Report: Braves or Freddie Freeman “could act quickly” following lockout

The league and MLBPA are scheduled to meet today for just the second time since the lockout began. So far, minimal progress has been made, and while I would love to sit here and say that will change after the players present their counterproposal today, I would be lying if I did. It’s very likely both sides leave today’s meeting unhappy and no closer to a deal, setting the table for the season to be delayed.

Unless something drastically changes, it’s becoming rather obvious that this will continue with little progress until delays and canceled games are in play. Neither side is in a rush to give in until that happens. However, as I’ve said many times before, eventually, a deal will come to fruition, and when it happens, it will likely occur out of nowhere and very quickly. Things will go 0 to 100 in a blink of an eye, which is when you’ll realize all of these pointless standoffs could have been avoided.

Regardless, once a new deal is agreed upon, plenty of free agents must be signed, including the Braves’ own Freddie Freeman. The opinions around the league still suggest that Freeman will remain in Atlanta, but the fact that it is nearly February and there has been no pen to paper should worry Braves fans. It’s a real possibility he is playing elsewhere next season, and Ken Rosenthal expects the situation to hash itself out quickly following the lockout.

If I’m the Braves, I’m thinking about a pre-emptive strike coming out of the lockout to protect against the loss of first baseman Freddie Freeman. And if I’m Freeman, I’m thinking about a pre-emptive strike to get the free-agent contract I want, rather than wait one more second for the Braves.

Rosenthal and I agree — the baseball world is going to go nuts once the lockout ends. Players will be signed by the second, blockbuster trades will be made, the entire dynamic of the league could shift in the matter of a day; and neither Freeman nor the Braves want to be left in the dark.

Whoever acts last between Freeman and the Braves will be at a disadvantage, presuming they don’t agree to a deal. The Braves don’t have another first baseman in their organization that is even close to major-league ready, so if Freeman quickly signs with another team, the Braves would have no leverage when negotiating a trade. On the flip side, if the Braves quickly make a trade or sign Anthony Rizzo, Freeman would now be without one of his prominent potential suitors.

The reality of the situation is grimmer than Braves fans would care to admit. Atlanta has sat back and played their hand throughout this entire process, allowing the entire league to court him if they so choose. That very well could backfire. As Rosenthal states, any ultra-aggressive team in their pursuit of Freeman once the lockout ends should interest him greatly.

Any team that puts a full-court press on Freeman is likely to intrigue him, especially when the Braves seemingly have laid back in a passive zone. No longer should Freeman feel obligated to give his former club a chance to match his best offer. The Braves have had plenty of chances. Does anyone seriously expect they will make the necessary push for Freeman in a rushed, abbreviated market? Once the lockout ends and labor peace is assured, owners will be ready to spend.