Freeman fondly recalls how Cox 'relentlessly had our backs'

LOS ANGELES -- The "Braves Way" was never just a set of rules written in a manual. It was a lifestyle defined by a man who was always the first to the ballpark, stirrups pulled tight and metal spikes clicking against the clubhouse floor by noon.

On Saturday, the baseball community mourned the loss of that man. Bobby Cox, the Hall of Fame manager who led Atlanta to 14 consecutive division titles and a 1995 World Series championship, passed away at 84.

The news reverberated through both clubhouses ahead of the middle game of the Braves-Dodgers weekend series. For Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who debuted under Cox in 2010, the loss felt deeply personal.

“I woke up to it this morning,” Freeman said. “Sad day for Braves Country, all of baseball. Just a good man. I've been thinking all morning about memories and interactions with him.”

While Cox’s legacy is tied to 2,504 career wins, Freeman’s favorite memory took place years later during 2017 Spring Training. Freeman and his wife, Chelsea, were eating dinner in Orlando when they ran into Bobby and his wife Pam.

“To see Hall of Famer Bobby Cox – the joy on his face when he saw my 6-month-old son Charlie – that stuff, I will never forget,” Freeman said. “He and Pam, just loving on Charlie. Not many people get to be managed at all by a Hall of Fame manager. I got to have my first in the big leagues be a Hall of Famer who relentlessly had our backs.”

That unwavering loyalty became the hallmark of Cox’s tenure. He famously holds the MLB record for the most ejections by a manager (162), a statistic that current Braves manager Walt Weiss says was less about temper and more about protection.

“He was the best I’d ever been around at creating loyalty amongst the group,” Weiss said. “It was the way he treated people. Bobby always made you feel like you were playing better than you actually were. So you always felt like he was in your corner.”

Weiss, who played for Cox from 1998 to 2000, noted that Cox is the primary reason he is back in an Atlanta uniform today. Cox recommended Weiss to Brian Snitker for the bench coach role. Weiss recalled Cox’s humanity, specifically when Weiss’s son fell critically ill in 1998.

“Bobby told me to go be with my family and come back whenever I wanted. There was never any pressure. I remember in ’99 we lost the World Series, and to a man, everybody in the room felt like we let Bobby down. That’s how we felt.”

Freeman’s Sept. 1, 2010, debut served as another testament to that leadership. A 20-year-old prospect hitting sixth, Freeman recalled being so overwhelmed by nerves that he almost threw up. It was Cox who settled him with a characteristic mix of bluntness and support.

“Bobby comes walking by and he goes, 'Gosh dangit, Free, what took you so long to get here to the big leagues?'” Freeman said. “All the nerves immediately went away. I bet you if I wanted to get tossed out that first game, he would’ve gotten tossed out with me. That’s just who he was.”

For Freeman, Cox’s greatness was his ability to bridge the gap between legends and rookies.

“It's the managers that can connect with you as a person, and that's what makes a great manager. He cared about a 19-year-old and a 40-year-old the exact same way. And that's what's special.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts echoed the sentiment, placing Cox in the same realm as other legendary leaders like Tommy Lasorda, who defined the modern game.

"We lost a legend," Roberts said. "He did it the right way. He loved his players, loved the game. Guys like Tommy and Bobby, I looked to."

As the series continues, Cox’s influence remains visible in the smallest details of the game. For Freeman, those lessons became permanent habits.

“Braves Way is you’re wearing your uniform to batting practice, buttoned down, hat’s always forward,” Freeman said. “I still can’t wear a hat backwards. I still wear my sunglasses on the back of my hat because that’s how I was brought up. You’re proud of this jersey you wear every single day. It’s an honor to wear this jersey. If a cloud comes over, you won’t see [my sunglasses] go over across my LA, it’ll be on the back of my hat. That’s Bobby. Bobby’s still in me.”

For Cox, the Braves Way wasn't about a dress code; it was about stripping away the individual ego to ensure every player – whether you were a superstar veteran or a rookie on his first day – was part of a single, unbreakable unit.

“He obviously meant a lot to so many people,” Freeman said. “He was a wonderful man that teaches you lessons, teaches you camaraderie, unity, doing things as a unit, no one’s different. That’s how I came up, and that’s what Bobby taught. I appreciate it still to this day.”