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86mets · 07-20-2007, 10:55 AM

For your reading pleasure: Prepare to hold back the vomit..

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sp...ulio_0720.html

Franco glad to be 'home'
[b]
By STEVE HUMMER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/20/07

An athletic career that began back when Michael Jackson was relevant and Michael Jordan was a champion — with North Carolina — now seemingly hinges on a few swings over the next month or so. Julio Franco's last swim against the riptide of time began Thursday at Turner Field, the place where one way or another his long, winding career seemingly was meant to end.

Franco spared no dramatic image in describing his return to the Braves at the age of 48. Cut free earlier this month by the team the Braves are chasing in the National League East — the New York Mets — Franco said he fell to his knees and prayed for deliverance back to the team that once before had rescued his career.

"I asked God, if I don't come to Atlanta, I might as well pack it up," he said before his first game back Thursday against St. Louis.

"I wouldn't go anywhere else, because at my stage and age, if I go anywhere, guys don't know how to use me and they don't know me as well as this organization.

"I'm home."

And the Braves, starving for production at first base, were only too happy to take a low-risk look. The Mets are on the hook for this last year of the two-year, $2.2 million contract they dared to give a then 47-year-old first baseman/pinch hitter. The Braves have to pony up "only" a prorated veteran minimum of just under $200,000.

This is a team that does not make symbolic or sentimental moves. Franco was thrust immediately into the Braves lineup, playing first base and hitting seventh, against Cardinals lefthander Mike Maroth.

Already on their feet to celebrate a Matt Diaz home run, the Braves crowd remained standing to cheer Franco's first at-bat back (a ground out in the second inning). They chanted, "Who-Lee-Oh! Who-Lee-Oh."

There was ample reason to pick up the chant again in the fourth inning when after falling behind 0-2, Franco pulled a two-run single to left. Those were his first RBIs since May 27. His three at-bats doubled his total this month, and he finished 1-for-3 with a walk.

The reaction was predictable. Franco became a popular figure over the span of five division championships between 2001-05, hitting .292 in 486 games with the Braves. The team had brought him from the depths of the Mexican League, every bit the longshot he is now. In return, Franco was the Braves resident clutch hitter-father confessor-Buddha. And hopes to be once more.

In his first Braves incarnation, Franco had been known to snatch a candy bar from a young player's hand and throw it in the trash, while delivering a lecture on healthy eating.

"I need for that to happen," joked rookie Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who worked behind the plate Thursday, but will also share first with Franco.

As he blew through the Braves clubhouse Thursday, Franco made a terrific impression even on those young players who had little to no dealings with him the first time around.

"I saw him for the first time in person today; he looks great," said the all-purpose Willie Harris. Yes, you still can strike a match on that physique.

"Why couldn't he play to 50?" Harris wondered, repeating Franco's unfathomable goal for himself. "I think he can do it. I hope he can do it. Maybe he can keep going until he's 55, I would say. He looks that good. Why not?"

Franco also holds a special place for some of the more established players, too, regardless of the uniform on their back. Before the start of Thursday's game, St. Louis star Albert Pujols was proclaiming Franco his favorite player to watch while he was coming of age.

As much as he fights the good fight, though, Franco hasn't gotten any younger since leaving the Braves, after they wouldn't commit to a two-year deal. Choose any one of a number of handy reference points to mark just how relatively ancient he is:

• When Franco first came up in the majors, 1982, five players on the Braves 25-man roster had yet to be born. Two others were born earlier that year.

• He out-survives edifices. Four of the first five major league ballparks he called home are no longer standing.

• He is 23 months older than his hitting coach, Terry Pendleton. Who, by the way reaffirmed Thursday was not quite in shape to come back and play.

You don't just quantify such a career, you carbon date it.

There is an undoubted need for Franco's energy and leadership on the Braves. He's slopping over with intangibles, even if in parting, Mets manager Willie Randolph said that quality was greatly overrated.

Harris, for one, looked forward to getting to know Franco. "He's been around for so long, he knows the game. For me, I'm just going to try to pick his brain on different situations to make my game better and help me be a better player."

"Everything matters," Franco said, "what you do in the clubhouse, what you do on the bench, what you do in the field. Not just one particular area of your game will improve the ballclub. You got to do it all."

DOES THAT INCLUDE RUNNING OUT ALL BALL HIT IN PLAY !!!!??

Franco is hardly light in the resume. The man has 2,576 career hits and is a lifetime .298 hitter. But only 10 of those hits have come this season with the Mets.

Escorting him out of New York were declining numbers (hitting .200 in only 50 at-bats, with only one extra base hit — a home run — and an anemic slugging percentage of .260). The Mets had decided that he was showing the slowed bat speed of someone who will turn 49 next month.

Does he possibly have anything left? "We'll see. We'll see," said Bobby Cox.

"He may have had something left in New York — he never played."

"If there's someone who can get the best out of me, it's Bobby Cox," Franco said.

To those who called his bat slow and his career over, he answered with a smile, "We'll see about that.

"There are critics, they're allowed to say anything they feel. It is very hard for you to describe an individual and any area of his game if you don't see him play. It is hard to say this guy's bat speed is declining when he gets four at-bats in a month, and those four at-bats are against closers. I don't think anybody's that good."

If nothing else, he still can spit in the face of age: "I'm the same type of player as when I left," he insisted.

So, let the last act play out as it will, on the most forgiving stage possible.

07-20-2007, 10:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
86mets Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Poconos, PA Posts: 1,457	For your reading pleasure: Prepare to hold back the vomit.. http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sp...ulio_0720.html Franco glad to be 'home' [b] By STEVE HUMMER The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 07/20/07 An athletic career that began back when Michael Jackson was relevant and Michael Jordan was a champion — with North Carolina — now seemingly hinges on a few swings over the next month or so. Julio Franco's last swim against the riptide of time began Thursday at Turner Field, the place where one way or another his long, winding career seemingly was meant to end. Franco spared no dramatic image in describing his return to the Braves at the age of 48. Cut free earlier this month by the team the Braves are chasing in the National League East — the New York Mets — Franco said he fell to his knees and prayed for deliverance back to the team that once before had rescued his career. "I asked God, if I don't come to Atlanta, I might as well pack it up," he said before his first game back Thursday against St. Louis. "I wouldn't go anywhere else, because at my stage and age, if I go anywhere, guys don't know how to use me and they don't know me as well as this organization. "I'm home." And the Braves, starving for production at first base, were only too happy to take a low-risk look. The Mets are on the hook for this last year of the two-year, $2.2 million contract they dared to give a then 47-year-old first baseman/pinch hitter. The Braves have to pony up "only" a prorated veteran minimum of just under $200,000. This is a team that does not make symbolic or sentimental moves. Franco was thrust immediately into the Braves lineup, playing first base and hitting seventh, against Cardinals lefthander Mike Maroth. Already on their feet to celebrate a Matt Diaz home run, the Braves crowd remained standing to cheer Franco's first at-bat back (a ground out in the second inning). They chanted, "Who-Lee-Oh! Who-Lee-Oh." There was ample reason to pick up the chant again in the fourth inning when after falling behind 0-2, Franco pulled a two-run single to left. Those were his first RBIs since May 27. His three at-bats doubled his total this month, and he finished 1-for-3 with a walk. The reaction was predictable. Franco became a popular figure over the span of five division championships between 2001-05, hitting .292 in 486 games with the Braves. The team had brought him from the depths of the Mexican League, every bit the longshot he is now. In return, Franco was the Braves resident clutch hitter-father confessor-Buddha. And hopes to be once more. In his first Braves incarnation, Franco had been known to snatch a candy bar from a young player's hand and throw it in the trash, while delivering a lecture on healthy eating. "I need for that to happen," joked rookie Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who worked behind the plate Thursday, but will also share first with Franco. As he blew through the Braves clubhouse Thursday, Franco made a terrific impression even on those young players who had little to no dealings with him the first time around. "I saw him for the first time in person today; he looks great," said the all-purpose Willie Harris. Yes, you still can strike a match on that physique. "Why couldn't he play to 50?" Harris wondered, repeating Franco's unfathomable goal for himself. "I think he can do it. I hope he can do it. Maybe he can keep going until he's 55, I would say. He looks that good. Why not?" Franco also holds a special place for some of the more established players, too, regardless of the uniform on their back. Before the start of Thursday's game, St. Louis star Albert Pujols was proclaiming Franco his favorite player to watch while he was coming of age. As much as he fights the good fight, though, Franco hasn't gotten any younger since leaving the Braves, after they wouldn't commit to a two-year deal. Choose any one of a number of handy reference points to mark just how relatively ancient he is: • When Franco first came up in the majors, 1982, five players on the Braves 25-man roster had yet to be born. Two others were born earlier that year. • He out-survives edifices. Four of the first five major league ballparks he called home are no longer standing. • He is 23 months older than his hitting coach, Terry Pendleton. Who, by the way reaffirmed Thursday was not quite in shape to come back and play. You don't just quantify such a career, you carbon date it. There is an undoubted need for Franco's energy and leadership on the Braves. He's slopping over with intangibles, even if in parting, Mets manager Willie Randolph said that quality was greatly overrated. Harris, for one, looked forward to getting to know Franco. "He's been around for so long, he knows the game. For me, I'm just going to try to pick his brain on different situations to make my game better and help me be a better player." "Everything matters," Franco said, "what you do in the clubhouse, what you do on the bench, what you do in the field. Not just one particular area of your game will improve the ballclub. You got to do it all." DOES THAT INCLUDE RUNNING OUT ALL BALL HIT IN PLAY !!!!?? Franco is hardly light in the resume. The man has 2,576 career hits and is a lifetime .298 hitter. But only 10 of those hits have come this season with the Mets. Escorting him out of New York were declining numbers (hitting .200 in only 50 at-bats, with only one extra base hit — a home run — and an anemic slugging percentage of .260). The Mets had decided that he was showing the slowed bat speed of someone who will turn 49 next month. Does he possibly have anything left? "We'll see. We'll see," said Bobby Cox. "He may have had something left in New York — he never played." "If there's someone who can get the best out of me, it's Bobby Cox," Franco said. To those who called his bat slow and his career over, he answered with a smile, "We'll see about that. "There are critics, they're allowed to say anything they feel. It is very hard for you to describe an individual and any area of his game if you don't see him play. It is hard to say this guy's bat speed is declining when he gets four at-bats in a month, and those four at-bats are against closers. I don't think anybody's that good." If nothing else, he still can spit in the face of age: "I'm the same type of player as when I left," he insisted. So, let the last act play out as it will, on the most forgiving stage possible. Last edited by 86mets : 07-20-2007 at 11:20 AM.

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