Freddie Freeman Knocks Out a Pair as Atlanta Downs Mets; Brent Morel Leads White Sox Past Indians

Players of the Day for Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Grapefruit League

The Atlanta Braves haven't had the best of springs, going 8-14 in the Grapefruit League before winning a 7-5 game over the Mets, a squad that has had an even worse exhibition season, at 6-15, after the loss.

Freddie Freeman

Atlanta's pitching staff is young, and should make strides as the regular season progresses, but their lineup has some significant bats sprinkled about it, including rising star Freddie Freeman, who poked a pair of long balls in the win over the Mets - a two-run job and a solo shot - in two at-bats. Freeman was issued free passes in his other two plate appearances, and he scored three runs and drove in three for the game.

Showing signs of future stardom in his first full season, Freeman batted .282 with 22 home runs and 76 RBI and is expected to be the Braves' middle-of-the-lineup power hitter for years to come, a quality find for Atlanta, especially since Chipper Jones has announced that 2012 will be his final season.

Cactus League

Brent Morel

White Sox third baseman Brent Morel socked a two-run, sixth-inning home run and singled and scored in three at-bats as the Sox topped the Cleveland Indians, 7-1, at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.

The homer was Morel's first of the exhibition season, an encouraging sign for the second-year pro who figures to be Chicago's regular at the hot corner. In 2011, Morel cracked 10 homers and drove in 41 runs. His .245 batting average was a bit of a disappointment, but Morel is likely to become more of a contact hitter than a power specialist, so the upcoming regular season should be a proving ground as the White Sox intend to contend in the AL Central.

Batting .326 this spring, Morel is showing signs of becoming a fixture at third base for the White Sox for years to come.