AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > June > 06
Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Frenchy tries to reduce Ks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Francoeur was talking to a couple of us hacks before yesterday’s game and conceded that he wants and needs to cut down on his strikeouts. He said he expects to strike out 100 times a season as a power hitter, but that he’s struck out too often this year (46 times in 242 at-bats) to be as productive as he wants to be. He didn’t get all defensive over the line of questioning, didn’t roll his eyes or look at the questioner with a glare that said, ‘What do you know?’
And that’s another reason I like Francoeur as much as most everyone else does, and why I believe he’s going to be a really good player for a long time. He gets it, and he wants it badly, and he isn’t content to be a cover boy and star in his hometown.
I say this because some may have misinterpreted what I wrote about Francoeur in yesterday’s blog, how I think he should be rested now and then just like others, how he might benefit from a day off when he’s struggling, just like the others on the team. Because he’s not there yet, folks. He’s not above it all, not a star yet, and he knows it. For one thing, he’s got to start performing much better on the road before he can be branded a star.
That said, he’s been the best Braves player at Turner Field since he came up in July. Check out these mind-boggling numbers: In 67 home games since arriving from Class AA Mississippi last summer, Francoeur has hit .318 with 20 home runs, 63 RBIs and a fat .971 OPS. The 50 strikeouts/3 walks in 255 at-bats are overshadowed by the sheer productivity at home, not to mention his penchant for the dramatic hit.
OK, now consider this: In 61 road games since his arrival, Francoeur has hit .234 with five homers, 23 RBIs and a .722 OPS. That’s a severe dichotomy, folks. Really severe. The .257 career on-base percentage on the road and dramatically reduced production make the 54 strikeouts/6 walks in 244 road at-bats that much more noticeable.
But anyway… he’s 22. Keep reminding yourselves of that. It’s easy for me to remember because I see him in the clubhouse every day, see the unbridled energy and enthusiasm that simply cannot be maintained by someone older (well, except by maybe Marcus Giles, but he’s not normal).
Francoeur is you or me on 12 cups of coffee… well, that is if we had immense physical gifts including speed, strength, agility and ice water flowing through our veins.
OK, enough about Francoeur. Pencil him in at right field for the next 5-6 years or longer, if new ownership is smart.
What else? Wait, let me change this CD - the first Highwaymen CD. (I love putting that on time to time and hearing Johnny, Waylon, Willie and Kris K. sing like they’re sitting around on a porch, passing around a bottle. The sound of our country right there, folks.)
Oh, yeah … Saltalamacchia.
I DID NOT propose trading him for D-Train yesterday. I merely stated that if the Marlins WOULD trade him to the Braves and demanded Salty, I’d do it, provided the Braves believed they could keep him within their budget. He’s got two more years of arbitration before he’s a free agent, but his arbitration figures are really big.
Still, you could sign him to a multi-year deal, buy out those two years of arbitration and a year of free agency, and have a third ace to pair with Hudson and Smoltz next season, giving the Braves a true Big 3 again. And I think Dontrelle would fit in splendidly here, after seeing his interaction with Braves players around the batting cage and hearing Bobby Cox talk fondly of him so often.
And if next year is Smoltz’s last with Atlanta (I’m CERTAIN they will pick up the $8 mill option year on his contract for 2007, and Smoltz has been told not to worry about it by Braves higher-ups), then Willis and Hudson are at the top of the rotation in 2008, by which point Kyle Davies should be coming into his own as a consistent 15-game winner or more.
Hampton’s back for two more years, but I just don’t see how you can count on him being healthy and as good as he was before his elbow surgery. By the way, his recovery is going great and he’s going to start throwing soon, but still aiming for 2007 spring training.
The only way Salty should be untouchable is if the Braves have him penciled in to play first base next season, in my opinion. And I don’t know if that’s realistic when they’ve barely seen him even take ground balls over there in batting practice. While it’s reasonable to assume he could play the position, could he play it well? It’s a crucial position that people wrongly assume can be handled by any slugger.
A team built on pitching, which is what the Braves have been in the past and want to be again, needs strong up-the-middle defense and needs a good first baseman. I haven’t seen Scott Thorman enough to judge his defense, but he’s raking at Triple-A and it might be time to bring him up and see what he can do. As I’ve said before, B.J., great guy that he is, isn’t giving the Braves anything offensively or defensively.
Jordan is 3-for-30 with one RBI and nine strikeouts in his past 13 games.
And don’t look now, but Matt Diaz is 1-for-16 with one RBI and five strikeouts since May 26.
And Langerhans is 18-for-89 (.202) with two homers, six RBIs and - yikes - 29 strikeouts in his past 31 games.
Chipper’s not hitting like Chipper (it’s a “soft” .293 he’s hitting). Andruw’s as streaky as ever.
The Braves are hoping like crazy to get Brian McCann back Thursday, because their offensive funk began the day he got hurt May 20. With a few exceptions, an eight-homer game in at windy Wrigley here, a comeback win there - they have been in a malaise since he went down.
OK, gotta get going and get out to the park. Horacio going against a no-name pitcher (Shawn Hill) tonight, and we know how the Braves often do against the no-name pitchers. It’ll be interesting if Ho can make it three strong starts in a row since his return from the DL. If he does, then maybe, just maybe, he’ll be back to the pitcher the Braves thought he’d be by now after his solid rookie year a few years back.
Later.
Daily batting log for Jeff Francoeur (ROAD)
Totals
AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TBB SO SB CS ERR PA
.234 61 244 28 57 13 2 5 23 6 54 1 3 4 253
OBP SLG SH SF HBP GDP W/L
.257 .365 0 1 2 2 29-32-0
