INSIDE PITCHAre you serious? Julio Franco hurt his knee walking down stairs? Really? And it's taken over a week for this stair-related knee injury to heal enough for Franco to play first base, where movement in the field is almost an afterthought?Shawn Green started at first base in place of the struggling Carlos Delgado, who had asked for a day off, according to Willie Randolph. Delgado had what Randolph termed “atrocious” numbers against Joe Kennedy (5 for 36), and Randolph said he was going to give him a rest anyway.
Julio Franco, who usually starts at first when Delgado does not play, was unavailable to play the field because his right knee was bothering him. Franco, who said he hurt the knee walking down stairs at Yankee Stadium last weekend, walked as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning.
Even David Ortiz finds a way to play first in NL ballparksMany Met fans have been calling all year for Franco to either retire or for the Mets to release him, given his age, inability to hit a fastball anywhere except right field, and the resulting clogging of the Mets' 25th roster spot. You can count me out of this camp. I've always valued Franco's presence on the team, if nothing else for the wisdom and leadership he brings to the Mets clubhouse.
Franco did help Carlos Beltran adjust to New York
Franco did help Carlos Beltran adjust to New YorkBut the clock is ticking on old man Franco. For the love of Christ, he's 49 years old! And while his clubhouse presence and veteran leadership abilities certainly can't be discounted, he is becoming more and more of a liability when it comes to what he does on the field. Franco's 2007 stats are as follows: in 46 at-bats, mostly as a pinch-hitter but occasionally as a spot-starter, he's hitting .196 with 1 home run and 8 RBI. He's drawn 10 walks and struck out 13 times.
I'm not a stathead - I tend to value veteran leadership over VORP, and I think there are many important factors other than raw statistics in considering whether a player belongs on a team or not. I for one am happy that Omar and Willie seem to take these things into account when making player and personnel decisions.
But who else has seen Major League 2? At the end of Spring Training, veteran catcher and one-game playoff hero Jake Taylor is cut because the Indians can't afford to carry 3 catchers and Taylor's knees are simply too broken to allow him to make the team as the second catcher.
You felt bad for Jake, but the Indians had to do what they had to do Taylor is told that he can stay with the team as a coach, but that he won't be able to make the 25-man roster. While he initially objects, he eventually is asked to run the team when manager Lou Brown is hospitalized following a heart attack, and winds up leading the Indians to the World Series.
While it seems that Willie Randolph is in no danger of suffering a heart attack any time soon, the Mets could learn something from Major League 2. Like Jake Taylor, Julio Franco has had a distinguished career that has taken him from Major League Baseball to the Mexican Leagues and back. But like Jake Taylor, Julio Franco is now too old to hold a roster spot on a contending team that needs all the weapons it can get.
Franco was an excellent addition to the team last year, and has played a big part in helping to make the Mets into the National League powerhouse that they've become over the past two seasons. (June 2007 notwithstanding) I've stood by Julio all year long, in deference to the old wise man and his intangible characteristics. But there also comes a time to move on. And if the Mets could make the difficult decision not to retain Cliff Floyd after last season, surely they should be able to recognize when a solid bat off the bench becomes more valuable than a 49-year old who's baseball-playing skills are fading fast. Even a ridiculously in-shape 49-year old who's baseball-playing skills are fading fast.
All jokes aside, Julio Franco could probably beat me upI'm sure that Julio Franco will make a damn good manager one day. For now, though, the Mets should offer him a coaching job.
(pics courtesy boston.com, getty images, sportspickle.com, and NY Daily News)
5 comments:
Maybe it's the last name, but having Julio Franco on the team is a lot like when we had John Franco on the team his last couple of years. Out of respect for him, you keep him around, but putting him in the game is a very very very difficult thing to stomach.
The difference is sending him up to pinch hit for the pitcher when there are two outs (if you've noticed, that's when Willie generally uses him now, using other bench players in more opportunistic spots) is much less detrimental than when we had to put John Franco in to hold a lead or keep a game close.
I support keeping Julio around until it becomes apparent that he's ACTUALLY hurting the team more than helping.
if this was categorically the only time Franco was getting used, that would be one thing, but this guy can't be the go-to pinch hitter in big spots like he has been on way too many occasions this year.
even then, it's kind of a downer to have one guy on the team who you only feel comfortable using in non-big spots. i respect julio franco to the fullest degree, but there came a time when john couldn't pull his weight, even in a limited role, and sadly i think julio has reached the same point.
you've got to be able to get around on a fastball, at the very least.
you know what i think...
you are right, even though its cool the Mets have the oldest player in baseball, he really isn't doing much for the team. Now let him go? i wouldn't go that far. Yeah he can't produce athletically like he used to, but as you said before "he did help Beltan adjust to the team." So how about this...lets make him a coach!
He could be as much as a hitting coach, third base coach, or a guy to have in the dugout to help the younger guys, afterall if its experience the team needs for leadership, why not let the oldest player in baseball help out. Yeah yeah he can't catch up to fastballs and his movement on the field is getting worse, but he still has a sharp mind. Let him Coach!!
julio franco kicked my dog
hahahahahaha
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