Francoeur sent to AA Mississippi

by homerun on Jul 4, 2008 1:26 AM EDT Comment 41 comments

"The Braves Show.com has learned the Atlanta Braves have sent struggling outfielder Jeff Francoeur to Double-A Mississippi. Richmond outfielder Jason Perry will be called up to the big leagues Friday.

Francoeur has been in a horrible slump for most of the season. The Braves are sending him to work with Mississippi Manager Phillip Wellman, who has worked well with Francoeur in the past and is well respected in the organization as a solid hitting instructor.

Francoeur was 0-4 Thursday to lower his season average to .234. He has eight home runs and 41 RBI in 334 at bats. Since June 1st Francoeur has hit only .193 (22-114) with two home runs and eight RBI. He's hit only .098 in his last twelve games.

The demotion comes almost three years to the day when Francoeur was first brought up to the major leagues. His disappointing season has practically been symbolic of the entire year for the Braves' team.

Francoeur made great improvements from the 2006 season to 2007, improving his batting average 33 points (to .293) and his OBP 45 points (to .338). While the power decreased (from 29 in 2006 to 19 in 2007), Francoeur still looked like a better hitter and had more quality plate appearances last season.

But this season has been a struggle. At the end of April Francoeur's average was at .273 through the first 27 games, but he had only three home runs (2 in one game in Washington on April 12th). Then since May 1st Francoeur has just been in a horrible funk, hitting only .214 (48-224) with five home runs and 22 RBI.

Perry was signed by the Braves in mid-April and assigned to the Double-A team in Mississippi. Perry is a left-handed hitter who went to Jonesboro High School, south of Atlanta, and also attended Georgia Tech. He was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. A year later Perry was traded to Oakland completing a trade in which the Athletics sent outfielder John-Ford Griffin to Toronto. Oakland then traded him to the Tigers' organization last August for Jack Hannahan.

Perry has had some decent seasons in the minor leagues, but this will be his first shot in the majors. He played in 38 games for Mississippi and hit .314 with 13 home runs and 41 RBI in 137 at bats. Perry was then promoted to Triple-A Richmond and has hit .302 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 106 at bats. Overall this season, Perry has hit .309 with 18 home runs and 55 RBI in 243 at bats, with a .412 on base percentage.

The Braves will start Friday's series against Houston with a 40-46 record, seven games out of first place in the National League East."

http://braves.scout.com/2/766987.html

Double AA? Time bomb finally went off. Let's hope he gets his stuff together down there. Best of luck, Jeff.

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i love francoeur

...but its about damn time

by KC Braves on Jul 4, 2008 1:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Frenchy

I hope that they don’t rush him back…

Its nice to see Perry can at least a chance to play in the majors….

by Stephen in the UAE on Jul 4, 2008 1:50 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Surprising

I’m not surprised that it’s happening, but I’m surprised they are sending him to Mississippi, not Richmond.

The Braves’ website has a story up about it now: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080704&content_id=3062764&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl

by skipcaray on Jul 4, 2008 9:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you not read the article. He’s going there to work with Philip Wellman who knows him and has worked with him before.

by dwbrave on Jul 4, 2008 2:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe

Phill can teach him his famous Rosin Bag grenade toss!

by Hizilla on Jul 4, 2008 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i was there for that game

Greatest day of my life

by 10-4 on Jul 4, 2008 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Prediction:

Best thing to every happen to Jeff. He will be back in August and tear it up.

"Have you ever had your heart broken?"
"Yeah, when we lost the pennant in '87."

by jug on Jul 4, 2008 11:06 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree.

I’ve been saying for a while that the Braves needed to do something to kickstart Jeff and get him back to where he has the ability to be.

by musicman on Jul 4, 2008 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who Would Have Thought...

I wish him all the best!

Please check out my blog at http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/ , now redesigned and recommited!

by ejruiz on Jul 4, 2008 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I was there the night he came up

Think it might have been an interleague game? If i remember right, he hit a homerun, or did something dramatic and had a smile that was so hot it had a half life. This is a sad day. Hope it gets right for the poor guy.

"...in baseball you wear a cap." -- george carlin

by Hot Cup Joe on Jul 4, 2008 1:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

oh thank you baby jesus

by bigjoe on Jul 4, 2008 1:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

u know there are other kinds of jesus’s

he was a grown up he had a beard….like smoltz

"The game doesn't stink Mr. Wheeler. It's a GREAT GAME."

by Swo12bv on Jul 5, 2008 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm curious

I’m hoping that when the organization let him know if the demotion, he took it with class and zero reluctance, because he has to know that he needs to work things out as well.

That being said, I look forward to when he comes back up- clearly when it occurs, it means that he’s found his swing again, and maybe we’ll get some more highlight magic out of him this season just yet.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 4, 2008 2:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Some of his comments...

“This has really put a damper on my relationship with the Atlanta Braves,” Francoeur told the AJC.

“I do not agree with this, but I have to do what I have to do,” Francoeur said.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/04/francoeur_0704.html

by homerun on Jul 4, 2008 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the more stunning thing that article gave me was the fact that his agent is a woman

by bigjoe on Jul 4, 2008 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shouldn’t he have expected it? I’m not sure why that puts a damper on the relationship, they want him to succeed as much as he does. I don’t get it. Sounds like an immature comment to me.

I think he just needs to get divorced, she must be sucking the life out of him. Since marriage he has been terrible.

by JDMaker1 on Jul 4, 2008 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he just needs to get divorced, she must be sucking the life out of him. Since marriage he has been terrible.

Agreed. F#(*(#ing ~~Memo~~ Catie, ruining his career. I wish it weren’t so funny, but that is the only one big chief difference between Good Frenchy and Crap Frenchy – marriage.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 4, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree...surprised?

No warning? They talked about it on Wednesday and had there been a suitable replacement in RF the move likely would have occurred weeks ago. I know it must suck for Jeff, but he acts like its a slap in the face. No, Jeff. You have it all wrong. The move isn’t just to try and get rid of you, its so you can get back to being Old Jeff.

I’m pretty surprised about his comments, and honestly, lost a little respect for him. I know he has been trying to come out of the slump, but it hasn’t been working. Take your medicine buddy. That being said, I know he’ll be fine in the long run. But, now I wonder if its going to be with somebody else.

"Have you ever had your heart broken?"
"Yeah, when we lost the pennant in '87."

by jug on Jul 4, 2008 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Molly Fletcher has some pretty high profile clients

including Smoltzie. Here’s an article:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/aditi_kinkhabwala/07/20/fletcher.agent/index.html

by sddbaker on Jul 4, 2008 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Molly ROCKS

by Lizziebeth on Jul 5, 2008 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That really sucks to read. It’s quotes like that, which make people feel like he’s going to sign elsewhere in the future, when he’s been so primed and primped to be the franchise boy for the ages.

But no matter, if he doesn’t straighten out his game, no team is actually going to want him.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 4, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh noez, what will we do without the stunning awesomeness of jeff francoeur in our outfield? we’ll just have to make do with jason heyward. DRAT.

by bigjoe on Jul 4, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

My take?

Good. Let him get pissed. Light a fire under him. He’s a smart guy, he’ll figure it was all for the best. I’m thinking the only way he’ll be sour about it is if he doesn’t perform in AA, which then he won’t be worth much to other ball clubs regardless.

I’m rooting for him because he’s one of my favorite players, but he really needs to fix whatever’s broken. And after all, we don’t know what really happened behind the scenes, so Frenchy could have a valid case; management could’ve told him earlier that there was no way he would be sent down, or something of that sort. Regardless, good move for the team, and hopefully he’ll bounce right back up in a couple of weeks.

by Something Profound on Jul 4, 2008 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right

I think, reading your take, that some anger may do him some good. Hopefully, when he (I say this, because I expect this) figures out that divorce does him good, he’ll come back to the big club, and treat it as an invaluable learning experience.

I’m hoping that something like what happened to Edinson Volquez, happens to Francoeur; Volquez was not only demoted, but sent all the way back down to Single-A ball, put on curfews, instructed on whom he could speak with, and a few other strict, seemingly asinine rules. He figured out quickly that it was more or less to see how obedient, and willing to improve he was, and what we see today is a by-product of such measures.

As cool as it would be to see Francoeur come back as a pitcher with a wickedly fast and moving fastball, I just want to see a shadow of the guy we had last year with his .291 average, and penchant for going the other way successfully. Because like you, I like Francoeur, and want to see good things happen with him.

No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.

by royhobbs on Jul 5, 2008 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

how fast do u think he can throw a fastball, realistically. Cause he has a gun..
i say 93 mph

"The game doesn't stink Mr. Wheeler. It's a GREAT GAME."

by Swo12bv on Jul 5, 2008 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

After reading more about this..

...and seeing comments from Smoltz , Chipper, Bobby, etc., I can’t help but think this is going to do him a world of good. He just has to take his medicine, benefit from it, and grow up a little. I think, hopefully, he will look back on his comments and feel a little embarrassed by them, in a good and humbling way. He has a ton of good character traits and a few bad ones, but then that is pretty much how we humans are. Getting his pride out of the way is the key here.

by sddbaker on Jul 5, 2008 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better now then later

Better they do this now…see if he can recapture his stroke and then come back after the break and be productive. I am a little concerned that he was shocked by this taking place. This kind of slump is not an example of a couple balls just not falling in to play. He is mechanically just not sound right now. (Being a mess is probably more like it). My question is-Has he been receptive to the coaching staff and the hitting instruction he has received in Atlanta? I wonder if he has been blowing off the feedback and they had to shock him to get him to pay attenion?

As for AA- It sounds like they gave him a choice, but i would prefer he go to AA then AAA. Triple is is full of soft tossing junk throwing, marginal pitchers. I think he is actually going to work on his swing it would be better to see him against AA players.

by calbers on Jul 4, 2008 3:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jason Perry?

i was wondering if anyone knew what our RF situation is gonna be, is it gonna be a platoon, is Perry the sole Rf until Frenchy gets right? Does no one know and i am gonna just have to wait and see… come on check your sources… fantasy titles wait in the wing (ok maybe if im hangin my fantasy title hopes on Jason Perry im in trouble but still

"The game doesn't stink Mr. Wheeler. It's a GREAT GAME."

by Swo12bv on Jul 5, 2008 2:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'd assume......

That we’re going to have a good mix in the OF until we get Diaz and Frenchy back. Perry and Blanco should get the usual starts in the corners being that they’re lefties with Norton, Infate, and Prado (played LF in his rehab) getting some starts versus lefties. Another option is to let Kotsay play RF (which he did when he came up with the Marlins) with Blanco in CF and a Perry/Infante/Norton platoon in LF, but I’d take Kots over Blanco in CF every day of the week.

Not long after the All-Star break, our OF should have Perry/Diaz in LF (great platoon IMO), Kotsay in CF, and Frenchy (whenever he gets fixed) in RF. If it takes Frenchy too long in AA and Diaz comes back ready to platoon, I think we should look on waivers or for a low-end trade so that we could get a halfway decent RF out there everyday.

by bravesfan91 on Jul 5, 2008 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

no chance perry stays up when the struggling corpse of jeff francoeur comes back. and you kinda forgot about blanco, our best hitting OF this season.

by bigjoe on Jul 5, 2008 12:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Since that's not saying much....

Let’s give this Perry kid a look before we buy his ticket back to Richmond. I purposely left out Blanco, since his lacisdasical defense has cost us a few runs already this year. Blanco’s a prototypical fourth OF; won’t embarass you, but then again doesn’t do anything remarkably well either. Think of Perry as a LH Matt Diaz. Late bloomer, good average vs. opposite handed pitching with defense that isn’t spectacular, but won’t embarass you. In other words, the ideal platoon guy. Besides the handedness, the only difference I see between the two is that Diaz hits for a higher average, and Perry has a little bit more pop. I think this gives us a better situation in LF since Kotsay can cover RF if needed and Infante can play CF.

by bravesfan91 on Jul 5, 2008 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

do we really need 2 matt diazes when we have someone that can get on base at a good clip?

and are you SERIOUSLY advocating playing infante over blanco? jesus christ.

by bigjoe on Jul 5, 2008 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

All I’m saying is that we could get league average production in both power and average using Perry and Diaz. No knock on Blanco, but if he was that good we wouldn’t have gone out and gotten Josh Anderson. LF is a power posistion, with Perry/DIaz we get more power than Blanco alone or even Blanco/Diaz. And no, I didn’t advocate playing Infante over Blanco full-time, I just made the comment that Infante can play CF. Maybe my “if needed” was misplaced.

I really think you’re undervaluing Matt Diaz. He’s done wonderfully in the LF platoons he’s been put in. Langerhans/Diaz and Harris/Diaz had one thing in common, which was Matt giving solid, albeit not spectacular defense, and quietly raking lefties with decent pop to his bat. Now we have someone who might be able to give that sustained offensive force that was missing in the other platoons in Jason Perry.

That being said, I’d rather see a Perry/Diaz, Anderson, Kotsay outfield than a Diaz, Blanco, Kotsay outfield or just about any other combination as long as Francoeur is in the minors. Sure Gregor has been pretty good for us, but who’s to say that Anderson (with his .300+ BA down in AAA) wouldn’t do better?

by bravesfan91 on Jul 5, 2008 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

matt diaz has 23 career homers. i think you’re overvaluing his power

by bigjoe on Jul 5, 2008 6:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In 906 career ABs. That’s around a season and a half to two seasons for an everyday starter. The majority of those have come in the past two years. I’ll take 10 homers a year from the RH part of a platoon, compared to the 10 that Blanco might have all year.

by bravesfan91 on Jul 5, 2008 6:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thats still DREADFUL for a corner OF

by bigjoe on Jul 5, 2008 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And thats why he’s a part-time player. Add Perry to the mix and we’ll probably get league-average from LF.

by bravesfan91 on Jul 6, 2008 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Frenchy Will Return

Hey I for one know that Francoeur will return and he will be better than ever. He has to much natural ability and way to much offensive potiental and cannot wait until he returns it just isn’t the same to watch the games without him in right field.

by Holty on Jul 5, 2008 10:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs