Everything seemed settled the last time first baseman Freddie Freeman reported for Braves spring training.
Freeman had just signed a contract extension and teammate and friend Jason Heyward had done the same. The Braves, winners of the NL East the previous year, were getting ready to compete for another division title just as they always do.
One year later, Heyward is gone, traded to the Cardinals during the offseason roster shakeup prompted by the Braves’ nosedive in 2014. Also gone are sluggers Justin Upton (Padres) and Evan Gattis (Astros), along with any outside expectations that the Braves will contend for another division title this season.
Freeman admits he was shaken by the trades. But he said he likes the new direction of the team.
“This was an interesting offseason,” Freeman said. “A lot of my friends are gone. But we’ve got a young, exciting team with a great group of veteran guys they’ve brought in. I am actually really, really excited about this season.”
It would be natural for Freeman to feel apprehensive about the direction of the franchise amid all of the changes. Freeman has the longest contact by far (signed through 2021). As a two-time All-Star, he is the most prominent player on the roster. Most of the team’s moves returned prospects rather than proven major-league players.
Those circumstances are why Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he met with Freeman after the team traded Gattis, the last of the three players to go. He said Freeman didn’t complain but asked questions about the players the Braves got in return.
“During the winter, (if you’re Freeman) you go, ‘What’s going on? I signed up to play and hang pennants on the rafters or the wall and we just came off winning the division?’” Gonzalez said. “But we explained everything to him.”
As Freeman ticks off the reasons he’s optimistic about the Braves’ chances, he seems genuinely energized by the changes.
He said he believes the lineup will be better constructed this season after the Braves lacked a true lead-off man in 2014. Veteran Nick Markakis is expected to fill that role while also playing good defense, if not to Heyward’s level, in right field.
“He’s got a couple Gold Gloves and hopefully he can do the same thing and get on the top of the lineup and get on base for the guys in the middle,” Freeman said.
Freeman said he also welcomes what he expects to be a fresh approach to hitting after two years of depending on home runs to generate offense. Freeman added that the Braves should be more aggressive running the bases, too, with new third base coach Bo Porter.
“I think we are kind of built more like the Royals this year,” he said. “We brought in guys who make more contact.”
Freeman said the team’s starting pitching rotation, which was very good last season, can be even better.
The Braves got promising right-hander Shelby Miller in return for Heyward. All-Star Julio Teheran is still at the top of the rotation, left-hander Alex Wood is coming off a strong season and Freeman said lefty Mike Minor “looks great physically” after injuries hampered him in 2014.
“If they do what they did last year, all we’ve got to do is score like three or four runs,” Freeman said.
Freeman seems to be professionally content but, personally, he said he’s going to miss Heyward. He and Freeman were acquainted even before they were selected by the Braves in the first and second round, respectively, in the 2007 draft. They came up together in the minors, made their big-league debuts in 2010 and became Braves mainstays starting in 2011.
“I’m not going to lie. That was a tough day when he got traded,” Freeman said. “He looks kind of weird in that (Cardinals red) color. That’s something you’ve kind of got to get used to. I know he’s happy and he is getting ready for a good year for them, too.”
