Julio Franco Gone.

[metirish]

Interesting bit in the Snooze today.....

] OLD FRIEND: Julio Franco signed with the Braves, not that his former teammates were broken up. Randolph suggested the importance of having a veteran clubhouse presence such as Franco's was overstated. "You have to produce," the manager said. "All that clubhouse stuff is overrated." Franco's former teammates went so far as to portray him as a chronic complainer who wouldn't exactly swing the division race by defecting. Franco, who turns 49 on Aug. 23, is expected to be activated today. Franco hit .200 with a homer and eight RBI for the Mets this season.

[Guest Edgy DC]

While Randolph's statement is absoulutely true, and you can read any degree of rancor or matter-of-factness into it that you're disposed to, I'd sure like to know who those teammates complaining about his complaining were.

I realize that the News does whatever it does, but this seems like an unhappy team.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It does, but why are they unhappy? They seemed to be happy enough last season. Is it because winning isn't coming as easily as it did last year? Or have the clubhouse dynamics changed? It's mostly the same group as last year. Floyd is missing, and Pedro has been absent. Have they added any malcontents?

[metirish]

I'd hate to speculate why that seems to be the case,but I would think being in a close race would bring them together....seems like that's not what is happening though.

[Centerfield]

Jose Valentin offered up that Franco was a less than eager participant in the club�s pre-game stretching. He also said Franco wouldn�t hesitate to get in the face of some of the younger players about doing their jobs even though he was hitting .200.

�To be a leader for me, it�s not enough to talk all the time,�� Valentin said. �You have to go out and do it yourself.��

This from John Delcos blog for the Journal News.

http://mets.lohudblogs.com/2007/07/18/franco-clubhouse-influence-overrated/

[Guest Edgy DC]

That's a pretty good thread. I didn't catch Franco's vow to talk to Reyes.

I also missed his alleged lollygag down the line. I thought he just stumbled coming out of the box or something, but enough here have reported him jaking that I'll take their words for it.

Miss Cliff? How could you not miss Cliff? He searched for Matsui's purse and everything.

[nymr83]

Franco has been getting starts in Atlanta!

[Guest Edgy DC]

I don't see why anybody should be surprised, as the Braves have been brutalized by the play of their firstbasemen this year (a .613 OPS). Also, it's easily theorized that part of the reason that he did better in Atlanta than with the Mets is that Atlanta always started him at first against lefties, keeping his bat fresh.

It's hardly more surprising than Marlon Anderson getting corner-outfield starts for the Mets. Desperate times, desperate measures.

[Guest attgig]

and 0-4 with 2k's last night. good job julio!

[Centerfield]

And a good dose of complaining, albeit at the ump.

[Guest Edgy DC]

It's just amazing how little good there has said about him upon his departure.

Julio Franco disappointed in role with Mets

BY KEN DAVIDOFF

kenneth.davidoff@newsday.com

July 23, 2007, 11:58 PM EDT

SAN FRANCISCO -- It's just business, Julio Franco insisted Monday. But the 48-year-old, back with the Braves after the Mets let him go July 12, clearly disagrees with the way the Mets conducted their on-field business.

"When you get a month without playing, when you get four at-bats in a month against closers, the best in the league, I don't think anybody's that good," Franco said Monday before the Braves played the Giants at AT&T Park. "I don't think anybody is good enough to have four at-bats in a month against closers and be successful at it.

" ... I'm grateful to the Mets. They gave me the opportunity to be part of the organization. To Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya. But as a player, you want to go play."

Franco exaggerated slightly about his lack of chances, and significantly about the caliber of his opponents, during what turned out to be his final days with the Mets.

After going 0-for-3 in a June 15 start against the Yankees, Franco received six plate appearances -- all as a pinch hitter -- through July 7.

He went 0-for-5 with a walk, facing the sextet of Minnesota's Johan Santana, Oakland's Ron Flores, St. Louis' Jason Isringhausen, Philadelphia's Antonio Alfonseca and Houston's duo of Wandy Rodriguez and Dave Borkowski.

The Braves have given Franco more of an opportunity, with little to show for it so far. On July 18, the Braves picked up Franco off waivers; in his first game, July 19, he stroked a two-run single in a 10-1 victory over the Cardinals. He then went hitless in his next 10 at-bats.

Franco started at first base for the Braves Monday night, hitting eighth.

"I prayed to the Lord that he would bring me here, and he did. This is home," Franco said. "This is the organization that gave me the opportunity out of Mexico [in 2001]. I wanted to come back here, and I did. They signed me. Here I am. It was a blessing to come back.

"If there's someone that knows how to use me and get the best out of me, it's Bobby [Cox, the Braves' manager]. Coming back here, I only have good memories."

For the record, I think he's correct that he was underused, theough he might well have expected it.

[nymr83]

i think he was used about as much as his production warranted being used.
he shouldn't have been on the roster this long in the first place, its not willie's fault that he was here and willie has to do what he can with the tools he was provided, if one of those tools sucked i'm glad willie didn't use it much.

[Guest iramets]

Overused.

Shoulda never been signed, in my view--this club had no spot for him, and had to give him all sorts of props he hadn't earned and could (in my view) never earn. Perfect example of the Mets foolishness in signing another franchise's veteran role player, assigning him a different role here, and expecting him to adapt to their needs.

[DocTee]

He doubled last night and turned a sweeet 3-6-3 Double Play to get Smoltz out of an early jam.

[Guest iramets]

It's not as if there'll never be a justification for his roster spot,. He'd bat .000 and field .000 for that to be true--and even then there will be those who say "he's coming around" or "he's overdue" or "He always gets off to a slow start" or "he runs hot and cold--stick with him" or some such claptrap.

The point is: What can he do, and what can't he? He can still hit a little bit, maybe and he can fill in without utterly humiliating himself at first and, to a lesser degree, at third. That isn't much, even if you toss in the veteran leadership for free. He can't do much more: he can't run, he can't fill in regularly for an injured everyday player, he can't get around on a good fastball, he can't play a crucial defensive position competently--all skills you need, even from the bench.

[metirish]

DocTee wrote: He doubled last night and turned a sweeet 3-6-3 Double Play to get Smoltz out of an early jam.

Good for him,it's not that he can't play,just glad he's not on the Mets anymore.

[nymr83]

DocTee wrote: He doubled last night and turned a sweeet 3-6-3 Double Play to get Smoltz out of an early jam.

Is that suprising? he's been a big help to the Braves all year, no reason to stop now.