The best Canadian every-day player in Major League Baseball right now? That would have to be Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Freeman’s and the Braves’ 2020 MLB season – assuming there is one – and an overview.
Freddie Freeman Awards Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season
- NL MVP Award: Freeman is +1800
- Odds to win NL East: Braves are +175 favorites
If you are wondering, two Canadian players have won NL MVP: Current Reds first baseman Joey Votto and former Rockies outfielder and new Hall of Famer Larry Walker. Both of Freeman’s parents are from Ontario, Canada, but he grew up in California. Because Freeman’s parents were both born in Canada, Freeman himself holds Canadian citizenship in addition to American citizenship.
The Braves selected Freeman in the second round, with the 78th overall selection, of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. Freeman signed with the team for $409,500, foregoing his college scholarship. Freeman was called up to the Braves on Sept. 1, 2010. On Sept. 5, he got his first career hit off Florida Marlins pitcher Clay Hensley. On Sept. 21, he hit his first home run off of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher and future Hall of Famer Roy Halladay.
In 2011, Freeman finished second to teammate Craig Kimbrel in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting.] Kimbrel and Freeman were the first teammates to finish first and second since 1989.
Last year, Freeman hit .295 with 38 homers and 121 RBIs despite over the final 13 games of the season hitting just 5-for-39 (.128) with one extra-base hit. He didn’t not homer in his final 21 games. Still, Freeman finished third in the majors with those 121 RBIs, the most for a Brave since Andruw Jones drove in 129 in 2006. Freeman was the 13th player in franchise history to drive in 120 or more.
His 38 homers were a career high. Only three left-handed hitters in Braves history hit more home runs in a season (D. Evans, D. Justice and E. Mathews). Freeman was the starting first baseman for the National League All-Stars for the second year in a row, becoming the first Atlanta first baseman to win consecutive fan-elected starts since Fred McGriff (1995-96).
Freeman won the NL Silver Slugger for first base, beating out Pete Alonso in a bit of a surprise. Freeman and Alonso were in a dead heat as far as OPS (.938 for Freeman, .941 for Alonso) and RBI (120 for Freeman, 121 for Alonso), but Alonso had the big edge in homers (53-38).
Freeman is already one of just six players in franchise history with 300 doubles and 200 home runs, joining Hank Aaron, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Eddie Mathews and Dale Murphy.
In October, Freeman had surgery to deal with discomfort in his right elbow. That might have contributed to his struggles in the NLDS loss to the Cardinals. When Dr. David Altchek performed the surgery, he found three fragments and two spurs, including one that was about to crack and create even greater discomfort. Altchek determined that Freeman likely would not have been able to play in the NL Championship Series had the Braves advanced past the Cardinals.
Despite resting for most of the regular season’s final week, he was 4-for-20 with two extra-base hits (a double and a homer) during the NLDS. In Games 2-4, he was 0 for 12 with four strikeouts and made some uncharacteristic defensive gaffes. The unfortunate reality is that Freeman’s injury might have cost the Braves a spot in the NLCS.
By the time spring training rolled around, Freeman was feeling much better: “It’s the first time in nine years I haven’t had any pain in the offseason.”
