Freddie Freeman told young baseball players to 'swing hard' and have fun on Saturday morning.
What happened?
Freeman appeared as a guest on “MLB Central” and shared his thoughts on what he would tell young baseball players.
He quickly answered, saying to “Swing hard,” then laughed it off and went on to say kids just need to have fun.
Why it matters for Freddie Freeman
Freeman's advice comes from his own experience growing up in Southern California, where he played flag football and other sports.
He still instills this type of parenting into his four children, telling them to skip practice and focus on being a kid when they're feeling sore or tired.
What comes next?
Freeman typically tries to avoid giving advice to kids, but when he does, he tries to wait until they are sophomores or juniors in high school.
As a father of three boys and one girl, Freeman said he tells his oldest son, Charlie, three rules when he’s playing baseball: “Be aggressive, hit line drives and cheer on your teammates.”
On June 13, Freeman shared his thoughts on the importance of having fun in baseball, saying “For me as a 9-, 10-, 11-year-old, it was have one practice, play one game on the weekend, and you’re playing Heads-Up, Seven Up all day long at the Little League field.”
Freeman's approach clearly worked out for him, as he is a three-time World Series champion, a former National League MVP, and a nine-time All-Star.
He emphasized that kids should not overthink the game, saying “I think kids need to be kids. Have fun. If you go 0-for-3, with three strikeouts in a game, go get an ice cream and not worry about it.”