Francoeur returns to Turner Field Thursday

By David O’Brien

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jeff Francoeur will be in right field Thursday night at Turner Field when the Braves play their first game after the All-Star break, much as he was the last time the Braves played at home, on July 2.

Enlarge photo

AP Jeff Francoeur will be in right field at Turner Field Thursday. But his uniform will look a little different.

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Only this time, Francoeur will be playing right field for the New York Mets.

As fate would have it, the Braves open the second half of their season at home against New York, only six days after trading Francoeur to the Mets for right fielder Ryan Church.

“I told him we’re going to throw up and in on his chin,” joked Braves catcher Brian McCann, Francoeur’s best friend since they were 12-year-olds playing Little League in Gwinnett County.

No one with the Braves seemed sure about the reception Francoeur might receive from fans at Turner Field, where his No. 7 jerseys have been among the more popular items sold at souvenir stands since the Lilburn native’s rookie season in 2005.

He’s wearing No. 12 with the Mets, the number he wore as a two-sport start at Parkview High.

“Hopefully the fans of Atlanta will show the appreciation for everything he did for the community and the ballclub, and wish him well for his future,” Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said.

Francoeur, 25, hit only .250 with five homers, 37 RBIs and a .286 on-base percentage in 82 games for the Braves this season, after struggling similarly in 2008.

But he went 4-for-9 with a double and two RBIs in his first two games with the Mets, who won both of them after losing 11 of their previous 14.