Nate Freiman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nate Freiman
Oakland Athletics – No. 7
First baseman
Born: (1986-12-31) December 31, 1986
Washington, D.C.
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 3, 2013 for the Oakland Athletics
Career statistics
(through 2013 season)
Batting average .274
Hits 52
Home runs 4
Runs batted in 24
Teams

Nathan Samuel "Nate" Freiman (born December 31, 1986) is an American professional baseball player. A first baseman, he plays major league baseball for the Oakland Athletics. He is 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) tall, weighs 250 pounds (110 kg), and bats and throws right-handed.[1] In 2013, baseball writer Tim Brown wrote, "Near as anyone can tell, there's never been a taller major-league position player than Freiman."[2]

Freiman holds Duke University's career home run record, and the school's second-highest all-time batting average. In the minor leagues, playing in the San Diego Padres organization, he led the Northwest League in runs batted in (RBIs) and extra base hits in 2009, was a Midwest League midseason All-Star in 2010, and was a California League postseason All-Star in 2011. In 2012, he led the Texas League in RBIs and hits, and was both a midseason and postseason All-Star. He played for the Israeli national baseball team in the September 2012 World Baseball Classic qualifier, batting .417 with four home runs among his five hits.

In December 2012, the Astros picked Freiman in the Rule 5 Draft and added him to their 40-man roster. In March 2013 the Oakland Athletics claimed him off waivers, and he made his major league debut for the A's the following month.

Freiman is married to golfer Amanda Blumenherst. The two were Duke’s ACC Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year in 2009.

Early life

Freiman is Jewish, and was born in Washington, D.C., to Len and Marjorie Freiman, a lawyer and a teacher of Judaism, respectively.[1][3][4][5][6] Both of his parents have law degrees.[2] His younger brother, Eli, was preparing for medical board examinations as Nate was starting his major league career early in the 2013 season.[2][7]

Freiman grew up in the college town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, a western suburb of Boston. He was both a pitcher and a slugging catcher for the Wellesley High School baseball team for four years, graduating in 2005.[8][9] In his junior year, he led the Bay State Conference with a .500 batting average and 19 RBIs.[10] As a pitcher with a 90 miles per hour (140 km/h) fastball, he was 17–1 in his last two years.[8] As a batter, he hit .500.[11] He was a three-time all-Conference selection, and a two-year team captain.[4][10][12]

Freiman was the best player in Massachusetts in his final two years: MVP of the Bay State Conference as a junior and senior, winner of the Division 2 Baseball Player of the Year Award as a junior and senior, and winner of the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior.[3][9][10][13][14][15] Baseball America rated him one of the top 50 high school prospects in the country.[16]

At the same time, he lettered in indoor track (running 300 meter and 600 meter races as well as in the 55 meter hurdles) and was captain of the track team. He was also editor of his high school newspaper, and is a member of both the National Honor Society and the National Spanish Honor Society.[4][10][12][17]

College

Freiman attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, graduating in 2009 with a baccalaureate degree as a history major and a mathematics minor.[1][4][18] He played college baseball for the Duke Blue Devils baseball team as a first baseman and catcher.[4]

In 2006, his freshman year, Freiman injured his throwing arm in the first inning of his only start on the mound, ending his pitching aspirations.[4][14][19] He made the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) academic baseball team and the ACC academic honor roll.[4]

In 2007 he led the team with a .369 batting average, 7 home runs and 48 RBIs. He was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III Second Team selection, and made the All-ACC academic team and the ACC academic honor roll for the second consecutive year.[4] He played for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod League in the summer, and was fifth in the league in RBIs with 28.[4][20]

In 2008 he led the team with a .381 batting average, 11 home runs and 46 RBIs, and was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III first team selection and a member of the All-ACC Academic baseball team, the ACC academic honor roll and the Jewish All-American team by the Jewish Sports Review.[4] He again played with the Orleans Cardinals in the Cape Cod League during the summer.[4]

As a senior in 2009, Freiman led the ACC in home runs with 20, becoming only the second player in Duke history to hit 20 home runs in a season, and breaking the Blue Devils' all-time career home run record of 43 by Ryan Jackson.[10][21][22][23] He also led Duke in homers, batting average (.352) and RBIs (62) for the third straight year, earning second-team All-ACC honors.[21]

In addition to holding Duke's all-time career home run record, his .356 career batting average is the second-highest in school history.[9] He also holds the Duke career slugging percentage record (.616), and ranks third among Duke players in career on-base percentage (.437), fifth in RBIs (180), sixth in doubles (51) and tied for ninth in hits (251).[24][25] He earned all-ACC academic team and honor roll honors each season at Duke (as cited above).[26] Academically, he graduated with a GPA of 3.84.[27]

Minor leagues

San Diego Padres organization (2009–12)

Freiman was drafted by the Texas Rangers as a college junior, in the 28th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign preferring to honor his commitment to Duke.[9][28] He was then drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 8th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, and signed for $40,000.[22][28][29]

In 2009, playing for the Eugene Emeralds of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, Freiman led the league for the season in RBIs (68), extra-base hits (33) and total bases (140), and was second in home runs (11) and doubles (22).[17][21][30] He hit .294/.364/.484 over 72 games, and .336 with runners in scoring position.[21][30] His 18-game hitting streak was the second-best in the league.[21] Freiman was named Northwest League Player of the Week on August 24, 2009.[1][21]

In 2010, playing for the Fort Wayne TinCaps of the Class A Midwest League, Freiman was a midseason All-Star[1] and finished second to Khris Davis in the Midwest League All-Star Home Run Derby.[31]

Freiman batting for the Lake Elsinore Storm, advanced-A affiliates of the San Diego Padres, in 2011

In 2011, he played for the Lake Elsinore Storm of the Class A-Advanced California League setting single-season club records with 22 home runs and 111 RBIs, and was named a postseason All-Star.[1][25]

In 2012, he played for the San Antonio Missions of the Class AA Texas League, leading the league in RBIs (105; the highest total among all minor leaguers in the Padres system) and hits (154) and finishing second in extra-base hits (56) and total bases (259), third in home runs (24), fourth in doubles (31) and fifth in slugging percentage (.502).[9][32][33] He hit .298 with a .370 on-base percentage in 137 games.[26][34] He batted .336 with runners in scoring position.[33] Against southpaws he batted .348, with 8 homers in only 112 at-bats.[35] He was both a Texas League mid- and postSeason All-Star, and an MILB.com San Diego Padres All-Star.[1]

Freiman starred for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifier in September 2012. Manager Brad Ausmus started him at first base and batted him third in the lineup.[36][37][38] Of his five hits while batting .417, four were home runs.[22][34] Israel lost to Spain in extra innings in the pool finals, just missing making the World Baseball Classic.[22][34] Freiman said: "It was heartbreaking, but hopefully if they put together another team I’ll be a part of it. It was a fantastic experience."[9] He then played for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.[22]

Freiman on defense, 2011

Through 2012, in his first four minor league seasons Freiman batted .294 with 71 home runs and 368 RBIs in 483 games, averaging 23 homers and 108 RBIs the last two years.[18][34][37] His slash line was .294/.364/.482.[22] He had a career 1.060 OPS against left-handed pitching.[39] His fielding percentage at first base was .992.[40]

Randy Smith, the Padres' vice president of player development and international scouting, said, "This is a guy who hits the ball as hard as anyone."[22] Padres' manager Bud Black had three words to describe Freiman: "Big-time power."[41] Notwithstanding all this, he was blocked from advancing to the major league Padres by their regular first baseman Yonder Alonso.[22]

Houston Astros organization (2013)

The Houston Astros picked Freiman for $50,000 with the top pick in the second round of the Rule 5 Draft in December 2012, and added him to their 40-man roster.[9][42] If they didn't keep Freiman on their 25-man roster for the entire season, they were required to offer him back to the Padres for $25,000.[37][43]

Kevin Goldstein, the Astros’ director of pro scouting, observed, "He destroys left-handed pitching."[44] Astros manager Bo Porter said:

You're sitting in the stands and you can see he's a big guy, but when I walked up to him for the first time face-to-face, I go, 'Wow, this is a big man.' He's big, but he has a really good swing. It's not like a big guy. It's short, compact. It's not just the home runs. The guy has a pretty good idea how to hit.[18]

Freiman went to spring training with the Astros in 2013.[45] As late as March 22, Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle thought there was a strong chance he would make the team's opening day roster.[46]

Although the Astros initially planned to include Freiman on their 2013 major league team, they ran into a logjam at first base. After drafting Freiman, they signed veteran slugger first baseman/designated hitter Carlos Peña to a guaranteed contract and acquired first baseman/designated hitter Chris Carter from Oakland, and incumbent Brett Wallace was expected to be their everyday first baseman for the season.[47][48] Consequently, they decided they didn't have room for Freiman and placed him on waivers.[48]

Major leagues

Oakland Athletics (2013–present)

On March 23, 2013, Freiman was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics and added to their 40-man roster.[49][50] If Freiman didn't stay on the Athletics' 25-man roster for the entire season, the A's would have to expose him to waivers and offer him back to the Padres.[32][49][51]

The A's had been looking for a right-handed-hitting first baseman to complement left-handed-hitting Brandon Moss since they traded Moss's platoon-mate, Chris Carter, to Houston in February 2013.[52] A's assistant general manager David Forst observed,
He had a great year in Double-A last year. Obviously he has a ton of power. And his splits against left-handed pitching are off the charts.[35]

On March 30, Freiman was put on the A's 25-man major league roster.[53] Manager Bob Melvin said Freiman would get starts against southpaw starters, and that Freiman had "as much power as anyone here."[2][54] On April 3, he had two hits in three at-bats in his major league debut, the first Oakland player to get two hits in his debut since Daric Barton in 2007.[55]

Freiman was voted American League Rookie of the Month for May 2013, after batting .351 (13-for-37) with 3 doubles, 1 home run, and 9 RBIs in 14 games, as among A.L. rookies he was second in RBIs, tied for fourth in doubles, tied for sixth in hits and homers.[56]

Personal life

Freiman married LPGA golfer Amanda Blumenherst in December 2012.[9][18] She was a three-time National Player of the Year at Duke University, where they met. The two were Duke's ACC Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year in 2009,[27] and Blumenherst had won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2008.[18][22]

Freiman has caddied for her seven times at LPGA tournaments,[18][57] observing, "I'm probably more nervous than she is. I don't choose the clubs, but I have to give her the yardage. I'm adding up all of the numbers, and I better be right. It's nerve-wracking but a lot of fun."[22]

In August 2013, at the age of 26 and eight months after being married, Blumenherst announced that she would take a leave from professional golf to spend more time with her husband.[58] She said: “I don’t want to say I’m retiring, because you never know what will happen. Maybe I’ll decide in a couple years to come back, and this will just be a little break, you never know.[59]

See also

  • List of select Jewish Major League Baseball players

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Nate Freiman Stats, Video Highlights, Photos, Bio". mlb.com. June 19, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tim Brown (May 30, 2012). "Curious case of Nate Freiman: Oakland's tall drink can wax history, caddie if needed". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved April 11, 2013. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dan Shaughnessy (2007). Senior Year: A Father, a Son, and High School Baseball. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 "Nate Freiman Bio". Duke University Blue Devils. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  5. ↑ Jim Sumner (May 21, 2008). "Baseball Moving Back On The Radar". Duke University Blue Devils. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ David Gordon (August 2, 2007). "The Duke of Cape Cod baseball". The Wellesley Townsman. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Bruce Bourquin (September 9, 2011). "Freiman Key In Tonight's Make-Or-Break Game". Lake Elsinore-Wildomar, CA Patch. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 Marvin Pave (January 3, 2013). "Former Wellesley High baseball star Nate Freiman moves on to Astros". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Danny Ventura (December 2012). "Former Boston Herald baseball All-Scholastics Nate Freiman and Jack McGeary tabbed in today's Rule 5 Draft". Boston Herald. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  11. ↑ Megliola, Lenny (January 3, 2013). "Wellesley native Nate Freiman experiences wild ride in pro baseball". The Wellesley Townsman. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Wellesley HS Track & Field Season Statistics and Records; 2005 Indoor". Athletic.net. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  13. ↑ James Whitters (June 26, 2005). "Season for Successes; Area Teams Go Far in Postseason". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Marvin Pave (June 21, 2009). "Wellesley's Nate Freiman joins San Diego Padres system". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  15. ↑ Craig Larson (June 11, 2009). "Padres select Freiman in 25th round of MLB Draft". Boston.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  16. ↑ James Whitters (May 8, 2005). "Phenom fever grips town; Scouts pursue fastballer as Wellesley adjusts to national attention". Boston Globe. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Boston Globe All-Scholastics in Baseball, 2004". Boston Amateur Baseball Network. February 1, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 Brian McTaggart (February 18, 2013). "Towering Freiman looks to make big impression". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  19. ↑ Avidon, Eric (April 20, 2006). "On campus: Wellesley's Freiman rebounds from injury for Duke baseball". The Milford Daily News. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  20. ↑ Gabriella Remington (September 24, 2007). "Orleans first baseman Nate Freiman Chosen as Recipient of Manny Robello 10th Player Award". capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 21.5 "Nate Freiman Profile". Padres.scout.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 22.9 Corey Brock (October 25, 2012). "Padres prospect Freiman looks to raise his game; First baseman enjoys the competition in World Classic, Arizona Fall League". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  23. ↑ "Duke Blue Devils 2009 Baseball, Offensive Records". Duke University Blue Devils. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  24. ↑ "Freiman Collects First Team Academic All-America Honors". Duke University Blue Devils. May 26, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Freiman Named MVP of Cal League Finals". Duke University Blue Devils. September 20, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 Jim Gintonio (November 5, 2012). "Padres' top prospect Rymer Liriano 'ready' for big leagues". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Michael Tomko (May 8, 2009). "Blumenherst, Freiman Are Duke's Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year". Duke University Blue Devils. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 "Nate Freiman Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. December 31, 1986. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  29. ↑ "Stats: Nate Freiman". Baseball America. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Jonathan Mayo (December 4, 2009). "Plenty of potential among Padres' Draft picks". Sandiego.padres.mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  31. ↑ "Bombing the boulevard, Freiman sends hits out of the park, takes 2nd in Home Run Derby". Fort Wayne News Sentinel. June 22, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 "A's claim first baseman off waivers from Houston". CSN Bay Area. March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 "2012 MadFriars’ TL Player of the Year". Padres.scout.com. October 9, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 "Astros select Fields, Freiman in Major League portion of Rule 5 Draft". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 John Hickey (March 23, 2013). "A's first base possibilities broaden with Nate Freiman signing". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved March 24, 2013. 
  36. ↑ "Two more WBC homers for Freiman; Padres prospect has four longballs in two international games". Milb.com. September 21, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  37. ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 Corey Brock (December 6, 2012). "Padres lose Nate Freiman, keep other assets in Rule 5". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  38. ↑ Walter Villa (September 21, 2012). "Padres Watch as Minor Leaguer Powers Israel", The New York Times, Retrieved March 12, 2013.
  39. ↑ Melissa Lockard (March 24, 2013). "Oakland A's Notes: Freiman & MiLB Releases". Athletics.scout.com. Retrieved March 24, 2013. 
  40. ↑ Yoni Pollak (February 17, 2013). "Will Houston Astros Rule 5 picks Josh Fields & Nate Freiman make team?". Climbingtalshill.com. Retrieved March 13, 2013. 
  41. ↑ Corey Brock (September 20, 2012). "Padres prospect Freiman leads Israel to victory". Sandiego.padres.mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  42. ↑ Brian McTaggart (December 6, 2012). "Astros take right-hander Josh Fields, first baseman Nate Freiman in Rule 5 Draft". Houston.astros.mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  43. ↑ Brian McTaggart (June 19, 2012). "Houston Astros' roster likely in place for Spring Training". mlb.com. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  44. ↑ B. Brown (December 6, 2012). "Rule 5 Draft gives ex-Wellesley baseball star Nate Freiman fresh shot at major leagues". The sWellesley Report. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  45. ↑ Ethan Novak (March 5, 2013). "Duke in the MLB: Nate Freiman Trying to Land Spot on Astros' Opening Day Roster". Ball Durham. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  46. ↑ Smith, Brian T. (March 22, 2013). "Freiman out to defy odds and make Astros roster". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  47. ↑ CR Perry (March 11, 2013). "Rule 5 Pick Nate Freiman Claimed by Oakland A's". The Crawfish Boxes. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Brian T. Smith (March 23, 2013). "Oakland A’s claim Astros’ slugging prospect Nate Freiman off waivers". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Wilmoth, Charlie (March 23, 2012). "Athletics Claim Nate Freiman". MLBTradeRumors.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  50. ↑ Oakland Athletics (March 23, 2013). "Twitter / Athletics: #Athletics claim 1B Nate Freiman". Twitter.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  51. ↑ Brian McTaggart (June 19, 2012). "Astros lose Freiman in waiver claim by Oakland". Brianmctaggart.mlblogs.com. Retrieved March 23, 2013. 
  52. ↑ "Oakland A's Claim 1B Nate Freiman off Waivers from Houston Astros". Bleacher Report. March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013. 
  53. ↑ Casey Pratt (March 30, 2013). "A's make final cuts, pare roster to 25". CSN Bay Area. Retrieved April 4, 2013. 
  54. ↑ Steward, Carl (March 30, 2013). "Waiver pickup Freiman gives Athletics insurance against lefties". Modbee.com. Retrieved April 4, 2013. 
  55. ↑ D.J. O'Connor (January 14, 2010). "Nate Freiman Looks MLB-Ready in Debut with Oakland Athletics". Bleacher Report. Retrieved April 4, 2013. 
  56. ↑
  57. ↑ Matt LaWell (May 1, 2012). "A Swing and a Drive". A Minor League Season. Retrieved March 12, 2013. 
  58. ↑ Mell, Randall (August 29, 2013). "Blumenherst leaving LPGA to spend more time with husband". Golf Channel. Retrieved September 28, 2013. 
  59. ↑ "Amanda Blumenherst Stepping Away to Spend More Time With Husband". Golf Channel. August 29, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2013. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Nate Freiman.
Preceded by
Justin Grimm		 AL Rookie of the Month
May 2013 		Succeeded by
incumbent
Oakland Athletics current roster
Active roster
Coaching staff
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.