A map of “Final Vote” tallies was one thing, a steady stream of tweets another. But for Freddie Freeman’s father, it didn’t really hit home that his son was a National League All-Star until he watched him part traffic Tuesday morning in downtown Manhattan.
Freeman, along with Brian McCann and Craig Kimbrel, is one of three Braves to descend upon New York for Tuesday’s All-Star game, though he won’t be able to play in the game because of a jammed left thumb.
But he gave his father a taste of his newfound fame Monday morning when he had people lined out into the street at Union Square where he greeted fans, handed out free Under Armour gear, and yes, gave out a few hugs.
“I was saying, ‘Freddie, I can’t believe people are coming out to see you,’” said his father Fred Freeman, who flew in Sunday from Villa Park, Calif. “Don’t they know you still have a 150 square foot bedroom at home (in Calif.)? Don’t they know you only come out to get cereal?…
“He showed up six years ago to high school in his pajamas because he didn’t want to change.”
His dad was chuckling in disbelief at seeing his son, no longer the wacky senior in high school but an All-Star in his third full major league season and seventh in professional baseball.
About 10 rows behind the elder Freeman in the stands at Citi Field sat Sherry McCann, mother of newly-named seven-time All-Star Brian McCann. She had just settled into her seat during batting practice, fresh off shopping at the team store.
She knows well by now that she can get a discount on All-Star merchandise as the parent of an All-Star. She and her husband Howie McCann have been to All-Star games in Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New York twice, St. Louis, Anaheim and Phoenix.
City with the best family discount? 50 percent off in St. Louis.
Seeing your son in another All-Star game? Priceless.
“We would not ever miss it,” she said.
She didn’t let the short notice stop her. She just wasn’t sure if the replica McCann NL All-Star jersey she usually wears would be ready in time for Tuesday.
McCann wasn’t named to the team until Sunday afternoon during the Braves game. Freeman, who was injured tagging out a runner Saturday, sat out Sunday’s game and it became clear he would not be available to play in his first All-Star game.
National League manager Bruce Bochy decided to carry a third catcher to replace Freeman, and he went with McCann, the guy who helped get Bochy’s Giants homefield advantage for the 2010 World Series by hitting a three-run game-winning double in the 2010 All-Star game.
Sunday afternoon McCann thought Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was coming down the bench to tell him when he would pinch hit. Instead Gonzalez was asking him if he wanted to go to the All-Star game.
McCann had plans to go to the Luke Bryan concert Sunday night. He has a 1-year-old son at home and his wife Ashley is 6 ½ months pregnant. McCann is a 29-year-old catcher coming off shoulder surgery, who could use some couch time. But his answer was “I’d love to.”
This time last year, McCann was sitting home in the midst of an injury-riddled, career-worst season. It was the first time he didn’t make an All-Star team, at any level of his professional career – minus Double-A when he’d already been called to the majors in 2005. Getting back to the All-Star game was validation that he’s back right at the plate.
McCann is hitting 12 home runs and is hitting .291, despite missing the season’s first six weeks coming back from his surgery.
“Just getting back to the player that I know that I am - that’s more special to me than making an All-Star team,” McCann said. “I’ve come back and my arm strength is better than it was. My bat speed feels like it’s better than it was. I’m looking forward to the rest of this season.”
Making the All-Star team is still special though, and it’s probably why McCann thought to ask his parents to ride with him in Tuesday’s parade for the first time in his seven All-Star trips.
It still might sound a little weird to him though, when he’s announced as a seven-time All-Star.
“It just doesn’t click. All I can say is I’ve been very blessed to be in the position and to be able to show up here, seven out of eight years. That’s something that I’ll always cherish.”
Seven trips to the All-Star game has its perks too. The veteran knows its rhythms and routines. He made it to the first part of that Luke Bryan concert and didn’t rush to get on a plane Sunday night. He slept in Monday morning. He flew in Monday and got to Citi Field in time to take batting practice with his NL teammates.
Freeman, meanwhile, rushed to put on his orange NL batting practice uniform Monday afternoon before realizing he needed to be in street clothes for an interview session with media.
There, though, Freeman was a natural, answering gracefully a host of questions about beating out Dodger sensation Yasiel Puig for the final vote, when he might be back from his thumb injury - “I’m hoping Friday” and of his replacement for Tuesday’s game, McCann.
“He owes me a steak,” Freeman said.
The Braves’ “Hug for Votes campaign” paid off for Freeman, who has made a name in the Braves dugout as team hugger. There might not be a better cheerleader in baseball than Freeman. And yes he plans to put it to good use in the NL dugout, fraternization concerns aside.
“Think I’m not?” Freeman said. “A home run is a home run.”
Freeman also has his sights set on getting a few autographs. He’s not been much of a collector until now and has only some signed things by departing veteran teammates like Chipper Jones and Eric Hinske.
He could take some notes from Kimbrel, who bought a series of jerseys in advance to bring to New York. He has a Mariano Rivera Yankees jersey to get signed by the retiring closer. Veteran move.
Give Freeman a few more All-Star games, he’ll get there.
