Freddie Freeman will move to a tougher defensive position when he returns from the disabled list:
Braves star Freddie Freeman plans to move from first base to third base to keep Matt Adams’ bat in the Atlanta lineup.
Freeman took grounders at third base before batting practice Wednesday and also made throws to first base.
Freeman was leading the National League with 14 homers when his left wrist was broken by a pitch from Toronto’s Aaron Loup on May 17. Freeman was expected to miss about 10 weeks. He said Wednesday he hopes to return on July 14, which would be just over eight weeks since the injury.
Despite not playing at third base since high school, Freeman says “I’m 100 percent go on it. My mindset is coming back as a third baseman.”
Freeman said he first mentioned the move to third base about two weeks ago and then began thinking more seriously about the move as Adams continued to post big numbers at first base.
It’s rare for someone who is good at another defensive position to wind up at first base. I suspect Jeff Bagwell might be a good example. He was considered a third baseman until he got to the Astros, and first base was the open position. Bagwell hit like a first baseman, so it was a good fit. In addition, his days at third base helped make him a very good defensive first baseman.
Going back even further in time, Jackie Robinson was a middle infielder, but the Dodgers wanted to bring him up, and first base was the only open position. Unlike Bagwell, Robinson eventually moved back to second base, but that was the Dodgers plan from the beginning. Miguel Cabrera played okay when he moved back to third with the acquisition of Prince Fielder by the Tigers, but the second Fielder left, Miguel returned to first.
At this point, the Braves don’t have much of a chance at a playoff spot, so why not give it a try.
from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2sXEgLT
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