Mark Bradley

By Gene

January 22, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this

Francoeur is not a lost cause, but he picked the wrong time to demand more money, if fan support means anything to him.

By doodoobailey

January 22, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this

The only reason everybody is trashing Frenchy is because of how great he was out of the gate. Quit pressuring the kid and let him play ball. And this is a business and a negotiation..you ask for higher than you will get and they offer less than you’re worth…then you meet in the middle. Wren still sucks for letting Smoltz go.

By Bill

January 22, 2009 9:58 AM | Link to this

Not worth the $475,000 he made last year. Trade the jurk….oh, I forgot nobody wants him, he has no trade value. Maybe KC will take him for 50 bats. I will not pay to see the cry baby play.

By Peachtree John

January 22, 2009 10:11 AM | Link to this

Where were you nasayers when Jeff was producing far better than one would expect. Yes, he had a horrible last year, but the Braves organization got a bargain from day one. Hopefully, he will bounce back and the same people who want Jeff gone will say: I knew it. He was always great! Maybe those same people failed to realize that Andrew Jones was falling like a rock for about 3 years before the Braves let him go.

By Jt

January 22, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

You ask for more money because that is how the system works. The other side of the story is that he was underpaid in 2006 and 2007 when he drove in over 100 runs. So, you look at his averages for his brief career, and what he is asking is within the parameters of what the free market dictates. More power to him

By One Man's View

January 22, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

Hype is a two-way street. It’s nice, but expectations come with it. Francoeur may not have started the hype, but he is in the middle of it now. Requesting 4 mil doesn’t help matters any. Life is going to get very difficult with a slow start next yr.

The Braves have had plenty of outfielders who have played well but were gone the next yr - very quietly. Maybe Francoeur would have been one of them if he weren’t Francoeur with all the baggage.

By Brian

January 22, 2009 10:15 AM | Link to this

Jeffy wants everybody to love him and feel his pain. But how can any fan who averages minimum wage relate to a 25 year old athelete whining about money?

By TheDunderChief

January 22, 2009 10:15 AM | Link to this

Also, keep in mind that the braves were getting an absolute steal in his first two years. Close to the league minimum. You can’t say Frenchy owes the Braves for last season, but the Braves don’t owe Frenchy for the first two. It’s not a one way street like that. They’ll probably end up somewhere in the middle at around 3.25 or something which seems reasonable to me (relatively speaking of course).

By Larry A

January 22, 2009 10:18 AM | Link to this

If he has a decent year this year, no one is going to care about the results of this arbitration. It is only news because we are bored and have nothing else to talk about on the sports front.

I think Frenchy learned the lesson most players knew prior to the steroids era, you can’t bulk up in baseball like you can for football and other sports. Once he started to lose some of that muscle mass, he started to hit - except his head was fried. Hopefully, a winter off will clear his head and he can get back to being the decent hitter he was.

By atlbravesfan44

January 22, 2009 10:19 AM | Link to this

(Ryan Howard, who struck out 199 times in 2008, wants $18 million.)

Way to cherry pick Bradley! He also hit 48 dingers in his worst season to date. The dude also has a career OPS+ of 143.

By 1992dawg

January 22, 2009 10:19 AM | Link to this

Francoeur should have been down in the minor league the whole second half of last season. If I was running the show, I would not offer him anything more than $400,000 as a back up outfielder. If he wanted more, I would let him go!!!! The pitchers have figured him out. He goes after crap outside the strike zone. He and Andrew Jones have no discipline as hitters.

By richbrave

January 22, 2009 10:23 AM | Link to this

“Its all about me” seems to be FRANCOUER’s mantra. So be it. Now I fully understand his problems at the plate. They truely are completely in his head. I’m more curious about the arbitors decision. If I were in JEFF’s shoes I’d push the $$$$ envelope too. May as well go for the gusto.

Once again fans see just how disingenuous professional sports are. With that sort of attitude pervasive throughout the industry I wonder why fans who renew their season tickets year after year aren’t guaranteed a financial stake in the club they support. It seems they’re the only segment of the entire enterprise left completely out of the money and holding the bag.

By chbeyer

January 22, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

How fickle and ignorant some fans are. Jeff Francouer has incredible talent but he did have an off season for sure. That said, how many other top baseball players have not had a less than stellar season along the way. Of course the Braves could trade him but I would bet a million the fairweather fans who raved about his talent during his first two seasons but now want him dumped would feel foolish (if they could admit it) when he went somewhere else and became an allstar.

By Najeh Davenpoop

January 22, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

If you don’t like player salaries, don’t go to games. The only reason salaries are as high as they are is because fans are willing to pay an arm and a leg for tickets. If demand for tickets goes down, they will get cheaper and salaries will decrease.

It’s that simple.

By Jt

January 22, 2009 10:25 AM | Link to this

He is not whining about more money. He is conducting bidness- that’s all. It just so happens that newspapers make his bidness public.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 10:26 AM | Link to this

He didn’t “demand” more money. He asked for it. There’s a difference.

By mike

January 22, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

Get off of Francoeur’s back. The arbitrator is not going to rule in his favor. Granted, he shouldn’t be asking for more money this season, but he did; let it go. He will bounce back this season. This guy has a chance to become a franchise player in Atlanta. I can’t wait to see the so called fans who called him a cry baby jump right back on his band wagon this upcoming season.

By mike

January 22, 2009 10:30 AM | Link to this

Get off of Francoeur’s back. The arbitrator is not going to rule in his favor. Granted, he shouldn’t be asking for more money this season, but he did; let it go. He will bounce back this season. This guy has a chance to become a franchise player in Atlanta. I can’t wait to see the so called fans who called him a cry baby jump right back on his band wagon this upcoming season.

By mike

January 22, 2009 10:30 AM | Link to this

Get off of Francoeur’s back. The arbitrator is not going to rule in his favor. Granted, he shouldn’t be asking for more money this season, but he did; let it go. He will bounce back this season. This guy has a chance to become a franchise player in Atlanta. I can’t wait to see the so called fans who called him a cry baby jump right back on his band wagon this upcoming season.

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 10:34 AM | Link to this

You can’t be a businessman and complain about loyalty and feeling “betrayed” at the same time. Forget Jeff Francoeur and all the other wannabe wholesome athletes who speak simultaneously out of both sides of their mouth! Barack Obama, the leader of the free world, reportedly paid for his family’s move into the White House this week. That’s upstanding! Meanwhile, we have whiny-a professional athletes…

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 10:35 AM | Link to this

Ryan Howard is a great run-producer. (In fact, he might be my favorite ballplayer.) But he does strike out an awful lot.

By JACKETS445

January 22, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this

bill first of all you are an idiot bc you can even spell jerk. second of all 475,000 is close to the minimum. At worst he might hit .250 but his production will be way up from 2008. this isnt andruw jones we are talking about here.

cry baby- i dont remember frenchy ever whining about anything, he defended himself from all our loyal fans calling him out. if this is the kind of fan your gonna be go to new york with the rest of the cry babys’!!!!!!!!

By Legend of Len Barker

January 22, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this

If Francoeur doesn’t want to play for the money the Braves are offering, I’ll take it. I can strike out just as much.

The thing is, what has Frenchy really done beyond that torrid start when he debuted? The pitchers adjusted. Francoeur has not. He has mediocre to negative success after those first couple of months.

Frenchy has also frustrated me greatly. He failed to understand that the Braves were sending him to Mississippi to let him regain confidence. Sorry Jeff, but your lack of adjusting is killing your average. Your average is killing the team. Your ego is killing the team.

Francoeur’s going to remain complacent until someone finally is serious about playing him based on his production rather than his ability to sell t-shirts.

By yogi

January 22, 2009 10:37 AM | Link to this

frenchy must go he cannot see the ball if it is over 70 mph. he is a pitchers dream release franceour and fire pendleton

By Sparky

January 22, 2009 10:38 AM | Link to this

Don’t give up on Jeff. He will recover and be a star. Too much talent to keep him down. He will rebound to the 30-100 player that we knew he would be. He is a class act,and a good team player. I umpired his games in high school and he was always a gentleman. We need more players like him in the majors.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

I have to confess that I’ve known Francoeur since he was a junior at Parkview and I’ve never gotten the feeling that it’s all about him. I know (from reading these blogs) that some folks feel that way, but to me he has always seemed a good guy and a good teammate.

By Ramblin Wrecker

January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

I think the real irony here is that the Braves have offered Jeff $3.5 million for 2009….except it was in the long term deal that he didn’t want to sign a couple years ago. He would have made more in 2007-08 too if he’d sign that deal ($500k & $800k respectively, as opposed to the $430k and $460k he did make). I don’t begrudge Jeff wanting to get a significant raise. What I have a problem with is his wanting to get to free agency ASAP. McCann signed a very similar deal to the one offered to Francoeur and he is set to make $3.5M, $5.5M, $6.5M, $8.5M and $12M over the next 5 seasons and will enter free agency (if he so desires) at age 29, the prime of his career. Jeff is greedy and thinks very highly of himself. You may think that’s a harsh assessment, but his actions aren’t indicative of a hometown kid who wants to play here his whole career. He’s set the monetary bar for his services high from day one, asking for over a million to sign with Atlanta out of high school and by rejecting the Braves offers of a long term deal putting himself on a collision course with the arbitration process and free agency.

If he had signed the deal the Braves offered him he would already be making $3.5M this season and could make another $32.5M over the next four seasons and enter free agency at age 29, in the prime of his career.

And I believe had he signed that deal, he would have been relaxed last season and not felt like he had to hit 50HR and 140RBI to get the arbitration he wanted. Francoeur may have thought he was giving himself an opportunity to make MORE money by not signing that deal, and in the end I think he will cost himself millions because he put too much pressure on himself at the wrong time (when he is still developing and learning the league). I believe he would have been more equipped to deal with the pressure in 2013, the last year of the deal he could have signed, of pending free agency.

By JACKETS445

January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

bill first of all you are an idiot bc you can even spell jerk. second of all 475,000 is close to the minimum. At worst he might hit .250 but his production will be way up from 2008. this isnt andruw jones we are talking about here.

cry baby- i dont remember frenchy ever whining about anything, he defended himself from all our loyal fans calling him out. if this is the kind of fan your gonna be go to new york with the rest of the cry babys’!!!!!!!!

By Nurlman

January 22, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

Mark, I get that. I understand the process. However, if he does what he needs to do professionally, to take the Braves’ offer might look a little better to his constituency. As it is, he’s taken some major PR hits in the last year because of his stupidity, sense of entitlement and immaturity - a little mea culpa would have cost him $1m but let fans know he understands he stunk and needs to work on his game, not his contract.

I’m sure his Q score has taken a major hit in the last year. Probably not nearly as attractive a spokesman to Delta. Over the long run, this will cost him.

And I can’t help but notice that Ryan Ludwick, who hit .299 with 37 dingers and 113 RBI, asked for the same money with the same service time.

By Roger

January 22, 2009 10:42 AM | Link to this

Its not the amount, but the fact that Francoeur thinks he is worth more than McCann. Jeff hasn’t done anything but get worse in his career. McCann has become and is the face of the franchise next to Chipper. Jeff is an overhyped bust.

By tl

January 22, 2009 10:43 AM | Link to this

Face it, the braves have become very cheap. They do not want to pay anybody & want you to spend your money to watch an inferior product who has taken us back to last place & no division titles. Just look at all the bad moves. What happened, just check out the moves of other teams ie Yankees etc.

By JMar

January 22, 2009 10:44 AM | Link to this

I’m not incredulous that Frenchy wants the raise. I’m incredulous that Frenchy thinks he will win at arbitration with the number he gave. Unless the two sides settle, “he’s not that bad” in his first year of arbitration translates to $2.8 million, maybe more, but definitely not $4 million. Three straight years Francoeur has asked for more money than the Braves were willing to give him, and for three straight years he will lose.

By Roger

January 22, 2009 10:44 AM | Link to this

Its not the amount, but the fact that Francoeur thinks he is worth more than McCann. Jeff hasn’t done anything but get worse in his career. McCann has become and is the face of the franchise next to Chipper. Jeff is an overhyped bust.

By Legend of Len Barker

January 22, 2009 10:44 AM | Link to this

If Francoeur doesn’t want to play for the money the Braves are offering, I’ll take it. I can strike out just as much.

The thing is, what has Frenchy really done beyond that torrid start when he debuted? The pitchers adjusted. Francoeur has not. He has mediocre to negative success after those first couple of months.

Frenchy has also frustrated me greatly. He failed to understand that the Braves were sending him to Mississippi to let him regain confidence. Sorry Jeff, but your lack of adjusting is killing your average. Your average is killing the team. Your ego is killing the team.

Francoeur’s going to remain complacent until someone finally is serious about playing him based on his production rather than his ability to sell t-shirts.

By Nugedawg

January 22, 2009 10:45 AM | Link to this

Well after the way the braves treated Smoltz I don’t blame any player who tries to get what they feel is fair. I say go for it jeff because you will be traded once the braves don’t think you are worth keeping around. There is no loyalty in Baseball. So get the money and enjoy it before you are playing in Boston after 20 years of service to one team.

By Brian B.

January 22, 2009 10:46 AM | Link to this

I love Jeff Francoeur as a baseball player, but I get absolutely crazy when I hear players and agents talk about the “free market,” without ever acknowledging that the market can cut both ways. Whatever else Francoeur may or may not have done last year, one thing he is guilty of is colossally bad timing. Maybe the $1 mil or so between what the Braves are offering and he’s asking for, is the price he pays for having a bad season at the wrong time. And maybe this is the lesson that a young player learns about the business of baseball and the need to produce every year at the major league level.

By Ramblin Wrecker

January 22, 2009 10:47 AM | Link to this

For real…the guy wants to be paid big bucks with a career on base % of .312 and slugging % of .434. That’s ludicrous. He may well develop into a quality slugger, but he hasn’t earned that yet.

By Ralph

January 22, 2009 10:48 AM | Link to this

Baseball arbitration is MUCH better than the always split the difference regular arbitration which creates outlandish demands from both sides . Both sides will now negotiate, and likely settle (85% of the time) prior to the arbitration ruling instead of chancing one of the two submissions. Even those extremes they submitted were probably moderated from their opening positions.

By Herschworld

January 22, 2009 10:48 AM | Link to this

This is just part of the business..I’d done the same thing if I were in Frenchy’s shoes..The braves aren’t going to meet this price anyway…It’s like going in to buy a car or biding on a house but in reverse…I think Frenchy turns it around this year

By JMar

January 22, 2009 10:48 AM | Link to this

I’m not incredulous that Frenchy wants the raise. I’m incredulous that Frenchy thinks he will win at arbitration with the number he gave. Unless the two sides settle, “he’s not that bad” in his first year of arbitration translates to $2.8 million, maybe more, but definitely not $4 million. Three straight years Francoeur has asked for more money than the Braves were willing to give him, and for three straight years he will lose.

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this

At the risk of hurting feelings, I’m inclined to agree with you Roger. I wonder also how Brian McCann will adjust to his winter weight-loss. I’m hoping for a Javy Lopez (2003) type season for him this year.

By NS from Kennesaw

January 22, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

Mark,

You are siding with Frenchy. This cry baby should realize the situation and deal with the Braves in a more logical way - - like how about a reasonable 2.8M this upcoming season and a potential longer contract pending his own performance. Would be great if he is bold enough to put in something in his contract like this “for each bases loaded strike out he will accumulate this year, he will please for a discount the next game etc… “

I love baseball on the “sport side” of things. But the “business” side of it, it is such a “Greed”. Every businesses now a day are fighting to get customers (or to survive), sports business is about GREED !!!!

By mike d

January 22, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

you may be the worst possible journalist ever for trying to compare ryan howard to jeff francouer. at this point in their careers, thats like comparing michael jordan to me. way to pick and choose stats to attempt to make a point. only complete imbeciles wouldn’t see through that comparison.

By Willy

January 22, 2009 10:52 AM | Link to this

The issue isn’t if he should or should not ask for the raise. We all would agree that he should get whatever he can. The question remains: is he worth the money? As of today, the answer is no. He will get a shot at proving he’s worth the money in the upcoming season. I don’t know how he’ll do, and anyone who says he does is lying or fooling himself. My contention is that baseball is a pay-for-performance business, as most are, and if he is not performing, he should not get the money. To do so only raises the cost of baseball, further reducing the everyday fan’s access to the remaining seats left in the park after corporations have bought them. I want him to succeed because it will mean good things for the Braves and Atlanta. But not when he hasn’t proven he can earn it. Go Frenchy and go Braves!

By Wayne

January 22, 2009 10:53 AM | Link to this

It would seem that JF is in the game for the money. Which is what most of us worked for or did if we are retired (blessed be). Of course it is a game for kids, but is also a game or money-which makes it a BUSINESS. If they give you the money, take it. JF can’t lose this time. Either way he gets more than he earned/produce last year. Baseball is a fleeting job. One day you make a lot and are the hero of the world and the next you are out of work. So, take what you can get Jeff, but remember to put some away for non-playing days.

By Mark C.

January 22, 2009 10:53 AM | Link to this

I bet Frenchy wins. Those HRs and RBI are going to look good compared to other 1st year arb guys, and I believe, those are the only people you can compare with. Guys like McCann who signed long term deals can’t be used and the Braves will get trounced if they try. The back of the baseball card numbers are simple and familiar. Who knows if the arbiters even follow baseball.

By Jay

January 22, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this

Doodoo - that’s not how it works in arbitration. Did you read Bradley’s entry?

By Legend of Len Barker

January 22, 2009 10:57 AM | Link to this

If Francoeur doesn’t want to play for the money the Braves are offering, I’ll take it. I can strike out just as much.

The thing is, what has Frenchy really done beyond that torrid start when he debuted? The pitchers adjusted. Francoeur has not. He has mediocre to negative success after those first couple of months.

Frenchy has also frustrated me greatly. He failed to understand that the Braves were sending him to Mississippi to let him regain confidence. Sorry Jeff, but your lack of adjusting is killing your average. Your average is killing the team. Your ego is killing the team.

Francoeur’s going to remain complacent until someone finally is serious about playing him based on his production rather than his ability to sell t-shirts.

By Tron5000

January 22, 2009 10:58 AM | Link to this

Frenchy’s BA through his first 4 seasons is .268. Dale Murphy’s career BA was .265.

Through the 1981 season (age 25), Dale Murphy knocked in runs at a clip of 1 RBI every 6.68 at-bats (1993 AB / 298 RBI). Frenchy’s number at age 24 is 1 RBI every 6.63 AB (2149 AB / 324 RBI).

The Murph did average a HR every 20 PA through age 25, while Frenchy hits a dinger every 29 PA. But his power is obviously there, as evidenced by the 29-HR season in 2006.

The kid is two seasons removed from a .293 average. Chill out, folks. He can (and I believe will) turn it around. He’s never failed before in athletics, and I don’t see him doing it now.

By Brian22

January 22, 2009 11:00 AM | Link to this

As a professional, why wouldn’t you try to get the most money for what you do? Would anyone here do anything different?

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 11:02 AM | Link to this

I didn’t compare Ryan Howard to Jeff Francoeur. Ryan Howard is a far better player. I simply noted that Howard is asking $18 million in arbitration. The Phillies have offered $14 million. That’s the way it works.

By Tron5000

January 22, 2009 11:03 AM | Link to this

Whoops. I meant “The Murph did average a HR every 20 AB”, not PA. A thousand apologies to those who will jump all over me for my error.

By Peter

January 22, 2009 11:06 AM | Link to this

Seems Jeff would have been fine had he signed a few years ago when the Braves offered him a longer term deal………

Funny the Red Sox players that just got paid for being GREAT is not much off from what Jeff wants for being lousy !

Hard to believe with his numbers from last year he is worth more than the braves offered him……….what if his stinky play continues ?

Apparently Jeff wants to be paid like the bailed out Wall street executives……Jeff wants to get paid for being terrible !

Kind of tells you where his head is at……. “ALL ABOUT ME” !

Yes Jeff we need other players to compete, not pay a guy for sticking things up……..Learn the strike zone, situational hitting, and learn to hit a cut off man !

By raider

January 22, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this

Bill you should just stay home then. One less idiot in the stands. The $3.95M is just a starting point to negotiate a one-year contract before the arbitration hearing. And the arbitration # is not based on last year, it’s based on the last three years…all of which the Braves got a deal on Jeff. Say what you want about his ‘08 batting average and OBP but no one can doubt the number of seats he’s filled and commercials/promos/appearances he’s done for the team over the last 3 years - all of which mean $$ in the team’s pocket. I think he is entitled to a share this money.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 11:11 AM | Link to this

I find it intriguing that so many folks seem to hold turning down that long-term deal against Francoeur. Me, I see that as just another business decision. (And probably not a shrewd one, as it has turned out.)

By Legend of Len Barker

January 22, 2009 11:14 AM | Link to this

If Francoeur doesn’t want to play for the money the Braves are offering, I’ll take it. I can strike out just as much.

The thing is, what has Frenchy really done beyond that torrid start when he debuted? The pitchers adjusted. Francoeur has not. He has mediocre to negative success after those first couple of months.

Frenchy has also frustrated me greatly. He failed to understand that the Braves were sending him to Mississippi to let him regain confidence. Sorry Jeff, but your lack of adjusting is killing your average. Your average is killing the team. Your ego is killing the team.

Francoeur’s going to remain complacent until someone finally is serious about playing him based on his production rather than his ability to sell t-shirts.

By BrandonC

January 22, 2009 11:14 AM | Link to this

While I agree that it’s a business and all athletes do it, Jeff also needs to realize that at this point in time he’s not NEARLY worth that much. You would think that after the HORRIBLE year he had in 2008 he might not be so greedy, also taking into account that it eats up more of our payroll flexibility to add another bat to the lineup. He may be worth 2 - 3 million, but not 4 million.

And this isn’t the first time he and the Braves have had obvious differences in regards to money. He turned down a multi-year contract because he thought he deserved more. If you ask me I think the front office is getting fed up rather quickly and has realized that they may not have Jeff around after this season. I believe Frank Wren will pull the trigger on a trade if he does what he did last year. Jeff’s trade value might be low, but I don’t think that’s going to matter to Wren.

I hope he turns things around and shows that he’s worth a bigger contract, but I have my doubts.

By DirtyDawg

January 22, 2009 11:19 AM | Link to this

Ramblin Wrecker’s right. JF rolled the dice when he poo-pooed the Braves long-term offer and, it would appear, has crapped-out. Now he’s trying to play ‘double or nothin’ and I hope he loses - big time. Yeah, it’s a business but what that means is that the Braves will go into the arbitration meeting and have to crap all over Francoeur’s performance, try to paint a picture of abject failure and end up hurting the poor boy’s feelings in the process. His blatant attempt to pretend that he didn’t stink last year is just another example of what motivates him - period - the money. Frankly, I’ve always wondered about somebody that would have chosen to attend ‘Claaam-sun’ if he hadn’t been a hot, home town, prospect for a Major League team that now knows he ain’t worth what he’d like to be paid…unfortunately dealing with an arbitrator is as much a crap shoot as anything else, so he very well may get it, but if doesn’t show some progress in the first third of the season, he’ll be traded by July.

By Steve C.

January 22, 2009 11:22 AM | Link to this

It’s not Frenchy, it’s his agent wanting the raise!

By CB

January 22, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this

The Braves do NOT want to go to arbitration. They will settle for appox 3.5M

Jeff F is going to be fine, he is a great person and by all accounts a great teammate

Next story

By The Artist Formerly Known as Too Hot For Teacher

January 22, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this

As abysmal as Frenchy was last year several bloggers have made the valid point that this is a two way street. He produced WAY above expectations while the Braves simply renewed him at the league minimum and we, the paying fans, expected 15 OF assists, 30HR, .300, and 100RBI.

If this goes to arbitration he will be compared statistically to other Outfielders who have similar service time. Then they’ll look at their contracts and see what’s “fair market value” based on the numbers. They don’t care about our expectations or how unhappy we were. They don’t care that he’s the hometown kid or how many jerseys get sold.

If I’m the arbitrator I compare him to Melky Cabrera - similar service time, last year batted .249, 8 HR, 37 HR with a .301 OBP. Compare to Francouer who batted .239, 11HR, 71RBI and .294 OBP. Francouer played in about 20 more games than Cabrera and also had better defensive stats (Frenchy had a .987 Fielding and 14 assists while Cabrera had pretty much the same Fielding % he only had half the OF assists of Francouer) Prior to last season their statistics were similar in terms of BA and OBP, but Francouer had a lot more RBIs and HR than Cabrera.

Take all of this data that an arbitrator will look at and then see where last week the Yankees agreed to a one year contract with Cabrera worth $1.4 million. An arbitrator is going to look at this and say Frenchy is more valuable than Cabrera because of the HR/RBI total throughout his career and my guess is that an arbitrator is going to say somewhere in the 2-2.5 million range. Which - ta-da is right where the Braves are offering (2.8 i think is the number the Braves threw out - they’ll be willing to go over market value a little because he is hometown and he does bring in fans and they sell a ton of Francouer jerseys - he makes them a little more money) So I think an arbitrator is going to side with the Braves if it goes to arbitration. I don’t think it will and I think they’ll meet in the middle - somewhere along the 3.2-3.5 range. If he has a good year they may well go ahead and work out an extension midway through the year because you DON’T want to go to arbitration with a guy who plays great defense, hits .280, 30HR and 105 RBI.

Now certainly the case could be made he should’ve accepted the 6 year deal offered when McCann got his - but that’s another issue and story altogether.

Up next - working out an extension with Chipper like he was promised otherwise we’ll all be on the blogs next year complaining about Wren letting Chipper go - I can see Smoltz trying to entice him to come to Boston if he’s not happy and the Braves shaft him - and they need a 3B.

By LKS

January 22, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this

I actually heard that asking for as much money possible is NOT how it works. Simply because say Jeff asked for 7m and the braves offered 3m…if it went to arbitration there is NO way they would side with Jeff. They have to state a figure that they honestly think they deserve. If it goes to arb they pick the teams # or Players # no in between. So it would be stupid for Jeff to try and “get as much $ possible”. He has to be realistic about it.
Also, I think fans are a little fed up seeing how (if im not mistaken) Twice we offered him a long term contract and he turned it down hoping to get more money. That is greed. Jeff is an Extremely nice guy…but so is the cashier at Publix. He doesn’t deserve millions for having a great attitude. He gets paid for results. The whiny thing comes from him getting all upset about being demoted in July. What did he expect????? He had started getting booed by his beloved hometown fans. He was playing absolutely terrible. I really hope he has a great year coming up but he is not worth getting paid more than BMAC Period.

By jmart1951

January 22, 2009 11:31 AM | Link to this

Fans speak through their hearts and tend to live in the moment. Businesses act based upon results and potential. It isn’t an exact science and mistakes are made. Sometimes, in the case of baseball, the mistake favors the player, sometimes it favors management. Francouer is asking for a pay raise based upon how he views himself as a player, in relation to what other players, in his view that are like him, are compensated.

I think that it is a good thing that Francouer views himself as a $3.95 million player. I want a player that has confidence in his abilities. Hopefully, the Braves and Francouer meet in the middle somewher so that they don’t meet across the arbitration table.

I believe that Francouer is going to have a break out year and would be a bargain at $3.95 million.

By Kris in NC

January 22, 2009 11:39 AM | Link to this

I have read some blogs and been on some message boards and most agree Jeff doesn’t deserve this amount money based on what he did last season.

He whined when the Braves sent him down to get himself straighten out then he makes a statement just recently that what took place with him getting sent down has put a “damper” on things with the Braves. Since he came up, he has not gotten better, he has gotten worse. He was offered the same or close to the same deal Brian got, yet he thought he would hold out for a better deal.

Does anyone including Mark Bradley honestly think the Braves are going to pay Jeff Francoeur $4M based on what he did last season when they are giving $3.5M to Brian McCann and he has made 3 All Star Teams, won 2 Silver Slugger Awards and was named to the USA Team for the WBC. Sorry Jeff, you haven’t done enough to earn $4M. Brian is being underpaid, he is the one who should be asking for a pay raise not you. Giving Jeff $4M would be a slap in Brian’s face, imo.

What do I know, I am just some fan who just loves the Braves and wants the best team on the field.

By John Smoltz

January 22, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

Jeff should get the league minimum. He had an opportunity to sign the same contract that was offered to McCann. He differed in hopes of having a good season and signing a huge deal this year. Turns out, he couldn’t hit water falling out of a boat. He made the gamble and came out on the wrong end. Pretty soon, these hot shot baseball players are going to be asking for a bailout! It really dosen’t matter anyway because the Braves will only be competing for second to last place this year. Frank Wren can eat sh!t!

By J Smoltz

January 22, 2009 11:46 AM | Link to this

Jeff should get the league minimum. He had an opportunity to sign the same contract that was offered to McCann. He differed in hopes of having a good season and signing a huge deal this year. Turns out, he couldn’t hit water falling out of a boat. He made the gamble and came out on the wrong end. Pretty soon, these hot shot baseball players are going to be asking for a bailout! It really dosen’t matter anyway because the Braves will only be competing for second to last place this year. Frank Wren can eat sh!t!

By dap01

January 22, 2009 11:49 AM | Link to this

Good article by Mark Bradley.

Part of the flak that he is getting stems from Jeff’s attitude last year, especially when he was sent down.

People have a hard time forgiving attitude. Perhaps we should be made at the system and not Jeff. It is the system that allows a club to HAVE to give a player an 800% raise when he was one of the two WORST outfielders in the major leagues last year.

That sounds like the logic of General Motors.

By Terry Pendleton

January 22, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

Frnchy will have roughly 200+ at-bats to prove himself to the big league club.

After that, they’ve got to do something. Trade, waivers, out-right release, something. Problem with that is if he sucks it up for the first 2 months of the season who in their right mind would trade anything for him. Can’t keep dead weight on the ship, it’ll sink ya everytime.

By gvblack

January 22, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

Jeff,

All that Braves fans want is for you to play good outfield and have a .280 28/95 year. Do that, and love and money come flowing your way.

By Tami

January 22, 2009 11:55 AM | Link to this

Here’s hoping that Francoeur and the Braves come to a settlement before the arbitration hearing, which to me, would be more fair. I think something along the lines of a range of $3M to $3.25M is a good price. But, nothing near the $3.9/$4M mark that Jeff is asking for. Maybe some sort of option could be built into the contract, allowing for a nice little raise if Jeff does as well as he believes he will in 2009.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 11:59 AM | Link to this

It’s not up to the Braves once it goes to arbitration. If the arbitrator decides for Francoeur, he gets $3.95 million.

By Har Har Har

January 22, 2009 12:01 PM | Link to this

I don’t think the guy deserves a pay raise at all. I think if he were in the old days, he would have been offered a contract with a pay cut in it. Back then if you had hit say .305 with 25 HRs, 95 RBI and the next season hit .279 with 27 and 100, you probably would have received a contract with a cut in it from the club.

However, I love some of the responses here thinking the guy is worth nothing. I’d love too see just ONE of you tell your employer that you do not deserve a pay raise this year because you screwed up X, Y or Z in the last year and cost the company money. IF you were not fired first for your screw up. From these responses, I assume all of these posters are perfect at their jobs, make no mistakes, and still demand a big pay raise, even if they did actually screw up. No worries, your messiah is going to take care of you directly from Sodom on the Potomac.

By ChopChamps95

January 22, 2009 12:01 PM | Link to this

For the guy who brought up Ryan Howard at the begining of this blog, I’d much rather take Howard’s 199 strikeouts from last year than Francouer’s entire game last year. Atleast you knew Howard would hit home runs instead of being an automatic out like Jeff was every at bat. Even though Francouer had a bad year last year, he needs to prove consistently from year to year he’s worth $4 mill before he goes off and asks for it.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 22, 2009 12:02 PM | Link to this

Jmart

What makes you think Jeff is going to have a breakout year?

Believing it dont make it true. Just cause you want something, doesnt mean its going be.

you got any insider info? been watching him hit with B-mac and derosa?

hs he gotten out of the habit of being off balance, front foot hitter, swinging at GARBAGE, swinging at the first pitch, grounding into a double play, popping up to the infield with the bases loaded?

big leagues are all about adjustments. he was on fire when he first came up because no one had the book on him. once they learned how to pitch him and knew he would swing at garbage, why the hell would you throw him a strike. Jeff was better when he and Mac came up, but Mac has made adjustments and grew as a hitter and a big leaguer. Jeff just hopes to get by on natural ability and the fact that he’s a nice guy.

By Walt Weiss's Glove

January 22, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this

Mark

you are correct about this, if Francouer has another year like this past season he will no longer be a Brave. Not saying this isn’t a lot of money but rather the timing may be good for the Braves because this season will be very curial for his future in the major leagues period.

By UGADawg16

January 22, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this

Good grief…all this about a couple numbers that more than likely will be thrown out anyway. I don’t think this makes it to arbitration. Key word ARBITRATION…people don’t seem to understand how this works. Not sure it can be explained much better than MB already did so I can only assume one of two things…some are too dense to understand or people just want a reason to complain.

Frenchy seems to have dedicated himself to straightening out whatever caused his downfall last season. Great! Hometown guy / hero should get half a season to at least show signs of becomng a productive big leaguer again. And Frenchy being much like arbitration, it will probably be all or nothing…I don’t see him batting .265 with 15 HRs and 80 RBIs…I think if he was only producing at that level he would keep monkeying with things until he either went up or down. So, whatever his salary, I am guessing it will either be a real bargain for the Braves or a non-issue as he won’t be on the roster. Braves are kinda used to paying guys NOT to play, Hampton, Byrd, etc.

Here’s hoping for a bargain! Maybe a 2 for 1 special - AJ & JF for $4.5M. How would that have sounded 2 years ago?

By SmoltzIcon29

January 22, 2009 12:07 PM | Link to this

See if Jeff has taken the deal that was similar to what Mac got then he wouldn’t even be in this situation. But greed is a funny thing isn’t it. Being greedy can back to bite Jeff in the @$$ and now he’s paying for it by losing out on millions of dough.

By tt44

January 22, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this

JFrancouer and A. jones are two once fantastic outfielders who obviously are not making the grade on the professional level sadly to say. JF became A.JOnes last yr. so aggravating needing a sac fly or a sac bunt and they couldnt come through….. and egos…..Aj couldnt have stayed with the Braves but the grass is greener on the other side. I mean, Aj let his agent ruin his rep. in my book and now JF after a horrible season and attitude is doing the same…. I dont have the anwere but, …let um both go…..(well I know AJ is gone, but, I am afraid he is coming back..scary)

By Alan

January 22, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this

Mark Bradley is right. This is the system the owners and players’ union have come up with, and who are we to trash either side for playing by the rules? How come no one is criticizing Kelly Johnson and Casey Kotchman for the figures they (actually their agents) have submitted for arbitration? They’re also asking for huge raises, aren’t they? And they’re going to get them, whether it’s their figure or the Braves’ figure or (more likely, I believe) a compromise that’s arrived at through negotiation. These figures weren’t plucked out of thin air, you know. There’s an “industry standard” for first-year arbitration-eligible players, which is what Francoeur, Johnson and Kotchman are. Based on Francoeur’s body of work (not just last season), the number he and his agent have submitted is not outrageous, nor is the number the Braves have submitted. Both sides are abiding by the rules. Does this mean the Braves now will try to trade Francoeur? Or Johnson? Or Kotchman? Or all three of them? Maybe. It won’t be easy, of course, just as it will be difficult for other teams to move their own arbitration-eligible players. Again, these are the rules. We may not like them, but we really can’t blame the players — any of them — for trying to get as much money as they can. Who among us would do otherwise?

By Patrick

January 22, 2009 12:10 PM | Link to this

Peachtree John: “Maybe those same people failed to realize that Andrew Jones was falling like a rock for about 3 years before the Braves let him go.”

Andruw Jones decline came the last year the Braves had him, not the last 3 years. In those 3 years, he had a 50 homerun season and was the guy carrying the offense on his back. Obviously, you do not know much about the Braves.

As for Frenchy, of course you’re gonna ask for more. Anyone will say you’re not worth it, but he was more than the 400,000 he was paid when he hit 29 homeruns for us. After a winter of losing some bulk and clearing his head, maybe he can provide 20 homeruns and a .270 average. That would be good enough for me to earn the 4 million he is asking for. If he continues to decline, we will see him in the minors and playing somewhere else next season. If only he would take less money in order for the Braves to sign Dunn and give the Braves a big pop in the middle of the line-up. He may strike out a good deal but look at what Ryan Howard did for the Phillies and he struck out 30 fewer times. He may not have a great batting average but he has a great OBP and we can count on him to provide homeruns in the middle of the lineup, something we desperately need.

By TexasBrave

January 22, 2009 12:15 PM | Link to this

I know we should not compare baseball to our jobs in the real world, but if we were to under-perform do you think we would get a substantial raise? No. But I do understand in the baseball world that he is entitled to a raise because of years of service and the way he has played in the two years previous to last year. But I also think the Braves offer is more than reasonable. No way should he make more than McCann or perhaps even Kotchman. His asking price of 4 million is a little ridiculous. I agree he is hating his decision now of not signing earlier.

By PJ

January 22, 2009 12:16 PM | Link to this

Frenchy needs to realize that you need to produce both on offense & defense to get paid the big bucks. I can only remember one game last season that he produced. He hit a homerun bottom of the 9th against the Diamondbacks.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 12:16 PM | Link to this

If Francoeur can’t produce 20 HRs and hit .270 this season, he won’t be a Brave in 2010.

By jmart1951

January 22, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this

So dark the con man

Did you read the article quoting Chipper about how good Francouer is currently swinging the bat. That he has changed his stance and his approach. He is now looking to hit the bal from gap to gap. This still allows him to turn on the ball if the pitch dictates that type of swing. Francouer was one of our best hitters with RISP in 2007. His gap approach should return him to his former clutch self.

By RCD

January 22, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this

Is it time for the Falcon’s to start training camp yet ?

By Hamad Meander

January 22, 2009 12:18 PM | Link to this

Look, a guy can’t live on 425K and afford what he needs the most - A HITTING COACH. Therefore the Braves need to pony up and pay him enough to afford the help he needs.

Seriously, this is another reason baseball trails football and basketball in popularity. The rules governing the league and the league leadership are arcane, silly, and not progressive. It’s time for baseball to adapt smarter management.

It’s also time for the players of professional sports to realize that they are playing a game for more money per year than a lot of people make in a lifetime. Use the money wisely, and respect the fact that you are lucky to have such a job.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 22, 2009 12:20 PM | Link to this

need to go after manny ramirez. Sign him to a 3 year deal worth approx 70 million.

line up could be

thats a solid NL line up…..and the 6, 7, 8 hitters are all able to be moved around depending on righty or lefty pitcher and who’s got the hot stick.

just a thought.

By Your ole pal

January 22, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this

Jeff has half a season to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Any other mlb player, would have been sent to the minors alot sooner than ole frenchy was. Any other person, in any other industry would have never got a pay raise or probably even have a job, with the numbers “the natural” put up this past year. He hit .300 his first half season! What did he do, after pitchers figured him out? Nothing, but swing at garbage! Just because you are a highschool stud in Lilburn, does not mean he should be handed anything and everything! He does not deserve the 4 million, he is asking for. Guess he figured he would be better than McCann, when he didnt sign a similar contract last spring.

“Give me a yeah baby”

By Your ole pal

January 22, 2009 12:22 PM | Link to this

Jeff has half a season to prove he belongs in the big leagues. Any other mlb player, would have been sent to the minors alot sooner than ole frenchy was. Any other person, in any other industry would have never got a pay raise or probably even have a job, with the numbers “the natural” put up this past year. He hit .300 his first half season! What did he do, after pitchers figured him out? Nothing, but swing at garbage! Just because you are a highschool stud in Lilburn, does not mean he should be handed anything and everything! He does not deserve the 4 million, he is asking for. Guess he figured he would be better than McCann, when he didnt sign a similar contract last spring.

“Give me a yeah baby”

By Lowcountry Bulldawg

January 22, 2009 12:23 PM | Link to this

Can’t wait to see how many of these haters change there respective names once Jeff tears it up this season and start singing his praises!

The fans for this franchise are pathetic. A bunch of 40 year old former highschool baseball players jealous of todays up and coming athletes.

Why not attempt a glass half full approach and support the young man in his attempt to regain his stroke? It can only benefit the Braves if he does!

By So Dark

January 22, 2009 12:24 PM | Link to this

yeah, read the same article.

Jmart, one piece of advice, approach during BP vs live big league pitching is 2 different things.

big leagers have nasty stuff, change speeds, move it around, they dont throw it in there for you to lace gap to gap.

By Zach

January 22, 2009 12:25 PM | Link to this

Actually, Mark, the BCS is the worst mechanism ever created. But I got your point.

By Howard

January 22, 2009 12:25 PM | Link to this

You are out of your league (pun intended). The purpose of the arbitration process used by MLB is to encourage settlement without the need for expensive and time consuming hearings. By making it a sort of all or nothing process both parties are encouraged to settle somewhere in a middle ground. This is good for everyone. Notice how few players eligible ever actually have a hearing. Its because the process was designed that way.

By Question

January 22, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this

So Mark, what are your predictions on the batting order

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 12:28 PM | Link to this

Too Hot: “I can see Smoltz trying to entice him to come to Boston if he’s not happy and the Braves shaft him - and they need a 3B.”

LOL. Then, let him go. I enjoyed Chipper Jones while he was here, through the good times AND the bad. But I’m foremost an Atlanta Braves fan.

Why is it that players think they can use loyalty as a point of leverage in the business dealings of new or amended contracts? I don’t see how the two, business and loyalty, match up. I mean, all that didn’t work for Javy Lopez and Julio Franco…

By Luv 2 hate me

January 22, 2009 12:31 PM | Link to this

Give him the damn money. Don’t look at last year but all the years he’s performed leading up to this season. He’s earned it!

By Supes

January 22, 2009 12:33 PM | Link to this

Jessica is on his way out of town anyways, I guess he wants to “rob the Braves” for all that he can before he hits the road.

He should feel lucky he still 1. Has a starting job in the major leagues 2. The Braves are gracious enough to pay him anything above the league minimum 3. ATL has a “soft fan and media” market.

He would have been ripped like he deserved in 2008 for his abismal performance in NY, or Boston, or Chicago, or LA and the Fans would not be as forgiving!

Bottom line, Jeff is fortunate to be an ATL Brave not the other way around. Organization has other options in the OF for the future! Be careful Jeff, be very careful what you do this season. It can define your career!

By Your ole pal

January 22, 2009 12:34 PM | Link to this

The thing he hasnt performed in the past years. Hes a great outfielder, but where is the stick? Like I said he hit 300 the first year, but what about the other years. Its amazing, what happens after pitchers have tape on how to pitch hitters. Dont get me wrong Jeff is a great person in the local area, but that is not why we should pay him millions. He gets the money, if he produces on the filed. I wish I could make 4 million and do horrible at my job.

By J-man

January 22, 2009 12:36 PM | Link to this

I understand how arbitration works. Francouer has a limited amount of time in which to maximize his income. I understand the tactic involved, even though it makes little sense to many fans.

Francouer can probably play this year like he did last and still have a job here in 2010. He is and always has been a deeply, deeply flawed player. Early on he was able to disguise it, but now everybody knows that he has probably the worst strike zone judgment in MLB. That’s not likely to improve. In fact, I’d say it’s likely to get worse. The Braves have been in denial for years now so they’re not yet at a time when they’ll finally pull the plug on Francouer. He’s probably got 2 more years left to waste everybody’s time before it becomes obvious that he has to go.

Francouer can make all the changes talked about in an earlier post and it won’t matter. When the season starts he’ll still be swinging at balls 2 feet off the plate and in the dirt. He still won’t take a walk. Some people don’t seem to get it but his problem is not his approach to hitting, it’s what he swings at and until he fixes that, the problems will continue. Hitting in the gap more is just window dressing. And his attitude needs a ton of work to put it mildly and that’s something else that hitting in the gap will not fix.

By BLAZER

January 22, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

HE SHOULD BE GLAD HE EVEN GOT OFFERED A RAISE!!!

By Itsagame

January 22, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

I know you were being facetious with your title, but you are right. The nerve of that guy who had a miserable season, thought himself so much better than McCann that he couldn’t possibly sign a long term contract until he got lots more money, and, when given the opportunity to turn his season around by spending some time in the minors whinned like a big a baby. In what other profession would a person have an absolutely horrible year, refuse to take extra “training” to improve performance, and then have the nerve to go to the boss and ask for a raise or promotion. Give me a break. Just like John Smoltz. You know, he was one of my all time favorite players. I still like the guy as a player, but let’s face it. He took home 14 million last year for doing basically nothing, and he knew the problems injured pitchers like him created for the Braves, so it seems to me that after 21 years he could have ,at the very least ,been a little more willing to compromise and talk. Then, if he felt disrespected, he could have still gone. But, instead of making his feelings perfectly clear to the front office, he just took the “I’ll show them” “How dare they.” attitude. Well, the fans never disrepected him, his teammates never disrespected him, and I don’t believe that his children disrespected him, but they are the ones who are going to feel his absence not the front office So, to all ball players, here’s the biggest problem, you make millions for playing a kids game. Your big contribution to society is that you see if you can hit a little white ball with a stick and run to tag a base before some other grown man picks it up and throws it to the base before you get there or you try to thow a little white ball past a grown man hold a stick to see if you can get him to miss it. Give me a freaking break. Get over yourselves.

By 35YrBravesFan

January 22, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

Then by that logic, Mark, professional athletes are jerks, bums, and ingrates.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

Can I ask a question? (And I’m not being sarcastic here: I really want to know.) What about Jeff Francoeur’s personality/attitude is so off-putting?

By NoOpinion

January 22, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

I look for this to happen more in MLB. Chipper Jones took voluntary pay cuts so that the team could pay other players and make the team stronger. If the Braves end up treating Jones the way they treated Smoltz, then I would recommend to every player to milk the team for what they can when they can. It seams that loyalty for this team is a one-way street.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 22, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

Dear Your Ole Pal Thats a big ole yeah baby

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this

35YrBravesFan: “Then by that logic, Mark, professional athletes are jerks, bums, and ingrates.”

Good answer! Good answer! LOL.

By Serge

January 22, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

Can I ask a question? (And I’m not being sarcastic here: I really want to know.) What about Jeff Francoeur’s personality/attitude is so off-putting?

You were in a cave last season right? Next to Dick Cheney in protective custody?

you missed his childish pathetic tantrums after being sent down? and how he got just three days in the minors and proceded to have one of the worst seasons ever for a Brave outfielder?

this primadona superstar attitutde for an average player put off many against him.

By TB

January 22, 2009 1:08 PM | Link to this

This is what gets me: “(I’m) not trying to go out there and prove that I belong because I know I belong. For me it’s a matter of trying to take it to the next level and be a franchise player.”

He’s still clueless. After last year, YES! he needs to prove that he belongs. We don’t want him blowing off “the bloggers.” We want him to acknowledge that he stunk up the joint and he needs to do what he can to prove himself again.

When you have a year like he’s had, you don’t ask for a raise that’s larger than the one being offered. Who gets away with that in the real world? I’ve certainly never tried it.

To some other posters: Not all of us are just out to get what we can get. I run my own business now, charging by the hour. But I will shave those hours or trim my rate if I haven’t done the job to the level at which I’m capable. For those of us with some integrity, “everybody would ask for more money if they could get away with it” is flatly false.

By John

January 22, 2009 1:12 PM | Link to this

For those wailing on about what a ‘poor’ outfielder Frenchy is - you really ought to do a little research before you yap…

For example, the starting right fielder for the World Series winning Phillies - Geoff Jenkins..Here are his season avg for his 10-yr career (projected to a full season) GP = 135; BA-.275; HR-26; RBI-80; OPS-.834 ‘08 Salary - $5.0 M.

Need another?? How about the starting left fielder for the other World Series team - Carl Crawford - 6-yr player. GP=155; BA .293; HR-11; RBI-73; OPS-.764 ‘08 Salary - $5.375 M

Francouer? Career to-date? 3.5 seasons GP=157; BA-.268; HR - 21; RBI-93; OPS-.746; Asking - $4.0M

Oh - BTW- both Jenkins and Crawford had ‘08 seasons that were off their career averages. So while Francoeur might never reach the status of consistent all-star, it would appear that the market dictates 155 games/.280/25/90 numbers are worth close to 4.0M/year. That said - last year’s numbers (which the arb) should rule on - are only warrant the $2+ the Braves are offering.

By Peter

January 22, 2009 1:14 PM | Link to this

About Jeff’s attitude………

Seems he has never learned situational hitting…..or the strike zone.

He will watch 2 guys walk in front of him…..and he gets up and swings at the first pitch……a ball for strike one…….. He is not helping the team…or in the same situation grounds into inning ending double plays.

All about being a “Hero”, and not doing the small stuff……

He also air mails allot of throws that need to be going to a cut off man, so innings become worse, as runners get into scoring position.

That is quite evident to lots of fans !

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 1:17 PM | Link to this

Does saying he was disappointed to be sent to the minors constitute a public tantrum? (Again, I’m just asking.)

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 1:17 PM | Link to this

LOL @ Serge.

I don’t think the prima dona perception is all Jeff Francoeur’s fault. The love-fest from fans back in 2005 has to have played a small part in the perceived growth of his ego and decline in actual on-field production.

By LivininAL

January 22, 2009 1:19 PM | Link to this

Mark, I understand what you are saying and would add that if he had his seasons in reverse order, everyone would be behind him. Do you think he is mature enough as a businessman to take criticism of the Braves making a case for lower pay than he desires? He failed to handle the brief demotion well last year. I hope he does not allow this to become another self destructive pressure cooker. Athough, I think he should have pretty good year.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 22, 2009 1:34 PM | Link to this

Dear John (ha ha, thats funny)

Geoff Jenkins and Carl Crawford are not trying to be FRANCHISE players. just because they played on the world series team, doesnt make them the best in the game.

Since youre so good at stats, give us the stats of all right fielders who played in the ALL-STAR game. see how he compares to those. Ryan Ludwick - 299 avg, 37 jacks, 113 rbi salary: $411K

By wildbird

January 22, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this

Everyone should know that Frenchy as been working With Chipper and acordding to Chipper, Frenchy has changed his stance and approach and is blanced at the plate and qoute is “KILLING THE BALL” I think Chipper knows more about hitting than anyone on this Blog> Chipper also said he thinks Frenchy will have a Monster year. Report was on Mlb Network TV

By Andy

January 22, 2009 1:38 PM | Link to this

Mark:

Does it constitute a tantrum? No. But there are times to say something, and there are times to keep your mouth shut and do what you are told. THAT was a time to do what you were told. I don’t have a huge problem with what he said, just with the fact that he made a public comment at all. If anything, in a negative situation, as that was, the best thing to do is to only project positive vibes and positive language. Do you agree?

By Andy

January 22, 2009 1:40 PM | Link to this

Mark:

Does it constitute a tantrum? No. But there are times to say something, and there are times to keep your mouth shut and do what you are told. THAT was a time to do what you were told. I don’t have a huge problem with what he said, just with the fact that he made a public comment at all. If anything, in a negative situation, as that was, the best thing to do is to only project positive vibes and positive language. Do you agree?

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 1:46 PM | Link to this

I think it’s understandable that a young man who isn’t used to failure in anything would be taken aback by a demotion, no matter how deserved it happened to be. And that the young man, when asked, would say as much.

By Grimace

January 22, 2009 2:04 PM | Link to this

Pay the man!

By Algonquin J. Calhoun

January 22, 2009 2:13 PM | Link to this

Francoeur is not a lost cause, but he picked the wrong time to demand more money, if fan support means anything to him

They don’t take fan support down at the grocery store.

By SHARP

January 22, 2009 2:22 PM | Link to this

Jeff Francoeur has been having good seasons since he was 5 yrs old. He will bounce back and have many more. A player doesn’t pick which season they are eligible for arbitration and the amount he ask for is not a big deal. The team offered 2.8 million. This guy gives maximum effort at all times, is popular with his teammates and had great skill. Do you really want a guy who has no pride and doesn’t mind getting sent down? He was upset just as any person getting demoted from any job would be.

By Rick Long

January 22, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this

That’s fine Jeff, but I expect you to say “it’s just a business” if the case goes to arbitration rather than complaining or harboring bad feelings afterwards about how the Braves “disrespected” you when they pointed out your weaknesses and why you shouldn’t be paid what you want.

By Herschworld

January 22, 2009 2:31 PM | Link to this

I think that Jeff will get turned down, but his bid was a clear misunderstanding of the market right now…It’s almost an insult that he’s asking so high after that horrible season but can’t blaim and brother for trying

By MARK

January 22, 2009 2:36 PM | Link to this

Its not like we all know that the players are all overpaid..and Im sure laugh all the way to the bank we ought to have 1 night stay away from the ballpark(watch it on TV) in protest of ticket prices to see a guy get paid millions to hit 11 homers and bat .239…. wouldnt that be odd looking a almost empty stadium..I bet it woul;d open the eyes of every major sports in the USA. Our country is in a recession and tickets are going up because players are getting paid too much for what they do.It sad in the real world you have a bad year with a job you probably are going to loose your job but these players get a bad year and get a raise by 2-3 million..its really sad!

By MW

January 22, 2009 2:38 PM | Link to this

Salaries are out of control. Wouldn’t it be interesting if players were paid based on their actual results, not their past performance or future potential. For instance, you get a hit, you make X, steal a base you get y. Think of it as “pay for performance”.

By Paul Hamilton

January 22, 2009 2:40 PM | Link to this

I’m not blasting Frenchy for asking that much as a raise. I simply pointed out in another blog that baseball, unlike business, is one of the only jobs where you ask and generally get an insane type raise for underperforming on the job. Except for elite corporate management, this isn’t how the business world works.

By Jaye

January 22, 2009 2:45 PM | Link to this

BRADLEY: “I think it’s understandable that a young man who isn’t used to failure in anything would be taken aback by a demotion, no matter how deserved it happened to be. And that the young man, when asked, would say as much.”

Honestly, I’ve heard other, younger players react to demotion quite classily. Jeff Francoeur’s reaction didn’t say much for his character, except to illustrate he has very little. They say adversity builds character. Perhaps this continued fan abasement is exactly what he needs.

By Wayn-o

January 22, 2009 2:46 PM | Link to this

Mark,

Its not his personality we don’t like, its his actions. None of us knows him personally like you. He is comparable to McCann. They came up around the same time, they had same numbers but Mac was happy with what they gave him. Jeff wasn’t & complained about the way they sent to the Minors. Be happy, no one else (other than Smoltz) has complained about money this season, and we know what happened to him.

All this talk about Wren looking or a power outfielder & how stacked our minor leagues look with outfielders…. He should be happy to have an offer. Diaz was.

By lexbrave

January 22, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this

I just can’t believe his agent is willing to let his client, who already had taken a hit in the confidence department to go to an arbitration where he will be torn down by his current employer in an order to win their case.

I would say Jeff, take their offer, tear it up this year and we will get your big pay day in the offseason.

I mean, it’s got to be a big blow to your pride and confidence to sit in a room with your boss and have them put on a case showing why they don’t feel you are worth what you think you are worth..

By Hillbilly Deluxe

January 22, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this

As Dandy Don Meredith once said, potential is one of life’s greatest burdens.

By Skeezix

January 22, 2009 2:55 PM | Link to this

After a pathetic year, Frenchy should have been very grateful for what the Braves offered him, stated publically how he was undeserving of such generosity and thanked the organization for sticking with him. Baseball a business? Hah! If the MLB wasn’t a monopoly, but truly a competitive business, then salaries wouldn’t be so hyperinflated and pay would reflect performance.

By Willy

January 22, 2009 2:57 PM | Link to this

This thing, to a much lesser degree than I’m used to seeing, is one of the three top reasons I no longer like baseball. Everybody can, and should, get there pantys in a wad about how much a corporate CEO might make, but they’ll continue to go to ball games to see overpriced, juiced up primadonas make ridiculous money. And they’ll buy an $8 hot dog while they are there.

If there was a salary cap, all this stupid money would have greater ramifications to teams willing to risk it on them. So, don’t hate the player, hate the game. MLB is just asking for it, but they know we (you) will all line up in droves to support them anyway.

Attendance figures increase every year, despite the demise of the game. And the fans won’t even arbitrate for themselves. I’ll not help pay Francouers new salary, just as I refused to pay any of Mike Hamptons.

By J Z

January 22, 2009 2:58 PM | Link to this

Francouers problem is he tried to bulk up to hit more homeruns. Not smart, stick with what worked!

By Willy = Moron

January 22, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this

Willy, keep the seats empty for us then and go entertain yourself elsewhere. Does 1994 ring a bell, probably not because….well read the name

By lin

January 22, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this

we have a right to complain gee guy was offered a pay raise early in season he turned it down. gee how soon we forget so can see later he had a bad season sorry but raises are not given to anyperson who has done poor work job. sure set it up if he does this and that it increases but that not work then trade him. even if braves give low he gives high if the other guy says hi then then its crazy choice. start him off in triple a minors. see how he does and in 2 months nothing trade him or keep him there

By turkey

January 22, 2009 3:03 PM | Link to this

Trade him. Outfielders who cannot hit are a dime a dozen. I could see me asking my boss for a huge pay raise if I had as bad a year as he did.

By Ted Striker

January 22, 2009 3:18 PM | Link to this

I don’t get the venom directed toward this player based on a salary request. Or toward any player, really. Unless paychecks to a player are coming out of your bank account — meaning that you ‘own the team’ — it’s no genuine concern of yours what the team is paying the player. If you read the back of a ticket you’ll see it doesn’t convey rights to determine player salaries. Want to determine what the player makes? Buy the team.

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

So let me get this straight. Francoeur was wrong for not taking what the Braves offered back in 2007, but the Braves were wrong for not offering more to Smoltz in 2009.

Me, I don’t see it that way (in either case). Both men made business decisions. Baseball is a business.

By NIQUE RULES 4 EVER!!!

January 22, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this

he is a defensive gem!!! hopefully the arbitrator sides with the braves, cuz he is not worth what he is askin for… that being said… frenchy sucked in 07…. lets all hope for a POSITIVE RECORD BREAKIN STATS in 08…

GO HAWKS GO FALCONS GO BRAVOS!!!!

By NIQUE RULES 4 EVER!!!

January 22, 2009 3:45 PM | Link to this

frenchy is a defensive gem!!! hopefully the arbitrator sides with the braves, cuz he is not worth what he is askin for… that being said… frenchy sucked in 07…. lets all hope for a POSITIVE RECORD BREAKIN STATS in 08…

GO HAWKS GO FALCONS GO BRAVOS!!!!

By Mike S

January 22, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this

He never complained about money. He simply declined the Braves multi-year offer, which was completely within his rights. The Braves wanted to buy-out his arbitration and a couple of FA years, at a rate where they would over pay him for a couple years, but then under pay him in the last few (assuming he continued on the progression he was on).

Francouer thought he could do better and didn’t want to sign a multi-year deal based on the year he had just completed. He passed up the job security for a chance at a more lucrative deal down the road. How is that complaining about money? A lot of people here don’t realize that most 2nd and 3rd year players don’t sign multi-year deals, so it’s not that him playing through to arbitration was so unusual. I think the fact that Heap signed a multi-year deal and has continued to perform so well has comparatively hurt Francouer’s image (although I don’t believe that’s fair). Don’t forget that McCann plays the most physically demanding position on the field, and the one where players’ skills deteriorate the quickest. A multi-year deal that provides that much security makes a whole lot more sense for him to sign than for Jeff or someone at another position.

By three jack

January 22, 2009 4:00 PM | Link to this

mark mcgwire turned down a $30m contract so that his team (cardinals) would have money to sign a better free agent. mcgwire if he had the same tude as frenchy would have signed the contract, and just hung around collecting a check.

frenchy couldn’t hit a curveball or the cutoff man last season. what makes anybody think he has improved in either category. if he cared about the team, he would demand no raise until he got his mojo back…that would be the honorable thing to do.

By Bill B

January 22, 2009 4:28 PM | Link to this

Give the man a little credit. There has been so much pressure on him in the last year to do better than the year before. He is a ball player and this is his living. If he can get more money than the Braves are offering, then let it be. He sees some of his teammates getting more than him and it probably has something to do with his head. Keep trying Frenchy!!!

By duce

January 22, 2009 4:41 PM | Link to this

you bunch of idiots that seem to think that Francoeur is demanding more money need to really back up from the set and take a look at just how the business of baseball works. If your job offered arbitration into your contract, are you seriously going to tell me that you wouldn’t negotiate to receive the highest figure you could get?

By MikeR

January 22, 2009 5:02 PM | Link to this

Obviously Francoeur had a terrible year last year. In the “real world” one would never ask for a raise after getting an awful review and especially during a recession. But baseball is not the “real world”. Arbitration is a horrible process but that is the way the collective bargaining agreement is setup. Owners agreed to it. Players are many times under paid until they are arbitration eligible.

As to Francoeur being a nice guy, from my experience, he is one of the most considerate professional players I’ve met. We were in Gatlnburg on my son’s 13th birthday in early November. We were playing put-putt at an indoor course and ran into Francoeur who was playing with his family. He went out of his way to be nice to my son. He signed an autograph, allowed us to take his picture with my son, and had a nice conversation with him. All this while his family was waiting for him to play. This was after a bad year.

Having a bad, (horrible), year does not mean someone has a character flaw.

By sapelodawg

January 22, 2009 5:03 PM | Link to this

Everyone talks about Jeff and Andrew and how sorry they are. Truth is both were potential superstars til they spent a couple years under Terry Pendleton’s coaching. Don’t complain about the player, eliminate the cause.

By The Artist Formerly Known as Too Hot For Teacher

January 22, 2009 5:07 PM | Link to this

hey yo Jaye,

If Chipper demands crazy money then I would agree with you - yeah let him walk. However he doesn’t want crazy money - I was referencing a quote of his in the AJC when he said that he was told that a contract extension would be negotiated this offseason (his contract is up at the end of the year) and then he said that nobody has called him since to discuss it. He’s in a little different boat than Smoltz because Smoltz was actively shopping as a free agent. Chipper is still under contract and wants an extension because he doesn’t want to go to free agency.

And Mark, as to your questions about why people don’t like Francouer - I personally don’t like him because he hit a ball off me in high school that still hasn’t landed. - just kidding - i’m not mad at him for it - I hung one over the middle. I think that a lot of people view him as being that new kid at school who was really popular at his old school and expects the same level of popularity and love at his new school. And c’mon - he’s got a giant “VOTE REPUBLICAN” sticker in his locker.

By BigBnLV

January 22, 2009 5:17 PM | Link to this

If you were negotiating salary with an employer, and they offered you 50,000 a year… would you tell them “No I don’t think I am worth that, can you pay me only 40,000?” Every one wants more money for what they do no matter what the career field. Frenchy is just doing what every single person on this planet would do… just in larger figures!!!

By PMC

January 22, 2009 5:19 PM | Link to this

In a perfect world he’d already be making a lot more than that 400k. The contracts prior to free agency are essentially akin to MLB minimum wage work. If they ask me to put up a number for Arbitration I’m shooting high too more than likely the 2.8 number will be selected if there is no deal before arbitration. Good luck Jeff. We’re all pulling for you to rebound. Keep flashing the leather and gunning out folks at the plate.

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

January 22, 2009 5:36 PM | Link to this

Not to rain on the parade or anything, but did ya’ll know the 2008 Braves were ranked 23rd in HR’s and 27th in stolen bases last season. Nothing has been done to alleviate this situation as of yet. Nowhere to go but up, Right?

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

January 22, 2009 5:43 PM | Link to this

Andruw stunk in 2007 and Cox kept running him out there.

Francouer stunk in 2008 and Cox kept running him out there.

If Frenchy stinks in 2009, what will Cox do? Um, see the above two paragraphs.

2006 Braves: 560 extra base hits, 849 runs and 818 RBI

2007 Braves: 531 extra base hits, 810 runs and 781 RBI

2008 Braves: 479 extra base hits, 753 runs and 721 RBI

Dear Frank Wren, what the hell is your MALFUNCTION????

By Dixie Dawg

January 22, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this

I admit, I was one of the ones bashing Frenchy last year when he sucked so bad,

But, I really do think that he will rebound this year. Hell, he deserves another chance. He’s still young and he wasn’t oblivious to the fact that he had a problem.

Francouer was open to suggestions and help on getting his mojo back.

That’s more than I can say for Andru Jones, who won’t admit that he has some things to work on.

But, Frenchy does need to get it together this year. If so, it’s all well and good. If not, then the Braves will have to make a decision on him.

By LivininAL

January 22, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this

Mark referring to your last comment..Unlike French, Smoltz had the luxury of having the Boston Redsocks serve as his his arbitration panel! Joking but as you say “It is a business decision from all sides.”

By Marie

January 22, 2009 6:40 PM | Link to this

Oh, no…more than the league minimum! Move on - How do you think the arbitration process works???

By georgiagent

January 22, 2009 6:42 PM | Link to this

hello!!!! This contract is for his body of work; not last year’s aberation (hopefully)

By Ted Striker

January 22, 2009 7:09 PM | Link to this

If some mad scientist ever combines the public rancour over Jeff Francouer’s salary with the public rancour over Willie Martinez’s coaching — well, Planet Earth might not survive the blast.

That ought to tell you something is off kilter. (And it ain’t the earth’s rotation, Francouer, or Martinez)

By Mark Bradley

January 22, 2009 7:22 PM | Link to this

Hung a curve ball, did you? And the ball still hasn’t landed?

Whenever I see a long home run, I’m reminded of what Braves manager Russ Nixon said after Jack Clark hit one 450 feet off Joe Boever at the old ballpark: “I didn’t think Fulton County would hold it, and I don’t mean the stadium.”

By Meanwhile...looking to the future

January 22, 2009 7:49 PM | Link to this

Won’t negoiations for his next contract, after this one, start with a baseline of what he makes on this one?

If that’s true, it seems like he almost has to ask for more. For example, what if he took the $2.8 million figure without complaint, then had a great season worthy of asking $9 million for.

Wouldn’t the Braves then spin it as he’s we want to compensate him, but he’s asking for an unreasonable three times more than he made last contract? Whereas, if he won, that $9 million would represent a little more than double his last contract.

I don’t know if they use the last year’s salary as a baseline figure in this manner or not, but if they do, isn’t he shooting himself in the foot not to ask?

By Dan

January 22, 2009 7:56 PM | Link to this

Francoeur is a guy that you sign to a long term deal NOW. Just like in the stock market you buy low. The guy had a horendous year offensively and defensively. Prior to that he was one of the best in the majors at outfield assists and 2 out RBI’s. Clutch players do not forget how to be clutch. The guy will rebound and will keep 1 stance. Changing stances every game and second guessing everything was dumb. Fire the hitting coach and get someone that the players listen to. Andruw wouldn’t listen to the hitting coach and that was accepted, why should Frenchy.

By duce

January 22, 2009 8:20 PM | Link to this

you bunch of idiots that seem to think that Francoeur is demanding more money need to really back up from the set and take a look at just how the business of baseball works. If your job offered arbitration into your contract, are you seriously going to tell me that you wouldn’t negotiate to receive the highest figure you could get?

By vermont 39

January 22, 2009 9:24 PM | Link to this

This ain’t the old days and he was way underpaid earlier. Arbitrators look at the career value, as they should. Pay him his year and let’s get on with it!!

By Dave Klemmer

January 22, 2009 9:36 PM | Link to this

lets get off this guys back and let him play ball. we all loved him when he first came up. he had a great attitude and he looked like he loved the game. he lost that somewhere along the way last year. lets let him get that back and see if he can get back to the player we all want him to be. if he comes out like last year then get on him but lets not give up on such a talented guy.

By Johnny DangerDawg

January 22, 2009 10:05 PM | Link to this

Mark Bradley, Don’t you think it’s a bit silly for Frenchy to ask for more money than Johnson and Kotchman (2 guys who had more success last year)?

By BartBuzz

January 22, 2009 10:07 PM | Link to this

Mark Bradley keeps saying “baseball is a business.” I don’t disagree but that’s the reason fan loyalty is hard to keep. Money breeds greed and arrogance. It looks like both may be Francoeur’s downfall. Too bad. He had such high potential and was fun to watch. I hope he has a comeback year to prove me wrong.

By Tomas

January 22, 2009 10:19 PM | Link to this

Mark, I certainly understand your point of view. It’s just bussiness, I just think he is asking too much. The Braves offered a 622% increase, to a guy who hit 239, with 11HR and a horrible OBP. 2.8 million is good enough. Specially since Franceour doesn’t want to do this arbitration process.

Tell me something Mark, who deserves more money Brian McCann or Jeff Franceour? McCann is making 3.5 million, and Frenchy is asking for 4 million. That doesn’t make sense, since McCann is arguably the best cather in Baseball, coming of a year he hit 300 with 20HR, and playing 145 games at the catching position. He has won two silver sluggers awards, been on the all star team 3 times all before turning 25, and being compared to the all time great Johnny Bench.

In my opinion from a bussines stand point, there is no way Franceour wins his case for 4 million. That said, maybe they give him somewhere in the middle, like 3.25, or even 3.5. But the figure they eventually give him will be much closer to 2.8 than 4. It’s just plain common sense.

By Ken Stallings

January 22, 2009 11:10 PM | Link to this

Bradley! Get a clue!

The Georgia unemployment rate has risen to over 8%! Millions of hard working people are out of work and losing their homes, cars, medical care, and are choosing between heating their homes and groceries!

Do you even read the news section of your own newspaper?

Amid this reality, it’s time for athletes to also get a clue. Asking for a massive raise in light of poor performance isn’t washing it given how many excellent employees are without work. Just to increase the poignancy of the issue, it is expected that by the time the bottom is reached, unemployment in Georgia will reach 15%!

How will that play with athletes getting 850% raises despite poor performance!

By Ted Striker

January 23, 2009 2:15 AM | Link to this

It’s awfully late but I just checked back in and I’m still looking for someone to make a case about how Jeff Francoeur is ‘wrong’ in submitting a $3.95 million figure. Not for someone to make a case about ‘whether $3.95 million is right or wrong’ — rather, that JF is ‘personally’ wrong.

A few things to remember about arbitration. MLB’s rules are clear. NO CONSIDERATION whatsoever is given in arbitration to fan opinions, ticket prices, the economy, team finances, press coverage, previous salary offers made to the player, or any wage earned by anyone in any occupation except for one — the wages of a professional baseball player. Those saying baseball players are overpaid compared to the general population: yes, definitely, but MLB expressly forbids that fact be taken into account in arbitration. Even if 100% of the fans who attended baseball games were unemployed and looking for work, it wouldn’t matter to an arbitration panel for MLB; it would be against the rules.

Don’t like the arbitration rules? You’re not alone. Still it’s only fair to point out that Jeff Francoeur didn’t create the rules. Nor did he have any personal input into their creation. He’s remained within all parameters of the system, even when the system didn’t favor him by his years of service in the past.

Bottom line: I’m not getting into what he’s worth, or isn’t worth. What I’m saying is this — when a guy plays by the rules, it’s not the guy ‘exploiting the rules.’ (Despite accusations about his greed, selfishness, underperformance, demon possession, dislike of cute kittens, floppy eared puppy dogs, small children, etc)

Here’s a thought. Let’s say JF somehow leaves his arbitration hearing with a $3.95 million contract. Stranger things have happened. (Remember that story about David Spade hooking up with Heather Locklear?)

Question: Would JF winning arbitration mean that the money will automatically and unequivocally go into his bank account? No. The salary decision is a one year, NON-GUARANTEED contract. If a player is cut within 16 days before the season, he’s entitled to 30 days termination pay. If he’s cut during spring training but after the 16th day before the season starts, he’s entitled only to 45 days termination pay. (Hey, there’s a bandwagon for some of you folks to jump on)

By LonnieSmith91

January 23, 2009 4:59 AM | Link to this

Bottomline all of you can break down stats and argue but this business is all about what have you done for me lately. And lately Jeffy you aint done s** good luck in 2009……………………..

By Braves2009

January 23, 2009 7:26 AM | Link to this

I dont know if Francoeur will bounce back or not. Chances are he will but I do know one thing. Hes not going to be a franchise player. If he is wanting this kind of money after coming off the worst year in his short career, he will be traded for a lot of players right before his free agency. I mean Brian McCann did it right, Francoeur is just plain greedy and playing for the money. Love of the game and team play? He will be gone before to long so relaz. Hes pushing himself out of the Braves organization and fast.

By LivininAL

January 23, 2009 8:15 AM | Link to this

What is the risk to Frenchy to ask for more? NONE Except for a few of us Blog Bashers. He knows that he is guaranteed 2.8 so his agent says lets ask for an extra 1 million and see what happens. I think Kotchman and KJ will settle at near 3 million and avoid arb. For some reason I don’t think the Braves will offer French more.

By ann lewis

January 23, 2009 9:10 AM | Link to this

Jeff is aBraves player. I’ve seen other Braves have just as bad a season. Get over it. I only wish half of the rooster were as dedicated as Jeff. NUFF SAID

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 9:17 AM | Link to this

Ann Lewis

So you now want to pay the man more money just because he’s dedicated.

Do you think like some others that “money should have been no object” with John Smoltz?

By Rivercry

January 23, 2009 9:19 AM | Link to this

Mr. Francoeur needs to cry a river, build a bridge, and get over it. He wants to be paid what a much more consistent performer, like Dodgers catcher Russell Martin, receives for a CONSISTENT performance. Mr. Francoeur’s performance has been inconsistent. Until he achieves a level of consistency good performance, he does not merit the pay he seeks. “Real life” employers don’t reward employees to the extent of Mr. Francoeur, and they don’t give raises until the DAILY performance justifies that raise in pay. Rock on, Mr. Wren.

By Your ole pal

January 23, 2009 9:28 AM | Link to this

Ann Lewis, do you have a bad year at your job and then go ask youR boss for an 800 percent pay raise? No I dont think so! I am dedicated at my job, but I dont go and ask for a huge raise after a bad year. The only raise he may get is in Pearl Mississippi! They do not pay you for dedication, they pay you for results on the field! NUFF SAID! Last I saw, it was ENOUGH SAID!

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 9:35 AM | Link to this

Thats a big ole “yeah baby”

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 9:41 AM | Link to this

Thats a big ole “yeah baby”

By Railsnake

January 23, 2009 9:54 AM | Link to this

He’s lucky he lives in the fantasy world of MLB. Walk into the office of any real life boss and ask for a raise after such a poor performance and you will more likely get a pink slip. And I won’t even go into detail about the state of the economy! As for his past? Yeah boss, I’ve tanked lately but think back to what I used to do! Lucky someone thinks he can play ball!!!

By Son Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this

I can hear him now, “Mr Wren, I know I stunk it up last year, but if you look back over my life I’ve been very good. I was king of Mountain Park Park Youth League, I hit 16 homeruns at the short porch of Parkview high school. I hit 4 homeruns in the state championship double-header at Lassiter High School.”

Salary is based on what you do. Not what you did.

Im a helluva a nice guy too, but my boss doesnt want to hear about that. He wants to know how productive am I at my job.

By Son Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 10:54 AM | Link to this

I can hear him now, “Mr Wren, I know I stunk it up last year, but if you look back over my life I’ve been very good. I was king of Mountain Park Park Youth League, I hit 16 homeruns at the short porch of Parkview high school. I hit 4 homeruns in the state championship double-header at Lassiter High School.”

Salary is based on what you do. Not what you did.

Im a helluva a nice guy too, but my boss doesnt want to hear about that. He wants to know how productive am I at my job.

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

January 23, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this

I don’t give one good God Damn how much Jeff Francoeur makes in 2009. All I care about is his offensive production and performance.

I have do have a couple of questions for Mark Bradley.

As we speak, the Atlanta Braves payroll projects at around 88 million or 90 million tops. The payroll hasn’t been this low since 2001.

The 2008 Braves offense ranked 15th in RBI, 23rd in HR’s and 27th in stolen bases. NOTHING has been done to alleviate this problem as of yet.

Mr.Bradley, how are we as fans to expect this team to have any chance at winning in 2009 with the questions surrounding the offense and payroll? thank you for answering my questions.

By Your ole pal

January 23, 2009 10:58 AM | Link to this

Son Dark the Con of Man, I bet he won an All Star trophy at Mountain Park every year as well! Maybe he can cash that in for his 4 million dollar salary!

Yeah Baby!

By Son Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this

I can hear him now, “Mr Wren, I know I stunk it up last year, but if you look back over my life I’ve been very good. I was king of Mountain Park Park Youth League, I hit 16 homeruns at the short porch of Parkview high school. I hit 4 homeruns in the state championship double-header at Lassiter High School.”

Salary is based on what you do. Not what you did.

Im a helluva a nice guy too, but my boss doesnt want to hear about that. He wants to know how productive am I at my job.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 11:10 AM | Link to this

Why havent the braves gone after any run producing outfielders. It would be tough to win the Kentucky Fried Chicken All-Star League with an outfield that combines for 34 homeruns and under 185 rbi.

By Ted Striker

January 23, 2009 11:27 AM | Link to this

To — The dude with three posts comparing the Francoeur arbitration to “your boss being interested in knowing how productive you are at your job.”

Given that you’ve posted three times this morning, not counting investment capital in your spell checking, seeing if you have are any new comments on Facebook, listening to Mike and Mike in the Morning, and data mining The Baseball America 2009 Deluxe Handbook of Arbitration — I’d go out on a limb and say — ‘not very productive, at least today.’

(Nah, I’m just messing with ya. Please, Hammer, don’t hurt me)

By don

January 23, 2009 11:28 AM | Link to this

The dummies gave a .500 pitcher and an mediocre and unproven Japanese pitcher over $80M.

I would think that they would be a little smarter and sign Francoeur and Andruw since the price would be only a small fraction of what was wasted on the free agents.

The odds of getting more longterm and shortterm production from the latter two certainly is a better bet than from will be derived from the other two.

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 23, 2009 11:40 AM | Link to this

Ted Striker

You just land the plane college boy. Leave the hard stuff to me. I bet Mrs. Striker thinks I’m productive. She was calling my name last night, but she just uses my nickname. “oh God, oh God!”

By Your ole pal

January 23, 2009 11:43 AM | Link to this

Ted, you must be pretty productive as well! Guess you have been investing in grammar check as well!

“seeing if you have are any new comments” (yes, posted by you Ted)

Ted give it up, Francoeur is a bust! He is looking for someone to clean his jock strap, if you are looking into doing that!

By Ted Striker

January 23, 2009 4:37 PM | Link to this

So Dark Con Man — Thanks for telling me where Mrs. Striker was last night. I hate when she doesn’t call and let me know who she’s staying with. (Hey, she looks great after that gastric bypass surgery, doesn’t she? When she sheds another 175 pounds she’ll finally be able to ride the Scream Machine at Six Flags…hasn’t been able to do that since she was 8 years old)

Yer Ole Pal — You have made me see the error of my ways. Wow! Thanks! I am fully with the program now. I’m stunned by how completely and eloquently you illuminated the path to truth that should have been outrightly obvious to me before. (If you’d like to make a call, please hang up and then redial your number….this is a recording….this is a recording….)

By Your ole pal

January 23, 2009 5:29 PM | Link to this

Striker, I can arrange a date iwth you and the Frenchy! Let me know! He will bring his jock for you to sniff.

By Saywhat

January 24, 2009 8:53 AM | Link to this

I don’t understand it. I have been a fan of Jeff Francoeur since watching him play for the Rome Braves (Atlanta’s Class A team) about 5 years ago. I like him; but what really bothers me is Jeff really thinks he is worth so much more after the sorry season that he had? WOW - what _alls. MB said he is doing anything that every businessman would do - I say bullcrap. Do you really think a smart business man would ask his employer for a huge raise if he helped lose company money, didn’t make his sales, blew his budget, etc.? I say that success is an indicator of pay. After Jeff proves that his performance last year was just a fluke and he has a great year this coming season - then he can come back to the table next year and ask for more; otherwise he is a fool. In my eyes, as a fan, he is quickly losing credibility. But, unfortunately, as most athletes are today, he likely doesn’t care. That is the sad nature of “sports” today.

By UneverNO

January 24, 2009 9:05 AM | Link to this

To - HAR HAR HAR - You state “I’d love too see just ONE of you tell your employer that you do not deserve a pay raise this year because you screwed up X, Y or Z in the last year and cost the company money.” Actual HAR - I was offered a bonus based on the overall company performance - but I turned it down and asked they give it charity - because I didn’ perform as expected that year. I was under sales and over budget. It’s called be responsible and trying to live a life of integrity, and no, I should not be patted on the back for doing that; it’s called doing the right thing. In my humble opinion, Jeff has not “earned” the right to ask for such a hugh pay increase; infact, he should either give some of salary back from last year or give it to charity. After all, I don’t think with over $2.5M he is in danger of starving.

By UneverNO

January 24, 2009 9:07 AM | Link to this

To - HAR HAR HAR - You state “I’d love too see just ONE of you tell your employer that you do not deserve a pay raise this year because you screwed up X, Y or Z in the last year and cost the company money.” Actual HAR - I was offered a bonus based on the overall company performance - but I turned it down and asked they give it charity - because I didn’ perform as expected that year. I was under sales and over budget. It’s called be responsible and trying to live a life of integrity, and no, I should not be patted on the back for doing that; it’s called doing the right thing. In my humble opinion, Jeff has not “earned” the right to ask for such a hugh pay increase; infact, he should either give some of salary back from last year or give it to charity. After all, I don’t think with over $2.5M he is in danger of starving.

By Mark Bradley

January 24, 2009 10:51 AM | Link to this

The average salary for a major-league outfielder in 2008 was $4.7 million. Jeff Francoeur is asking for less than that. Is that a sign of runaway greed?

By Jason

January 24, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

F Jeff Francoeur

By Remember the Titantics

January 24, 2009 1:20 PM | Link to this

Want a recipe for a Braves failure in 2009?

Bring back Jeff Francoeur and sign Andruw Jones.

Add in some worn out arms of former great pitchers that should have retired 2 years ago.

Then sink to the celler.

Its the 1970’s and 80’s all over again.

By Ted Striker

January 24, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this

“Gimme a blank contract. I’ll sign it, and you fill in the figures.” - Red Sox pitcher Lefty Grove, to owner Tom Yawkey

“For a hundred years the owners screwed the players. For 25 years the players have screwed the owners. They’ve got 75 years to go.” - Yankees pitcher Jim Bouton

“Shut up. I told you to shut up. If I want to spend $4 million on a ballplayer, I will. If I want to spend $12 million, I will. It’s my gn money and I’ll do what I want.”* - Padres owner Ray Kroc

“Gentlemen, we have the only legal monopoly in the country, and we’ve f it up.”* - Braves owner Ted Turner

“Loyal? I’m the most loyal player money can buy.” - Dodgers, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland A’s, California Angels pitcher Don Sutton

“No problem. I was either going to wake up rich or wake up richer.” - A’s Mike Norris, after losing in salary arbitration

By MWC

January 24, 2009 2:46 PM | Link to this

Yo Ted..best post ever..

By Chino Cadahia

January 24, 2009 4:27 PM | Link to this

Mark

Are you saying that Jeff was an average outfielder in 2008?

.239, 11 hr, 71 rbi, 111 k’s, and 39 bb’s, .294 obp

By MS

January 24, 2009 4:57 PM | Link to this

I’ve watched ticket prices soar as baseball strives to become more “entertaining” and salaries have increased for the entertainers. I never get my money’s worth and paying average players like Francoeur millions just makes the situation worse. The system is broken and needs to be fixed.

By How much is enough?

January 24, 2009 6:41 PM | Link to this

Mr. Bradley: Usually I agree with you on topics, but not on this one.

I think more than anything the response to Frenchy is more of a disdain towards MLB players in general than just Frenchy, it is just getting too ridiculous.
Honestly, how many of us “working” citizens could perform so poorly and then demand a raise? None, espcially in the current culture of unemployment, most ordinary folks are just plain thankful to have a job, therein lies the problem, MLB players have lost touch with what it is like to be like most Americans.

I recently read an article where Frenchy said he stoppped listening so much to the people ripping him on the blogs and started focusing on people at FCA rallies who told him that they are praying for him. Really????? Our country is in one of the worst economic messes in history, and people are actually praying for a MLB player who is stuggling at the plate?? Wonder if Frenchy is praying for any of the fans who have paid their hard earned money in the past to see him play or buy his jersey and who are out of a job? And personally I am little sick of the remarks about those of us on the blogs, our money has helped to pay these players salaries also.

Another thing I witnessed lately in the media also really discouraged me. I watched Gil Tyree, who by the way I will never watch his channel again, interview Tom Glavine. He asked Glavine if it has hard for Bobby to be such a “company man” and not run his mouth to the press about how mad he is at the Braves for letting Smoltz go! Since when is basic professionalism considered such a heroic act? Why is that being a professional is so strange to everyone in MLB these days? Bobby conducts himself in a professional manner and respects the organization that pays his salary. You also never hear him crying about his salary to the press do you? It is a crying shame that is considered an oddity in MLB these days. Chipper, Smoltz, and Frenchy all have run their mouth to the press about the very organanization that pays their hefty salary. I work for a school system and you better believe I know better than to write letters to the paper criticizing my school board. I wouldn’t do so for many reasons, but mostly, because I have respect for the orgnaziation I work for. It’s something called basic professionalism, Bobby Cox has it (why I love Bobby), maybe some of his players could try to learn from him.

I hate to sound so negative about a game I love so much, but at some point it must be asked of the players, “How much is enough?”

By Scott

January 24, 2009 9:11 PM | Link to this

Even if the arbitrator rules in favor of Francoeur it doesn’t matter. What matters is him producing. If losing weight and working with Chipper this off-season works, then the Braves and Frenchy win. He’s a hard guy to project because he’s a free-swinger with little respect for the strike zone. No matter what though, Frenchy is playing for his career this year, because his OBP is so bad that if he’s not hitting for average and driving in a 100 runs, he’s not valuable enough to play. Let’s hope that he’s going to produce this season and not worry about $4 million.

By Willy

January 24, 2009 9:39 PM | Link to this

The average salary for a major-league outfielder in 2008 was $4.7 million. Jeff Francoeur is asking for less than that. Is that a sign of runaway greed?

Yes! If that’s the average salary for an “average” major leaguer, absolutely. I don’t take my kid to baseball games for a reason. For many reasons, actually. But all those reasons have the same bottom line.

The client is a sucker and the product isn’t all that entertaining. Not nearly as much as it once was. All the reasons that baseball was a great game for it’s first, what 100 years, has taken a beating to greed.

Most teams will gamble 20 million doallars on a player that probably won’t produce, but they gamble the public’s money. If we don’t pay at the gate, we’ll pay at concessions.

MLB will take their next hit within the next 4 years. I eagerly await the hit

By herbK

January 25, 2009 5:22 AM | Link to this

I agree with Willy - baseball is not very entertaining anymore. As far as the money & Francoeur goes, he should be taking a pay cut. He wasn’t worth what he was paid last year. That said, NONE of the players are worth what they are paid. It’s been said they are worth that because the market says so - the market is a monopoly and is closed. Players bloated and ridiculous salaries are just part of the reason tickets cost big bucks, beers are $8 and so on. That, couple with the players and owners greed as caused me to lose interest in the game.

By andyp

January 25, 2009 7:17 AM | Link to this

I think Frenchy is a great kid, but watching him play last year, I question if he is truly major league material. Did we all get sucked into this hometown kid stuff and fail to realize he may not possess the skills or mentality to be successful long-term in the bigs. Personally, I hope the Braves win in arbitration and I feel Jeff will prove to be a bust. Maybe I’m wrong and he’ll deliver the game winning hit in game 7 of the NLCS. Only time will tell.

By southgabrave

January 25, 2009 1:48 PM | Link to this

I agree with some of you, yes baseball is now a business. I also think it’s employees are over paid. The players in all sports think they should get half of the profits. In what other business does that exist? The owner take all the risk and make all the investment and are told by the players union you dont deserve all the profits. It should be shared by all. At my place of employment, my employer is a billion dollar a year business. They are totally debit free but they suffer all the risk. I am paid a fair salary (but no not what I think I am worth). If do not produce I surely do not get a raise no matter how well I produced two years ago. I can’t go to an arbitrator and let him decide what I should make. Can you? Salaries are way out of line. They have been for years but especially now. Does Jeff deserve 2.8 mill the braves are offering? I think not. People say they deserve what the market determines. Well surprise in the coming years with the economy the way it is, things will corrct it self. We have seen arena football fold this year. There franchises that are in finacial needs. You are seeing teams that have cut back on personnel from scouts to office personnel. We can expect more to come. When people making 35-60,000 a year start cutting back, where do you think they will cut? A ballgame that cost 100+ dollars to attend for a family of four (plus parking food, and travel if you live outside of Atlanta) or a local dinner and/or movie?

I hope Jeff has a great year! I hope every player the Braves have, has a great year. I have nothing against someone making all they can, but you should produce to get it. You dont deserve it based on two years ago or that you are now a fourth year player. Do your job this year and you will deserve a raise next year.

By GT

January 25, 2009 2:52 PM | Link to this

Let old Jeff make the money but then take the gloves off when he lets us down again next year. Seems to me he got a little p** in Mississppi last year when he got demoted, like we better be careful or he will be leaving. Maybe Jeff knows something we don’t or maybe he has lost that all American stuff we thought we like about him and become an entitled jerk like most of the crooks on Wall Street and Barry Bonds. Getting something for nothing is just another form of cheating and is the trend now days. What turns your stomach is he still has his job while millions of hard working Americans do not. Something’s not right about that.

By Stephen

January 25, 2009 3:42 PM | Link to this

MB should have just linked to this article about JF’s arbitration demands. It describes the arbitration process and makes MB’s argument… only with actual arguments.

Cliffnotes: JC Bradbury says that JF is worth it and then there is some pretty insightful debate in the comments section from people who disagree.

If the debate is about Frenchy’s personality, then maybe this would have been better suited for the Entertainment or Lifestyle sections?

By Drew

January 25, 2009 9:56 PM | Link to this

Bill had it half right, trade him AND Frank Wren to KC for 50 Bats!!!!!!

By athus

January 25, 2009 10:09 PM | Link to this

jeff is very overratted. the braves will give him the money before they resign andrew. andrew is a proven big league player.watch how the braves do him. he aint even afro american

By Jeff in Roswell

January 25, 2009 10:14 PM | Link to this

Jeff is an alright guy but he is Pu$$y whipped BIG TIME.

By Thomas

January 25, 2009 10:59 PM | Link to this

It’s not my money. Give it to him. Won’t be the first or worst mistake a GM has made.

By Andrew

January 25, 2009 11:05 PM | Link to this

What is up with all of you Franky haters? I am a huge Braves fan and never miss a game and I will never hate on a person who plays their hearts out. You can say negative things about his 2008 year, but you can not say negative things about him as a person. He is such a great personality on the team and he is also very charitable in the community. I have faith in him and Terry Pendleton and know he will get back to his old self. He just needs to have fun like he did his first 2 years. I am cheering for you Jeff!

By Howell

January 25, 2009 11:36 PM | Link to this

You said it is a business and you are correct, that is why he doesn’t need a raise. In the real business world you are graded by your performance, and that might include a raise or it might not. It may mean you keep your job. I worked for a company 28 years and never had a bad performance report, but guess what, I am no longer employed. Unlike a lot of people, I was in a position to retire. These ball players need to live in the real world of employment. These guys scream for more money, guess what the average Joe can not take his family to see the great american pass time in person as on his salary he can not afford it. Or even worse there are thousands of single parent kids that can’t even enjoy the taste of a McDonald’s hamburger…A lot of pro players have a good impact on the community (John Smoltz is one and Brian Jordon is another), but three fourths of pro. players do not. If their interest was in helping people and being good role models for our kids, this country would be a lot different…..

By dICK

January 26, 2009 6:24 AM | Link to this

When you talk to Jeff ask him he just maybe managment knew what was best when they sent him down last year and he started whinning like a baby to come back up. I hope he has learned something. His main problem is he tries to be McCann and he isn’t, just be Jeff and play at your ability. He erred by making them bring him back up.

By Deb

January 26, 2009 7:33 AM | Link to this

If I don’t produce at work, I don’t get a big raise….what’s the difference between baseball players and the common everyday employee?

By Harrry Peter

January 26, 2009 7:35 AM | Link to this

Simple Resolution. Every player gets a standard flat salary. Then each players gets a standard bonus based on position performance metrics. Isn’t this how “business” works?

By Your ole pal

January 26, 2009 9:30 AM | Link to this

Andrew, you arent the group of guys dressed up in the weiner costumes are you? “Francouers Franks”

Average outfielder salary was 4.7 million, but I dont clasify Francoeur as an average outfielder. I would say his numbers consits as a below average outfielder.

The problem is the media and everyone thiniks he is the golden boy. They put all this hype on him after doing good for 30 games, when he first got called up.

Striker where are you at?

By Tom S.

January 26, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

I am an out of state, but crazy ‘bout the Braves fan and I was very frustated with French last year. My concern is that he become another great hitter that slipped through our fingers. Maybe he should take a one yr. deal, go out and help win a NLC ship, hit 300+, drive in 100+ then come back next year and get 7 or 8 million. I think 2.8 m. will keep him out of the soup lines down at the City Mission.

By Drexel Gal

January 26, 2009 12:16 PM | Link to this

The current arbitration system is perhaps the best ever devised, and a monument to former MLBPA chief, Marvin Miller, who co-opted the idea from his days as an economist for the Steelworkers Union. By choosing one side’s figure or the others, with no compromise, the arbitration process keeps both sides realistic. Otherwise, the player could ask for $100-Million and the team offer one dollar … the arbitrator would choose a figure in between, automatically giving one side a better deal than it would have accepted.

Duh. Do the math.

By ERich

January 27, 2009 9:30 AM | Link to this

Jeff first pitch strike frenchy is the perfect example of the all american white boy who has been spoiled all his life. He has the adacity to ask for a raise when he has done absolutely NOTHING for the Braves and to top it off to pitch a fit when the organization opted to ship his sorry a** to the minors to work on his hiiting he screamed like a girl as if he was to good to go. I say trade the bomb and let him take his whinning else where. Yeah you were pretty good in High School but guess what so was I.

By Lynn

January 27, 2009 10:29 AM | Link to this

I’ve got faith in Frenchy! He is one of the top players on the field.When you say Atlanta Braves you automatically think-Chipper Jones,Tom Glavine,Brian McCann,and Jeff Francoeur.Face it..Frenchy is awesome..he doesnt talk a buncha crap to the media and have this better that everyone attitude.He lets his performance do the talking for him.Everyone has a bad season..Have we forgotten about the year Chipper had an affair on his wife with the Hooters girl and got booed at his home field?!??! But’s still an icon. Jeff has made highschool baseball history..and already MLB history for his Rookie season.As far as him being selfish..nah,I dont see it.He seems to be a very humble,caring person who doesn’t think of himself as much as he should be! All I can say is “Go Get Em’ Frenchy!” Better believe I’ll be @ Turner Field all the way from WV cheering him on!!!

By So Dark the Con of Man

January 27, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this

Lynn

“he doesnt talk a buncha crap to the media and have this better that everyone attitude.He lets his performance do the talking for him”

What did his performance say last year?

By Paul Lentz

January 28, 2009 12:17 PM | Link to this

I subscribe to the MLB Extra Innings package (I live in San Francisco). For those of us who watched every Braves game last year, a big part of the frustration with Franceour is how many times he failed to deliver at the plate. I cannot remember a player striking out and hitting into double plays with the bases loaded as many times as Franceour did last year. This was going on at a rampant pace in late May, June, and July when the Braves were hanging around, competing. We were only a few games behind the Mets and Phillies during this time. Franceour killed many rallies. It seemed like the opposing pitchers allowed the Braves to get the bases loaded because they knew that Franceour would either strike out or hit into an inning ending double play (I know, it doesnt work that way, but still, it seemed that way, lol).

I am not saying that if Franceour delivered in the clutch last year that the Braves would have made the play-offs. However, I do feel that more production out of Franceour would have helped save our bullpen last year. Plus it would have allowed others behind him an opportunity to extend a rally and knock in some runs.

I dont begrudge Franceour for asking for more money. Hey, if a team is foolish enough to give into your demands, more power to you. However the Braves would be foolish to give in. I feel the Braves want Franceour to succeed. The Braves would love to end up paying Franceou lots of money if Franceour’s play warrants a big contract. However the Braves would be foolish to just give Franceour big money right now.

I wish the Braves would have left Franceour in the minors when they demoted him last year. He may not realize it, but deep down, he needed to work on his hitting. I would have rather had him work on hitting clean-up in the minors in a run producing situation…than…have him hit in the 8th spot for the Braves like he did for most of the second half. Franceour’s potential value is hitting in a run producing spot in the batting order…not hitting 7th or 8th in the lineup.

However last year is behind us. Hopefully his hard work in the off season will show in results in the upcoming season. The wasted contracts are off the books from previous seasons. I feel that Wren and Co. have made some prudent decisions on who they signed and traded for. Giving Franceour big money when he hasnt proved himself would be a big mistake. Franceour made the decison to gamble on a bigger payday when he turned down the extension the Braves offered him when they signed McCann to his extension. Well, Franceour’s gamble didnt pay off. No hard feelings. He had every right to “gamble”. However when you make your bed, you have to lie in it. I think that that is all that realistic Braves fans are asking.

Also, after this season, the contracts of Hudson and Soriano are off the books. That frees up an additional $20 million for next year.

I know that this probably wont happen, but I would love to see the Braves make an effort to sign Manny Ramirez. Imagine Manny hitting in the 4th spot, between Chipper and McCann? I feel that Manny’s presence would actually take pressure off Franceour. Regardless of what many of you personally think of Manny, the fact remains that the guy can hit. Franceour could certainly learn a thing or two about hitting and pitch selection from Manny. I’d be willing to offer Manny a 4 year contract at $20 million per year. He is worth it. Bobby Cox has the right temperament to handle Ramirez. As long as he hits, I could careless how well he behaves (as long as he doesnt break any laws). Some of you Braves fans would rather lose with a bunch of nice guys, than win with “moody” players. I want to win. Period. This isnt a personality contest. It takes a certain kind of player to succeed in professional sports. Your average superstar athlete has an ego. It comes with the territory.

By Jordan

January 29, 2009 4:10 PM | Link to this

Jeff will come into his own this season everyone has their ups and downs