Francoeur makes his strange (and hitless) return
See? Francoeur talks to Braves coaches after all. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
Two weeks after he left Turner Field, not realizing he wouldn’t be back for a while, Jeff Francoeur was relieved Thursday when a friend dropped him off at the stadium and his car was still there in the players’ parking lot.
“I was hoping when I got here that it hadn’t been towed,” he said.
Yes, of all the underhanded things Braves general manager Frank Wren has been accused of doing this season, it’s safe to assume that having Francoeur’s car towed following a trade during a road trip would have established a new low. Fortunately, having the bottom fall out of his career didn’t strain relations. Francoeur didn’t anger the Braves, he merely frustrated them.
“It’s hard,” Bobby Cox said, as he looked into the opposing dugout, “because he’s over there and you’re pulling for him.”
After a meteoric rise and a spectacular crash, Francoeur returned home Thursday. He wore a New York Mets uniform. He was mostly cheered, which seemed odd because when he was in a Braves’ uniform he was mostly booed. But this was no grand return: The Braves won and Francoeur 0-for-4 (lineout, groundout, strikeout, groundout).
“I had a good first at-bat,” he said, referencing his first-pitch line shot to Martin Prado, which led to a double play, “but after that I think I was just trying too hard. I’m glad to have this over with. Tomorrow it’ll be just about baseball.”
I'm assuming the media crowd around Francoeur won't be as big for game two on Friday. (Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com)
Francoeur spent a few days in Seaside, Fla., with his wife during the All-Star break, trying to clear his head. The Braves had been trying to get him to do that for two years. He arrived at the stadium at 12:30 for a 2 p.m. workout, packed his gear, and planned to drive his own car back to his own house in Duluth after the game.
Last week in his first few days as a New York Met, he slept in a hotel. So excuse him if this all still seems a little “surreal.”
If he’s bitter, he won’t say it. If he felt pressure in his return, he wouldn’t admit it before the game. But afterward, he acknowledged a somewhat circus atmosphere. This is when an athlete tries to just look forward and play. Forget the friends and family in the crowd. Forget that whole hero-to-zero thing. Forget that your best friend will be behind home plate for the other team, which only six days earlier was your team, and almost certainly will give you a hard time when you step to the plate.
Catcher Brian McCann made Francoeur laugh with a few unprintable remarks before his first at-bat. Francoeur made good on his pre-game promise, kicking up a little dirt in a mock attempt to dirty his buddy’s goggles. Then he “accidentally” whacked McCann’s shin guard with his bat.
But overall, it was too much. He pressed. Again. Derek Lowe delivered a low 2-0 pitch and Francoeur admitted, “I tried to hit it a country mile.”
He was traded to New York last Friday for Ryan Church: a former centerpiece dealt for a platoon outfielder. That’s how far he had fallen. But his first two games with the Mets went well (4-for-9). Then came the All-Star break, giving him some time to let this whole devolution settle in.
“The last year and a half’s been tough,” he admitted. “I’ve had a lot of ups and a lot of downs. Up there, those two games, it felt really comfortable playing, just enjoying myself. Sometimes you need a change.”
When the Mets emerged from the dugout for their pregame stretch, Francoeur was greeted by former teammates, then headed to behind the batting cage, where he hugged bullpen coach Eddie Perez and hitting coach Terry Pendleton, after which the two spoke privately for a minute. And you thought Francoeur spoke only to Rudy Jaramillo.
“This isn’t about me trying to prove anything to them,” Francoeur said. “‘I’m not coming back to show anybody in these four games that they made a mistake.”
He laughed, saying that he “probably had my best game of year in my last game as a Brave.” That was a three-double, two-RBI night in Colorado. The next day, he was gone.
“It’s weird coming back in a different uniform,” he said.
And outside, his car was in the Braves’ parking lot.
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73 comments Add your comment
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
7:53 pm
BREAKING NEWS! We was getting ready to watch the game and I looked down there and there was Jeff wearing his old number when we was playing ball together back in school. That number was good to Jeff and he wanted it when he got to Atlanta but they thought it would be easier for him to keep up with a single digit and not get confused putting two numbers together like that. They didnt know Coach let Jeff have 12 when we was starting out before we was state champion. We was always doing things with that number 12 all over the county and sometimes we’d spray paint it and draw some little panther toes and people would know it was us but they couldnt catch us because we’d always do it when they was thinking we was in class.
Sent from my Blackberry.
Reid Adair
July 16th, 2009
8:02 pm
How nice of the fans in attendance tonight to cheer so much for a man so many of them booed, cursed and just outright hated.
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
8:03 pm
I ain’t saying for sure but if Jeff sees me tonight me and him may go out after the game. We was always doing that in high school back when we was playing ball together. I was thinking we might go to Dairy Queen and see if old Mr Taber is there and remembers me and Jeff. I know Jeff is married and all and may have to go home but I think he may want to go out to Parkview and reminisce a little about when we was playing ball together and we was state champion. They was the days when we was happiest and was hitting the ball best.
SoWeGa Fanatic
July 16th, 2009
8:07 pm
U didn’t take English, did you?
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
8:26 pm
We was always taking English. Took some Spanish too. Jeff was probably smartest at Spanish because he never would order a combo plate by the numbers he always told the waiter what he wanted in Spanish. He ordered the Pavarotti Peppers mostly. We was always going out to eat when we was playing ball together.
I dont know if it is true or not but Coach says that lucky underwear Jeff was talking about was covering up some panty hose. Now that hes a Mets player I dont care if you know that.
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 16th, 2009
8:27 pm
Sonny Clusters! I’m so glad you’re here! Never fail to make me laugh.
Lamar
July 16th, 2009
8:38 pm
With all the coverage you would think that Franceour was a returning hero from the war! He fizzled here, was dumped with the Mets. Obviously the Braves weren’t too concerned about him hurting them. AJC has always had a love affair w/ JF. Every week it was “what did Jeff do on his vac?” or “What movies is JF watching?” etc.
NCBravesFan
July 16th, 2009
9:00 pm
“If he’s bitter, he won’t say it. If he’s pressing, he won’t admit it. These are the times as an athlete when you just try to look forward and play. Forget that you’re back in your hometown. Forget that a couple of hundred family members and friends – half now wearing Met gear – are watching. Forget that whole hero-to-zero thing.”
Nicely said, Jeff. Maybe not as good as the whole bowling ball & worn out shoes analogy on the Jamal Crawford trade a few weeks back. But strong, real strong.
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
9:07 pm
“Then came the All-Star break, giving him time for this whole bizarre devolution to settle in.” Schultz
Jeff aint no devil. He may handle some snakes but he aint no devil. I think he’ll fit in pretty good with the Mets because they want him and nobody else in baseball seems to want him even a little bit. It could be because he wont take a pitch and wont take coaching but I know it aint because hes a devil. No way. When we was playing ball together we was always very happy when we was reading books. Sometines I’d get the book and read it to Jeff because he didnt like having to turn all the pages without at least seeing some pictures.
taxman kenneth
July 16th, 2009
9:11 pm
I wish Jeff only the best even with the Mets. I still feel if the braves didn’t want him they could have got more than they did for him but then they don’t know how to make anything but “STUPID” ONE SIDED TRADES!
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
9:15 pm
Jeff, we wasnt sure but we think we noticed something wrong with youre writing. Is it a “couple of hundred” or a couple hundred? Can you get somebody to check on it for us when somebody comes back to work tomorrow? When we was playing ball together we used to say take a couple hundred ground balls and never said take a couple of hundred ground balls. We was in school back then and couldnt talk wrong or wed have to take study hall.
Tobey
July 16th, 2009
9:45 pm
I heard Peter Gammons on NY radio personality ? Kay Show on XM. He called the Braves a pulseless team and the fans pulseless. He reasoned that Franceour would do well in NY because he’s an Easterner (his family moved from Mass or somewhere up there) when he was a baby. So he’s an easterner, even though he’s lived most of his life here. Plus he thinks JF will do well because he’ll listen to David Wright and the Mets hitting coach. Ok so JF won’t listen to the reigning batting champ but he’ll listen to Wright? Come on. I don’t think Gammons has recovered from his illness of last year. He thinks the Braves brought JF up too early so he never learned plate discipline in the minors. I guess that’s McCann’s problem too.
crabapplejoe
July 16th, 2009
10:00 pm
@Sonny Clusters: Jeff Francoeur has a whole lot more IQ, money, dignity and relevance than you will ever have….so knock off the Southern, white, male bashing….it’s boring…maybe you just need to find yourself a “wish latina woman with the richness of her experiences” to make you better.
crabapplejoe
July 16th, 2009
10:02 pm
“wish” = “wise” with all due apologies to Sotomayor…our next Supreme Court Justice….God help us.
Sonny Clusters
July 16th, 2009
10:18 pm
crabapplejoe, we was thinking about an a@@ like you we went to school with back when we was playing ball together. Got his a@@ kicked most everyday. Latina girl beat him up.
Well, Jeff just walked right past me after the game. Like he didnt even know me. I was wearing the champion tee shirt and he just walked right on past me.
Jeff F
July 16th, 2009
10:23 pm
Sonny C.: Thanks for watching my car in the Braves parking lot while I was in New York and Florida. I hope by cracking the windows it didn’t get too hot for you. Now that I got the car you can come by the dug out and get that $5 I promised you for car sitting. Your friend, Jeff.
paul
July 16th, 2009
10:23 pm
Sonny, you’ll need a yankee accent now that Jeff in in NY…
Frenchy has always been a class act. You hate to see a good guy struggle and I must agree with Mark Bradley when he says that he hopes Frenchy bats 1.000. It was bittersweet to see his 4-9 stretch in the first two games w/ the Mets. Good Luck Franceour, hit it a ton.
BOO Francouer
July 16th, 2009
10:28 pm
Thank GOD now Jeff ” THE RALLY KILLER” is GONE! Just tonight alone if he had been batting he would have killed 2 rallies but we ended up scoring !
Adios down and away strikeout king!
Maybe he caught something from Andrew Jones in the outfield grass,
Zell Miller
July 16th, 2009
10:35 pm
a Duel !!!!!!!!!!!!
Poorbrave
July 16th, 2009
10:44 pm
Finally tonight Jeff helped us win a game instead of losing with his 0 for 4. Thanks Frenchy.
Ken Stallings
July 16th, 2009
10:44 pm
Sometimes a new climate can give a player a better chance to get back what he lost. I don’t have any animosity against Jeff. I’m glad he has kept his cool better this time than last year when he was sent down to the minors for a week.
I liked the quote by Bobby Cox. It was genuine too!
Mitch C
July 16th, 2009
10:55 pm
Jeff, while I understand what you said about Francoeur’s return to the Braves seeming “weird, and surreal”, I have been a Braves fan for twenty six years, and have been through the depatures of Niekro, Glavine, and Murphy, not to mention Smoltz. Nothing was more weird in 2003 than to see Tom Glavine return to Turner Field in the hated Mets uni, or to see Niekro, a 318 game winner and Hall of Famer, unceremoniously dumped by Ted Turner, or to see John Smoltz leave the Braves after twenty one years.
Maybe I’m one of the few who isnt that upset by Frenchy’s depature. When you’ve had to see Hall of Famers, and guys who were here for fiften and twenty years leave, a guy who was here four and a half years, and had gone downhill in his performance as a player, really doesnt seem that big of a deal. Sorry.
Mitch
crabapplejoe
July 16th, 2009
11:01 pm
Sonny Clusters wrote: “Well, Jeff just walked right past me after the game. Like he didnt even know me.”
I doubt that JF is the only person that has walked right past you and ignored you….you are a boring piece of dung who hates folks that have accomplished more in life than you can even fathom.
brad
July 16th, 2009
11:15 pm
It was good to see a former Braves outfielder that I wish had never left Atlanta—-Gary Sheffield!!
the real OLD GOLD
July 16th, 2009
11:41 pm
Frenchy is a great guy and a great ballplayer. Ryan Church isn’t a great player, and he never will be.
Mitchell
July 16th, 2009
11:41 pm
Mrs. Chanandler Bong…
Hell yeah! A “Friends” fan on the blog.
I’ll say it, I love Friends. No shame.
Chipper likes it too. He said so on the Braves Straight Up show last year. Am I the only one who either saw that or remembers it?
Probably.
chilidog75
July 17th, 2009
12:34 am
Frenchy might be a great guy, but he’s not even an average ball player. He’s below average in every way imaginable – except arm stregnth. He’s a one-tool player.
The Church/Diaz platoon will put up TWICE the numbers Francoeur does over the next two months.
Mitchell
July 17th, 2009
12:42 am
Tobey, I’m hoping your reportage of Peter Gammons’ comments on XM radio are inaccurate and untrue.
That’s pretty disappointing. You would think somebody like Peter Gammons would be a little more respectful. I mean, if that hack Steve Phillips can’t be professional, you would hope Gammons could.
Plus, he’s wrong. Anybody trying to get hitting advice from David Wright is only going to get worse than they already are. Is there really a more overrated player in all of baseball than David Wright? And if we’re so “pulseless” wouldn’t we be the team that got shut-out three times in one week.
I don’t get why teams like the Cubs and Mets have so many people who think they’re worth a damn.
Pardon the language. Sorry about that.
DHD
July 17th, 2009
12:49 am
Stop it with Francoeur on EVERY headline. One is plenty.
Antonio Gramsci
July 17th, 2009
12:54 am
I remember watching Sonny “Goo Goo” Clusters when he was playing for Parkview. Could anybody forget his 4 homer, 5 error classic against Duluth? I can’t. I’ve tried, and I can’t. And I was drunk that day, so there’s a good chance it didn’t even happen. That day was also the day that Jeff threw himself out at home plate. No really.
YoungerThan ThatNow
July 17th, 2009
1:13 am
Mitchell… I got the Chanandler Bong bit right off the bat. (From the episode with the girls vs. guys contest and the question about the name on the TV Guide… yeah, “Friends” fan too.) Pretty cool though.
I’m glad that Jeff approached all of this the right way… at least he said the right things. Last year, his demotion to AA was a disaster from “git” and he didn’t respond as he should have. But you have to think about the fact that he’s at the age when you start to really “get it” and you learn a lot from your past mistakes… I know that I did. I think Jeff learned a lot from that episode last year and I think that he’s a better man for it.
I wish you well Jeff Francoeur, and I can firmly promise you that you’re the only player that I’ve ever pulled for that was wearing the blue and orange of the NY Mutz!!
For Francoeur, it all still seems a little strange | Jeff Schultz
July 17th, 2009
1:18 am
[...] Kaynak: For Francoeur, it all still seems a little strange | Jeff Schultz [...]
mike
July 17th, 2009
1:24 am
i’m just glad he’s gone…no sentimentality here….me and him never did play on no team together….he was a little funny at first, but Sonny’s gettin a little old…
mike
July 17th, 2009
1:25 am
go away sonny….not funny anymore
Skip & Pete Fan
July 17th, 2009
1:45 am
I cannot believe that I have logged onto the blog to find that someone has posted that Francouer has “always been a class act”. Is it possible to have forgotten that he threw the entire organization under the bus last season when he was in a slump? I wish him well, but my hope for his success has nothing to do with the fact that he is spoiled and has a great deal to learn about what it means to be an Atlanta Brave. John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones have never acted as unprofessional and inappropriate over something as simple as a trip to the minors.
Skips #1 Fan
July 17th, 2009
4:28 am
It was very nice to see the warm reception Jeff got during his first at-bat. But come on, how many people REALLY wanted to cheer him. I saw so many this season boo your asses off when he came to the plate as a Brave! Some of you people are so damn fair-weather it drives me nuts! If you are only going to support a player when he is doing well, then what is the point? If we did that with every player, every time someone came up to the plate all they would hear is boos. If you are going to boo a player, boo him every time, not just when he is in a slump.
*Skip & Pete Fan: You are showing your ignorance… If you are going to say something so strong, know your facts. You said, “John Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Chipper Jones have never acted as unprofessional and inappropriate over something as simple as a trip to the minors.”
None of the above players were ever sent to the minors for the reason Francoeur was sent down, which was to try and snap a slump he was in. None of the players you listed were sent down to the minor leagues for that reason. And now you are probably going to snap back and say “They have too been in the minors!!” and the answer to that is yes, they have, but that was either before they were ever called up to the Majors, or to rehab an injury. So next time, get it right if you are going to throw out strong comments such as those. I appreciate it and I know that all Brave’s Fans will appreciate it.
HOWARD
July 17th, 2009
5:13 am
SKIP & PETE FAN: YOU MUST BE A BROOKWOOD BITTER FAN. JEALOUS ABOUT A PARKVIEW PANTHER IN A BRAVES UNIFORM AND BEING A LOCAL PLAYER AND YES I DID NOT GO TO PARKVIEW. JUST KNOW HOW YOU BRONCOS ACT.
sad brotha
July 17th, 2009
6:33 am
He is a terrible player (numbers don’t lie!) who was given a “pass” by the hometown fans too long. And the “Fans” still cheer him while he is wearing another uniform (the enemy?). Homeboy proved his worth by hitting into a double play at his first at bat. The “Braves Fans” are disgusting. Homeboy Francant would have been booed out of this planet if he played anywhere but in the ATL. Good riddance. He needed to “clear his head”… how about clear his locker and move to Seaside full-time. This guy doesn’t have it. The joke is on the Mets now! His numbers don’t lie and bottom line… that is what it’s about… it’s a business and he’s bad for business because he cannot produce. MLB pitchers have figured homeboy out! Too bad the ATL “fans” haven’t!
Dave
July 17th, 2009
7:07 am
Went to the game last night just to welcome Jeff back to Atlanta. Counldn’t believe the number of boos, what a bunch of classless fans. He didn’t ask to be traded, he didn’t go somewhere for more money, he just needed a change. So when you complain about the lack of loyalty of ball players (i.e. Glavin,Smoltz), don’t forget it cuts both ways.
bravesfanforever
July 17th, 2009
7:47 am
I think it is sickening. How is it strange to see him in another uniform just by default because he showed up at the ballpark in Atlanta for so long? Man, let it go! I don’t think it is strange at all because he didn’t perform. Maybe he was a nice guy, but now he is gone so deal with it. When you aren’t any good then expect to get traded or released.
As others have said, the laugh is on the Mets.
Odd how a nice smile will win a lot of fans even when you suck. Good luck!
A. Thomas
July 17th, 2009
7:56 am
Not another Jeff Franceour article! There appears to be a massive man-crush on this guy. He’s gone. Sorry Jeff S., I know you have a job to do. I guess I cannot get enough football talk before the season starts.
Fischerking04
July 17th, 2009
8:20 am
A. Thomas- get over yourself. He was thought to be the new face of our franchise and it had a soap opera-esque ending with him playing for a rival team. People are interested. It was his FIRST GAME BACK to the Ted since the trade. It’s a big deal to some. If you don’t want to read it then read something else.
Herschworld
July 17th, 2009
8:28 am
Hey sonny can you tell us about the time you Jeff use to hang out together after games
mitch
July 17th, 2009
8:54 am
Sonny Clusters–couple hundred or couple of hundred will work. Either way, I know what you mean. You could use two hundred, also. There’s more than one way to skin a cat in English, as the imaginative Schultz might say. Your pal, mitch
telli
July 17th, 2009
8:59 am
HEY EDDIE PEREZ, IF YOU HATE THE FANS SO MUCH, LEAVE. QUIT. GO HOME.
RUDE AHOLE.
j-townbravesfan
July 17th, 2009
9:15 am
Eddie Perez is not a a-hole. He’s trying to do his job, and all you people are screaming for a damn autograph. Leave the man alone. Besides, he threw me a ball at the game.
Poorbrave
July 17th, 2009
9:16 am
telli, did I miss something…what did Perez say or do?
Bravo
July 17th, 2009
9:26 am
hope Jeff turns things around, which I believe he will.
slow roller
July 17th, 2009
9:28 am
Bunting? Bunting! Bunting$ Bunting@ Bunting* Can we get someone from AJC to find out what the Braves coaches are doing to improve the erratic bunting techniques of our team. Nate McLouth looked like a deer in the headlights last night. And yes, Diaz had a good one, but his previous bunt was a failure in Colorado.
Bravo
July 17th, 2009
9:36 am
Hey Sonny, How did the night out with Jeff go? I saw you two drive past me. I tried to wave you guys down but it just a little to crazy in the parking lot. Are you two going to hang out tonight? I should be available, don’t think I have anything pressing going on.