Happy birthday, Julio Franco
by Adam J. Morris on Aug 23, 2010 1:01 PM CDT
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PrintHappy birthday to Julio Franco, who turns 52 today.
Franco, of course, is one of two Rangers to have won a batting title, with Michael Young being the other. Franco was dealt to Cleveland by the Phillies as part of a five-player package for outfielder Von Hayes, and ended up having a better career than Hayes. After breaking in as a shortstop, Franco ended up moving to second base, and then was one of three major acquisitions (along with Rafael Palmeiro and Nolan Ryan) Ranger g.m. Tom Grieve made prior to the 1989 season.
Franco was a sub-par defender at second base, and ended up moving to DH, dealt with injury issues, bounced around, went to Japan, and then came back to the United States and hung on into his late 40s in a part-time Manny Mota-type 1B/PH role.
One of the things that is interesting to me in looking at his numbers...Franco hit into a ton of double plays, even when he was young and still fast. Since batter GIDPs started being recorded, there have been 14 players who have hit into at least 20 GIDPs while stealing at least 30 bases in a season.
Only two players have done it more than once -- Julio Franco, and Vlad Guerrero.
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The Keeper of the Big Gold
"I support you, Wash; I’ve always supported you," Young said
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
Pretty clear why Franco and Vlad were on that list.
Few who have worn this uniform have ever hit the ball so hard, so consistently, as Hools. (And Vlad in the first half and the last week.)
That 1989 offseason was so great
it really is a shame Bobby Witt, Jose Guzman, and Ed Correa had already been ruined as pitchers. Imagine having them in a rotation with the 1989 Ryan and the Rangers offense that Grieve established wtih Franco and Palmeiro
Go Rice Owls!
That '89 team may have had more major league talent play for it than
any other in the history of major league baseball. The problem was that everybody hadn’t hit their prime or were past it.
That ’89 team had a 300 game winner (Ryan) and four other pitchers (Brown, Hough, Rogers, Moyer) who would win at least 211 games in The Show.
That ’89 team had one player (The Sosa) who would end up with 600+ career HRs, one player (Raffy) with 500+ career HRs, one player (Juando) with 400+ career HRs, one player (Sierra) with 300+ career HRs and one player (Inky) with more than 200+ career HRs..
That team also had three other players (Baines, Franco, Bell) who would each finish with more than 2500 hits in The Show.
That team had two of the best defensive 3B (Buechele & Bell) of the past 50 years and one of the best defensive catchers (Sundberg) to ever play the game.
That ’89 team is one of the greatest collections of talent I can ever remember, they were just here at the wrong time which is why it finished 83-79.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
by Josey Wales on Aug 23, 2010 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
OT: going to vegas this weekend
anything i HAVE to do or anything I should avoid?
by I am Neftali Feliz on Aug 23, 2010 1:13 PM CDT reply actions
im staying at excalibur (its free so im not complaining)
Ive been to vegas once before but dont remember a damn thing about it
by I am Neftali Feliz on Aug 23, 2010 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions
im gonna stay somewhat conscience this weekend
by I am Neftali Feliz on Aug 23, 2010 1:18 PM CDT up reply actions
If you're at Excalibur go across the street to NYNY and hit Nine Fine Irishmen
I was there two weekends ago. It’s always nice to get away from the sound of slots for a bit. Good beer and Irish music (I’m Irish by lineage). Order what I think is a snakebite. Half Guinnesse half hard cider. Bought a round for about 15 people and no complaints. Go down to Fremont street too one night. Lower limits on the tables and more friendly people. Eat at Hugo’s Cellar down there or at the Plaza. Very old-school Vegas, decent prices, bitching food and don’t have to dress up.
"You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
Then he grounded out weakly to second.
Is that for the convention?
My Guys: Gillies, Pacheco, Drabek, Verlander, Ozuna, A Salcedo, S Rodriguez, and others.
BriGay'd Fo Lyfe.
New Minor League Site Soon!
You have to do enthusiastic strippers.
Do not leave Las Vegas until you’ve accomplished this. And go see the Grand Canyon while you’re out there. It’s pretty awesome.
by Black Francis on Aug 23, 2010 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Something jumped out at me when I compared their plate discipline stats
I remembered Franco being a lot more patient (which he was), but Vlad this year is swinging at a higher percentage of balls outside the zone than any other year in his career at 46.6%
I bet your swinging at balls outside the zone percentage is high as well
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Just tell me where to meet you.
My size 11 loafers need to improve their contact will balls outside the zone %
Yea when he wears the loafers
its more like a gentle massage
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
no mention of his weird batting stance?
I used to imitate that all the time, growing up in Arlington.
Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball
also, i think i saw Julio Franco swing at the 1st pitch one time...ever
he’d usually just drop the bat to his side as the 1st pitch hummed by him.
Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball
Needs more mantis.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
panther ?
didn’t Julio bring his pet cat into the clubhouse ? like a panther or cougar or something ?
keep on rockin' in the free world !
Happy birthday indeed
He’s one of the reasons I became a Rangers fan. Played fantasy baseball before it became huge. We’d just count points based on the newspaper boxscores and I had Julio when he won the batting title. Can’t remember if I won or not but Julio’s still on my NES Baseball Stars game (greatest video game ever).
"You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
Then he grounded out weakly to second.
Franco was my favorite player growing up.
Before Pudge, of course.
Also, anyone notice during the Fox broadcast they said that Hamilton would be the first Rangers with a batting title since Franco? Thought it was funny that the media missed another chance to fawn over Face.
One of the last Joe Nieuwendyk supporters in Dallas....
Defending Big D - Dallas Stars news & analysis; SB Nation Dallas-Fort Worth
Franco was an an odd guy, but one of my faves
He drove around Arlington in a pimped out low-rider Chevy Stepside with a whale tail spoiler and tri-color fluorescent paint. He had 2 white panthers or jaguars as pets and always traveled with an entourage. I was watching a game in the summer when he was announced as the silver slugger winner and he was sitting in the stands with his pack. I actually walked up about 20 rows to get his autograph. I thought it was kind of bogus that he wasn’t dressed out with the team (he was on the DL).
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
I seem to recall...
…Kennedy thinking Franco and his entourage were too much of a clubhouse distraction.
by Adam J. Morris on Aug 23, 2010 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions
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