Who misses Jeff Francoeur?
July 16, 2009 at 6:13 pm by Asher Smith in NewsAs it turns out, just the AJC does.
Like the vast majority of the Braves’ highly touted prospects over the last decade — we’re looking at you, Wilson Betemit, Macay McBride and Brent Lillibridge — Jeff Francoeur didn’t quite pan out at the Major League level. After knocking 29 homers with 102 RBIs in his first full season in the majors, the fan favorite declined rapidly, first losing his power — 29 homeruns became 19, which became 11, which became 5 before last week’s trade — and then everything else. So the Braves did the logical thing and cut bait, trading Francoeur to the Mets before MLB’s arbitration process forced them to shell out even more money for a player whose on-base percentage is in regular danger of being lapped by his batting average.
Letting go of Frenchy, however, proved easier for the fans than it did for the scribes who’ve been tracking Francoeur’s every move since he was a local high school football star.
The AJC devoted a good chunk of its sports coverage to the fallout from the Francoeur trade. They ran a story about his Mets debut, as well as reports on how he was liking the Big City. Each columnist took the opportunity to reminisce about Frenchy. Jeff Schultz already wants to take the trade back.
So how are the fans taking the loss? If the reactions solicited by the AJC are any indication, they’re doing quite well, thank you very much:
“you people talk about him like he is some kind of Atlanta Braves Legend. He was a flash in the pan in Atlanta. Who cares about him or anyone for that matter??? Get a life”
“Glad he’s gone!
Why the he!! does AJC keep on about Jeff? Every times you look up they have his picture on….Jeff did this, Jeff did that …WHO gives a damn, he’s not a Brave anymore.
Its a shame AJC don’t have anything else to report.”
“Why do you care?
You wanted Jeff out of town – now he is gone,
yet you (AJC writers) still obsess over him.
Find someone else to obsess over – maybe within the
Braves organization.”
This is all nothing, however, compared to how Ryan Church’s departure has gone down in New York.
Or maybe not.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I would add Andy Marte, Kyle Davies, and Jose Cappellan to your list of Braves prospect flameouts. If you want to see prosects that were actually good, go watch the Texas Rangers…
July 17th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Francoeur was statistically the worst starting outfielder in the majors. Offensively, he was absolutely horrid. The Braves would have improved if they decided to replace him with literally any player in the world. He had no power, no on-base ability, and despite the rep he gets for his defense, his range is actually below average (though his arm is good). He costed the Braves runs and wins in literally every way.
Ryan Church could retire today and this would still be a good trade.