As bad as it has been for Jeff Francoeur, he believes his season will not be lost if he can turn things around the next six weeks.

While sitting out two of four games coming into Thursday, he studied film, watched hitters and came up with a gameplan. It starts with trying to get his front foot down sooner, before the pitcher releases the ball, to make him quicker to fastballs.

“I’m not swinging at the slider away, and I’m laying off the high stuff,” Francoeur said. “I know the book on me is just beat him with some fastballs because I can’t get to them. I think a lot of it has to do with maybe I worked out too heavy in the offseason and got too thick [in the chest] and my swing got long. But I’ve got to adjust. I need to shorten up and get my foot down.”

Despite his three-run homer Thursday, his results haven’t changed much since he returned from a three-day stint in the minors — he was 21-for-107 (.196) in 28 games going into Thursday — and it continues to frustrate him. Francoeur, who was hitting .224 on the season and .185 with runners in scoring position, has dropped 20 pounds to 215, including 10 in the past month.

“This season has taken a toll, there’s no doubt,” Francoeur said. “When you look back at how many chances I had to drive guys in — I recognize that and realize I need to finish the best I can the next six weeks. It’d be really nice to finish strong and go into the offseason knowing what I need to do to be back where I know I can be next year.”

Francoeur tried wearing a contact in his right eye, thinking his vision might have been affected from the 2004 injury when he was hit in the face by a pitch. But a visit to an eye specialist at Emory last week ruled that out.

“My dad wanted me to get it checked out,” Francoeur said. “I called him on the way home and I said ‘Well Pops, I’ve got good news and bad news. Good news is there’s nothing wrong with my eyesight. The bad news is I just flat out [stink] right now.’”

Francoeur has tried to remain his upbeat self.

“I come to the field pretty upbeat every day and have confidence, but after the first one or two at-bats, you go ‘Here goes the same ole, same ole,’ and you lose it as the game goes on,” he said. “If I can just get a little bit of my swagger back and have a couple games where I feel comfortable, I know I can take off.”

Health watch

• Matt Diaz had to leave Wednesday’s game at Class AAA Richmond with discomfort in his left knee and is back in Atlanta for further evaluation.

Twice he’s gone out on rehabilitation assignments and suffered setbacks. The last time it was because of complications from the brace he was wearing.

He has been out since May 27 when he strained the posterior cruciate ligament crashing into an outfield fence in Milwaukee.

• Manny Acosta threw his second bullpen session Thursday, and if his hamstring responds well he could be out on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment next week.