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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > June > 27 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USNo need to panic about Francoeur
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There are too many voices dancing inside of Jeff Francoeur’s mind. Some tell him this about hitting. Others tell him that. Later, when the Braves right fielder strolls to home plate, he is thinking so much about things other than the guy standing on the pitcher’s mound that his ears are threatening to explode from his head.
Who’s to blame?
Jeff Francoeur.
Just because folks are talking, you don’t have to listen. And who cares if those folks are your hitting coach with a batting title on his résumé, your future Hall of Fame manager, your teammate with more switch-hit home runs than anybody but Mickey Mantle or Eddie Murray, your prominent high school baseball coach, and your father?
Enough is enough, and Francoeur said as much. Finally.
“The hardest thing for me, especially when you’re young and you’re going through a slump, is knowing who to listen to and who not to listen to,” said Francoeur, referring to the formidable likes of Terry Pendleton, Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones, along with former Parkview High baseball coach Hugh Buchanan and Francoeur’s father, David.
Do the toe tap. No, don’t do it, and place your hands higher. Spread your stance.
If you add those bits and pieces from Francoeur’s growing number of advisers to his habit of studying and copying the mannerisms of successful hitters from the past and the present, well, you’ve got a mess. Francoeur chuckled, while shaking his head and adding, “These are credible people, and they’re telling you something, but, you know, they might contradict each other a little bit. There are different styles and stuff, so the biggest thing is to listen to everybody, take what you want and let the other go in one ear and out the other.”
That is, if Francoeur’s ears aren’t still flying around somewhere after that explosion of voices.
It sounds like Francoeur finally gets it, which means neither the Braves nor their worried followers should panic over Francoeur spending much of his third full season in the majors as clueless after entering a batter’s box. Before the Braves played Friday night in Toronto, their former cover boy for Sports Illustrated was a candidate for the cover of Psychology Today. He had a .248 batting average, eight home runs, 41 RBIs and ghastly results with runners in scoring position.
Francoeur is just 24, though, and remember: He showed his ability to rip for power in his first full season (29 home runs). Then he showed his ability to swing for average last season (.293). He is doing neither now, but his days as a complete hitter are in the near future. That’s because he is learning selective hearing.
It took awhile. “It got to a point where I was changing something every day,” said Francoeur, who also had another problem until recently: He couldn’t rest. “I’ll wake up one morning, and I’ll start thinking about hitting right away. You can’t do that. I’ll get home and start watching ESPN, and a guy is getting a couple of hits, and I’ll be like, ‘What if I put my hands up there like he does?’ You over-analyze everything, and as an aggressive hitter, I’ve never been a guy who has done that.”
So, Jeff, guess what?
Don’t do that.
Just become Jeff Francoeur. “Just see it and hit,” he said, nodding.
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By Herschel Talker
June 27, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
I agree that there’s no need to panic. But there is a need to begin to ponder the idea that maybe this is the real Jeff Francoeur, a servicable major leaguer, but nothing special.
By Jimmy
June 27, 2008 4:35 PM | Link to this
Didn’t Bradley write this same article last week?
By bobby
June 27, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
I think it’s simple. Doesn’t matter who he listens to. Just stop swinging for the fences and put the ball in play. The rest will follow.
By No Dawgs Here
June 27, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
It could be that pitchers figured out how to pitch to him and he has not adjusted. That is what USUALLY happens.
By Maniac is accurate
June 27, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
Go through him some bp Terrance. But don’t wear a cup.
By ITS-OVER
June 27, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
Yea Jeff, just go up there and hit the ball. Who cares where it goes and long as its not in the catchers mit. Gota love him.
By ATLien
June 27, 2008 4:49 PM | Link to this
I’m getting sick of hearing about Francoeur’s struggles… So you’re telling us he’s finally discovered the magical solution to his never-ending funk, Terrence? I thought the contact lens was supposed to be his slump buster. Hey, maybe if he puts a little Jobu doll in his locker and offers him rum before each game that’ll do the trick.
By Drew
June 27, 2008 4:52 PM | Link to this
Terence, I too wish Jeff would start hitting. The problem is, now he is starting to play very poorly in the field as well and is quickly becoming this years version of Andrew Jones. Jeff needs to go back to Pearl, Ms. ASAP!!! Big League right fielders do not hit .240 and kick the ball around when it is hit to them, OR, NOT DIVE FOR OR BALL ONCE IN A WHILE!!!!!!! HORRIBLE!!!!
By Broadstreet Bully
June 27, 2008 4:54 PM | Link to this
I like your positive outlook on Francoeur. Keep the positive attitude on future articles!
By Moore-on
June 27, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
I’m not really sure what TM is trying to say here: don’t panic, but Frenchy is not doing very well, but he’s doing ok, well, he’s doing worse than ok, it could be better, but it could be worse… What is this article saying!?! Look, just tell him to hit it where it is pitched and he’ll be fine.
By BlackberryCobbler
June 27, 2008 4:57 PM | Link to this
First……….
During spring training, the newly bulked up Franceour announced this would be his breakout year— move it up a notch, become the superstar.
Well, all I’ve witnessed is that pitchers have figured his undisciplined manner at the plate out and reduced him to just your average run-of-the mill player.
I think the Braves can do better than this overhyped homeboy. Cut and run and let’s bring in a real talent.
By Terence Moore
June 27, 2008 4:59 PM | Link to this
To No Dawgs Here,
You bring up a good point. Pitchers definitely have adjusted to Francoeur, and now it’s up to him to respond accordingly.
All young hitters go through this, and the good ones/great ones make that adjustment at some point.
There is nothing to indicate that Francoeur can’t join that group.
By Jack ATL
June 27, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this
Francoeur is a future franchise player for Atlanta. There are a lot of players that have not necessarily played up to potential this year, not to mention injuries. Agree with Terence Moore! Let Francoueur be Francoeur!! He may be trying too hard to cover for others!!
By The Truth
June 27, 2008 5:08 PM | Link to this
I agree with what somebody else said…didn’t we just have a blog dedicated to Frenchy last week? What’s the point in this one? I’ve been getting on Jeff since the start of the season and I’m to a point to where I have gotten my fill and gotten tired of it. Simple fact is Frenchy should have been listening to his hitting when he was telling him to hit the ball where it was pitched and dont be afraid to go the other way in the first place…maybe he wouldn’t be in the slump he’s dug himself into.
By BravesFanatic
June 27, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
Terence Moore does not actually write what he feels. If he did that he wouldnt have a job because he is so horrible. He makes a living by going against the majority opinion. When people disagree they like to read objections to their opinion. Good strategy Terence, you sure have them fooled.
By braveswin
June 27, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this
If the Braves had a hitting coach then maybe I would hold out hope for Jeff. But alas all we have is Pendleton who has not been a positive influence on a single Braves hitter since his hire.Good player,maybe a good manager someday but a total failure as a hitting coach. I wish he would be let go but I don’t hold out much hope. Good luck Jeff but if you’re going to get out of this funk, I’m afraid you are on your own
By beki
June 27, 2008 5:13 PM | Link to this
I think Jeff ought to see Jack Llewellyen ( sp?), Smoltzie’s former psych coach.Llewellyen should tell him to relax, stop listening to anyone who’s not his hitting coach,to be more patient and selective at the plate;and, above all, not to pressure himself into thinking that he must hit the homerun. You can’t be the hero everytime so just play the game hard and the hits will come.
By JCarson
June 27, 2008 5:16 PM | Link to this
I am surprised that he has not learned more from Chipper. You have to work the count, otherwise you won’t see any good pitches. He is still young and has time to learn this, but I am honestly suprised it has taken this long. I am not worried about him at all, though. He is going to be a player in the long run.
By mt
June 27, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this
tm the people that complain about this article are just plain haters. there was nothing negative or racists in the article as people would say and they still comlpain. shake the haters off and keep doing u. thanks
By Arkansas G
June 27, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this
For all these people jumping on Francoeur for his bad slump, keep in mind that our beloved Chipper Jones was hitting around .200 at the All-Star Break in 2004 and finished with a .248 batting average at the end of the season. His worst in the majors. Hitters go through these things. Jeff can hit and will hit, just as Chipper turned his season around that year (although .248 is a far cry from .400 right now). It also should be pointed out that Chipper battled injuries just as Francoeur is battling his vision and I’m still not convinced that his ankle is 100 percent.
By dufferdawg
June 27, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this
I think part of his problem began with the big fat contract offered to B Mac…I think it bothered JF more than he let on…..and I think if I were Terry P…I would tell JF that he would be fined $500 for every home run he hit until until further notice ! Maybe that would take away some of the “stupid” aggressiveness…
By J-Row
June 27, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this
The Frenchy Funk
Line drive to right-center. Plain and simple. If he starts hitting the gap in right-center once in a while, you will see his slump taper to it’s end.
Period
By TommyP
June 27, 2008 6:13 PM | Link to this
Terence:
The big question isn’t just his hitting. His fielding has been atrocious. He’s misplaying fly balls, taking bad angles, watching balls fall in front of him, throwing balls to the backstop…..
He looks terrible ALL-AROUND.
Can’t remember the game but Hudson was pitching and there was a liner out to right. Frenchy just stood there and let it fall in front of him. Two steps and it would’ve been an easy out.
By andy
June 27, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this
Until Francoeur learns some plate discipline, he will never be more than a journeyman. How many times is he down in the count 1-2 and forced to swing at anything? He needs to learn to work the count to his favor so he can get better pitches to hit. Take a pitch or two, Jeff. It won’t kill you!
By gary
June 27, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
Frenchy is part his own victim, and a victim of Bobby Cox.
Bobby Cox loves the BIG 3-run homer, and of course his Frenchy would love to hit them! And, Frenchy, from day one, is known for “see the ball, hit the ball”. Funny thing happened though… opposing pitchers figured that out and he’s seeing less balls down the middle. Pitchers with control are having him for lunch. If Jeff can adjust and go with the pitch and not try to yank everything to the left field corner, then maybe he’ll do alot better. It’s worked for Chipper and McCain.
By BUSHWACKER
June 27, 2008 6:31 PM | Link to this
He is probably thinking this would have been his senior season at Clemson and would be in the NFL next season.
By Bk Hawk
June 27, 2008 6:37 PM | Link to this
The Great Mr. T Moore has spoken, all is well!
By justin
June 27, 2008 6:45 PM | Link to this
Terrance
I have way agree with you. I’m not trying to suck up to you, but I think everybody knows you have a wealth of baseball knowledge. And I personally value your opinion more than some other people who write for this very paper. But the fact of the matter is Frenchy is flat out not getting it done. You say he needs to stop listening to people, well thats what Andruw Jones did and look it where it landed him.
Frenchy has had high expectations since high school. We have been waiting for him to produce and this year he hasn’t. Frankly I figured this would be a bad year when he reported to spring training having gained 15 pounds and professing to anyone who would listen that he was gonna hit more homers this year. It’s unnecessary for him to do so. He is a strong kid, and like Chipper and McCann and even Andruw when he would listen, he has power to the opposite field. If he would stop trying to pull the ball and just put it in play like last year, I think his power numbers would go up as he matures. Maybe he won’t break the Hammers record(yeah, the Hammers), but he could be a guy who hits 30-35 homers a year and drives in 120-130, kinda like Berkman. Either way I wish him the best and I hope he figures it out soon, because right now he is a large part of the problem and not much of a solution.
By Analytics Guy
June 27, 2008 7:19 PM | Link to this
You guys have it all wrong. The strikeouts are not that big a deal - just slightly more costly than other types of outs. Francoeur just isn’t very productive. He owns a career OPS well under .800. That’s below average for a corner outfielder. The only thing on his side is age (24). So if he becomes more productive, everything will be fine.
By JD Keiss
June 27, 2008 7:59 PM | Link to this
As a long-time youth baseball coach, and after watching Jeff Francouer over the past two and a half years, it appears to me that he is pulling his head off the ball when he swings. We teach our kids to keep the head in all the way as the ball meets the bat. He is doing better with pitch selection, getting more walks, but he needs to stay down and in on the ball when he swings.
By Milton Jeff
June 27, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this
Terrence: Yes pitchers have adjusted to Frenchy. But c’mon really…does he have to turn out like AJ? The kid has so much potential and he needs to get his s**t together..ASAP!!!
By deja vu
June 27, 2008 8:35 PM | Link to this
Andruw freakin Francoeur!
By FLEA
June 27, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this
Frenchy needs Smoltz therapist form the 90’s. Frenchy is in trouble in the outfield and batting. I cringe everytime he comes out to bat with men in scoring position. I hate to say but Cox needs to send him down to the minors to recover the basics of baseball. His head is not in the game. By the way forget the scruffy beard. Miss ya Glavine!!!
By Milton Jeff
June 27, 2008 10:13 PM | Link to this
Great game tonight. Too bad Frenchy sucked a^^ again. Your column is shot to hell. Moore, you have your moments..but Frenchy is p**ing his career away.
By hop
June 27, 2008 10:24 PM | Link to this
jeff is a great kid ,but maybe, he has reached his potential, if so there goes the braves
By REV MCCRARY
June 27, 2008 10:25 PM | Link to this
Mr. Moore you know so much about hitting you need to tell him what to do
By brave-o
June 27, 2008 10:31 PM | Link to this
Either B Jones or bring back Anderson and let him play right. Either would be preferable to Frenchy right now. He is just another overrated Parkview product.
By Casey
June 27, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
Drew,
Barry Bonds hit .248 in his 4th season, 1989 with 6 errors. Francoeur has 2 errors. Get a grip!
By Casey
June 27, 2008 10:36 PM | Link to this
Drew,
Chipper Jones hit .248 4 years ago.
By Casey
June 27, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this
Derrek Lee hit .259, .233, and .206 his first 3 seasons. Everyone needs to get off Francoeur’s back.
By swampfoxer
June 27, 2008 10:48 PM | Link to this
Until Francoeur develops an “eye” for pitches outside his strike zone he will continue to strike out or hit pitches outside the strike zone. The “book” on him is don’t throw him a strike!
By FIRERICHT
June 27, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this
SEND HIM DOWN……..THAT’S THE SOLUTION. JOSH ANDERSON IS WAITING WITH OPEN ARMS FOR RIGHT FIELD. THE BRAVES NEED SPEED BECAUSE SPEED WINS GAMES. JOSH BRINGS THAT NEEDED SPEED. WHERE’S OTIS NIXON? I LOVE OTIS! OTIS SHOULD BE THE MAYOR OF ATLANTA. OTIS NOT PLAYING IN THE 91 WS COST US. THAT AND KENT HRBEK CHEATING. HOW CAN THE TWINS REALLY PUT THAT TROPHY IN THEIR DISPLAY? WHY ISN’T BOBBY COX FIRED YET? I MEAN COME ON. HE IS AN ICON BUT NOW HE NEEDS TO GO HOME! BOBBY VALENTINE IN ATLANTA WOULD WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP WITHOUT DOUBT!
By Runnin
June 27, 2008 11:21 PM | Link to this
So now you think Jeff should follow your advice?
Jeff would do well to continue to listen to Terry Pendelton and Chipper Jones. His learning curve is taking a bit of a dip but he’s still young. Listening is probably one of the things he does best. He just came up too soon and big league pitching has discovered that fact. He’ll come around eventually, but in the meantime he should spend more time on the bench, if/when Kotsay gets back.
By brandon
June 27, 2008 11:25 PM | Link to this
there’s also nothing to indicate that he can join that group.
By santa3247
June 27, 2008 11:42 PM | Link to this
Hi, I’m Seong-Ho,Yoon living in Jinhae City southkorea now.
Hey!!!Jeff Francoeur!!!
Calm Down your heart to stabl and silent status when you are at bat. Just like you are dreaming.
This can make your swing speed exploded and as a result of that your decision about pitched ball must start at lately and you can look pitched ball to the end.
Reduce weight training adequatly. You did too much weight training in last winter. So your muscle’s power was strengthened but your swing speed reduced.
As a result of that, your reaction about incorner done bad compared with last year. So I wrote about your basic swing theory you learned when you were young.
And again, too much power of muscle can make your grip of bat too tightly and then, your batted ball’s spin would be reduced. Why? the weight of bat can make HR and your arm’s muscle can’t make HR. Do you understand?
Too tight grip of bat must make your arm’s muscle’s power to be used in batting, but soft grip can make your arm to use weight of bat for hitting pitched ball.
These are not my experience but my sixthsense, inspiration. Keep in mind! ^*^
May the force of Messiah be with you
By Supes
June 28, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
and the 2 prong attack, or should I say “defense” of our “golden boy”, “hometown kid”, “SI cover man” continues. Can’t expect nothing less but homerism from AJC when it comes to the Atlanta Braves.
No need to panic. Jeff goes 0-fer again, with 2 K’s and looking incredibly lost at the plate.
Former major leaguers like Brian Jordan even say it…Jeff needs to at the very least sit down for a few games, “clear his head”. If he were playing in NY he’d be in AA right now working on fundamentals at the plate and re-discovering the lost art of pitch recognition and situational hitting, hitting what the pitcher gives you, etc. Whatever you’d like to call it.
Fact is Braves have been floating around .500 without hardly any contribution from Jeff for 3 months!
He’s killed more rallies with K’s and DP than anyone else on the team and is hitting a robust .220 or so with RISP and .243 overall.
But Folks, he’s only 24, it’s only been 3 months…I wonder what the defense will be another month from now with more of the same from Jeff.
No doubt I await the latest Mark Bradley or TM piece on the subject.
By DirtyDawg
June 28, 2008 12:26 AM | Link to this
Maybe it’s time to pull a reverse Ankiel (sp?)…namely, make him a pitcher. The only thing about him that’s special is his right arm, so put it to work. Send him to rookie development camp and turn him into a pitcher - start with relief then stretch him out. The kid simply cannot recognize pitches soon enough to react - particularly with that slow bat - so give him a chance to make a career with his arm.
By TechRules
June 28, 2008 1:08 AM | Link to this
It’s not just his swing. It’s also when he swings. Too many times lately he’s come to the plate after the last batter walked and then failed to wait for the umpire to call a strike before swinging at a pitch.
By captain Midnight
June 28, 2008 2:05 AM | Link to this
I’m glad to see you write this article. Since you are wrong about everything you write it confirms that Francoeur is an over rated local yokel who it did not take the pitchers long to figure out. He will swing at anything this side of first base and does not have the patience to wait on the one good pitch that he can hit. Have you ever figured out your loosing percentage?
By Teddy Jack Eddy
June 28, 2008 2:19 AM | Link to this
I agree with the idea of putting the ball in play.Many good hitters have many different positions at the plate.The really good ones over the long haul put the ball in play more often than the not so good ones.He should stop upper-cutting everything.Level off the swing and put the bat on the ball.Do that enough times and it will fall for hits.What about power ? screw it,just hit the ball.
By Coach (Put up, shut up, do or die)
June 28, 2008 2:49 AM | Link to this
I don�t know about you guys, but just from observation and experience, Jeff Francoeur isn�t seeing the ball. Which goes back to his eye sight problems. In two of his at bats last night I noticed that while there is no issue with his bat speed, he was just flat out missing the ball with the bat.
I know, it sounds simplistic except for the fact that Dustin McGowen�s fastball sits between 94-96. Francoeur should have had no problem getting on top of it and driving the ball.
Frenchy has got some serious issues and I�m talking career threatening stuff. The advance scouts are watching and the more Jeff struggles with this problem, the more opposing pitchers will exploit it to the nth degree. Especially with hard stuff in on his hands.
Francoeur is hitting .152 with 11 strikeouts, 2 walks and 1 RBI in his last ten games. Jeff hasn�t homered in fifteen games. I would say that this situation is way out of hand because frenchy is now an automatic out.
By bob
June 28, 2008 2:50 AM | Link to this
francoeur will be an all star with a different team.give him time a different situtation.mark my word he is a natural hitter,leave him alone.but will T.P nooooooo.
By 1966 Falcons
June 28, 2008 3:35 AM | Link to this
To me, it looks like the best thing for Jeff to consult would be video tapes of his stance and swings in his first two great seasons. He should look back and see what he was doing then that he’s not doing now. Simple as that; not what other hitters are doing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. What did he change this year? Stop doing that and do what he did in 2006 and 2007.
By riick
June 28, 2008 4:11 AM | Link to this
I did not know Francoeur was a head case. Though I agree baseball can be one of the most humbling sports Francouer has the winner make up to turn things around. If Pendleton cant get through to him he certainly could not with Jones or mant of our other free swingers maybe its time to hire your own consultant. Some people are just better teachers and can get in ones head better than others. I’d pay the price if I was Francoeur.
By Barnesy
June 28, 2008 5:41 AM | Link to this
Frenchy needs to abandon Andruw’s plate dicipline techniques, stay focused in the field and then quit listening.
By SUMTER
June 28, 2008 6:01 AM | Link to this
WHAT i THINK WE HAVE HERE IS ANOTHER BRAD KOMMINSK.
By Roy
June 28, 2008 6:06 AM | Link to this
Joe Simpson did a terrific analysis of one of Jeff’s ugly first-pitch, off-balance swings in last night’s game. There was no need to hack at the first pitch with a defensive swing, especially given the situation. He immediately placed himself in a hole. He seems to go up there, deciding ahead of time whether or not he’ll switch at a certain pitch. He doesn’t seem to watch the pitcher or the spin of the ball, and he never seems aware of the pace and point of the game, such as what the pitcher did with the batter ahead of him or who is batting behind him. The problem’s not the swing — the problem is he can no longer cruise on raw talent and power like he did in high school. I used to think he was just undisciplined and/or impatient. Now I’m wondering if he’s just not very bright. He’s Andruw Jones without all the added calories.