Jeff Francoeur

Infobox MLB player
name = Jeff Francoeur


width = 200
caption = Francoeur, playing with the Braves in 2007
team = Atlanta Braves
number = 7
position = Right fielder
birthdate = birth date and age|1984|1|8
birthplace = Lilburn, Georgia
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = July 7
debutyear = 2005
debutteam = Atlanta Braves
statyear = 2008 season
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .268
stat2label = Home runs
stat2value = 73
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 324
teams =
*Atlanta Braves (by|2005-present)

Jeffrey Braden "Jeff" Francoeur [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/francje02.shtml Baseball Reference page on Jeff Francoeur] ] [ [http://jockbio.com/Bios/Franc/Franc_bio.html Jeff Francoeur Biography] ] [ [http://www.christianindex.org/3068.article "Soaked and surrendered in San Francisco," The Christian Index, J. Gerald Harris, March 15, 2007] . Retrieved on 2008-08-19.] (pronEng|fɹæ̃ŋˈkʊɹ, born January 8, 1984 in Lilburn, Georgia), nicknamed "Frenchy," is a Major League Baseball player who currently plays for the Atlanta Braves.

High School Career

Francoeur is a 2002 graduate of Parkview High School, where he led them to consecutive Georgia state 5-A baseball championships in 2001 and 2002. Francoeur hit .443 with 55 HR and 164 RBI during his high school career at Parkview.

Francoeur also played football, leading Parkview to two undefeated state championship seasons in 2000 and 2001. In his junior year at Parkview, Francoeur pulled in 15 interceptions while catching 14 touchdown passes. Francoeur turned down a full football scholarship at Clemson University to pursue a career in baseball despite having signed a Letter of Intent.

Minor League Career

Francoeur was selected by the Braves in the first round of the June 2002 free agent draft. After the draft, Jeff was assigned to the team’s advanced Rookie League club in Danville, Virginia, where he played 38 games and hit .327 with eight homers and 31 RBIs. Francoeur advanced steadily through the Braves minor league system, playing for Rome (Low A) in 2003, Myrtle Beach (High A) and Greenville (former AA) in 2004, and Mississippi (AA) in 2005.

In 2004, Francoeur was named the top prospect in the Braves organization by Baseball America. He was a member of the Carolina League regular season and postseason All-Star team. In 2005, he was selected to play in the Major League Baseball Futures game before getting called up by Atlanta.

Major League Career

2005

Francoeur was promoted to Atlanta on July 6, 2005. He was part of the group of rookie players nicknamed the "Baby Braves" that Atlanta called up from its minor league system during the 2005 season.

Francoeur made his Major League debut the following day when he started in right field against the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a double header. In the bottom of the 8th inning he hit a 3-run home run to center field, his first Major League hit. Francoeur finished the season batting .300/.336/.549 in 67 games, with 14 home runs and 44 RBIs. During his rookie season he garnered a reputation as a free swinging fastball hitter, with his first walk not coming until his 128th plate appearance. On defense, Francoeur became known for having a strong and accurate arm, finishing the season with 13 outfield assists (third overall in MLB) despite playing less than half the season. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting while garnering the most second place votes.

2006

Early in the 2006 season, Jeff Francoeur signed on with Delta Air Lines to star in the company's new ad campaign, his first endorsement deal. [ [http://www.delta.com/marketing/braves/index.jsp# Jeff Francoeur Delta Airlines Marketing Campaign] ]

On May 13, 2006, Francoeur hit a walk-off grand slam against the Washington Nationals, the first walk-off home run and grand slam of his career. On Mother's Day, May 14, 2006, he was one of more than 50 hitters who brandished a pink bat to benefit the [http://www.komen.org Breast Cancer Foundation] ..

2007

In his second full season in 2007, Francoeur batted .293 with 19 homers and 105 RBIs. Francoeur also displayed talent on the defensive side of the field, leading the league in outfield assists with 19 while earning his first career Gold Glove. Francoeur played in all 162 games for the second consecutive season.

2008

On April 12, 2008 Francoeur went 3 for 5 against the Washington Nationals including two home runs and a career high seven RBIs. Jeff compiled a streak of 370 consecutive games played before sitting out the second game of a doubleheader on May 20, 2008. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3405665 Francoeur, who has played in MLB-best 370 straight games, sits vs. Mets, May 21, 2008] ]

On May 22, 2008 Francoeur went 3 for 4 against the New York Mets with a RBI triple, a RBI single, and a two-run home run, finishing a double short of a cycle. On May 24, 2008, Jeff hit his second career walk-off home run off Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Chad Qualls.

After weeks of being mired in the worst slump of his career, Braves management optioned Francoeur to Double-A Mississippi on July 4, 2008 to work with his old hitting coach Phillip Wellman and refine his swing away from the pressurized major league setting. Francoeur had posted a line of .234/.287/.374 to that point of the season. [ [http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080704&content_id=3062764&vkey=news_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl Braves option Francoeur, MLB.com, Mark Bowman, July 4, 2008] . Retrieved on 2008-07-04.] Francoeur was recalled on July 7, 2008, after only three days in the minors because of the rash of injuries suffered by the Braves over the holiday weekend. [ [http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/braves/stories/2008/07/07/francoeur_0708.html Francoeur rejoining Braves in L.A., Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Carroll Rodgers, July 7, 2008] . Retrieved on July 7, 2008.] His slump continued after his return to the majors; he posted a .234/.300/.324 line through September 10.

World Baseball Classic

Along with Braves teammate Chipper Jones, Francoeur played on the USA team in the first ever World Baseball Classic in March 2006. In six at bats, he hit a double and scored a run.

Personal

Francoeur comes from a family of teachers. His parents, David and Karen, are both retired teachers. Jeff's sister Heather (Francoeur) Karvis teaches English and coaches the girls' basketball team at St. Pius X Catholic High School in Atlanta. [ [http://www.spx.org/athletics/basketball/girls/basketball_f_coaches.html Listing of girls' basketball coaches for St. Pius X Catholic High School] . Retrieved on 2008-08-31.] [ [http://www.spx.org/departments/english/teacher_and_class.html#karvis_subject Listing of English teachers at St. Pius X Catholic High School] . Retrieved on 2008-08-31.] Jeff's brother David Francoeur, Jr. teaches math at Richard Hull Middle School in Duluth, Georgia. [ [http://www.hullmiddleschool.org/staff/staff_academics.html#Eighth_grade_staff Staff Listing for Richard Hull Middle School] . Retrieved on 2008-08-31.]

Francoeur and his wife, Catie McCoy Francoeur, were married on November 3, 2007.

Trivia

* On the strap of his left hand batting glove, Francoeur has the words "Joshua 1:9" written, referencing the Bible verse. That verse reads: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Francoeur is a vocal and outspoken born-again Christian. [http://www.christianindex.org/3068.article.print]
* Francoeur was ejected for the first time in his career on July 16, 2006. Coincidentally, he was ejected for the second time on July 16, 2007.
* Francoeur lived with teammate Brian McCann in Lawrenceville, Georgia for their first two years in the majors.
* On 2007 SportSouth "Big Braves Summer" promos, Francoeur revealed that his profession of choice (were he not a baseball player) would be coaching high school football.
* Francoeur has his own fan club at Turner Field called "Francoeur's Franks." [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/specials/spring_training/2007/previews/braves.html SI.com - 2007 MLB Scouting Reports ] ]

Awards

* 2007 National League Rawlings Gold Glove Award

References

External links

*
* [http://www.jefffrancoeur.com/ Jeff Francoeur's Official Web site]