ATLANTA — Four years of return visits to Atlanta has prepared Freddie Freeman for another on Tuesday night, this time as the starting first baseman for the National League in the All-Star Game.
Freeman, now in his fourth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, played his first 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves. He makes no effort to hide his emotions when he returns and says he won’t be surprised if another warm reception from fans creates another emotional response.
“Now that I’m here, I think it’s going to be special,” Freeman said Monday night. “For the last four years, every time I come back, the fans, they’ve given me such great big standing ovations, so I don’t expect anything.
“I’m just happy to be back and play in front of these fans again. So, if they give me one, believe me, I’ll take it all in. I think you guys know, whatever I feel on the field, I let it come out, so we’ll see what happens.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was clear how much it meant to Freeman to return to Atlanta as an All-Star.
“It’s something that I know once they announced that it was going to be held here, it was marked on his calendar,” Roberts said. “And then that was kind of his goal, was to get back here and get in front of the Braves’ faithful that cheered him on for, what, 11, 12 years. So he’s sleeping in his own bed for a couple nights.”
Freeman said he has visited with Braves manager Brian Snitker and some former teammates but spent more time relishing his relationship with the Atlanta fans.
“It’s special,” he said. “I think every time I come back, I try to portray what Atlanta means to me. Oh, it’s special every time I come back and the receptions they’ve given me the last four years. So I spent a lot of wonderful years here. … I’m excited to be back.”