South Gwinnett News

Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones is still trying to make sense of Freddie Freeman leaving the franchise for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Hall of Fame infielder admits he doesn’t like much of what he’s hearing.

"I do not agree with the way that this was handled on Freddie's side," Jones told The Fan. "If you want to play in Atlanta, you play in Atlanta. You maybe take a little less to be happy and play in a place that is comfortable for you."

After spending the first 12 seasons of his big-league career in Atlanta, Freeman recently signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the rival Dodgers, turning down the five-year, $135 million the defending champion Braves were reported to have offered him prior to the tart of the offseason.

As talks with Freeman stagnated, the Braves turned their attention to free-agent Matt Olsen, ultimately signing the former Oakland A as Freeman’s replacement. 

Jones said he understands the Braves coming up with a contingency plan as Freeman went back in forth in arriving at his own decision.

“The second that Freddie told me that he rejected the 5 for $135 [million] after the All-Star break, I told him, 'You're playing a very dangerous game,'” Jones said. “You go out on the free agent market, you get courted by all the pretty girls that are on the block, chances are, you're not gonna come back. If you take your time waiting on that six-year [deal] into January, [Atlanta] has a job to do.'"

ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that Freeman's representatives went back to the Braves to see if they had a late offer after the Dodgers made their play, but by then it was too late.

With the Dodgers, Freeman joins what many view as one of the most potent lineups in MLB history, while the Braves will defend their World Series crown without him.