The Atlanta Braves haven’t publicly stated they’re against giving players over 30 long contracts, but it’s pretty clear, judging by their latest trades, that they’re not. comfortable doing it.
In theory, it’s a nice strategy: baseball players, like all human beings, tend to slip physically due to age.
They could and should have handled the Freddie Freeman situation a little better.
Review: Atlanta traded Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson on Monday and extended him Tuesday on an eight-year, $168 million contract.
Freeman, currently 32, was asking for a six-year pact, a pact Atlanta was clearly not comfortable offering.
Could the Braves have made an exception?
Should they?
From a business perspective, one can understand the Braves.
Atlanta didn’t let Freeman know they were trading for Olson
However, according to NY Post’s Joel Sherman, the Braves didn’t even bother to tell Freeman of their plans with Olson, at least to see if there was a change of heart on the player’s part.
A source told the Post that the #Braves did not notify Freeman or his representatives that Olson’s trade was coming.
—Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 14, 2022
Freeman, drafted and developed by the Braves, has been on the team since 2010: he, at least, deserved to know what the team was doing.
In the specific case of Olson’s extension, the team clearly felt comfortable doing it because it would net him nearly $20 million a year until he turned 35.
The Braves didn’t want to spend about $30 million a year and pay Freeman until he was 38.
“Olson’s 8-year, $168 million extension with the #Braves takes him through his 35-year-old season. If the delay with Atl was that Freeman wanted a 6 year contract and not a 5 Braves offer. 6 would have taken a 37 year campaign,” Sherman tweeted.
Olson’s 8-year, $168 million extension with the #Braves takes him through his 35-year-old season. If the delay with Atl was that Freeman wanted a 6 year contract and not a 5 Braves offer. 6 would have passed the 37-year-old campaign
—Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 15, 2022
It’s a franchise philosophy and it’s understandable: the way they operated, however, could have been better.
Sports Grp2