Freddie Freeman unhappy with Atlanta Braves' lack of interest, at 'home' with Los Angeles Dodgers

GLENDALE, Ariz. — For new Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, the unthinkable started to become a reality last season as the face of the Atlanta Braves for 12 years began to contemplate life on another team with Atlanta just not showing the interest he desired.

«As the season went on, there were no talks, so you figure this is what was going to happen,» Freeman said Friday. «When you get to free agency, all things are kind of off.»

And when he got there, Atlanta's interest didn't exactly increase. Freeman only heard from them twice, and neither time was with any urgency, at least as Freeman saw it.

«The communication wasn't all there in the offseason,» Freeman said. «I got two phone calls.… I got more from [Dodgers President] Andrew [Friedman] to my agent in a matter of a couple hours.

»I didn't know what was going on. I got one call [from the Braves] the day before the lockout, just checking in, and got one call when the lockout was lifted, just checking in. I didn't know how to interpret that."

Friedman and Freeman spoke on a sun-drenched deck overlooking Freeman's new spring stadium, Camelback Ranch. After a dozen years of reporting to Florida in February, he quickly recognized the dry heat of Arizona — instead of the humidity he's used to — as he asked for a bottle of water. That kind of change became possible once Atlanta traded for Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson on Monday.

«I had no idea that was going to happen,» Freeman said. «When I got told, my emotions were all over the place. You see that chapter close right then and there. I couldn't speak for a couple hours, trying to figure it all out.»

Freeman was asked if he saw reports of Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos shedding tears