Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel: The MLB Fan Cave Interview

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Atlanta Braves star rookies Freddie Freeman and Craig Kimbrel, each in the running for NL Rookie of the Year, recently stopped by the MLB Fan Cave and answered some questions for us. In the interview below, Freeman and Kimbrel touch on what it is like to be competing with the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, the upcoming #BravesBash event, and the funniest players on the Braves' roster.

MLB Fan Cave: Welcome to the MLB Fan Cave, guys. Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us.

MLB Fan Cave: Craig, we understand that during college you were able to throw a baseball the length of a football field from your knees. Is this true?

Craig: Yeah, it was after my senior year, between senior year in high school and college. My dad’s an electrician. We were working in a house that had sheet rock. And I leaned against the wall and it fell over on me, breaking my foot. During practices that fall, I was the only person not doing anything. I had to sitthere and watch everybody throw and hit, so I just picked up a ball and started throwing off my knees to get my work in. I got to where I could throw it really far.

MLB Fan Cave: And you can throw an entire football field from your knees?

Craig: I can’t do that anymore, but I could do it then.

MLB Fan Cave: Do you still throw from your knees to build up arm strength?

Craig: No, not at all.

MLB Fan Cave: Freddie, you’re a big Twitter guy . What's it been like to interact with fans on there?

Freddie: It's really fun. It’s a good experience to fill them in; they ask questions and it's personal. They don’t go through anybody else. It's just me.

MLB Fan Cave: You’re big into Words with Friends , huh?

Freddie: I am. It got out there with my name one time, and then everybody started playing so I just left it alone. I really don't play it much anymore, but I still have it on my phone. It was fun for a while.MLB Fan Cave: Craig, what was your favorite team when you were growing up?

Craig: The Atlanta Braves. They were three hours away, the team of the south. If you’re from Alabama, Georgia, or Tennessee, you’re a Braves fan. Who else would you root for?

MLB Fan Cave: Is it quite a thrill getting to play for the team you watched growing up?

Craig: Of course it is. Everybody wanted to be a Brave when they were little where I'm from.

MLB Fan Cave: As rookies, how is it playing with guys that are 10-15 years older than you?

Craig: Yeah, they make you feel welcome. Our team is great with that, and we do have alot of young guys on our team. We mesh real well with the veterans, as theydon’t try to make us feel 21; well, at least not all the time. It’s a lot of fun.

MLB Fan Cave: Is there a fun way for you guys to duke out NL Rookie of the Year?

Freddie: Have him pitch to me (laughs). I don’t know; it's all in fun.

MLB Fan Cave: In all seriousness, is the ROY race something you guys are focused on? Is that a goal or a friendly competition?

Freddie: We haven’t talked about it one time, as you all are the first people to bring it up. We don’t think about that. We're thinking about playoffs and winning baseball games, not individual awards.

MLB Fan Cave: Freddie, the Braves have this big social media event coming up this month. Can you give us the details on that?

Freddie: Yeah, we’re all going to be involved. There's a Skype booth where we can talk directly with fans. And there will be conference calls. Then there’s a live studio audience, for a player-player interview. Peter Moylan is going be running that. I think I’m doing the player-player interviews, and I think I’m doing the Skype calls. It’s going to be a lot of fun.