AJC > Sports > Braves > Blog > Archives > 2006 > September > 25
Monday, September 25, 2006
Francoeur fading down stretch, and that’s a shame
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of them has played 46 games since June 24, and the other has played 82 games since June 24.
One of them has 35 extra-base hits, 17 homers, 45 RBIs and 41 runs since June 24, and the other has 27 extra base hits, 11 homers, 44 RBIs and 44 runs since June 24.
Chipper Jones is the one who’s played 46 games since June 24, and Jeff Francoeur is the one who’s played 82 games since that date.
Guess which guy has more extra-base hits, home runs and RBIs in that span? That’d be Chipper.
I’m not sure, but I think Francoeur’s performance might just fit into the Law of Diminishing Returns. He looks tired, worn out, and to me it’s a shame that he has let starting every single game this season possibly affect the greater purpose, which is to perform at the highest level possible as frequently as possible in order to help the team.
He means well, he’s a great kid, and he’s certainly done the “as frequently as possible” part of the equation. But Francoeur’s insistence to play every day certainly hasn’t helped his performance, and I think it’s probably hurt it.
(Before we go any further, let’s point out that everyone wishes Chipper had stayed healthier and played more this season, and that if he had, considering the level to which he played when healthy, the Braves just might have been in this wild-card race to the very end. OK, now back to Francoeur).
After going 2-for-18 during the debacle of a 1-3 weekend series at Colorado, Francoeur’s average is down to .258 and his on-base percentage is down to an alarmingly awful .290.
He says he’s a far better hitter than he was last season in his rookie year, and he’s probably right. But it’s not showing up statistically, and that could have something to do with the fact he’s started ever game in his first full season in the majors. It’s a grind enough without playing every inning of every game, and to allow a 22-year-old rookie who plays as hard as Francoeur, to allow him to go out there day after day, inning after inning, just for the sake of proving _ what, that he’s a hard-nosed, hungry kid? _ to me makes no sense.
It’s done now, or almost done. But in the future, I’d hope Francoeur and the Braves would be more sensible and that Bobby Cox will make the kid sit a day or two next year, or at least pinch-hit a day or two, to rest when he shows signs of fading.
And if these aren’t signs of fading, I don’t know what is: Beginning with his 0-for-4 in the second game of a Sept. 3 doubleheader at Philadelphia (the second doubleheader in two days, and he played all four games), Francoeur has gone 15-for-77 (.195) with two homers, six RBIs, six walks and 20 strikeouts.
In 12 road games during that stretch, he’s 4-for-42 (.095) with one homer, three RBIs and 10 strikeouts.
He grounded into double plays in each of the last two games in Colorado while going 1-for-10 in those slugfests in which everyone else was teeing off on mediocre pitching and building stats in the thin air of the Coors Launching Pad.
Francoeur has also made a couple of fielding gaffes in the past few weeks that could probably be attributed to fatigue, letting routine balls skip past him for multiple-base errors.
The Braves have a lot of problems that need fixing this winter. It’s been a hugely disappointing season, and there’s plenty of troublesome areas we’ll address in the coming days and weeks.
Francoeur isn’t the biggest problem, not by a long stretch. He’s a hugely talented kid who could end up becoming a star before long. He’s got tons of raw power and a cannon for an arm.
But it’s time that someone _ Bobby, Terry Pendleton, Chipper, Francoeur’s housemate Brian McCann _ sit him down and make him understand that it’s not about trying to be a young Cal Ripken, some sort of Iron Man who can crash into walls and keep playing every inning.
It’s about becoming the best player he can be. It’s about deciding that taking pitches and working counts and getting on base more isn’t an option, but a necessary part of the job description.
Francoeur is tied for the fourth-worst OBP in the league (.290), the fifth-worst road batting average (.217), the second-worst OBP vs. right-handers (.276). He’s too good for that, even in just his second season.
Chipper, by the way, leads the league with a .355 road batting average (did I mention it sure would be nice if he can figure out a way to stay healthy next year, maybe hire a track coach to give him a stretching program and a trainer to get in the best condition of his career?).
Six games to go. Let’s hope Francoeur, for his sake, gets through them without passing out on the field. He’s come this far and paid a big enough price with his stats.
Oh, and please excuse any typos. I’m writing and filing this in the Denver airport, and I’m late for my flight and don’t have time to even re-read it, much less do so carefully.
