By John A. Tures, Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College

There are two ways to react to Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried signing with the New York Yankees for a record deal: A = Approval. B = Betrayal. There are those who see Fried as spurning the confines of Cobb County’s Truist Park, and will see this as a betrayal. But most Braves fans should react with approval, congratulate the young man, and then continue to see the organization try to develop the next Max Fried.

Mitchell Barbee with “The House That Hank Built” penned the article “Where Max Fried’s departure ranks among the biggest betrayals in Braves history.” He begins with Rafael Furcal who split five years after becoming the 2000 Rookie of the Year. A few years later, while on the free agent cycle, a “handshake agreement” fell through and Furcal remained with the L.A. Dodgers, a likely negotiating ploy. Now that sounds more betrayal-y.

Barbee puts Fried bolting at #2 on his list. “Max Fried not staying loyal to the Braves wasn’t shocking. After all, it was always assumed the lefty was looking for a big contract on the free agent market, one Atlanta wouldn’t be willing to match. Still, it hurts to watch the former anchor of the rotation leave in general, let alone for the Evil Empire. At eight years, it will hurt to watch the lefty saw off hitters for almost another decade in pinstripes.”

Barbee adds Tom Glavine, Dansby Swanson, and Freddie Freeman. The latter two got major contracts from other programs, like Freeman. Atlanta simply couldn’t match the mega deals three big market teams could offer for key pieces of the 2021 World Series Team.

But I can’t agree with Barbee. Here’s why.

Fried, like Swanson and Freeman, won that 2021 World Series, not just a title, but a classic moment where Major League Baseball needed a bounce-back after a dreadful 2020 COVID-19 Season where we watched postseasons on the TV or in stadiums on the jumbotron. They beat a good Astros team too, helping bring the sport back. And those three players delivered. It’s a similar story with Glavine, a linchpin for a great 1995 World Series after the awful 1994 lockout/strike.

Both Braves postseason wins helped save America’s pastime.

Like those other players, Fried was offered a mega deal. It’s the fifth-richest contract for a pitcher, and the highest in history for a lefty. The Yankees can afford to gamble and blow bucks. The Braves can’t. One couldn’t reasonably expect him to stay for a massive discount. Would all of the complainers do as much if given the same situation? I bet not, if it’s not for Monopoly Money, but for real hard cash.

Fried didn’t flip to a bitter rival like the New York Mets or Philadelphia Phillies, where we’d have to face him all the time. He didn’t go to a team that stands in the way of our perennial postseason hopes, like the Los Angeles Dodgers. He went to a team we won’t have to face much.

Years ago, I got to watch Max Fried’s first win, which was at Wrigley Field. A few months later, at the Braves Open House, my son and I got to meet him when he was a little-known rookie. He was great on the mound and good for the fans. We can cheer him when he battles the Red Sox and Astros and hope one day to deal with him on the mound in the World Series.

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His “X” account is JohnTures2.