The Francoeur trade: A sad but necessary ending
This is how much the Braves wanted rid of Jeff Francoeur: They traded him to a team they’ll play 19 times a year, which means they’d rather put themselves in the repeated position of losing to him than have kept him around here. That’s how far the Golden Child had fallen, and how fast.
If you’d hung around the team this summer, you could tell the Braves’ patience had reached its end. Even after his Texas tutorial with Rudy Jaramillio, Francoeur was the same as he’d been last season, give or take. Even after vowing many times to be a new Frenchy, he was the familiar flailing Frenchy. And the Braves had seen enough.
He’s not a bad guy — on the contrary, he’s a fine fellow — but neither is he easy to coach. He’d been a success in every sport at every level but couldn’t master the adjustments every successful big-league hitter must make. It’s not that he didn’t try to change. He changed his swing several times. Trouble was, he couldn’t change himself.
Francoeur is a baseball player with a football mentality, and that doesn’t cut it over the long haul. A baseball player must be measured in his approach. The same aggressiveness that made Francoeur one of the greatest high school football players this blessed state has ever seen — as a Parkview junior, he averaged a touchdown catch as a wide receiver and an interception as a defensive back per game — ultimately rendered him a substandard big-league hitter.
Terry Pendleton and Bobby Cox get hammered for not imparting plate discipline on their prized pupil, but Francoeur was swinging at everything before he became a Brave. He batted eight times in a playoff doubleheader his senior season at Parkview; seven times he swung at the first pitch. He could get away with it then because he was just so gifted, but gifts alone don’t cut it in the major leagues. Not for long.
Loading ...Francoeur arrived in 2005 and rose to the moment, and we really expected no less. After all, he was a big-time athlete who’d spent his young life rising to such moments. But the Francoeur of 2008 and 2009 was a shadow of the rookie Frenchy. That one was dauntless. This one was aimless. For that first giddy season we were shocked if he made an out; for the past two summers we’ve been surprised if he gets a hit.
I can’t say this trade pleases me — I’ve known Francoeur since he was 17 and like him very much — but I have to say I saw it coming. By going to Jaramillo, he’d damaged his standing with Pendleton and Cox, and the only way you mend a damaged baseball relationship is by producing. And Francoeur had stopped producing at an acceptable rate. He’d become a liability. He needed something he could never get as a Brave. He needed a new start.
And now he has one. I hope he makes it work. I hope he hits .300 and drives in 100 runs next season and every season thereafter, and I don’t care if he inflicts major damage on his former employer. For the good of both parties, this was a trade the Braves had to make. Even if the only team willing to take Francoeur was the hated Mets, the Braves still had to make it.
On July 7, 2005, Jeff Francoeur hit a home run in his first big-league game. Four years and three days later, he was traded for Ryan Church, a right fielder having an even worse year. Four years and three days later, the Golden Child was given the golden boot.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
531 comments Add your comment
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 10th, 2009
10:49 pm
MB, do you get the feeling Mets fans are upset about losing Church?
Kyle
July 10th, 2009
10:49 pm
Mark- In NY were they like “Why do we want this guy?”
Vincent
July 10th, 2009
10:52 pm
To add to my previous post, Franceour is definitely not blameless here…but the Braves organization failed him. And you Braves fan that loved this trade, if you think this is going to fix the team, you’re sadly mistaken.
Mark Bradley
July 10th, 2009
10:52 pm
Not one bit. What surprised them is that, at least on paper, two sub-.500 teams in the same division just swapped two substandard right fielders.
Supes
July 10th, 2009
10:52 pm
Mark,
A few weeks ago it was 75% said “trade him”, right now if you look at the poll and cobine both answers with the “trade option”, it’s 85%.
Which proves one thing, there are a lot of “vocal” mintoriy JEFF jock sniffers who haven’t gotten over their “boy crush yet”.
Dale Murphy, you are RIGHT ON SIR, keep calling out the none sense that you see on this blog!
Today was a GREAT day for the ATL Braves organization. It proves that Wren wants to win, and he won’t put up with players who don’t produce and are repeatedly given the chance to do so over and over again.
My only hope is that KJ is NEXT to be traded, so he can be the streakiest 2nd baseman in all of baseball somewhere else.
Once we purge our roster of the “dead weight” of Jeff, Kelly, Norton, Blanco, Hernadez, etc and get healthy with Infante and Tim Hudson back…Braves will be OK.
2011 is still the “goal” right now. Starting 2011 Braves will be NL contenders once again. Heyward, Freeman, Johnson and Schafer are not far away.
Terry Pendleton
July 10th, 2009
10:53 pm
Did anyone listen to Buster Olney? He basically said the Braves got the better of this deal. He went on to say Frenchy had VIRTUALLY NO TRADE VALUE.
So… pro-Frenchy supporters please cry into your #7 shirt and move on.
Mark Bradley
July 10th, 2009
10:53 pm
I tried to say what we’ve pretty much agreed on here: That Francoeur is a much bigger talent than Church but that, due to the hometown dynamics, that talent wasn’t going to be brought to bear as an Atlanta Brave. Maybe it will surface as a Met.
Max Leon
July 10th, 2009
10:54 pm
Here what I found in the NY papers from the Met’s 3rd baseman:
David Wright on Francoeur: “He brings a certain energy and has a tremendous upside….He’s got all the tools. With the upside that he has, I think that he can come in here and make an immediate impact.”
My opinion exactly. This trade will haunt us. I would have liked to see Jeff traded to KC or another AL team. The Mets?? Not Good.
Dale Murphy
July 10th, 2009
10:55 pm
Supes, totally agree with everything you say except for trading Kelly Johnson. He’s got less value than Frenchy — if you can imagine that!
Maybe we can get a bucket of balls or some blow-up dolls to put in the outfield stands to make it look like the Ted is full.
Reality
July 10th, 2009
10:55 pm
Vincent – Francine was making almost 4 million a year, not the 270,000 that you stated, which I believe is well below the major league minimum.
Dale Murphy
July 10th, 2009
11:00 pm
Mark Bradley, you are spot on with regards to Frenchy and the hometown dynamics. I don’t know if I agree about Frenchy’s talent being that much bigger than Church though. Francoeur has always been a “potential” guy. He had one good season and has been awful since then. And his defense last year was below average too, so it’s really hard to defend the guy. Again, listen to what Buster Olney said. He was almost a shoe-in for a non-tendered spot at season’s end. Baseball is the most well scouted sport in America. They know what they’re doing and they clearly understood that Frenchy is all hype. Sad but true.
Ted Turner
July 10th, 2009
11:01 pm
Ok, seriously though. Here’s my top 10 list for 2010 since 2009 is a lost cause:
1) Buy the Braves back in 2010 for $1, because that will be $1 above market value thanks to Wrenegade
2) Buy Bobby a Lark so he can make more frequent trips to the mound (not that he leaves ‘em in too long)
3) Don King will be my new GM
4) Glavine, Smoltz, Maddux and Avery will take turns as the pitching coaches.
5) Billy Ray Cyrus will sing the national anthem – EVERY GAME
6) Build a new teepee smack dab in the middle of centerfield for Chief Knockahoma, who will down a shot of Yagermeister everytime the Braves get a hit.
7) The Chick-fil-a cow will lead off and start in left field.
9) Free all you can drink moonshine will be given to every fan that stays past the 7th (you know, for the kids…)
10) Frank Wren will come out in his tighy whities (ala the Naked Cowboy) in between every inning and toss Glavine commemorative jersey’s into the crowd
All of that and 2010 will still not be as big of a joke as 2009!
Mrs. Chanandler Bong
July 10th, 2009
11:02 pm
Max Leon, David Wright’s spitting out stuff Braves fans already know. It’s bringing all that potential to fruition that’s a problem. I really do hope Frenchy goes on to do well, but it wasn’t going to happen for him while he was still a Brave.
Supes
July 10th, 2009
11:03 pm
Dale Murphy,
Apparently Wren is a magician. He convinced and sold a bill of goods to the Mets (in Jeff), so I wouldn’t put it past him to move KJ before the deadline. Apparently he’s coming along OK in AAA right now and probably will be up with the big league club after the all-star break, while the Braves send down Diory Hernadez. (I think Conrad has played his way onto the team, gritty old school type player). That means we showcase KJ for a few games, and then boom, another addition by subtraction.
KJ can go be the streakiest 2nd baseman in all of baseball elsewhere. Braves will be just fine with Prado at 2B or Brooks Conrad (for the rest of the season, either one)
Terry Pendleton,
That’s what this “baseball experts” and JEFF DEFENDERS don’t get…he has NO trade value, didn’t have any. Wren has been shopping Jeff for months now!
Mark,
85% of the people wanted Jeff out of town! We are a much smarter baseball savy audience than you think:)
RobertNAtl
July 10th, 2009
11:04 pm
Francoeur is going to no better as a Met than he was as a Brave. He will be out of baseball in three years. We were lucky to get anything at all for him. He will not start for the Mets. His hitting woes have nothing to do with playing in his home town. He just isn’t a good hitter against big league pitching. Once his weaknesses were exposed, he was toast as a big league hitter. I think people who are knocking this trade need to drink a big glass of reality juice.
Thunderbull56
July 10th, 2009
11:07 pm
Ya hit 2 hunnerd and whine whin you’re sent down, like you are some kind of royalty,Yeah,Yunel, wake your ass up, You came over on a slow boat,an don’t get it.Braves, home ‘o the knucklehead’s.Buttloads of money, thimbul’s full of brain matter.Frenchy,follows a long line of Brave’s Knuckheads.Funny, I’m Kinda having a hard time with all the home teams “PATIENCE”.O”K”. they traded “HIM”.What’s next?
Max Leon
July 10th, 2009
11:11 pm
I’m bummed out about this trade. I’ve watched Francoeur since high school and I’ve hoped for months that he would turn the corner. I’m very surprised by the venom on this vent for Braves that are slumping. That just part of a long baseball season. Folks on here were slamming McCann last night…. that right, McCann, our only All-Star.
Let’s not let Heyward get the same home town welcome if he struggles in his first couple of years. It’s one thing to say we need to send a player down to AAA, but “trade him for a bag of balls” that’s pretty classless?
Mike Malone
July 10th, 2009
11:13 pm
Just what we didn’t need—another left-handed bat. Maybe the Braves will send Church to the minors for three days if he goes into a slump. How many left-handed hitters do we need? Left-handed pitchers come out of the woodwork to pitch against us. Sure, Francoeur had to go. But to the Mets!!?? Almost better to just release him.
The Braves mishandled him the last few years. It’s just as much their fault. If they were going to send Francoeur to the minors last year, it should have been a longer stint–so he could get some confidence back, at least. Also, Cox shouldn’t have kept putting him out there every single day last year when he was struggling so much.
The Braves are going in the wrong direction and, I fear, it won’t stop until Frank Wren is gone!
Braveheart
July 10th, 2009
11:20 pm
Mark, good job with the Schmoozer on WFAN
Max Leon
July 10th, 2009
11:21 pm
I’m not a Frank Wren supporter:
Mishandled:
John Smoltz
Francoeur minor league stint
Tom Glavine
Acquired Garrett Anderson
Bungled Griffey trade
Tryed to sign A.J. Burnett… glad that didn’t work out
Now Francoeur to the Mets for Ryan Church
The Orioles let him go,due in part for his lack of tact with Ripken.
Yes we want to win games, but as GM you are selling a product.
Vincent
July 10th, 2009
11:22 pm
This was a can’t-lose trade for the Mets. They traded someone that is an average hitter with little power, little durability to a division rival for someone with a ton of potential, lots of durablity that sorely needed a change of scenery. Ryan Church is another Casey Kotchman.
Translation, he’s just good enough to get you beat.
lkga
July 10th, 2009
11:22 pm
Interesting that Rob Neyer says on ESPN Sweet Spot:
“Wow. Church must really have worn out his welcome with the Mets. Since coming off the DL in early June, Church’s line is .290/.336/.402 … far from good for a corner outfielder, but decent enough compared to most of the Mets’ other outfielders … and of course a far sight prettier than Francoeur’s .250/.282/.352 line for the season.”
So maybe they both get a fresh start and it works out well for everyone….
Nite Owl
July 10th, 2009
11:23 pm
Frank Wren has done one hell of a job. He got burned by going with the veteran pitchers last year, and they all fell apart on him.
So what did he do? He got rid of the guys he couldn’t count on to be healthy (Smoltz, Hampton, Glavine), kept the one guy he COULD rely on (Jurrjens), got a steal in Javier Vazquez, picked up Derek Lowe and Kawakami (who?) as free agents, and had the guts to bring up Hanson instead of giving into sentimentality with Glavine.
I mean, that was Dimitroff-like as makeovers go, when you really look at it. We now have the best starting pitching in the NL. So, yeah, let’s fire the guy.
As for the offense, the fact is, if Francoeur and Kelly Johnson had hit AT ALL this year, we’d be in first place. But they hit freakin’ .240 and .220 and they KILLED US. Now we’re trying to replace these guys, just like we had to replace the starters we were relying on last year.
It looks like we’ve solved second base with Prado and Conrad. In hindsight, it would’ve made a huge difference to have them hitting there from the beginning of the season, but who would’ve expected K.J. to tank so completely?
I don’t think we’ve solved right field by any means, but think how many more runs we could have scored if that spot in the batting order had done something, ANYTHING, even just a few more singles or walks, rather than rally-killing strikeouts and double-plays.
Frank Wren’s only mistake was relying on K.J. and Francoeur, two guys who were supposedly heading into their prime. Now we have to dig ourselves out of that hole; thank God it’s only the All-Star break. If we get anything from right field, look for us to make a move to the top of the division.
One more thing: respect No. 6. He won divisions before and after Maddux. He won divisions after Glavine left. He won divisions when Smoltz was hurt and out for the year. He won divisions with guys like Brian Hunter, Rafael Belliard, Kerry Ligtenberg, Greg McMichael, etc. Bit players, role players, mediocre bullpens—he molded all of it into teams that won, year after year after year. He’s given you our only major sports championship.
And the most awesome thing is that he couldn’t give a damn what any of you haters think of him.
Randy
July 10th, 2009
11:25 pm
The one thing I’m not worried about is Jeffey beating us as a Met. Especially this year. I don’t see the human out machine making much contact against our staff. And I bet he isn’t tendered at the end of the season.
Other thoughts…. Frenchy’s avg or ob% isn’t even the biggest problem, it’s the unproductive at bats. Not any better than Diory’s. Just pathetic.
Barry Larkin on MLB network thought Braves got the better of it. In short, he felt Church was the guy who could have the better upside. Believe he said he was a series or two from breaking out. He pretty much said Failcoeur had proven he couldn’t make adjustments, and that is what this game is about.
Lastly, Church is hitting .310 against righties. Worst case, a platoon with Diaz and Church means a 50 pt increase in avg at a minimum. And more productive at bats.
What’s not to like? Got rid of the human out machine and a big distraction…and got a better hitter.
Ted Turner
July 10th, 2009
11:26 pm
Any inputs to my Top 10 would be welcome. I gotta figure out how to put butts in seats now that no real baseball will be played…
Brian
July 10th, 2009
11:28 pm
I HATE FRANK WREN. HE IS RUINING MY TEAM.
Jack Hass
July 10th, 2009
11:29 pm
Gotta love the morons who continue to compare Francouer to Brad Komminsk…
Komminsk had career highs of 8 HRs and 36 RBIs in a season. His CAREER numbers barely topped Francouer’s best season as a Brave, and he threw in a .218 career BA to boot. Only once did Komminsk even play in more than 100 games in a season. Jeff played in all 162 for two years straight and managed 100+ RBIs each of those years.
Bash Frenchie if you want, but he proved over two-plus seasons that he can play in this league. Komminsk couldn’t.
Mark Bradley
July 10th, 2009
11:29 pm
Thanks, Braveheart.
It will interesting to see what the Mets’ hitting coach makes of Francoeur. And who’s the Mets’ hitting coach? Howard Johnson, who was almost traded to the Braves with Lenny Dykstra and Rick Aguilera for Dale Murphy back in 1988. But Bobby Cox the GM turned it down.
Robert0259
July 10th, 2009
11:39 pm
The Braves did the right thing. Frenchie is a fraud. If he couldn’t produce in Atlanta, what makes anyone think he’ll produce in the pressure-filled…what have you done for me NOW atmosphere of New York?
H OBAMA
July 10th, 2009
11:39 pm
NOW THAT THE BRAVES ARE GOING TO CHURCH I MIGHT CONSIDER THAT FOR MYSELF NAH JUST JOKING THAT IS FOR CHRISTIANS I PREFER A MOSQUE SEE ME CHECKING OUT THAT YOUNG GIRL’S REAR WOW SHE WAS FINE SWEET SIXTEEN DON’T BELIEVE MY POSSE TRYING TO PROTECT ME MAN I WAS SNEAKING A PEEK HOPE MY BOW-LEGGED WIFE WAS NOT LOOKING FRENCHY WILL DO FINE I LIKE EVERYTHING FRENCH I HOPE TO REMAKE THIS COUNTRY INTO FRANCE LAID BACK AND SOCIALIST HAPPY STIMULUS TO YOU SUCKERS
CoastalDawg
July 10th, 2009
11:45 pm
I can tell the real Braves fans here and the ones who for some reason have picked Jeff Francoeur as the whipping boy. He certainly has struggled, particularly last season and the mid part of this first half,but last night he was on base four times, hit three doubles, and drove in two runs and scored himself. Yet, after his best game in ages, Frank Wren did the thing and traded him for someone with fewer home runs, fewer RBI, a slightly higher batting average. So far, me Wren is batting 1.000 in wrong moves – the Glavine “event” was totally classless and he never made any kind of apology for doing it the way he did; at least Schuerholz had a sleepless night and made somewhat of an apology. Trading Jeff to the biggest rival in the division and probably the most disliked team is almost laughable. The Braves will miss Francoeur’s arm in right field – I doubt that Church, who is probably on the down side of his career as most of the Braves recent tradees have been, can do that and he’s already been on the disabled list this season. How many times has Francoeur been on the DL? Count ‘em and report back to me. There’s to Francoeur than just on the field and he and his wife were a tremendous PR couple for the Braves, more PR than money can buy. It never hurts a team’s pride to have a home town boy on the roster. McCann and Chipper Jones had better keep a traveling bag packed because Wren is obviously a person who always seems to think the grass is greener in someone else’s field. His continuing disruption of the team roster can’t be good. As long as Bobby Cox is manager you can expect him to use the wrong pitchers in the wrong spot and give away more games even when the Braves have a lead, just as he’s done numerous times, including Thursday night in Colorado. The team needs an overhaul from top to bottom – constantly trading a young player whose full potential has not been yet realized for a player who is already done with his best years. Consider also that Church has no ties to Atlanta so when it’s contract time he, like most of the other recent deals, will be gone. As for blaming Schuerholz for trading the future for a patch, that’s correct but Wren has begun to follow in those footsteps with the Josh Anderson sale and you can be sure that there are more like that to come. Wren missed out on EVERY major player that he tried to sign in off season and spring training so his tenure hasn’t been a good one and unless things change the Braves will continue to dive because they won’t have the good stuff in the farm system. All the efforts of the scouts are wasted when the general manager deals away the future for a band aid for this season. I’ll bet that multi-year deal that the Braves offered Francoeur the same time that Brian McCann signed his is looking good now. But time will tell – will Francoeur blossom on a team where they actually like his roaming ability and strong arm or will he wilt and go away? Whatever the case, he’s a fine young man who will do well in the world with or without baseball. He’s made some money and hopefully has been a wise steward. By the way, Francoeur has more RBI and home runs this season than Church and hasn’t been on the DL. If fans don’t speak out on this one Wren will continue to wreck the train that he’s been given the job of driving. Time was when the Braves games were sell outs more often than not but watching recent games have shown that not to be the case. By the way, when the team overall isn’t up to par in batting, wonder why? Don’t they have a batting coach? By the way Dr. R, just in case you haven’t noticed, Tim Hudson hasn’t been able to pitch for quite a while now – remember what happened when Tom Glavine GOT ready? I do…I have been a Braves fan since their move to Atlanta but now I don’t care if they win another game and I hope Francoeur blasts them every time he has the opportunity and I also hope that he will have the opportunity to play in the World Series, something that will not happen as long as Frank Wren is at the helm. Wren has had more time than he deserves and has done damage that will take a long time to repair both to the team and to many fans. Church is 5 years older than Francoeur and hasn’t been healthy of late. Way to go Wren. Time to turn off the TV or find a more interesting show. One night @ Coors, on base four times, bye bye we need someone who can spend some time on the DL, hasn’t the arm, and has fewer HR and RBI than Francoeur…Sure….Strike three for me against Wren and the Braves. But in reality I don’t think the Braves organization cares about the fans anyway,not since Ted Turner left…
Hillbilly Deluxe
July 10th, 2009
11:47 pm
David Wright on Francoeur: “He brings a certain energy and has a tremendous upside….He’s got all the tools. With the upside that he has, I think that he can come in here and make an immediate impact.”
What else is he going to say, really?
Braves Fan
July 10th, 2009
11:49 pm
Home town hero? Who cares! This is Major League Baseball! The lineup looks a lot better with Church rather than Francouer. .280 average > .250 average. Simple math. Great trade and GO BRAVES!!!
JTD
July 10th, 2009
11:52 pm
What is with all these people saying the Braves coaching staff is to blame and prospects come back to hurt us after being traded? Who do you mean exactly? Ryan Langerhans? Willie Harris? Wilson Betemit? Tim Spooneybarger? Wes Helms? Most the Braves young players that are traded are WORSE after they leave Ryan Langerhans was a big part of a 2005 Division Championship team then struggled to even make the major league club for the Nationals, now I think he’s a bat boy for the Mariners or something. I’m pretty sure Wilson Betemit has played for every team at this point. Point is its opposite of what you say, the Braves don’t ruin prospects they historically get more out of them than anyone else can.
Jeff Francoeur had a SERIOUS attitude problem, through all of this it was “I don’t like this” “I want to play” “I don’t think I can think of this team the same way” he never once admitted to struggling and never once seemed humbled by it.
Reality
July 10th, 2009
11:56 pm
Hey Costaldawg it’s time to cut back on the meth and learn about using paragraphs. Do you really think anyone is going to read that?
Roy Hobbs
July 10th, 2009
11:58 pm
Its sad to see another great young talent ruined by Terry Pendelton. Good luck in NY Jeff. Sorry to see you go. Sorry to see the Braves choose the wrong guy to leave…..again.
JTD
July 11th, 2009
12:02 am
Also are there REALLY people on here still complaining about Wren not signing Griffey? Do you watch Baseball? Do yourself a favor and just put his stats side by side with Garrett Anderson and then shut up. With Chipper hurt and McCann struggling GA might be the only professional hitter on this team. I think overall Wren has done a great job because he isn’t tied to aging icons. Tommy Hanson was the obvious choice over Tom Glavine, would he be 4-0 right now? Doubtful. Smoltz will be extremely lucky to win 4 games for the Sox this year. I wish people in ATL were fans of their team and not of individual aging players from a by gone era.
Pete
July 11th, 2009
12:05 am
25-Year Braves Fan: ” Francoeur has 235 more hits than Ryan Church in one fewer season in the big leagues .. ”
What a load of BS. JF has played a total of 631 games, while Church has played 504. Nice try distorting the stats to suit your own bias.
McCann the Man
July 11th, 2009
12:12 am
Come on people…with Church we get someone who at least has demonstrated that he can hit .270+ consistently and is especially good vs RHP. The Diaz/Church combo will be fine for now. Definitely not the long term answer, but clearly Frenchy was not either.
Pete
July 11th, 2009
12:14 am
McClain142: ” And you NEVER deal with a rival.”
Then why did the Mets deal with a rival?
Atl51
July 11th, 2009
12:17 am
What do these players have in common?
Frenchy
Andruw Jones
Kelly Johnson
Jordan Schafer
Yunel Escobar
The Braves have a disturbing pattern of underachievers. Something is wrong, don’tcha think? Bobby Cox needs to be replaced by a manager who can light a spark under these guys.
Braveheart
July 11th, 2009
12:18 am
If he couldn’t produce in Atlanta, what makes anyone think he’ll produce in the pressure-filled…what have you done for me NOW atmosphere of New York?
I wouldn’t expect any dramatic turnaround, at least this season. If there is one, it will take time.
However, as Mark was saying in his radio interview, there was more pressure here in Atlanta on Frenchy than there will ever be in New York. To Atlanta, he was supposed to be everything, and he thought he was supposed to be everything to everybody. In New York, he’s a nobody, not unlike other reclamation projects they’ve experimented with such as Richard Hidalgo, Oliver Perez, Fernando Tatis, Damion Easley, Shawn Green, Jose Valentin, etc. He’s not some hyped up prospect, or some overpaid free agent to them. He’s a nobody they got for basically nothing. If he doesn’t work out, he gets non-tendered in the winter.
NYC doesn’t really eat up the Frenchy types they don’t expect much out of. They reserve that sort of frustration and pressure for the Beltrans, Santanas, Sabathias, Pavanos, Wrights, Reyeses, Arods, Giambis, Glavines, etc., the guys they’ve paid alot for in money and or prospects, guys who are supposed to carry the team.
Nite Owl
July 11th, 2009
12:24 am
LMFAO at Reality. Yes, paragraph breaks are our friends, CoastalDawg.
I actually made it about halfway down, then said to hell with it.
Seriously, though, Wren tried to give Smoltz and Glavine “one more year” last year, and he got burned. Those two guys are awesome, yes, Hall of Famers, yes, decent human beings, yes. I will always love them and appreciate all they did for us.
But they weren’t going to go quietly no matter what we did. Wren was in a no-win situation. And at the end of the day, they were not good enough or healthy enough to crack the starting rotation Wren had built in the meantime.
I think the guy’s got big stones for telling those two, “Closing time. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.”
The Georgia Donkey
July 11th, 2009
12:25 am
Simple math, Frenchy + TP =.240 avg. Bet his #s will improve in NY, cant go anywhere but up, the Braves are gonna make TP their next manager when Booby retires so brace yourself for that sports fans, might be time to get off the Bravos train, its headed for a derailment. Acosta continues to suc but Booby puts him in again, ????? why ask why
Claudell Washington
July 11th, 2009
12:27 am
I can’t believe that there are still Frenchy supporters. Have they actually watched him play the last 3 years??? He is terrible….Mike Hampton is a better hitter, seriously! MARK BRADLEY- You’re articles have been right on the money the last couple weeks…spot on! Also, Frank Wren has had to make tough decisions that he knows aren’t popular choices but the right ones and I’m proud to have him as GM…..great job Wren. Ryan Church isn’t that great but even trading Frenchy for a good groundskeeper would have been good enough for me just to get rid of him.
Pete
July 11th, 2009
12:28 am
Jack Hass: “Bash Frenchie if you want, but he proved over two-plus seasons that he can play in this league.”
That was 2-3 years ago; whats that got to do with today? Hes proven nothing, other than he had those 2 good years you mentioned. If you go back and check, you will see that in 2007 (when he had 105 RBI), he had a poor last 2-3 months, which began his steady decline.
chas
July 11th, 2009
12:33 am
I cannot find one sports journalist who thinks this was a bad trade for Atlanta. At worst they say that there could be more long term upside for the Mets. I just don’t see that worst case scenario playing out. We have a nice platoon working in right field, but it would be nice to add some power somewhere in the lineup. One thing that has been lost in the shuffle is that we aren’t getting the productivity from Chipper that we have gotten in the past. He needs to get healthy asap and needs to start hitting some dingers.
Tim
July 11th, 2009
12:37 am
Please tell me Kelly Johnson is being moved soon. And, would someone please, please take Frank Wren. This guy has no clue. To the mets??
romebravesfan
July 11th, 2009
12:38 am
A bag of scuffed baseballs an three fungoes would have been a good trade on the Btaves’s part. Heyward will be ready in a year. Hardworking humble kid. No prima donna like Francour.
Pete
July 11th, 2009
12:39 am
As I mentioned (and Dave OBrien points out in his article), the decline started in 07, and not 08. Since the 2007 All-Star break, Francoeur has hit .256 with 25 homers, 153 RBIs, a .304 on-base percentage and a .381 slugging percentage in 310 games. Thats 25 home runs and 153 RBI’s in almost 2 full seasons of games.