NORTH PORT, Fla. — UPDATE: The Atlanta Braves made a massive trade, signaling the end of the Freddie Freeman era. Atlanta will acquire Oakland A’s first baseman Matt Olson.
ORIGINAL STORY
The Atlanta Braves begin spring training workouts Monday but at least one familiar face isn’t in Florida yet.
Braves fans have been anxiously awaiting for MVP and All-Star Freddie Freeman to decide if he is re-signing with the team. Freeman became a free agent in December after his contract expired, but a lockout prevented him from speaking with teams about a new contract.
If you thought Freeman’s Atlanta teammates have an inside scoop, think again. Some of them tell Channel 2′s Zach Klein that they are in the dark, too.
“I’m like everyone else. Constantly refreshing Twitter,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “I sure hope he is here at some point. I think everybody wants him here.”
Channel 2 Sports Director Zach Klein will have LIVE reports from spring training all week on Channel 2 Action News.
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Braves manager Brian Snitker said Sunday that he texted Freeman shortly after the lockout ended.
He said he wasn’t sure about Freeman’s unsure what his former first baseman will do, and didn’t ask. He just wanted to speak to an old friend.
“I hadn’t talked to him since we left the parade,” Snitker said. “I just said, ‘Man, I can talk to you now.’
“I was just asking how family was. There was nothing professional or business or anything. Just checking in on him. Let’s face it, he’s going to be a good friend the rest of my life, regardless of professionally what happens.”
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