Manuel huddled with hitting coach Howard Johnson earlier in the day to talk about Francoeur, and the two decided to wait and watch before trying to tinker with his approach at the plate.
"We want to encourage whatever he does well," Manuel said. "I just really believe that it'll work out for him. I think it'll be a high focus for him. I think he's one of those guys that's out to prove that he wants to be here now and 'this is my opportunity.' And I think he'll do well."
From NJ.com
I love how none of the quotes we've heard from the Mets or their fans or their beat writers can point to anything that Francoeur does well offensively. They're all just "hoping" and "wishing." Also, Manuel is going to "encourage whatever he does well," without really saying what, if anything, Jeff Francoeur does well. I've never seen such false praise about a player. It's like they're all faking that they're glad Francoeur is there.
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gondeee
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I don't know ...
They seem pretty irked over at AmazinAvenue, and a short-sighted observer might argue that we’re overlooking Church’s injury history. Nonetheless, I’m glad Frenchy’s gone, and I couldn’t believe how angry FYF’s 2/4 night made me yesterday.
Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?
Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.
I don't think the issue for Mets fans (myself included) is Francoeur himself.
He’s a very talented athlete, and if he actually took a solid professional approach at the plate he’d be head and shoulders better than Ryan Church ever could. This isn’t a new issue with him, it’s been the case for several seasons. The issue is with the front office. Church is a perfectly adequate major league player, nothing special, but a good all around player with a good approach at the plate. Ramon Castro was the same type of player. The mets for several seasons have been loaded at the top, but the teams non-stars are generally below average players. If the Mets were to take the core guys of Wright, Reyes, Beltran, and Delgado and just surround them with solid players with a good approach at the plate, they’d win alot of games. While Francoeur is an exceptional talent, his all or nothing approach at the plate is exactly what the Mets don’t need. We are certainly irked at the trade, but more due to Omar’s inability to add complimentary pieces to the core thats already in place.
"If I ever decide to do a book, I've already got the title...The bases were loaded and so was I."
-Jim Fregosi
by Stephen Schmidt on Jul 12, 2009 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Francoeur is an exceptional talent
????
Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?
Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.
Through his first 2 1/2 years, the guy hit .280
and was hitting 26 hr and had 103 RBI per 162. He was doing all that with possibly the worst plate discipline in the majors. His inability to adjust to the way pitchers have been pitching is infuriating, but it shouldn’t detract from the guy’s obvious natural talent. Daniel Murphy has a great approach at the plate, but I doubt he ever has a season where he matches Francoeur’s numbers from his first several seasons.
"If I ever decide to do a book, I've already got the title...The bases were loaded and so was I."
-Jim Fregosi
by Stephen Schmidt on Jul 12, 2009 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Present tense ...
Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?
Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.
The one reason I'll agree with you:
Unless they were desperate to offload the salary for some reason, it should NEVER have taken a decent major-leaguer to net Francoeur. Jeffrey might turn it around, but it shouldn’t have cost that much to see given we were more than likely going to release him in the winter.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I wouldn't really say Church is an injury prone guy...
The only times he’s really missed any time were the Yunel knee to the head, a collision with the wall, and a collision with Marlon Anderson. Could you say his style of play helped create those issues? Sure. However, it’s not like the guy has bad knees or a jacked up back.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not saying he's "injury prone" ...
I was alluding to his “injury history,” which includes a couple of concussions.
Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?
Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.
Isn’t this horse dead by now? Does he still really need to be shit on with these fanshots?
by hoboken_wood on Jul 12, 2009 5:53 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I think there's interest...
You don’t have to read, you know. I doubt FYF does, given you’re so concerned about his feelings.
Remember, kids...don't ever let facts get in the way of your argument.
by MichaelProcton on Jul 13, 2009 10:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Frank Wren
I’ll be honest I wasn’t too keen on Wren’s moves last year. I also didn’t like most of the guys he went after over the offseason (and feel fortunate that he missed on quite a few guys), but he’s on a roll tradewise: Javy, McLouth, Church. I like all those.
We paid a high price for Javy, but it looks like a good call so far. McLouth I think will be an absolute steal. And while Church isn’t the impact player that those two are you’ve got to give him credit for getting something for nothing. Even if Frenchy turns it around and becomes a solid player I don’t think we could’ve expected it from him in Atlanta.
so they want him to keep making outs?
This seems like a great strategy by Manual. The things Francoeur does well are make outs, not hit for extra bases, and not walk. By encouraging him to continue doing these things he already excels at, the Mets have ensured Jeff will end the season in a positive frame of mind and that their team will miss the playoffs again and again next year too.
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