LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Jeff Francoeur reports to Braves spring training Wednesday, and that is nothing but good in the view of current Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez and legendary former manager Bobby Cox.
It’s uncertain whether Francoeur can secure a spot on the opening-day roster after signing a minor league contract Monday that included an invitation to big-league spring training. But just having “Frenchy” around in spring training will be a positive in the view of team officials.
“Always energetic, upbeat,” said Cox, Braves manager from the time Francoeur reached the majors in 2005 until he was traded in 2009. Cox is now a Braves senior advisor.
“The Baby Braves are back,” said Gonzalez, Cox’s third-base coach on the 2005 team that won an unprecedented 14th consecutive division title. The nickname was for the whopping 18 rookies that 2005 team used, including Francoeur, Brian McCann and Kelly Johnson.
Johnson returned to the Braves in 2015, was traded to the Mets in July, and re-signed with the Braves for 2016.
“The only thing missing is McCann,” Gonzalez said. “You’ve got Kelly, you’ve got Frenchy … the Baby Braves are back. But now they’re grown men.”
Francoeur, 32, a former football and baseball star at Parkview High, was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated during his sensational rooie season, then hit 29 homers in his first full season in 2006 and had consecutive 100-RBI seasons in 2006-2007 before his production declined in 2008. He was traded to the Mets for Ryan Church in July 2009.
He’s a .261 career hitter with 153 home runs and a .722 OPS in 11 seasons with seven different major league teams. After toiling for nearly the entire 2014 season with the Padres’ Triple-A El Paso affiliate, Francoeur bounced back with a solid season in a part-time role for the Phillies in 2015, hitting .258 with 13 homers and 45 RBIs in 343 at-bats.
“We’ve been talking back and forth for seven, eight days, Frenchy and I and (general manager John Coppolella),” Gonzalez said. “He had some other options, but he chose to come to us and try to make the club, try to help us. Which I think he can.”
The Braves have a logjam of veteran outfielders, with starter Nick Markakis entrenched in right, and veterans Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher seemingly expendable now that newcomer Ender Inciarte is in center and Hector Olivera penciled in for left. The Braves will trade Bourn and/or Swisher if they can find a team to take even a portion of their large salaries; both are in the final year of contracts and at least one of them could possibly be released if not traded.
Francoeur hit .367 (11-for-30) as a pinch-hitter for the Phillies, and his 11 pinch RBIs were one shy of the majors lead.
“He brings that good energy. Great teammate,” Gonzalez said. “We always talk about we’re going to bring those type of guys in. Those are some of the characteristics that you want to have. And who knows? We talked a lot about making the team. He had a great year last year, hit 13, 14 home runs, pinch-hit almost .400 if I’m not mistaken.”
Francoeur was expected to arrive in the Orlando area Tuesday night. The first official full-squad workout is Thursday.
A Gold Glove Award winner in 2007, Francoeur has played almost exclusively in right field throughout his career, but does have 38 games (24 starts) in left field including 10 starts at the position last season for Philadelphia. He also made a two-inning relief appearances as a pitcher for the Phillies after pitching a few times in the minor leagues.
Gonzalez made it clear that Francoeur would not be a bullpen option.
“No, no, no. Frenchy’s going to play the outfield,” Gonzalez said. “I know he got a couple of innings in last year (as a reliever) with the Phillies, but believe me, it’s not a fun day when you’ve got to put one of your position players to finish a game.”
He also said the Braves have no intention of using him as backup first basemen.
