Being a life long Braves fan, the more I hear about the story the more I want to say fuck Freddie Freeman. I don't buy the tears and this is a sorry ass excuse. He got lazy and didn't stay involved.
When you want to Spend your WHOLE Career with a Team which is uncommon but your Agent forces you to sign with a Different Team just to make $500K more a Year for the Agent!
@@bradleymaravalli2851 Idk how many deals he does but honestly he is probably more marketable in the still massive market of Atlanta as a franchise legend/hero
@@metalmythology6282 It is still easier to market in a city like LA or NY because of how many people are there, not by that much tho, agent just wanted every penny he could get
I had once made the mistake of signing an exclusivity agreement with an agent to sell my house. As soon as he had my signature, his morality changed. He started telling me about how he made millions by kicking families who were behind on their property taxes out of their homes, among other unscrupulous shit. Then he started pressuring me to list it for a low price, because it would sell quickly. Then he tried to pressure me into moving out into an apartment before I was ready so he could start showing it. He was all about pressure and manipulation. It was like he was free to be himself once he had my signature. I ended up taking my house off the market and not selling to teach that scumbag a lesson. I realized one thing: Agents of all kinds have a common trait, they smile in your face and pretend you're their best friend but in reality all they really care about is getting as much commission out of you as possible. Most of them are soulless snakes. Sounds like Freddie found out the hard way. I hope the full story comes out.
Every player is their own agent. Players all the time tell their agents to get the best deal with XXX team. If FF didn't do that with Close & keep on Close to make it happen then that's on FF. If Close failed to inform FF about final offer or misled FF about offers then that opens Close up for lawsuits to recoup lost income & damages. I'd argue the fact Close & Excel responded to tweet so hard as it's proly true, but have to squash it asap, because if it's a pattern of behavior then players will be out for blood, as well as players union.
So the Braves offered him a better deal than the one he's currently on with the Dodgers before going after Olson. Freddie got screwed out of a deal he wanted and the Braves ended up with the best possible replacement just two days after the deal fell through on a cheaper salary that's younger, is a hometown kid, and leads the league in doubles.........That agent needs to get out of the talent representation industry and AA needs a raise.
@@johngarcia7891 I dont know how you guys dont see it that Alex Anthopoulos didnt want to resign Freeman but knew Braves fans would give him shit for it. He seen an opening to get out of signing Freeman without gettting blamed and he took it. If he really wanted Freeman he goes directly to Freedie to see what can be done. He never did that and jumped on Olson who was always his first choice
@@johngarcia7891 Mr. Garcia. You are a smart man. You see through the deception and lies Freeman is putting out there. It seems fishy he fires his agent AFTER the Atlanta series. It's good public relations. He can point all he wants to his agent but in the end, Freeman is a liar
Well I think AA’s mindset has always been about money since coming to Atlanta. He probably wanted to keep Freeman but not at the price it was willing to take. As a Braves fan I get your point and don’t think you are off base there. There reason being money and not who Freeeman is on and off the field.
It's hard (almost impossible) to believe that an agent or agency would fail to tell a player about an offer. The legal liability they would expose themselves to could cost them millions (likely in a settlement) and would cost them the chance to sign players in the future once word gets out. It would be folly.
I know sports and real estate agents are different, but in real estate, we legally have to disclose every offer our client receives. The agent/agency needs to be shut down. Who knows how many other athletes they've done this to.
This is a crazy story and so huge for sports imo. I REALLY hope the next agent to get canned is Scott Boras. I'm surprised Conforto hasn't fired him yet
Yup, Boras ALWAYS does what is best for him not the client. He is willing to have his client lose money so that he can send a message that will help him in future negotiation with other players. How is that good for the client of his that loses soooo much money. Drew and Conforto being a couple examples
Before this news came out, I thought Freddie Freeman was a selfish traitor. He always seemed like he would spend his career in Atlanta. Instead, he went to the Dodgers just because they were paying more. A stacked team becoming more stacked is bad for a sport if you ask me. But now it makes sense. His agent was the selfish one.
From my perspective, it seemed like the Braves organization were the party that messed up. Idk about you, but if I was in the front office of that team I'd be trying everything I could to keep Freeman. Aside from being one of the best players in the league, he means so much to that team and city. But hey, it's all history now. He's doing great for us!
It was actually Freddie’s agent that backed aa into a corner with those final offers and gave him one hour to except he didn’t within the hour then assuming his chances to get Freddie were gone so he traded for olson
I respect the Dodgers organization and I love the rivalry that has spawned from the Braves and Dodgers match ups recently, especially in postseason, but I can sense fans on both sides are putting that aside in favor of Freeman… obviously as a Braves fan I am biased and want him back in ATL but right now I want him to be happy and find justice, and if that means staying in LA that’s fine - I just want him to find closure and find happiness after being screwed over
Dodgers fan here, I was honestly in shock that Freeman signed with us. I thought it was just a formality for Freeman to resign. When I heard Freeman signed with us, I honestly couldn't believe it. At that point, I thought the Braves were just being stupid about it and playing hardball, but man this whole story has gotten a lot more complicated as time goes on. Freeman is loved in LA and we hope he finds some closure.
@@rafaelalamilla5583 Remember matt olson was traded for before freeman signed with the dodgers. Freeman didnt leave the braves, choice was made for him.
as a dodger fan, and baseball fan more generally, Freddy deserves to play wherever he wants. I'm stoked he's in la, but if that feels like a worse option to him then I think it'd be best for all parties for him to be in Atlanta. huge shame and legal wrongdoing by the agent if the allegations are true
Ok so this is wrong. The braves GM Alex Anthopolous didnt give Freemans agent an ultimatum it was the other way around.. Freddys agent gave the braves gm 24 hours to accept one of two offers that you mentioned.
This explains it, I was so confused when Freeman signed with the Dodgers, I’m sure Freddie would take less money to stay in the ATL, I think I was clear he want to be a Braves lifer 😭
So the Braves offered $165m for 5 years, and he ended up signing for $162m for 6 years in Cali. So an extra year for 3 million less in a state with WAY higher taxes? If I were Freddie, I wouldn't have fired that guy. I would have choked him out!
Like, dont get me wrong, as a Dodgers fan I'm glad we signed Freddie. At the end of the day though, with all this news coming out that he might've been duped, it feels like we stole him from the Braves big time
You can’t blame the Dodgers for this. All the Dodgers did was make offers. His agency is the one who duped him. Perhaps a lack of communication on the part of Freeman. He should have made it 100% clear to his agent that he wanted to stay and to accept any offer from ATL that meats a certain threshold. If Freddy’s strategy was to open the door to other teams to create a bidding war (even if he wanted to stay in ATL) then you open the door for many possibilities like ATL getting spooked and trading for Olsen. They Freddy and his team tried playing hardball and K’d
@@kingkylethethird4152 ha ha ha. Yes, the incentive is a bigger contract. That’s the name of game when it comes to free agency. If the Dodgers incentivized the deal then yes they’re guilty of putting together an enticing deal 🤷🏽♂️
Buddy if you believe Freeman and his lies, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you cheap. Look at the real evidence. Isn't it funny his agent gets fired after the Atlanta series? Come on brother think!!
Great video as always. I think you got the ultimatum part incorrect, however. It was his agent who gave the Braves a 1 hour deadline to accept one of those deals, not Anthopoulos.
Lots of criticism to go around here, both team and player, but the ultimatum criticism against the agent is very misleading. The agent had been negotiating with the Braves for months. The deadline was set because the other options for Freddy, those who could afford him, wanted him, and would do six years (Dodgers, Yankees, etc) were all about to vanish, or had just done so, as the free agency period ended. No agent, if they have a clue, would let all his client’s leverage simply evaporate.
@@ktbeatty it’s what was reported by the beat writers for the Atlanta Braves. Freeman basically confirmed that in his return to Atlanta. He explained in his news conference that “I think I’m crying so much because some of you know all about what happened.” As a Braves fan, Freeman is one of the most genuine people in this sport and wouldn’t just lie about something like that. And it’s naive to think an agent isn’t capable of taking advantage of their client.
@@realtealcovers232 I think it’s more naive to think Freddy and the Braves weren’t fully invested in their own interests too. I get the desire to blame the agent, I do. After all, there are no “agent fans,” let alone agent posters on a kid’s wall. Freddie’s Dad set the record straight long before this news. Freddie wanted, and believed after what he’d done for the franchise, had fully earned, the security of a sixth year. The Braves GM, a guy with a job, not a fan, used business math, not emotion, and said no. However, the same math said Olson, despite meaning nothing to the franchise or the fan base, or even quite as good, WAS worth that contract. Feelings got hurt. Fans got angry. Freddie’s agent was doing the same as the Braves GM, following the math. It’s his job. Freddie has to take some accountability. If he was fine with getting less, despite his status and legacy, then he has to say to the agent “I only care about remaining with the Braves.” Rather, after always believing in the end he’d get the years he wanted and deserved, was badly hurt they moved on to Olson. Who was right? Well, from a certain point of view, all of them. Hard to argue with the Braves analytically. Olson was the “smart move.” It’s also hard to fault the agent. The Dodgers are, along with the Yankees, one of the two most iconic MLB franchises and, at the moment, the best organization in all of pro sports. As it also happens, they play in Freddie’s hometown, where his Dad can watch him regularly. The agent’s actions were not “selfish”. It was right move for Freddie in terms of security, expressed desire, and long term opportunity. It’s just a fact of life that fans, who are first and foremost fans of the team, always support the team. They blame the greedy player, the evil agent, but never the party with all the equity, hence the power. Nothing ever happens other than what the team decides. The Hawks dumped Dominique in the middle of a phenomenal season for Danny freakin’ Manning. Dale Murphy was taken out with the trash (I was a bat boy on that Braves Dale Murphy/Bob Horner/Perimeter Perez team FWIW). Heck, the Niners traded Montana in favor of Young. Joe Montana! It’s what teams do, and always have done.
As a Braves fan, it really sucks. We obviously wanted Freeman back, and he obviously wanted to be back. Olson is a fine secondary option, but we absolutely LOVE Freeman here. It’s just not the same, and if this story its true, it’s even more painful.
You're wrong. Alex didn't give the one hour ultimatum. Freddie's agent was the one who gave the one hour ultimatum. Braves weren't going for either offer and went for Olson before Oakland could trade him to a different team.
Freeman is making an ass of himself. Who signed the dotted line? If he felt so much Atlanta attachment he should of picked up the phone and called the Braves GM himself. Imagine how his Dodgers teammates feel?
Imagine there were two well paid jobs. One job has a lot of your best friends that you have been friends with for a long time, and the other job has people that you are not close friends with. Which job would you take?
You got a crucial detail wrong within the first minute. AA did not give Freddie the ultimatum, it was Freddie's agent who gave the Braves one hour to choose
You might want to do a little more research. Anthopoulos didn't give Freeman's camp the ultimatum between 2 deals, Freeman's agent Close gave Anthopoulos the 2 deal ultimatum.
Just an FYI, the word "WHOLLY", as in "wholly inaccurate" is pronounced like "HOLY" not "WALL-E," 🤣. I've heard you quote a couple of tweets this way and thought someone should probably tell you. The word wholly means "entirely", like the "WHOLE thing".
AA is one of the best GMs in baseball and seemingly a great standup guy. I felt from day 1 of the saga that this was not his fault, and he just did what he had to do. He made a great move to get Matt, a solid star with more years to go than Freddie. Tbh, this scenario would make some sense to me. We know Freddie wanted to be here, and we know AA wanted to keep him.
Your so wrong. I dont know how you dont see that he didnt want to sign Freedie but knew he was a fan favorite. He would look like the bad guy if he didnt sign him. Freddie's agent gave him the opening he needed to sign Olson, his first choice and not look like the bad guy. By your comments it looked like it worked
@@tocadadj2951 Here's why I believe the Gottlieb story - IF there was no final offer and the Braves were happy to move on from Freddie and get a younger 1B, nobody in the organization has any reason to discredit Casey Close or to engage Freddie about what happened since they got everything they wanted ad the uproar around his departure had lowered to a simmer. But if there was an offer and they expected Freddie to take it, that's why someone from the organization asked him about it when the Dodgers were in town, because everyone remained baffled as to why he didn't accept the offer. My hunch is that his agency had marketing opportunities they figured would be much more lucrative for Freddie (and by extension them) as a Dodger than as a Brave; they knew he'd take the final offer that has been at the center of the discussion, so they figured they were doing the best thing for him by not telling him and they were rolling the dice that he'd be so happy once he was out of Atlanta (overestimating his desire to get back to the west coast) that it would never be an issue and they were going to dazzle him with endorsements. I also think this matches Freddie's experience during negotiation, i.e. that they'd been hard-selling LA since the end of the Series. Freddie talked to somebody in the organization, added it to his experience and determined he'd been pushed out of the place he wanted to stay despite getting the offer he wanted.
@@CinHotlanta First, not wanting Freedie, thats all Alex Anthopoulos, it was not a Atlanta team thing. Alex could had lied to others within the organization telling them about a final offer that never existed so Alex could say"I offered same amount as Dodgers but Freedie declined it" I keep telling you Anthopoulos is a two faced GM. Second, I looked everywhere and theres no mention of his contract being void if he's traded. Everywhere I look it says its guaranteed. I think its a rumor you heard and took it as fact. Lastly, there's other GMs that believe what I believe, that Alex always wanted out of Freeman. AP NEWS: "My perception - and the assumption of a quantity of brokers and executives in baseball - is that Anthopoulos most popular the matter to play out exactly the way it did, with the Braves buying and selling for a youthful, cheaper affordable facsimile of Freeman, Matt Olson. Is Olson nearly as good as Freeman proper now? Probably not. But his eight-year, $168 million contract covers his age from 28 to 35 seasons. Freeman’s take care of the Dodgers covers his age 32 to 37 campaigns.”
It's like Chipper said... "free agency is not about the money. It's about where you want to play." This agent did not have Freddie's interest at heart.
Agents should always tell their clients what teams are offering to them no matter how big or small it is not up to the Agent if a player wants to take less to be in a place they want to be
The Dodgers were working with Freddie's agent to convince him to sign with LA, so this guy tells Freddie the Braves don't want you back. Seems like his agent was getting a cut under the table.
It's Freddie's fault. Should've taken their deal instead of trying to nickel and dime. Blame the agent all you want, ultimately it was his choice. Now LA has a player who can't get over his ex.
@@Onepride5608 yes. It's still Freddie's fault. An agent isn't going to purposefully sabotage a client. They'd have to be pretty stupid to do that. They'd never get another client again. Not to mention legal repercussions.
Freddy can only blame himself. He CHOSE to sign for money over where he'd actually want to stay. Now he regrets it and is pointing fingers. Nobody forced him to sign , he had an offer from the braves and turned it down. Yes it was for less money but that's a cut you'd take if you'd really want to stay. Fredy is an awesome player but him feeling butt hurt makes no sense.
Bottom line if Freddie really wanted to stay with the Braves a few dollars would not have mattered!! This is all on Freddie, he has only himself to blame. He could have taken one of the 2 offers as they were more than fair!! He could override his agent anytime but he refused!!! Dont even feel sorry for greedy players like this guy!
Something doesn’t smell right about this story, sounds more like Freddie got buyers remorse and it lashing out. Also sounds like the Braves leaked this story
I feel certain Freeman is lying. Look, Chipper Jones told Freeman emphatically that his demands were paving his road out of Atlanta and that if he wanted to stay in Atlanta he couldn't ask Los Angeles prices. Why would Chipper Jones make up that story?
As a braves fan, I really like Olson and definitely support the decision to bring him over. But I will always love Freddie (Even if he's playing for my 2nd least favorite team)
Unfortunately they are my first. But Mets fans are the most obnoxious, in the world, but I don't envy there pain over the years. Dodgers fans are just stupid and spoiled.
I was Freddie’s biggest fan and I really wanted to sign him back but then it happened just hours before my baseball game I got the news I didn’t blame the Braves I blamed it on Freddie and it’s sad that it was his agent’s fault
I'm not sure exactly what happened, I wasn't there. However, with Freddie being so emotional, I think he simply got bent over the table. On the positive side Olson is great. LA got one of the best 1st basemen in baseball and a bunch of fans because of the history with Freddie. I know I now really look forward to watching Dodgers play. If it can be actually proven that Freddie was lied to, I would take pleasure by suing the agent and doing my best to get him blackballed from being a agent for anybody.
As much as I wanted Freeman to spend the rest of his career in Atlanta....Alex Anthopolus made the correct call in letting Freddie walk. FF had ever right to try and get as much money as he wanted...while The Braves have every right to balance paying the players it wants to pay..with fielding a team long term. Matt Olsen is over 4 years younger....they ended up signing him for 3 years longer at only 5 mil more total than what Freeman got from The Dodgers. While it hurt losing the prospect capital (Shea Langerliers will probably hurt the most) The Braves have catcher depth (William Contrareas is a stud...and Travis dNaurd is legit too). I take NO STOCK in the so-called 'experts' when it comes to prospect rankings (The Braves were ranked 30th coming into the 2022 season). However Spencer Strider (who was barely ranked in just one Top 100 list)....Michael Harris (who was only ranked 65th) and Vaughn Grissom (who wasnt even ranked at all)...have combined for 9 WAR as of today!
Not sure what the legal requirements/ governing body is for sports agency. I'm a Realtor but if I didn't tell a seller/buyer about the existence of an offer or held back details of it, I'd lose my license as well as any lawsuits my clients would bring. If his agent did lie to him, he did the right thing by firing him. But at the same time, Freeman isn't an innocent victim here. The Dodgers are paying him to play for them. For the public to have a sense that Freeman doesn't want to be there, is unfair to the people signing his checks. Not to mention the weirdness/tension it could create in the clubhouse which could cause some players to underperform. At the end of the day, he's a professional player, and part about being a professional is setting aside emotions and delivering your best for your employer.
This story has had holes from the beginning, now the agent is speaking out. Are Braves just trying to save face, or is the agent trying to save his career? Someone call the Spin Doctor stat!
I believe Casey Close willingly took a hit on this for some sort of under the table deal to preseve Freemans reputation.. I find it hard to believe that Freeman wasnt involved in the day to day communication with his agent to determine his future. Why would Close destroy his reputation by doing anything to deceive one of his best clients?
As a Braves fan I hated that Freddie left but Freddie's family is in LA so it may end up being for the best. That said glad he fired his agent because that was a totally jerk and selfish thing for his agent to do. In the end Freddie should have called Alex himself and worked out the big part of the deal. He would still be a Brave if he had. Sad but life goes on and I'll pull for Freddie with the Dodger when they aren't playing the Braves !
I remember when the news first came out that the braves declined to give a second offer that there were something weird going on and that it would didn’t make sense for the braves not push to get Freddy. It makes sense now but why would a agent do this? yes you get a bigger pay but you would lose everything if anyone found out, i mean Freddy could sue for fraud
IF this is true, I would think Freddie would have legal rights to pursue misrepresentation. However, to me the bigger issue is what apparently was a total disconnect between Freddie and Braves management. With the understanding that the representing agent ultimately does the legwork, if you were Freeman or AA wouldn't there be a final phone call made to ensure there's nothing falling through the cracks? Whether true or not, I'm guessing a lot of players look for a bit more involvement in things.
I can totally believe that agents financial advisors etc they do what's best for them what's going to make them the most instead of looking out for what's best for their clients
There must be something to it because Freddie fired that dude! If they bring Gotlieb to court over it then maybe not. But if there is no court date, then its safe to assume they did this to Freddie.
Complete and utter BS. Close would never lie to a client, he has too much to lose by doing that ( his reputation and his business would be in shambles) Alex Anthopolous did a little sh*t stirring and created this whole mess. As I write this Close is suing the LA reporter that wrote the piece. Besides, no one put a gun to Freeman's head to make him sign that contract....he played hard ball in negotiations ( which Chipper Jones told him not to do) and he lost. Screw off Freddie.
He signed the contract with the Dodgers. An agents job is to get the player the most money while making money themselves. If Freeman really wanted to stay with the Braves then he would be a Brave. If there was something shady going on then okay he has every right to complain. Him crying and basically showing that his heart is somewhere else isn’t good a good look for him and isn’t good for the clubhouse in LA.
Didn't Freddy change agents prior to the end of last season? It would be heartbreaking that if he had stayed with his original agent, none of this would have happened.
@@Samuelito.11 Olson is no where close to a bust he’s been great and hes 5 years younger and cheaper he’s the same player and as close to Freddie as you can get
This makes me really upset because FREDDIE FREEMAN was my idol. I always looked up to Freddie freeman and loved watching him. Now that his contractor lied to him for more money has me really angry. I love Freddie freeman so much and would love him to be on the Braves. I miss him so much and I hope is able to return one day.
I was disappointed in Freddie, maybe a little resentful. This revelation, as well as the obvious pain he's experiencing has changed everything, and I'm pretty sure all Braves fans would love to see him return for a swan song whenever his deal expires.
How do you feel about this whole Freddie Freeman-agent mess?
I think Freddie wants to be in atlanta
Being a life long Braves fan, the more I hear about the story the more I want to say fuck Freddie Freeman. I don't buy the tears and this is a sorry ass excuse. He got lazy and didn't stay involved.
If the agent really didn’t tell him the Braves final offer then he should NEVER be involved in sports ever again
I think this needs to end. Unless you are not a dodgers fan, in that case keep the chaos going.
Well it'll be interesting with Dansby Swanson this off season..
As a Dodger fan, if the Gotlieb report is true, my heart breaks for Freddy. He deserves to go where he’s happier.
Doug Gottlieb stole credit cards!
As a Braves fan I wholeheartedly agree.
@Negus Negast legit no one cares!
@Negus Negast Your parents don't love you.
Hey classy comment Metal. I’d say the same reversed.
When you want to Spend your WHOLE Career with a Team which is uncommon but your Agent forces you to sign with a Different Team just to make $500K more a Year for the Agent!
The crazier part is Freddie would've made more in Atlanta considering taxes and prices
Make $500K more + all the extra off the field dealings (bigger market, bigger ads, bigger sponsorships).
If you believe this bullshit story. Freeman overplayed his hand.
@@bradleymaravalli2851 Idk how many deals he does but honestly he is probably more marketable in the still massive market of Atlanta as a franchise legend/hero
@@metalmythology6282 It is still easier to market in a city like LA or NY because of how many people are there, not by that much tho, agent just wanted every penny he could get
I had once made the mistake of signing an exclusivity agreement with an agent to sell my house. As soon as he had my signature, his morality changed. He started telling me about how he made millions by kicking families who were behind on their property taxes out of their homes, among other unscrupulous shit. Then he started pressuring me to list it for a low price, because it would sell quickly. Then he tried to pressure me into moving out into an apartment before I was ready so he could start showing it. He was all about pressure and manipulation. It was like he was free to be himself once he had my signature. I ended up taking my house off the market and not selling to teach that scumbag a lesson. I realized one thing: Agents of all kinds have a common trait, they smile in your face and pretend you're their best friend but in reality all they really care about is getting as much commission out of you as possible. Most of them are soulless snakes. Sounds like Freddie found out the hard way. I hope the full story comes out.
If Freeman was his own Agent before he Would still be on the Braves. He was screwed over and His Agency needs to go Bankrupt.
Bullshit. He didn't stay on his agents ass and make sure he stayed in Atlanta. He was warned, he has no one to blame but himself.
Every player is their own agent.
Players all the time tell their agents to get the best deal with XXX team. If FF didn't do that with Close & keep on Close to make it happen then that's on FF. If Close failed to inform FF about final offer or misled FF about offers then that opens Close up for lawsuits to recoup lost income & damages.
I'd argue the fact Close & Excel responded to tweet so hard as it's proly true, but have to squash it asap, because if it's a pattern of behavior then players will be out for blood, as well as players union.
@@thh1899 explain how he is supposed to force a human to say something. his agent clearly just didn't tell him about an option.
Theres simply no way he didnt know about the final offer...but it was already basically too late.
@@thh1899 Thank you buddy. You see right through Freemans lies and the bad part is most of these morons on the comment section believe Freeman
So the Braves offered him a better deal than the one he's currently on with the Dodgers before going after Olson. Freddie got screwed out of a deal he wanted and the Braves ended up with the best possible replacement just two days after the deal fell through on a cheaper salary that's younger, is a hometown kid, and leads the league in doubles.........That agent needs to get out of the talent representation industry and AA needs a raise.
This is false. It was freeman’s camp that gave the hour deadline. They wanted 5/165 or 6/175. Braves obviously didn’t match it and moved on instead
@@johngarcia7891 I dont know how you guys dont see it that Alex Anthopoulos didnt want to resign Freeman but knew Braves fans would give him shit for it. He seen an opening to get out of signing Freeman without gettting blamed and he took it. If he really wanted Freeman he goes directly to Freedie to see what can be done. He never did that and jumped on Olson who was always his first choice
@@johngarcia7891 Mr. Garcia. You are a smart man. You see through the deception and lies Freeman is putting out there. It seems fishy he fires his agent AFTER the Atlanta series. It's good public relations. He can point all he wants to his agent but in the end, Freeman is a liar
Except Olson will disappoint. I live in A's territory. I know.
Well I think AA’s mindset has always been about money since coming to Atlanta. He probably wanted to keep Freeman but not at the price it was willing to take. As a Braves fan I get your point and don’t think you are off base there. There reason being money and not who Freeeman is on and off the field.
It's hard (almost impossible) to believe that an agent or agency would fail to tell a player about an offer. The legal liability they would expose themselves to could cost them millions (likely in a settlement) and would cost them the chance to sign players in the future once word gets out. It would be folly.
Gottlieb better be right.
I know sports and real estate agents are different, but in real estate, we legally have to disclose every offer our client receives. The agent/agency needs to be shut down. Who knows how many other athletes they've done this to.
@@cole3363 Great point, who knows how many others? It's hard to trust anyone these days.
@@lionheartmerrill1069 Gottleib isn’t correct. Freddie, Close, and the Braves were in contact. It’s that Freddie and Close overplayed their hands.
Most sport agents are attorneys and you're right that it would be highly improbable for an agent/firm to be that unethical.
Sounds like his agent just wanted to line his own pockets without looking out for the client best interests
Bingo
No other reason to become an agent than that.
@@craigmckenzie5466 wrong. An agent is supposed to act on behalf of the client, not themselves.
I doubt it was that simple. As soon as they grabbed Olson, sounds like it was over.
Im glad someone here has some sense. @Ryan
This is a crazy story and so huge for sports imo. I REALLY hope the next agent to get canned is Scott Boras. I'm surprised Conforto hasn't fired him yet
Yup, Boras ALWAYS does what is best for him not the client. He is willing to have his client lose money so that he can send a message that will help him in future negotiation with other players. How is that good for the client of his that loses soooo much money. Drew and Conforto being a couple examples
Before this news came out, I thought Freddie Freeman was a selfish traitor. He always seemed like he would spend his career in Atlanta. Instead, he went to the Dodgers just because they were paying more. A stacked team becoming more stacked is bad for a sport if you ask me. But now it makes sense. His agent was the selfish one.
Selfish traitor what are you 12?
No, he just made it up.
He looked like a quizzling before this
@@GeraldM_inNC Yes, of course he did, bc some dude named Gerald said so...
From my perspective, it seemed like the Braves organization were the party that messed up. Idk about you, but if I was in the front office of that team I'd be trying everything I could to keep Freeman. Aside from being one of the best players in the league, he means so much to that team and city. But hey, it's all history now. He's doing great for us!
It was actually Freddie’s agent that backed aa into a corner with those final offers and gave him one hour to except he didn’t within the hour then assuming his chances to get Freddie were gone so he traded for olson
I respect the Dodgers organization and I love the rivalry that has spawned from the Braves and Dodgers match ups recently, especially in postseason, but I can sense fans on both sides are putting that aside in favor of Freeman… obviously as a Braves fan I am biased and want him back in ATL but right now I want him to be happy and find justice, and if that means staying in LA that’s fine - I just want him to find closure and find happiness after being screwed over
Dodgers fan here, I was honestly in shock that Freeman signed with us. I thought it was just a formality for Freeman to resign. When I heard Freeman signed with us, I honestly couldn't believe it. At that point, I thought the Braves were just being stupid about it and playing hardball, but man this whole story has gotten a lot more complicated as time goes on. Freeman is loved in LA and we hope he finds some closure.
@@rafaelalamilla5583
Remember matt olson was traded for before freeman signed with the dodgers. Freeman didnt leave the braves, choice was made for him.
as a dodger fan, and baseball fan more generally, Freddy deserves to play wherever he wants.
I'm stoked he's in la, but if that feels like a worse option to him then I think it'd be best for all parties for him to be in Atlanta.
huge shame and legal wrongdoing by the agent if the allegations are true
“Wally inaccurate”
Lol
Doug Gottlieb stole credit cards!
I thought it was Freddie’s agent who gave the Braves a one-hour limit to respond their request for a larger deal.
It waa Freddie's agent
Ok so this is wrong. The braves GM Alex Anthopolous didnt give Freemans agent an ultimatum it was the other way around.. Freddys agent gave the braves gm 24 hours to accept one of two offers that you mentioned.
It was a 1 hour ultimatum not 24 hr
This explains it, I was so confused when Freeman signed with the Dodgers, I’m sure Freddie would take less money to stay in the ATL, I think I was clear he want to be a Braves lifer 😭
So the Braves offered $165m for 5 years, and he ended up signing for $162m for 6 years in Cali. So an extra year for 3 million less in a state with WAY higher taxes? If I were Freddie, I wouldn't have fired that guy. I would have choked him out!
This is good for baseball. More players need to fire their agents to keep them honest. I feel like this has been happening all across the league
Like, dont get me wrong, as a Dodgers fan I'm glad we signed Freddie. At the end of the day though, with all this news coming out that he might've been duped, it feels like we stole him from the Braves big time
You can’t blame the Dodgers for this. All the Dodgers did was make offers. His agency is the one who duped him. Perhaps a lack of communication on the part of Freeman. He should have made it 100% clear to his agent that he wanted to stay and to accept any offer from ATL that meats a certain threshold. If Freddy’s strategy was to open the door to other teams to create a bidding war (even if he wanted to stay in ATL) then you open the door for many possibilities like ATL getting spooked and trading for Olsen. They Freddy and his team tried playing hardball and K’d
@@rampagerob3387 I'm not placing blame on anyone but his agency, I just feel like he got the raw end of the deal on the whole situation
@@KevinRodriguez-zr1ut 👍
@@kingkylethethird4152 ha ha ha. Yes, the incentive is a bigger contract. That’s the name of game when it comes to free agency. If the Dodgers incentivized the deal then yes they’re guilty of putting together an enticing deal 🤷🏽♂️
Buddy if you believe Freeman and his lies, I got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you cheap. Look at the real evidence. Isn't it funny his agent gets fired after the Atlanta series? Come on brother think!!
Great video as always. I think you got the ultimatum part incorrect, however. It was his agent who gave the Braves a 1 hour deadline to accept one of those deals, not Anthopoulos.
Facts
Big miss here
Lots of criticism to go around here, both team and player, but the ultimatum criticism against the agent is very misleading. The agent had been negotiating with the Braves for months. The deadline was set because the other options for Freddy, those who could afford him, wanted him, and would do six years (Dodgers, Yankees, etc) were all about to vanish, or had just done so, as the free agency period ended. No agent, if they have a clue, would let all his client’s leverage simply evaporate.
@@ktbeatty it’s what was reported by the beat writers for the Atlanta Braves. Freeman basically confirmed that in his return to Atlanta. He explained in his news conference that “I think I’m crying so much because some of you know all about what happened.” As a Braves fan, Freeman is one of the most genuine people in this sport and wouldn’t just lie about something like that. And it’s naive to think an agent isn’t capable of taking advantage of their client.
@@realtealcovers232 I think it’s more naive to think Freddy and the Braves weren’t fully invested in their own interests too. I get the desire to blame the agent, I do. After all, there are no “agent fans,” let alone agent posters on a kid’s wall.
Freddie’s Dad set the record straight long before this news. Freddie wanted, and believed after what he’d done for the franchise, had fully earned, the security of a sixth year. The Braves GM, a guy with a job, not a fan, used business math, not emotion, and said no. However, the same math said Olson, despite meaning nothing to the franchise or the fan base, or even quite as good, WAS worth that contract. Feelings got hurt. Fans got angry.
Freddie’s agent was doing the same as the Braves GM, following the math. It’s his job.
Freddie has to take some accountability. If he was fine with getting less, despite his status and legacy, then he has to say to the agent “I only care about remaining with the Braves.” Rather, after always believing in the end he’d get the years he wanted and deserved, was badly hurt they moved on to Olson.
Who was right? Well, from a certain point of view, all of them. Hard to argue with the Braves analytically. Olson was the “smart move.”
It’s also hard to fault the agent. The Dodgers are, along with the Yankees, one of the two most iconic MLB franchises and, at the moment, the best organization in all of pro sports. As it also happens, they play in Freddie’s hometown, where his Dad can watch him regularly. The agent’s actions were not “selfish”. It was right move for Freddie in terms of security, expressed desire, and long term opportunity.
It’s just a fact of life that fans, who are first and foremost fans of the team, always support the team. They blame the greedy player, the evil agent, but never the party with all the equity, hence the power. Nothing ever happens other than what the team decides. The Hawks dumped Dominique in the middle of a phenomenal season for Danny freakin’ Manning. Dale Murphy was taken out with the trash (I was a bat boy on that Braves Dale Murphy/Bob Horner/Perimeter Perez team FWIW). Heck, the Niners traded Montana in favor of Young. Joe Montana! It’s what teams do, and always have done.
As a Braves fan, it really sucks. We obviously wanted Freeman back, and he obviously wanted to be back. Olson is a fine secondary option, but we absolutely LOVE Freeman here. It’s just not the same, and if this story its true, it’s even more painful.
Freddie has to definitely hate his job… Money doesn’t always buy you happiness.
@Trigger Warning still a job bro.
You're wrong. Alex didn't give the one hour ultimatum. Freddie's agent was the one who gave the one hour ultimatum. Braves weren't going for either offer and went for Olson before Oakland could trade him to a different team.
Freeman is making an ass of himself. Who signed the dotted line? If he felt so much Atlanta attachment he should of picked up the phone and called the Braves GM himself. Imagine how his Dodgers teammates feel?
Imagine there were two well paid jobs. One job has a lot of your best friends that you have been friends with for a long time, and the other job has people that you are not close friends with. Which job would you take?
I miss freeman but I like olson, I like his personality, he's good and overall a good guy
You got a crucial detail wrong within the first minute. AA did not give Freddie the ultimatum, it was Freddie's agent who gave the Braves one hour to choose
You might want to do a little more research. Anthopoulos didn't give Freeman's camp the ultimatum between 2 deals, Freeman's agent Close gave Anthopoulos the 2 deal ultimatum.
It was like a death in the family for Braves fans. He remains a class act. The Dodgers are lucky to have him.
Just an FYI, the word "WHOLLY", as in "wholly inaccurate" is pronounced like "HOLY" not "WALL-E," 🤣. I've heard you quote a couple of tweets this way and thought someone should probably tell you. The word wholly means "entirely", like the "WHOLE thing".
AA is one of the best GMs in baseball and seemingly a great standup guy. I felt from day 1 of the saga that this was not his fault, and he just did what he had to do. He made a great move to get Matt, a solid star with more years to go than Freddie. Tbh, this scenario would make some sense to me. We know Freddie wanted to be here, and we know AA wanted to keep him.
We don't know anything about AA. That's what makes him so good.
Your so wrong. I dont know how you dont see that he didnt want to sign Freedie but knew he was a fan favorite. He would look like the bad guy if he didnt sign him. Freddie's agent gave him the opening he needed to sign Olson, his first choice and not look like the bad guy. By your comments it looked like it worked
@@tocadadj2951 yeah I kind of think this, signing veterans long term has proven to never work.
@@tocadadj2951 Here's why I believe the Gottlieb story - IF there was no final offer and the Braves were happy to move on from Freddie and get a younger 1B, nobody in the organization has any reason to discredit Casey Close or to engage Freddie about what happened since they got everything they wanted ad the uproar around his departure had lowered to a simmer. But if there was an offer and they expected Freddie to take it, that's why someone from the organization asked him about it when the Dodgers were in town, because everyone remained baffled as to why he didn't accept the offer.
My hunch is that his agency had marketing opportunities they figured would be much more lucrative for Freddie (and by extension them) as a Dodger than as a Brave; they knew he'd take the final offer that has been at the center of the discussion, so they figured they were doing the best thing for him by not telling him and they were rolling the dice that he'd be so happy once he was out of Atlanta (overestimating his desire to get back to the west coast) that it would never be an issue and they were going to dazzle him with endorsements. I also think this matches Freddie's experience during negotiation, i.e. that they'd been hard-selling LA since the end of the Series. Freddie talked to somebody in the organization, added it to his experience and determined he'd been pushed out of the place he wanted to stay despite getting the offer he wanted.
@@CinHotlanta First, not wanting Freedie, thats all Alex Anthopoulos, it was not a Atlanta team thing. Alex could had lied to others within the organization telling them about a final offer that never existed so Alex could say"I offered same amount as Dodgers but Freedie declined it"
I keep telling you Anthopoulos is a two faced GM.
Second, I looked everywhere and theres no mention of his contract being void if he's traded. Everywhere I look it says its guaranteed. I think its a rumor you heard and took it as fact.
Lastly, there's other GMs that believe what I believe, that Alex always wanted out of Freeman.
AP NEWS:
"My perception - and the assumption of a quantity of brokers and executives in baseball - is that Anthopoulos most popular the matter to play out exactly the way it did, with the Braves buying and selling for a youthful, cheaper affordable facsimile of Freeman, Matt Olson. Is Olson nearly as good as Freeman proper now? Probably not. But his eight-year, $168 million contract covers his age from 28 to 35 seasons. Freeman’s take care of the Dodgers covers his age 32 to 37 campaigns.”
Don't they ask about taxes in what ever place they might go to.
Freeman’s agent gave Anthopolous the ultimatum. Not the other way around.
It's like Chipper said... "free agency is not about the money. It's about where you want to play." This agent did not have Freddie's interest at heart.
Freddie still loves LA
who does he love more?
That’s probably why Freddie was balling in Atlanta. He found out then what they offered and realized he could’ve stayed.
His agent said he could win more with LA? They just won the world series hello.
Under oath is the new catch phrase.
Yeah. Perjury doesn’t seem to be a crime anymore.
Agents should always tell their clients what teams are offering to them no matter how big or small it is not up to the Agent if a player wants to take less to be in a place they want to be
Alex A. Didn't give the hour long ultimatum, it was Casey Close. Get the facts correct.
The Dodgers were working with Freddie's agent to convince him to sign with LA, so this guy tells Freddie the Braves don't want you back. Seems like his agent was getting a cut under the table.
It's Freddie's fault. Should've taken their deal instead of trying to nickel and dime. Blame the agent all you want, ultimately it was his choice. Now LA has a player who can't get over his ex.
Did you watch the video 😂
@@Onepride5608 yes. It's still Freddie's fault. An agent isn't going to purposefully sabotage a client. They'd have to be pretty stupid to do that. They'd never get another client again. Not to mention legal repercussions.
Freddy can only blame himself. He CHOSE to sign for money over where he'd actually want to stay. Now he regrets it and is pointing fingers. Nobody forced him to sign , he had an offer from the braves and turned it down. Yes it was for less money but that's a cut you'd take if you'd really want to stay. Fredy is an awesome player but him feeling butt hurt makes no sense.
Now Gottlieb admitted that his report was wrong. This is a huge mess lol.
Freddie's agent gave the Braves the 1 hour ultimatum, not the other way around.
“There’s no crying in baseball”🤧
He wishes he was still in ATL lmao but he couldn’t resist that dirty LA money
When has Atlanta ever spent money on bats
your so underrated
This breaks my heart
From Freddie’s perspective he obviously wanted to get paid big, but the braves had a final offer he didn’t see, so he went with the dodgers instead.
And you really believe this?
Bottom line if Freddie really wanted to stay with the Braves a few dollars would not have mattered!! This is all on Freddie, he has only himself to blame. He could have taken one of the 2 offers as they were more than fair!! He could override his agent anytime but he refused!!! Dont even feel sorry for greedy players like this guy!
Something doesn’t smell right about this story, sounds more like Freddie got buyers remorse and it lashing out. Also sounds like the Braves leaked this story
I feel certain Freeman is lying. Look, Chipper Jones told Freeman emphatically that his demands were paving his road out of Atlanta and that if he wanted to stay in Atlanta he couldn't ask Los Angeles prices. Why would Chipper Jones make up that story?
Agents and an agent company playing "deny deny deny" vs Doug Gottlieb.. hmmm. Who do I believe?.. 🤔
As a braves fan, I really like Olson and definitely support the decision to bring him over. But I will always love Freddie (Even if he's playing for my 2nd least favorite team)
I hope the Mets aren't your 1st least favorite team, lol. I'm a Mets fan, lol.
Are the Astros ur least favorite?
My most hated teams (in no particular order)...
NL: Phillies, Mets, Dodgers
AL: Yankees, Red Sox, Astros
Unfortunately they are my first. But Mets fans are the most obnoxious, in the world, but I don't envy there pain over the years. Dodgers fans are just stupid and spoiled.
@@choosekindness3419 lol of course they are
I was Freddie’s biggest fan and I really wanted to sign him back but then it happened just hours before my baseball game I got the news I didn’t blame the Braves I blamed it on Freddie and it’s sad that it was his agent’s fault
@Trigger Warning too far too far
@Trigger Warning why your keep one upping yourself but not in a good way
@Trigger Warning that’s not a real fan that’s a lunatic
@Trigger Warning so people in this world have problems your one of them
@Trigger Warning at this point IDK if it’s a joke or just pure obsession
I'm not sure exactly what happened, I wasn't there. However, with Freddie being so emotional, I think he simply got bent over the table. On the positive side Olson is great. LA got one of the best 1st basemen in baseball and a bunch of fans because of the history with Freddie. I know I now really look forward to watching Dodgers play. If it can be actually proven that Freddie was lied to, I would take pleasure by suing the agent and doing my best to get him blackballed from being a agent for anybody.
He should request a trade back to Atlanta 😂
I think Freddie got together with the Braves brass and they let him know what the real issue with resigning had been
I think baseball is becoming a drama filled reality show
He should be in Atlanta he knows and he wishes it maybe he can reunite with Atlanta that agent deserves to be fired. Unbelievable
he already fired his agent lol
fire, he should sue if this is true.
those CA taxes are why he's crying.
As much as I wanted Freeman to spend the rest of his career in Atlanta....Alex Anthopolus made the correct call in letting Freddie walk. FF had ever right to try and get as much money as he wanted...while The Braves have every right to balance paying the players it wants to pay..with fielding a team long term.
Matt Olsen is over 4 years younger....they ended up signing him for 3 years longer at only 5 mil more total than what Freeman got from The Dodgers. While it hurt losing the prospect capital (Shea Langerliers will probably hurt the most) The Braves have catcher depth (William Contrareas is a stud...and Travis dNaurd is legit too).
I take NO STOCK in the so-called 'experts' when it comes to prospect rankings (The Braves were ranked 30th coming into the 2022 season). However Spencer Strider (who was barely ranked in just one Top 100 list)....Michael Harris (who was only ranked 65th) and Vaughn Grissom (who wasnt even ranked at all)...have combined for 9 WAR as of today!
Correction: Freddie’s agents gave AA the deadline
Not sure what the legal requirements/ governing body is for sports agency. I'm a Realtor but if I didn't tell a seller/buyer about the existence of an offer or held back details of it, I'd lose my license as well as any lawsuits my clients would bring.
If his agent did lie to him, he did the right thing by firing him. But at the same time, Freeman isn't an innocent victim here. The Dodgers are paying him to play for them. For the public to have a sense that Freeman doesn't want to be there, is unfair to the people signing his checks. Not to mention the weirdness/tension it could create in the clubhouse which could cause some players to underperform. At the end of the day, he's a professional player, and part about being a professional is setting aside emotions and delivering your best for your employer.
Alex didn't give the 1hr deadline. Freddie's agent did.
This story has had holes from the beginning, now the agent is speaking out. Are Braves just trying to save face, or is the agent trying to save his career? Someone call the Spin Doctor stat!
Welcome "home" Freddie. We love and enjoy you, Sho, Smitty. Winning is fun.
I believe Casey Close willingly took a hit on this for some sort of under the table deal to preseve Freemans reputation.. I find it hard to believe that Freeman wasnt involved in the day to day communication with his agent to determine his future. Why would Close destroy his reputation by doing anything to deceive one of his best clients?
Everyone knows close is a very aggressive agent. He almost did the same thing to Jeter when they were negotiating with the Yankees.
Freeman's agents gave the deadline, not AA. You need to fix that
There's no crying in baseball...
As a Braves fan I hated that Freddie left but Freddie's family is in LA so it may end up being for the best. That said glad he fired his agent because that was a totally jerk and selfish thing for his agent to do. In the end Freddie should have called Alex himself and worked out the big part of the deal. He would still be a Brave if he had. Sad but life goes on and I'll pull for Freddie with the Dodger when they aren't playing the Braves !
I remember when the news first came out that the braves declined to give a second offer that there were something weird going on and that it would didn’t make sense for the braves not push to get Freddy. It makes sense now but why would a agent do this? yes you get a bigger pay but you would lose everything if anyone found out, i mean Freddy could sue for fraud
IF this is true, I would think Freddie would have legal rights to pursue misrepresentation. However, to me the bigger issue is what apparently was a total disconnect between Freddie and Braves management. With the understanding that the representing agent ultimately does the legwork, if you were Freeman or AA wouldn't there be a final phone call made to ensure there's nothing falling through the cracks? Whether true or not, I'm guessing a lot of players look for a bit more involvement in things.
I can totally believe that agents financial advisors etc they do what's best for them what's going to make them the most instead of looking out for what's best for their clients
As a dodger fan I would like to thank Casey close for bringing Freddie to L.A.
There must be something to it because Freddie fired that dude! If they bring Gotlieb to court over it then maybe not. But if there is no court date, then its safe to assume they did this to Freddie.
I am a lifelong met fan but Danm it’s so hard not to love a player like Freddie, I’m gonna buy his jersey right now lol
Complete and utter BS. Close would never lie to a client, he has too much to lose by doing that ( his reputation and his business would be in shambles) Alex Anthopolous did a little sh*t stirring and created this whole mess. As I write this Close is suing the LA reporter that wrote the piece. Besides, no one put a gun to Freeman's head to make him sign that contract....he played hard ball in negotiations ( which Chipper Jones told him not to do) and he lost. Screw off Freddie.
No. Not the Master Oogway music :(
He signed the contract with the Dodgers. An agents job is to get the player the most money while making money themselves. If Freeman really wanted to stay with the Braves then he would be a Brave. If there was something shady going on then okay he has every right to complain. Him crying and basically showing that his heart is somewhere else isn’t good a good look for him and isn’t good for the clubhouse in LA.
I thought it was FF agent that gave the Braves a 24hr timeline
Why didn’t anyone mention that Acuna and freemon don’t like each other!
Didn't Freddy change agents prior to the end of last season? It would be heartbreaking that if he had stayed with his original agent, none of this would have happened.
The agent should
Have a fiduciary responsibility to have to tell
Freddie about any and all offers ultimately it’s his Career not the agent
Sounds like agent put money above everything else! If he told Freddy about Atlanta offer he would have gotten less.$$$$$
If only we could get him back
Y’all wishing him back now after Olson was a bust 😹
@@Samuelito.11 Olson is decent. Not freddie tho
@@Samuelito.11 congratulations. You’ve told us that you don’t watch baseball without saying that you don’t watch baseball.
@@Samuelito.11 Olson is no where close to a bust he’s been great and hes 5 years younger and cheaper he’s the same player and as close to Freddie as you can get
@@mattcox3373 nah y’all Braves fans were hating on freeman for leaving, now y’all on his cock, after Olson is a bust
This makes me really upset because FREDDIE FREEMAN was my idol. I always looked up to Freddie freeman and loved watching him. Now that his contractor lied to him for more money has me really angry. I love Freddie freeman so much and would love him to be on the Braves. I miss him so much and I hope is able to return one day.
Should've kept Freddie and Matt as DH Fred's goofy ass smile always smiling he's the shit
Olson is a superior defender. DH would be a disgrace.
Ask Bobby Orr just how bad he got Screwed by his agent probably the worst in sports history...
I was disappointed in Freddie, maybe a little resentful. This revelation, as well as the obvious pain he's experiencing has changed everything, and I'm pretty sure all Braves fans would love to see him return for a swan song whenever his deal expires.
Freeman lied dude. Look at the hard evidence, not what the media tells you
Are people forgetting Acuna talked shit about freeman
I mean, Braves immortal next to guys like Maddux and Chipper Jones or being a Dodger (the dark side) and chasing away from being a Braves legend?
Freddy was from L A He wanted to play in LA.
Of course the agent wanted him in the bigger market.
Sounds like a stereotypical manager, hope there’s major repercussions for the manager and business
I know I speak for many when I say i wonder what the braves final offer was?
What was the braves final offer according to gottlieb?