Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Compares Freddie Freeman to MLB Hall of Famer

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made a lofty comparison for superstar Freddie Freeman, comparing him to Hall of Famer and San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn.

“In the batter’s box, he is the modern-day Tony Gwynn,” Roberts said. “I’ll say that and I stand by that. … I knew Tony as a friend. I think Tony would take that as a compliment, for me saying that. …

“It’s striking, given how much he can still slug, how much teams prepare for him. Hitting is harder than it’s ever been, because of the stuff, the matchups. So for him to be able to do that, it’s remarkable. It really is.”

Via The Athletic

Freeman has the same consistency as Gwynn who could turn a bad pitch into a hit. However, Freeman never had Gwynn’s speed that turned many ground balls into hits when Gwynn was younger.

While Freeman is a great hitter with a National League MVP in his career, he hasn’t won a National League Batting Title yet, and Gwynn had 8 of those. Gwynn spent hours studying video tape trying to perfect his swing. While Freeman has a specialized routine to get ready for every game, he doesn’t only concentrate on his hitting.

This year, Freeman has been remarkable with a .340 batting average, 23 home runs, 80 RBI, and 1.012 OPS. He is playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at first base.

Whereas Gwynn never won a world championship and rested periodically, Freeman plays everyday and is a clubhouse leader. Undoubtedly, Freeman is a future Hall of Famer, and his talent will be more recognized later in his career. 

Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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