Braves: 3 free agents to sign and 1 to avoid

Freddie Freeman is the Braves franchise and letting him walk cannot happen

Until first baseman Freddie Freeman puts pen to paper, Braves Country will be a complete mess over his free agency. He supposedly wants to return. The Braves want him to stay. While Atlanta is seen as the presumptive favorite to retain him, anything short of a new contract for the face of the franchise is a fireable offense to anyone in the Braves organization who let Freeman walk away.

There is not really much else to say here other than Braves Country will riot if they let Freeman play for another franchise. This would be like letting Chipper Jones leave in free agency, Derek Jeter not playing in pinstripes or the late Tony Gwynn not being Mr. Padre. Freeman has been with the Braves organization since being drafted out of high school. He should never wear another uniform.

Supposedly the holdup is over the sixth year on a contract. While Atlanta is not swimming in cash like other franchises, the Braves need to pay Freeman his money. He is a perennial All-Star, a former NL MVP and a World Series champion. Freeman is an icon and he will have earned every penny he could ever hope to make on any contract the Braves could give him. Don’t screw this up.

If Liberty Media cannot figure out how to pay Freeman his money, they should sell the franchise.