Freddie Bynum
A versatile utility player whose speed and defensive flexibility carved out a six-year MLB career across three American teams and a stint in Japan.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 15·Generation X
Biography
Freddie Bynum's path in professional baseball was that of a valuable chess piece, a player whose greatest asset was his adaptability. Drafted by the Oakland Athletics, he broke into the majors as a speedy shortstop and outfielder, a role he would reprise with the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles. While never an everyday starter, Bynum's legs and glove made him a reliable option off the bench, capable of pinch-running, providing late-inning defense, and filling gaps across the diamond. His career highlight came with the 2006 Cubs, where he saw his most extensive playing time. After his MLB journey, Bynum took his talents to Japan, playing for the Orix Buffaloes in Nippon Professional Baseball, an experience that underscored his professional dedication and willingness to compete at the highest levels anywhere in the world. His story is a classic baseball narrative of maximizing specific tools to build a sustained big-league presence.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Freddie was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Freddie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Freddie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played in Major League Baseball for six seasons across three teams: the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Baltimore Orioles.
- Extended his professional career by playing for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
- Recorded a career-high 62 games played and 15 stolen bases for the Chicago Cubs during the 2006 season.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2nd round of the 2000 MLB draft.
In his final MLB season with Baltimore in 2008, he played every outfield position (left, center, and right) in addition to shortstop.
His nickname is 'Flee', a play on his first name.
“My job was to be ready to play anywhere they needed me, at a moment's notice.”
