Braves could come to regret Freddie Freeman contract, but it’s worth it

The Atlanta Braves must accept there is no downside paying Freddie Freeman what he’s worth.

Though the players are still locked out by MLB, the Atlanta Braves have to come to grips over the fact that there really is no downside towards paying Freddie Freeman a premium to retire with the club.

Freeman recorded the final out of the franchise’s first World Series championship since 1995 only a few months ago. He is two years removed from winning NL MVP. A perennial All-Star at first base, Freeman has been the franchise’s cornerstone since Chipper Jones retired after the 2012 campaign. At 32-years-old, Freeman should never wear another uniform in his playing career.

So even if he falls off a cliff in the latter part of his supposed six-year deal in his late 30s, it is small potatoes when it comes to the proud legacy he will leave behind for another generation of Braves baseball fans.

This is why Liberty Media should be forced to sell the team if they cannot give Freeman his Kobe Bryant contract. There are no excuses, so go make it happen before Braves Country riots.

There is no downside for the Atlanta Braves to pay Freddie Freeman his money

This is all about investing into the next generation of Braves fans. For as great as this organization has been over the last 30 years, Jones is the only one to never play for anybody else. Greg Maddux returned to the Chicago Cubs. Andruw Jones fell apart with the Los Angeles Dodgers. John Smoltz toiled away with the Boston Red Sox. And Tom Glavine played for those dreaded New York Mets!

Again, this move is about getting every last little bit of Freeman’s prime being in Atlanta uniform. If and when the team stinks in the latter part of the decade and a 38-year-old Freeman is open to being traded to a contender at the deadline, then we will cross that bridge when we get there. Ultimately, he needs to learn from Albert Pujols’ mistake by leaving the St. Louis Cardinals for L.A.

Freeman may be interested in returning home to Southern California, but what does he want his baseball legacy to be? Retiring as a Braves legend and seeing no other Atlanta player where the No. 5 on a pathway towards Cooperstown sounds pretty cool. It sure beats getting booed after striking out on a bad team somewhere else five years from now. Just pay the man his money.

It never pays to go cheap in business, as you get what you pay for. Most people do not regret business decisions where they paid a premium. This is not that hard. Give Freeman his Kobe contract! It is a worthwhile investment everybody with a working brain should be able to get behind. Letting Freeman walk will be way worse than Glavine leaving to go pitch for the Mets.

The only regret the Braves could have is letting Freeman walk immediately after a championship.