Julio Franco

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 2:45 PM EDT

Julio Franco has been released by the Mets. He may not be of much help, but I think we should sign him to a one year deal. This is a better option than giving up the moon for Dmitri Young. He and Scott Thorman could platoon while Salty is the Backup catcher/emergency 1B. Makes sense to me. He's still in great shape.

This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.

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No thanks, I'll pass....

As much as I like Julio, he has no place on this team. We need to keep Salty's bat in the lineup on a semi-regular basis. I'll take any defensive miscues at 1st, over what he provides with his bat.

We don't need to block Salty more than he already is.

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

Salty

isn't quite ready for 1B. I think Julio could be a mentor and a solid bat off the bench.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 3:46 PM EDT reply actions

Did you not read my reply correctly...

Salty may not be 'ready', but I'll sure as heck take any errors he makes over what he does with the stick.

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with Rain Delay.

Salty needs to be in the lineup more often, not less often. He is good enough defensively, and he is young. The more he plays the position the better he is likely to get defensively.

1st Base is by no means an easy position to learn or to play, but the kid obviously has the skill set to do it.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 12, 2007 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

That's why

Julio is signed. To strengthen the bench instead of giving the moon for Dmitri. He hits lefties well and will mentor Salty.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 3:58 PM EDT reply actions

OK

Well, then I'd do something with Thorman. I don't really like the idea of getting rid of Thorman or Salty for Franco. He is a geriatric, if you get him for anything it is Bench Coach or Secondary hitting coach.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 12, 2007 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Thorman can play OF too.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Salty not wanting to play 1B?

I read somewhere that Salty had stated he doesn't want to play 1B? Has anyone else heard that or can confirm it?

by JDMaker1 on Jul 12, 2007 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

I can't ...

..imagine him saying that to the press at all. All the things I've heard, he's happy to get what playing time he's getting and what not.

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Well

Haven't you read these conversations that gondee has overheard? Salty wants to play everywhere, and he is the best at whatever position he plays. too bad Old Man McCann is in the way :-)

.....Matt

by yondaime4 on Jul 13, 2007 8:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Where did you read it?

If he doesn't tough cookies! He can play on another team or take LF!

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

triple platoon?

is that what you are suggesting, because thorman certainly hasnt produced enough to knock willie of diaz out of their spots.

theres a reason julio was let go after last year by the braves, and probably for the same reason by the mets. he is about to turn 50. unless we are talking about satchel paige lets leave the senior citizens to lawn bowling and gardening

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 12, 2007 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

Humm

I don't know, check out his stats. Especially look at the XBH this year - Julio is slugging .260 - that's Rafael Belliardesque.

Julio Franco's stats with the Mets (courtesy Baseball-Reference.com):

Year	Age	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS+
2006	47	95	165	14	45	10	0	2	26	6	1	13	49	.273	.330	.370	84
2007	48	40	50	7	10	0	0	1	8	2	1	10	13	.200	.328	.260	62

by gondeee on Jul 12, 2007 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

He's good for a year

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 4:34 PM EDT up reply actions

No he's not, there is no need for him here..

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

We need a mentor

To help Salty.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions

To sign a guy...

...for that reason alone just doesn't make sense. Salty will do fine, there's enough of the coaching staff that can help not to mention vet's on the club.

Signing Julio = waste of $$$$$$

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

He's not only good for that

He's good for bench, clubhouse, fan favorite, mentoring. He would make around $900,000. How is that waste of money? Your almost the only one who doesn't like it.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Bench Coach?

Then maybe they'll let him come in and do some instructional stuff with Salty, like Rickey Henderson did with Reyes, before he was hired as hitting coach.

I agree, he doesn't deserve a spot on the roster.

by KLB on Jul 12, 2007 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't

like it either--you sure are politicking awful hard.

Are you really Julio Franco??

Go Braves!

by gramsey712 on Jul 12, 2007 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

either that or just a man crush...lol

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 13, 2007 2:18 AM EDT up reply actions

chippers dream threesome

julio franco and elvis andrus turn chipper on

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 13, 2007 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

No

Stop acting gay. I'm just speaking from a player perspective. Yunel turns you on.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions

okay

now that was funny

by gondeee on Jul 13, 2007 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

You

got on to him for the same thing in the other thread and you won't say anything here?

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

gondee loves chipper

you cry to me about my language but you allow a 15 year to call me a slur. cmon gondee, you dont seem like much of a braves guy. i thought you led a tighter ship around here?

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 13, 2007 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions

mizike

ur pretty whiny

by chance13ga on Jul 13, 2007 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

nice analysis

thanks for coming on in to our coversation! good to have another novice. but if you must know, since it bothers you. i was being sarcastic. i dont care if a little 15 year old recycled one of my jokes. thanks for playing though!

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 13, 2007 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions

not a novice

that was just pure opinion, not fact based at all.

by chance13ga on Jul 14, 2007 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

your a novice because im

not talking about the last thing you wrote. just everything i have seen you write in the past

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 14, 2007 1:36 AM EDT up reply actions

He chose the Mets

because they offered more money. But I like what this guy said at PSD. Designate Thorman and Aybar for assignment and sign Julio. Julio also plays 3B.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 4:34 PM EDT reply actions

More deserving

than Thorman.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 6:34 PM EDT reply actions

So...

..You're ready to give up on a guy who's playing his first FULL season in the Majors?

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 12, 2007 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions

i would say

offer him a coaching job, he's said he'd like to. let him mentor salty n thor

by chance13ga on Jul 12, 2007 7:00 PM EDT up reply actions

He wants to play til he's 50

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 12, 2007 7:15 PM EDT reply actions

So what?

I want to do lots of things. One of them being play pro baseball, but guess what? I can't, I would be terrible, much like J. Franco at age 50.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 13, 2007 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Hey think what you want

your intitled to own opinion. I've watched him with the Mets and the guy is still in great shape. He would improve our bench.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 8:38 AM EDT reply actions

Humm

After thinking about this a bit more, he may be good for the bench, but I wouldn't want him to take any playing time away from Salty. I keep going back to the fact that he was on the team the last time we made the post-season. One thing I did notice is that the Mets didn't give him as many starts as Cox gave him. He seemed to be purely a pinch-hitter. Maybe with some more playing time his bat can catch up to a few more pitches, of course, that flies in the face of what I said earlier in this paragraph about not taking playing time away from Salty. It will be interesting to see if we sign him or not.

by gondeee on Jul 13, 2007 8:46 AM EDT reply actions

Chip

I think you may be right about improving the bench. He can't be worse than Orr and Woodward, I'm pretty sure you and I can hit better than Orr and Woodward. He could also bring some intangible veteran coaching ability to the bench. In that scenario he isn't that bad of an option.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 13, 2007 8:52 AM EDT reply actions

I would

Move Thorman to play OF like last year, but on the bench. Send down Woodward and let Julio Franco play. Woodward can play every position, but the bench can do that as well. Julio is a better hitter and will help out against the lefties. This would make the Braves strong against lefties in the late innings with Diaz and Julio.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 8:56 AM EDT reply actions

Why move Thor to OF?

LF is doing a pretty good job in the platoon situation. Willie Harris played a great first half, maybe he just like playing for his hometown team. Diaz has been solid, even if he does look goofy when he runs.

I think it makes more sense to send Woodward or Orr down (either really, I say keep Orr as a pinch runner). Escobar can play every IF position in a pinch as can Orr.

Julio would be more of a glorified bench coach/pinch hitter. There isn't much reason for him to take 1B from Thorman/Salty.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 13, 2007 9:08 AM EDT up reply actions

Orr

is already sent down to make room for Devine and Thor to the OF, meaning CF and RF, and emergency 1B. And I don't mean platoon Julio and Salty. I say Salty plays full tim and Julio makes late inning/spot starts.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 9:11 AM EDT reply actions

Hmm

Well, I forgot about Orr being sent down. I assume he'll be back up when Bobby decides he'll never use Devine in the bullpen, which seems to be his M.O.

I don't dislike your Salty full time argument. I haven't seen him from left side of the plate enough to know how good he is there. But I do seem to remember his pro at bat, which was from the left and he almost bombed on straight center. I say give him a chance at first full time.

Thor in the OF: I just can't see playing Thor in CF,isn't he slow? And what about his arm in RF? I think Bobby has shown that he'll play Frenchy and Andr[e]w regardless of how bad they are batting.

Which then begs the question, Why do we need two LH pinch hitters, If Julio can only play 1B/kinda 3rd?

by JDMaker1 on Jul 13, 2007 9:23 AM EDT up reply actions

a couple of things

1. Thorman is fast because he always hustles. 2. He would be a backup in the OF 3. we need 2 LH PH and 2 RH PH, and possibly a switch PH

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

Your reaching now...

Just because Thor hustles does not make him fast. He runs a lot like Heap (i.e. like he has a piano strapped to his back).

You try and keep that many pinch hitters on the roster and you're not going to have a pitching staff to speak of. Remember there are roster limits, you know 25 guys on the active roster.

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 13, 2007 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

That's 25

Thor beats out as many routine groundballs as I've ever seen. Besides you get rid of Woodward and add Julio and your bench is good: 1. Thor 2. Julio 3. Yunel 4. Willie/Diaz 5. Brayan Pena

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 2:56 PM EDT reply actions

Wait....

..how did Brayan Pena get in on this? We've already got two catchers. I'm sorry I guess I just don't see the upside to having Julio waste a roster spot.

I figure I've said my peace about Julio, I feeling like I'm talking to a fungo and repeating myself.

Two Teams, Two Coasts - One Obsession

by Rain Delay on Jul 13, 2007 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Because

Salty would be the first baseman. So we need a backup and Salty would become the emergency catcher.

http://blabberinbraves.blogspot.com/

by Chipper on Jul 13, 2007 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

satchel page

just use salty as the back up catcher still and use thorman as the emergency 1b. if mccann needs to go on the DL and salty becomes full time catcher then bring pena up.

julio franco would be the worst thing to happen to the braves since chipper figuring out the website talkingchop.com. when he wasnt resigned he started bitching and moaning towards the braves organization. he doesnt need to play until he is 50 because if people knew his real age it would be more like trying to play until your 60. i mean the pitcher he faced in his first career at-bat pitched to Ted Williams in his final season!

by MIZIKE74 on Jul 13, 2007 4:10 PM EDT reply actions

I'm pretty sure

there is a reason thorman hasn't played anymore outfield. You keep saying he can play the OF, but I haven't seen him set foot out there this year. and if you move thor to the of you just create more problems. Nothing about signing Franco makes sense.

.....Matt

by yondaime4 on Jul 13, 2007 8:29 PM EDT reply actions