Freddie Freeman’s Lost Legacy and Why Braves Are Better Off
By Seth Carter
Where Does Freddie Freeman Rank Among Atlanta Braves All-Time Leaders?
Freddie Freeman currently ranks sixth in all-time WAR among position players. His 43.1 WAR puts leaves only Dale Murphy (47.2), Andruw Jones (61.0), Chipper Jones (85.3), Eddie Mathews (94.1), and Hank Aaron (142.50) ahead of Freddie.
Freeman ranks seventh all-time in RBI, sixth in total bases, third in doubles, sixth in home runs, ninth in games played, seventh in hits, fifth in walks, and 10th in runs scored.
Freeman was a five-time all-star with the Braves and won the 2021 MVP. Add in the fact that Freeman was the leader of a World Championship team in 2021 and there is no denying his legendary status in Atlanta. His number will be retired by the Braves one day. He will always be appreciated in Atlanta.
I still hate that he signed with the Dodgers. The Dodgers have haunted the Braves for a while now. I still have nightmares about Juan Uribe crushing that hanging breaking ball off of David Carpenter in 2013. At least Freddie helped us overcome the Dodgers in last season’s NLCS.
Freddie Freeman’s Atlanta Braves Legacy Ends with a Question Mark
His legacy in Atlanta is cemented as one of the greats and yet one that ends with a question mark. We’ll always wonder what might have been.
Your new team won’t give you credit for your previous accomplishments. People say there is no loyalty in baseball, but it still lives. If a player gives it to a fanbase, it can be reciprocated. As a site that writes exclusively about the Braves, the easiest example is Chipper Jones.
Chipper is credited with being a loyal Brave. He publicly offered to take a pay cut when the Braves were negotiating an extension with Tim Hudson. He restructured his contract to give the team more wiggle room with payroll in 2005.
Freeman signed with the Dodgers and left the Braves behind. Recent allegations about the agent’s actions have perhaps altered the mood of the room. There is a sense of regret now. Freeman looked like he regretted the fact that he was no longer a Brave during the series in Atlanta. The fans felt regret over the whole situation. If it’s true, it has to soften the departure when we reflect on his career and his place among the all-time greats.