You all know this by now, of course, but Jeff Francoeur was finally sent to the minors this morning. And he whined about it.
The Braves called up Jason Perry in his place. Perry’s a minor league slugger who’s having a good year, but I wouldn’t expect anything more than ordinary offense out of him. Of course, ordinary offense would be a huge upgrade.
Who’s gonna be the Delta spokesman for the next 2 weeks? Corky?
“Delta flies direct to Jackson, Mississippi, where you can easily find a commuter flight to Pearl, to see me, star outfielder Jeff Francoeur!”
From the last thread:
Not exactly a major revelation, but the worst thing that happened to JF is that hot start. It would have been better for his long term prospects if he had struggled out of the gate. Then he and the team would have realized that he had more work to do to become a quality major leaguer, which is painfully obvious to anyone who cares to look now.
It’s not surprising that he was hurt by the demotion. He’s obviously a highly competitive guy. However, he should have had the sense to keep his mouth shut to the press, it only makes you look bad in the end.
I like JF as an individual based on the limited exposure I have as a fan of the team. Seems basically like a good kid. But I’m not optimistic on his long term chances for success. Maybe he’ll see the light and change his approach at the plate. But somehow I doubt it.
Jeff shows his age here (I’m only a year older for what it’s worth). Total lack of class. I’m sure it won’t be long before he issues an “apology” for his comments, but his self-entitled attitude really sours me on him.
Sorry, from the last thread:
What would I have done? Easy, been more patient, perhaps give him more time off and allow him to work through it. I know that bothers some people, but it’s worked well for the Braves in the past. I can’t remember the last time a player with at least 2 years under his belt has been demoted like this. I just think he’s earned enough respect to be given more of a chance. It’s like Chipper said about hitting .400, he probably won’t since he’s a career .330 hitter. Well, Jeff is not a career .230 hitter, so why do you think he’s lost the ability to play better? Slumps happen in baseball even to the best of the players. I think it was Chip on TV the other day that said Joe Dimaggio was something like 9 for 60 before he went on his 56 game hitting streak.
As far as putting someone else out there who can outperform him, who is that? An unproven call-up in a high pressure situation? Why not allow someone to split time with him to see if someone else can earn the position?
And yeah, I guess I’m just not a win at all costs kind of guy. If I were, I’d root for the Yankees who spend twice as much as any other team and panic when they don’t win every game. Was John Smoltz dominating in his first couple of years? How about Glavine? No, they were all given time to get better. I’d rather they trade Francoeur instead of this slap in the face kind of move.
Chipper is a .330 hitter over the course of 13 years. Jeff is a .272 hitter over the course of three. It’s not just a slump for Jeff. He’s playing stupid baseball, and THAT’s what needs fixing.
He has sucked the whole year Todd. What else could they do?
You have to be kidding me. A “slump”? This isn’t a slump. This is a half-season of being the worst regular player in baseball, a player with no positives — a bad batting average, a terrible walk rate, no power to speak of, horrible baserunning on those few occasions when he finds himself on base, hitting even worse in key situations, and bad defense.
This team is not meant to be a structure for Jeff Francoeur to work out his problems. They’re talking about completely breaking down his swing and rebuilding it from scratch. You think doing that on the major league level is a good idea?
Trade him? Who’d want him? Trading a player when his value is at its lowest is stupid.
“I can’t remember the last time a player with at least 2 years under his belt has been demoted like this.”
Short memory. The Phillies demoted Brett Myers earlier this week. The Phillies also are in first place and just pummeled us. None of this is a coincidence.
Todd sounds like a Braves employee. Stay the course, don’t rock the boat, and let guys “play their way” out of team-and-season-killing slumps.
He probably also thinks we’re “one or two players away” from the World Series.
“I think it was Chip on TV the other day that said…”
You’re not going to win many arguments starting sentences like that.
Joe DiMaggio > Jeff Francoeur
Mac, I was talking about the Braves not demoting a player in that situation. Just b/c the Phils did it doesn’t justify it. And yeah, I was disgusted by getting swept by the Phils as well, but I don’t think that can be blamed on one guy.
And Brad, that way of thinking did pretty well for the Braves during their 14 yr playoff run, didn’t it? As much as I hate to say it, I think we’re going to miss Schuerholz more than we might think.
What does Schuerholz have to do with Jeff not hitting ?
Most of that playoff run was benefitted by 3 Hall of Fame starting pitchers and very few budget constraints.
Yeah Chip was definitely comparing Jeff to Joe DiMaggio and Reggie Jackson. He also brought up Utley’s 0 for 24 skid, who since has gone something like 17 for 34. I was devastated to hear that this put a “damper” on his relationship with the Braves. Doesn’t he know what’s best for him?
Someone in the previous thread said it best: if it was anyone else on the team they would have been shipped out weeks ago.
New trade rumor: Francouer, Corky, & Hampton to the Rays for a cardboard cutout of Jonny Gomes to play RF.
I miss the 2003 Braves. I really enjoyed watching that team play. Sorry for bringing Nostalgia into this.
Francoeur to Washington for Pete Orr, Willie Harris, and Ryan Langerhans.
I miss Langerhans. I told my wife after the ’05 season that he was gonna be a really good player. Oops…..at least he played good defense
The Braves had no problem shipping out Mark Wohlers, who had been with the team far longer than Francoeur has and accomplished far more, including an All-Star appearance in 1996. Wohlers’ collapse is a good parallel for Francoeur’s current miseries. They released Ron Gant in 1993 when he broke his leg.
It could all turn around, but aren’t we glad JF doesn’t have a McCann sized contract.
Well, it might have been better to DL him and work on rebuilding his swing in Orlando. Then, a rehab stint in Mississippi for a couple of weeks followed by some growing pains back in Atlanta.
This would have been better for his ego, reputation, and pocket book.
The thing is – Francoeur is not far from being the best outfielder on the team. If they can get him moving in the right direction over a few weeks, he might be of value to the team even as he works out some kinks in the Majors.
Ditto on the contract. He was given a couple of opportunities. I am sure a competitive guy like him does not like getting a giant “told-you-so” from the team he turned down.
If there is one organization that doesn’t tolerate back-talk it is the Braves. Remember when Roman Colon insinuated he’s been demoted before the team flew to the West Coast (and he had a legitimate complaint and poor English)?
“It’s the magic in every game. It’s the look on a kid’s face as the poster on his wall gets sent to the minor leagues.”
Well, this sucks.
Wow, the quotes in that article…there are no words. What a complete moron.
“A damper on my relationship”? Good Lord, you have been incredibley blessed to be getting a major league pre diem for as long as you have. No other team would have stuck with you that long.
He wanted a warning? He really needed to be told that playing like horseshit might eventually have repercussions? How dumb can he be?
It seems to me that this move is not only necessary but overdue, by a couple of weeks. He hasn’t played well all year and it has cost the Braves. To be sure he isn’t the only cause of the Braves poor record. Injuries, too, are a problem, but they can’t be helped. Sucking can be dealt with, and one reasonable way of dealing with it is demotion. Hopefully, they’ll be able to help Francouer. Moreover, if this has damaged their working relationship, then it’s all the more important to fix his swing and other parts of his game, effectively raising his value so that he can be dispatched for something other than six dozen baseballs and a dozen maple bats (that Chip and Joe can yell about).
Guys,
The AJC wanted an interview right after he was told he was being demoted. Give the kid a break. There were a lot of emotions involved in that conversation. I seriously doubt he meant some of those comments.
Is it possible for some of you to quit complaining? You complained about him being here. Now he is sent to the minors and you’re complaining how he handled it. Some of you need to either get drunk, screwed, or both.
Robert: Agree 100%
Buster Olney is currently doing post-game analysis of an eating contest. Is ESPN holding his family hostage or something?
I hope Francoeur really does take his swing apart and start from scratch.
This may have been posted before, but here is commentary and video on Francoeur’s swing by trainer Jeffrey Albert at swingtraining.net: http://blog.swingtraining.net/2006/07/18/jeff-francoeur-and-the-x-factor.aspx
Albert also wrote a sequel to that article:
http://blog.swingtraining.net/2006/08/04/jeff-francoeur-part-2.aspx
Francoeur seems pretty pissed that the team demoted him, but if he goes to Mississippi with a closed mind then he’ll screw over the team and himself.
wow; great stuff on frenchie swing. if some guy on the net can figure this out, can the Braves?
Wow, I have to agree with everyone: what did you expect, Jeff? You’ve been playing terrible and you got demoted. Read the AJC, and you would have been given warning that your demotion was being discussed. I think this will be good for JF, but I agree that he didn’t show very much class with his frustrations.
I have never been a Francoeur fan. But I’m starting to actively dislike him, and he may have crossed the Lockhart Line with these whiny, self-entitled comments.
I don’t know what the Golden 13-Year-Old thinks the Braves owe him. He’s only been in the league for about 3 years, and he’s been below replacement level for about half of that time. He sure isn’t acting like much of a team player.
Waiting for Landogarner’s take…
Mac, you didn’t like Francouer when he had a .300/.350/.540 line and finished second in the league in assists in half a season? I can understand resenting him for his incredibly long leash, but for the most part he’s been a good guy, a good teammate, puts butts in the stands, and he plays hard.
Talking about players who’ve lost their swings, Andruw comes back from the DL and so far has 4 K’s in 5 AB, good job guy!
I’m pretty sure JF and every other Brave doesn’t care what anyone on this or any other blog thinks about them.
If that is the case, Jake, why do you get so upset about it?
Nice catch by Kotsay.
No, I didn’t. I’m on record saying that his 2005 was fluky, and going into the 2006 season saying that McCann was the better player and more important to the team.
I don’t care that he doesn’t care. Nyah.
And FWIW, I can drink, screw and complain, all at the same time. On the phone while smoking and driving even. Top that, Mr. French Fry. 🙂
GO BRAVES!!
Good read on Yunel Escobar and his defection.
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=431019
A lead, whoo!!!
Pretty sure most of the team will be utterly confused now.
Jason Perry = Replacement Level
Jeff Francoeur < Replacement Level
Jason Perry For President
Perry is the anti-Frenchy.
JP! (with help from Hunter)
Nice one, kid! Looks like he might have “easy power.”
FWIW, Perry not only played with Teixeira at Tech, but also Matt Murton.
How does someone with a career line of .291/.369/.520 in almost 2400 minor league ABs not even get a cup of coffee by now? His platoon split for this season is pretty brutal in a small sample size, but he could seemingly match with a healthy Diaz in left, or platoon with Frenchy (yeah right) if he’s still not quite ready when he inevitably returns. If he comes close to his minor league numbers at all he could be a valuable player.
Well,
I’m willing to give Frenchy the benefit of the doubt. This is probably the first time in his life that he’s been an athletic failure (and even that is debatable – failure vs. not as successful as everyone hoped), so I can understand the bitterness. I’m sure he believed he was getting ready to turn it around – he, like every other pro athlete, has a HUGE amount of self-confidence in his skills.
I’m interested to see how he handles this after this weekend. Will he still whine and sulk? Or will he buckle down, and work hard on fixing the issues? If we hear at the end of next week how Frenchy is working hard at Mississippi, and his teammates love him and his work ethic, then I believe he’ll turn out fine. (It may take a couple years, but he’s still just 24).
Godspeed Jeff, and I hope we’ll see you back in Atlanta soon.
I know it’s been a while, but I can’t help wishing we would bean Darin Erstad.
Francoeur just had a 2 run HR taken back, initially ruled fair but then called foul. Diaz was on base
That kinda looked like a busted hit-and-run.
Josh, the remarkable thing is that he’s spent most of his career in the A’s organization, and you’d think they would have given him a shot.
is this team actually getting hits with RISP and TWO outs? Wow.
The Good Tim Hudson is in.
Shorts and long socks doesn’t work for Smoltz 🙂
An interesting series of events:
– Matt Diaz walks.
– Mississippi Braves Manager Phillip Wellman ejected by 3B umpire Travis Brown.
– Jeff Francoeur walks. Matt Diaz to 2nd.
I guess Wellman got thrown out about that homer.
Big cheer for Perry.
That’s very puzzling Mac. Maybe the Perry & Campillo signings, coupled with our miraculous rise to the pennant will inspire someone to write “Wrenball”…a guy can dream, right?!
As braves14 pointed out, replacement level is better than what we’ve been getting from RF. Here’s hoping that .889 OPS doesn’t drop-off too much in the bigs.
Frenchie .761 career OPS (includes is hot start). Perry has some room to drop, and still be better.
Man, Huddy is dealing.
Walk the pitcher, boot the DP, = 1 run.
He had to get five outs that inning — well four outs, and one of them twice — so it’s not a bad job facing Berkman & Lee to hold them to one run.
I think Francoeur has been dragging McCann down.
KJ!
KJ!
Yeah! way to make up for the botched play, Kelly!
How in the world did Moehler come into this game with a sub-four ERA? He looks terrible, but no more terrible than usual, and is lucky he’s only given up five runs.
w00t! Glad to see Kelly knock one out. He’s only had 3 in May and June combined. 😮
Man, a lineout and two deep, hard-hit fly balls. Kinda a shame to only get two out of that. 🙂
Great play by Yunel there. This is more like it.
It’s weird that Blanco steals for a preposterously higher percentage at the ML level than he was doing in the minors.
Not hard to see which piston wasn’t firing …
My guess about Blanco would be that they haven’t been sending him as much, so it’s less predictable. I’ll take a good quality percentage over a mediocre quantity anyday.
Bobby, please don’t use Gonzo with a 5 run lead.
A win!
braves14 –
“Bobby, please don’t use Gonzo with a 5 run lead.”
Why the hell not?! When you’ve lost your last five and seen your relievers load the bases last inning, why in God’s name do you not go to your closer to secure the win? I mean, Gonzo’s last game was… last Friday.
Recap up.
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20080704/NEWS/527639831/1017/NEWS
Hey, some good news on the prospect front…Tyler Stovall just signed with the Braves today. He got a pretty good deal, too. Rumor has it the Braves promised him that he was going to be their first pick and then they took the pitcher from Florida first instead. That’s probably why they had to pay the money they did for him compared to last year’s 64th pick.