Atlanta Braves

As the Braves rebuilt their team over the last couple of years, first baseman Freddie Freeman was the one veteran they didn’t trade. The Braves said they wanted to build around Freeman as they moved into SunTrust Park, so it seemed appropriate that Freeman was the first Brave to hit a home run in the team’s new home.

Freeman’s homer in the Braves’ March 31 exhibition game against the New York Yankees didn’t count, but he’ll have a chance to repeat it for real when the Braves host the San Diego Padres in the park’s official opener April 14.

It’s far too early to tell whether SunTrust Park will favor hitters or pitchers, but Freeman quickly discovered one thing he likes.

“Three-seventy-five,” he told reporters, contrasting the closer power alleys at the new park to the 390 feet he was faced with for seven seasons at Turner Field.

Freeman still managed to rank fifth all time on the Braves with 64 home runs at Turner Field compared with 74 on the road.

“I think (SunTrust Park) is more on the hitters’ side,” Freeman said. “When the sun goes down early in the season and it’s not as hot as it usually is, I think it’s going to play somewhat fair. But I think it’s going to lean toward hitters this year.”

One other takeaway from the exhibition game was that the SunTrust Park infield plays fast. “It is bumpy. But it’s nice,” second baseman Brandon Phillips said. “It’s a nice park, period. The infield is just really fast.”