PHOENIX | Star player for Canada at the World Baseball Classic, Freddie Freeman admits to being sometimes lost alongside his three French-speaking teammates in the infield, namely Édouard Julien, Otto Lopez and Abraham Toro.
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“Every time there’s a pitcher change, I don’t know what they say to each other,” Freeman said with a laugh Friday morning.
Julien, Lopez and Toro had a good laugh when they heard about Freeman’s comments, as did Russell Martin, who is on the Canadian team’s coaching staff for this competition.
“It’s certainly a first for Quebec to have so many good players in the infield at the same time,” said Martin. For years, we mostly produced pitchers and a few receivers, but in the infield, it’s a novelty. We see progress in Quebec in the development of players. These guys like Toro, Lopez and Julien are young and the future looks bright for them. »
“It’s nice to see all these young players like Eddie and Otto on the field,” added Freeman, a 33-year-old veteran playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. By rubbing shoulders with them like that and getting to know them, I can only wish them success in their careers. As I get older, it’s my role to encourage the next generation. »
A player born in 2003
MVP of the National in 2020, when he wore the colors of the Atlanta Braves, Freeman cannot believe that a player for the Canadian team was born in 2003.
However, this is indeed the case of pitcher Mitch Bratt, who is therefore 19 years old.
Julien, who is the youngest among the Quebecers present, was born in 1999.
“Édouard Julien could be a star for Canada one day,” Martin said of the Minnesota Twins prospect. He has an interesting approach for his age, he has a good batting maturity, he works his accounts well. »
Speaking about his own future, the former catcher relishes his experience as a coach at the World Baseball Classic, but he assures that he does not plan to become a manager in the near future.
“Maybe in a few years”… when his daughters grow up.
