One of us Cannot Be Wrong

I hope he gets some time in next year. I believe an appearance next season gets him his 10 years. If I were a GM I wouldn't give it to him. But, as a fan, I hope he gets it.

Was this the first time that he failed to look great in his first few games with a new team?

Was this the first time that he failed to look great in his first few games with a new team?

a whopping yes

I hope he gets some time in next year. I believe an appearance next season gets him his 10 years. If I were a GM I wouldn't give it to him. But, as a fan, I hope he gets it.

Don't bet against Dayton Moore giving him a week on the Royals roster next year just for this purpose.

Either way, though, I think Francoeur probably has a long career as a hitting coach to look forward to.

Batting clean-up, your Shooty's All-Stars 2014 NYC Primer Meetup Starting Right Fielder: JEFFF Fran-COEUR!!!

Batting clean-up, your Shooty's All-Stars 2014 NYC Primer Meetup Starting Right Fielder: JEFFF Fran-COEUR!!!

do we have to fly Delta?

With career earnings of $25,647,000, not counting Delta money, I think he'll be okay even without the pension.

Francoeur is going to hit 25 homers for the Yankees next year.

Francoeur is going to hit 25 homers for the Yankees next year.

Why wait?

The dream is dead.

I hope he gets some time in next year.

Obviously. What this guy should get is yet more undeserved playing time.

With career earnings of $25,647,000, not counting Delta money, I think he'll be okay even without the pension.

He's eligible for the pension now, even if he never gets another MLB appearance. As a matter of fact, the rules were changed a few years ago so that MLB players begin pension eligibility from day one. Obviously the pay out increases with more roster time but even a player who is on the roster for one day is eligible for something.

Ah. I see I was misunderstood. I'm waiting for the day The Natural gets a HOF vote from an Atlanta writer.

Ah. I see I was misunderstood. I'm waiting for the day The Natural gets a HOF vote from an Atlanta writer.

For that to happen, he will need roster time next year.

For that to happen, he will need roster time next year.

Hence my original post.

I liked this Francoeur link, posted in another thread, because while intending to ridicule him, it makes you like the guy.

I think he'll cash a baseball check for a long time.

I liked this Francoeur link, posted in another thread, because while intending to ridicule him, it makes you like the guy.

I was hoping it was a picture of him with Madeleine Albright.

I think he'll cash a baseball check for a long time.

Almost certainly. He's likely looking at another half dozen years in the majors, as occasional starter and regular platoon/bench guy/good clubhouse guy.

I think he'll cash a baseball check for a long time.

Most things not involving the playing of the game make you like Frenchy (the A's fans-bacon thing stands out). I hope he sticks around for awhile, but never do I want him employed by my team in any baseballing capacity.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Blue Jays pick him up once he clears waivers. Their entire starting outfield is now on the DL.

I think he'll cash a baseball check for a long time.

BREAKING FUTURE NEWS

June 17, 2014 - KANSAS CITY, MO - The Kansas City Royals have announced they have hired former outfielder Jeff Francoeur as hitting instructor and have re-assigned hitting instructor Pedro Grifol to special assistant of minor league operations. The team had been struggling offensively with the fewest runs per game in the league, and had dropped eight in a row on a recent roadtrip.

"We felt a change needed to be made, and when we had the opportunity to hire a guy like Frenchy (Francoeur) after he was let go by the Nippon Ham Fighters, we had to pounce on it," said General Manager Dayton Moore, who recently signed an eight year contract extension. "Its not every day you get a coach with his kind of Major League pedigree."

"I decided I had done all I had set out to do as a player," said the 30 year old Francoeur who spent time with the Royals, Giants, and Yankees last year. "So I am excited about the opportunity to impart my knowledge to these young guys."

"I believe in being aggressive, making something happen, closing your eyes and letting it rip," he added with a smile.

The Royals also announced they had been cleared of legal liability in the recent suicide attempt of noted blogger Rany Jazeryli, who had plunged off the top of the crown scoreboard after the announcement of the Moore contract extension.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Blue Jays pick him up once he clears waivers. Their entire starting outfield is now on the DL.

Cincinnati might also be able to use him.

-- MWE

It wouldn't surprise me if the Blue Jays pick him up once he clears waivers. Their entire starting outfield is now on the DL.

Oh ####, this could happen.

Maybe he will get hot for the next team that picks him up. AT&T park is a hard place to get hot.

Almost certainly. He's likely looking at another half dozen years in the majors, as occasional starter and regular platoon/bench guy/good clubhouse guy.

I doubt it actually. I think he's got next season to step it up or he's likely done. I don't see him getting a guaranteed deal this winter but I suppose he might pull $1-2 M. 2012 was a complete disaster, one of the worst seasons (by bWAR) of all-time. This year has been even worse on a per-PA basis. He hasn't even hit LHP the last two years. Teams are not patient with RHB corner bench OF. I wouldn't be surprised if this is it.

2012 was a complete disaster, one of the worst seasons (by bWAR) of all-time.

That's based on an entirely out of character -14 in the OF. Frenchy hit to an 80 OPS+ with 26 doubles. He sucked this year, but might have had a little utility in 12, and he's one of the good guys of the game. He'll have at least next season. Some GM is bound to take a gamble on him.

He's eligible for the pension now, even if he never gets another MLB appearance. As a matter of fact, the rules were changed a few years ago so that MLB players begin pension eligibility from day one. Obviously the pay out increases with more roster time but even a player who is on the roster for one day is eligible for something.

I think players are eligible for lifetime health insurance from day 1, but in order to collect a pension, you have to be on a roster for 45 days. I think it starts at something like $30K per year at the 45 day starting point and goes up to $100K per year at the 10 year level.

I think players are eligible for lifetime health insurance from day 1, but in order to collect a pension, you have to be on a roster for 45 days. I think it starts at something like $30K per year at the 45 day starting point and goes up to $100K per year at the 10 year level.

I stand corrected, I knew that players no longer had to spend 4 years on an MLB roster to be eligible for the pension.

I think it starts at something like $30K per year at the 45 day starting point and goes up to $100K per year at the 10 year level.

When can they start drawing the pension? At 60? Upon retirement?

If this "Jeff Francoeur" didn't have such a girlypoo French name, would he get 1/100th the number of attention he's gotten here on BTF? Here are his 10 most comparable players, and ask yourself the question:

Dan Ford (959)
Mel Hall (956)
Aaron Rowand (947)
Troy O'Leary (946)
Jay Payton (945)
Willard Marshall (941)
Bill Robinson (940)
Gary Ward (940)
Wil Cordero (939)
Candy Maldonado (939)

You know that with Heyward out, at the very least, somebody in the Braves organization has discussed the possibility of bringing back the Frenchman.

If this "Jeff Francoeur" didn't have such a girlypoo French name, would he get 1/100th the number of attention he's gotten here on BTF? Here are his 10 most comparable players, and ask yourself the question:

It's has zero to do with the name. It has to do with the fact that Francoeur has gotten 10 times the media attention and (early on) adulation that those 10 got combined in their careers.

Disco Dan Ford ... now there is a name that I haven't heard in a long time, but he was one of my favorites in the late 70s playing for the Twins.

#30 - they can start drawing the pension at age 62 (they get the health care right away, though).

Mel Hall gets a lot of attention here, but for different reasons (unrelated to flying Delta).

Disco Dan Ford ... now there is a name that I haven't heard in a long time

My uncle said he was dead.

Are you telling me Francoeur has a more interesting name than Candy Maldonado?
I don't think so, sir.

I'm pretty sure that his name has less to do with the attention than a number of other factors. Mainly, because he's (almost) always come across as incredibly likeable, and therefore even his detractors usually would like to see him do well. But at the same time, he's clearly been (at best) a marginal MLB player for years. And then that same likeability endears him to sportswriters, who write glowing stories about him, and how he's about to turn the corner and suddenly return to his True Form. Of course, that "True Form" is assumed to be his first six weeks in MLB, which was always a ludicrous assumption. That stretch was out of character from his minor league record...

I think the worst thing that ever happened to Francoeur's career was that six weeks. If he had come up and been a typical rookie, struggling a bit, he might have been sent back down, and had an opportunity to improve his game, becoming a decent player. Or maybe not. In any case, I think if that's the worst thing that he deals with, a nine year MLB career is hardly a bad outcome for him.

Are you telling me Francoeur has a more interesting name than Candy Maldonado?
I don't think so, sir.

Nah, it's just the ever fascinating Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey factor.

My uncle said he was dead.

Oh, he's not dead. Not yet.

Mainly, because he's (almost) always come across as incredibly likeable, and therefore even his detractors usually would like to see him do well.

That's interesting, since my first real exposure to Frenchy came from the posts here about his Delta blog, which made him come across like an incredibly annoying corporate shill. Since then I've come to learn that he is by all accounts a decent guy.

In addition to his hot MLB start, I think he got extra attention from the Atlanta media because he was a local kid who was considered a toolsy top prospect (he peaked at 14 on BA's top 100) even though his minor league numbers weren't that great and revealed what turned out to be his fatal flaw, impatience at the plate.

I remember seeing some piece -- Gammons, I think -- discussing how Francoeur and another Atlanta kid, Jeremy Hermida, were going to be the next superstars. That particular prediction didn't work out so well.