Freddie Freeman stands for a lot of things:
Hugs.
The fight against melanoma, the form of cancer which took his mother’s life when he was 10.
The art of the ambush. Freeman swung at first pitches 46.4 percent of the time this season, second in the major leagues behind only Milwaukee’s Carlos Gomez.
He’s also big on doing right by his fans.
So when Jessica Geddis of White River Junction, Vt., showed up at Braves batting practice last Friday afternoon with a Superman cape she’d made, substituting the “S” with Freeman’s jersey No. 5, he asked if he could wear it.
And he didn’t just wear it for a photo with her and her friend Erica Johnson, or for a round of batting practice. He wore it out to first base to take ground balls. When the cape fell off, Jason Heyward put it back on for him. Freeman wore it over to chat with Rocket Wheeler, his former Single-A Myrtle Beach manager, who had stopped by to say hello.
“He’s still wearing it!” Geddis squealed, blushing.
Hey, if the cape fits …
And it does.
Freeman’s teammates didn’t give him any grief for wearing it and why would they? He’s been the player all the Braves have marveled at this year for his consistency, his clutch hitting, his play at first base and his steadiness.
Not only has Freeman been charming the female fans, he’s been carrying the team.
“He’s been that guy for us when we’ve needed a hit, we needed a run,” pitcher Kris Medlen said. “I saw a quote from Justin (Upton) saying that we can’t just rely on Freddie to drive in every run because he is literally driving in every run. …
“It’s something to look at and realize how great of an accomplishment his season was for him and for us. When it’s on the line, he’s there and he’s driving in runs for us. He’s been huge for us. Our team MVP and, obviously I’m biased, but … (NL) MVP.”
Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (36 homers, 125 RBI) has gaudier numbers to make his MVP case. Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is the season’s feel-good story. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has the pedigree. But the 2013 season has been nothing short of exceptional for Freeman, the most consistent hitter on a team that led the NL East for all but one day of the regular season.
Freeman hit .319 to tie Molina for third in the NL. He drove in 109 runs, tied for second-most in the NL and the most by a Brave since Andruw Jones drove in 129 in 2006. And he played Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.
Heyward makes the MVP case for his good friend.
“He has 100 RBIs when the guys in front of him weren’t getting on base,” Heyward said. “He plays Gold Glove first base defense. We’ve been in first place since the beginning. He’s been one of the most consistent (hitters) in the game.”
Freeman drove in the Braves’ first two runs of the season with a two-run homer off Cole Hamels on opening day. He drove in the first run of the Braves’ final regular season game against the Phillies too with an RBI single in the first inning Sunday off Zach Miner.
Those hits book-ended his total of 58 with runners in scoring position, good for second place in the major leagues in RBI situations. Freeman’s .443 (58-for-131) trailed only Allen Craig of the Cardinals at .454 (59-for-130).
“He doesn’t give any at-bats away,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “That’s the biggest thing that I saw in his step forward as a hitter this year. Last year as a young kid, maybe (he thought), ‘I’m going to try to hit a three-run homer here,’ instead of, ‘I’ve got men on second and third. If I hit a ground ball to the right side here, I’m going to get an RBI …’
“He doesn’t give at-bats away, especially when there are runners on base. He grinds it out. He sticks his nose in there and puts the ball in play.”
Freeman believes his strides this season are less about a change in approach and more about good health. Other than a two-week stint on the disabled list in April with an oblique strain and a minor lingering knee problem, he has been healthy, which he couldn’t say for much of the last two seasons. Last year he battled finger and dry-eye problems. In 2011, it was nagging knee and wrist issues.
“It’s just nice to be healthy,” Freeman said.
And the career-high .319 batting average?
“That’s what I expect,” Freeman said.
The knock against this Braves’ lineup is that it does most of its damage against mediocre pitching. But Freeman has been at his best against the best. His home run off Marlins standout Jose Fernandez in a 2-1 win on Aug. 30 is a prime example.
“First-pitch change-up from a dude who throws 98,” Medlen said. “C’mon.”
The at-bat Medlen keeps going back to is one Freeman had against Reds closer Aroldis Chapman July on 12. Chapman, a left-hander, was throwing 104 mph. The left-handed Freeman fouled off three pitches of 102 mph or faster until he got a slider and singled to center.
“He’s (like) no big deal,” Medlen said. “He locks in. He’s ready to go at all times. And he’s been the backbone of our offense.”
Freeman has been the Braves’ best all-around hitter in the way Chipper Jones used to be. And Freeman has reminded Braves fans of Jones in a couple of other ways this season. He drove in four runs on three hits the night he won the final vote to make his first All-Star team, reminiscent of Jones’ 5-for-5 game last year when he was named to his final All-Star game. Like Jones, Freeman also homered on his bobblehead night.
And more importantly, for the second straight year, Freeman homered to help the Braves clinch a playoff berth, showing a knack for the big moments that Jones built his career around. Freeman’s two-run shot into the wind at Wrigley Field that carried onto Sheffield Avenue gave the Braves a first-inning lead they would not relinquish in the NL East clincher against the Cubs on Sept. 22. Last year, Jones was raising his fist at third base as Freeman hit clinching a walk-off homer against the Marlins.
“No, that’s not me,” Freeman said of the Jones comparisons. “I just try to fly under the radar and play hard every day. I don’t try to take any roles or do anything like that. I just put a jersey on and go out there and play for the Braves.”
OK, maybe so. But wasn’t he the guy wearing a cape around the field?
“Well,” he said smiling. “I was trying to make a fan’s day.”
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