A friendly game of cards at the All-Star game gave Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright some insights into getting Freddie Freeman out at the plate.
Wainwright, who teamed up with fellow Cardinal Matt Carpenter in a game of “pluck” against Freeman and Braves closer Craig Kimbrel in New York, asked Freeman if he were a pitcher how would he get himself out.
Freeman tried a little reverse psychology and told Wainwright fastballs away. So when he faced Wainwright Friday night at Turner Field? Freeman saw nothing but pitches in on his hands. He struck out three times in three at-bats against Wainwright.
“He didn’t do what I told him to do to me,” Freeman said Saturday. “I didn’t get one sinker last night. I got cutters off my legs. I can’t hit in, Adam.”
In New York, when Wainwright was asked about the friendly scouting report, the Georgia native said: “I always do that because sometimes you can get an answer. A couple years ago when I was in Triple-A, I asked Lance Berkman ‘If you were pitching against yourself how would you get yourself out,’ and he answered it. So two years later I was pitching against him and I followed his advice and I got him out. Now I always throw that question out there. Freddie almost answered it.”
Wainwright smiled.
“By telling me what he wants, at least I get something,” he said.
