Freddie Freeman saga is a lesson for Braves and upcoming free agents

There are so many lessons that can be learned from the Freddie Freeman free agency saga.

It may pain Freddie Freeman that he longer plays for the Atlanta Braves, but he has to accept he is playing the final third of his big-league career in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform.

Though it never had to be this way, here we are. It has been about a week since Freeman made his return to Truist Park for the first time as a Dodger. The whole weekend was even more awkward than anyone thought possible. While thankfully the three-game series in Atlanta is in the rearview mirror, Freeman’s chaotic free agency is one the Braves and impending free agents can learn from.

What we have here at its very essence is a failure to communicate. That is the biggest takeaway.

Freddie Freeman free agency: Lessons Atlanta Braves, free agents can learn from

No doubt about it, the frustrating 2022 MLB lockout played a big part in all this. What the labor stoppage did was cut off all ties of communication between teams and players’ representations. Once a new CBA was ratified, both parties had to make up for lost time, causing a plethora of information not be exchanged. Thus, neither party was ever really caught up to speed, so to speak.

Clearly, this goes beyond just Freeman and his situation. However, when communication breaks down, it is imperative for a player’s inner circle to know precisely what he wants. An agent is supposed to act in a player’s best interest. Without question, something got lost in translation between Freeman and Casey Close of Excel Sports, who Freeman canned after the Atlanta series.

While some may say the Braves are at fault by coming across as cheap and being clandestine in nature, this has long been The Braves Way, as general manager Alex Anthopoulos has a job to do. Information does not leak out of the Braves organization, period. One could argue Close and the media played a big part in the spectacle that was Freeman’s free agency, as Atlanta did not talk.

As far as other future free agents are concerned, they can absolutely learn vicariously through Freeman’s unfortunate experience. If a player wants to stay put, then he must express that explicitly to his agent. Should an agent not work in the best interest of his client, then the player has every right to seek new representation. Once again, this is all about clear communication here.

Ultimately, what Freeman’s free agency taught us more than anything is in an increasingly remote and digital world that honest and open communication are even more paramount. Things can get lost in translation over texts, emails and even over Zooms. If two parties need to meet face-to-face to get on the same page, then try to do that. At the very least, a phone call would not hurt.

It is hard to make great decisions when communication between all parties involved is limited.