy and keep his wrists protected.

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Originally Posted by gilesfan

Freeman is awesome, but I wouldn't predict him to be number one. Last year was by far his best season and had a .370 BABIP for a lumbering slow guy.

He's really, really good, but I would peg him something like 4.5-5 WAR and .285/.390/.500.

To be in the conversation iwth Goldschmidt, Belt, Rizzo, Votto, and Cabrera is impressive though.

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He supposedly made adjustments the second half though. If he can sustain those adjustments for a whole season we will see.

I think it was Ender getting on base in front of him that helped Freeman. He has always been a better hitter with runners on base. .266 hitter with no one on base for his career. .308 with RISP and .315 with men on base. He is a good fastball hitter and I think having a base stealing threat on base he is going to get a lot more fastballs even if that person on base doesn't attempt to steal.


If our 1/2 get on base for Freeman and Kemp can repeat 2016 with the bat we are going to score a lot of runs.

He will always be a high babip guy. That line drive rate is absurd and he does that every year. He started hitting fly balls more frequently.

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Originally Posted by Runnin

I just want him to stay healthy and keep his wrists protected.

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I think our Fearless Leader knows some tennis-adjacent exercises he could recommend:

Spoiler: 

:pound:

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Originally Posted by atl717

He will always be a high babip guy. That line drive rate is absurd and he does that every year. He started hitting fly balls more frequently.

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He certainly will be. Just not to the .370 level.

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Originally Posted by cajunrevenge

I think it was Ender getting on base in front of him that helped Freeman. He has always been a better hitter with runners on base. .266 hitter with no one on base for his career. .308 with RISP and .315 with men on base. He is a good fastball hitter and I think having a base stealing threat on base he is going to get a lot more fastballs even if that person on base doesn't attempt to steal.


If our 1/2 get on base for Freeman and Kemp can repeat 2016 with the bat we are going to score a lot of runs.

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Speaking of Ender... :)