Atlanta Braves Clippings Friday, April 8, 2016 Braves.com Back where it all began, Francoeur grateful Veteran appreciative of chance to return to hometown Braves By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | April 7th, 2016 ATLANTA -- When Jeff Francoeur strolled to the plate as a pinch-hitter during the eighth inning of Monday's Opening Day game against the Nationals, it was as if time stood still. The raucous hero's welcome he received served as a reminder that many fans still view him in the same beloved manner that they had back in 2005, when the hometown kid homered in Major League debut. "Coming back, when I went up to bat [on Monday], I think it truly meant more to me than my first game here, when I walked up to the plate and hit a home run -- just from the sole fact of where everything has gone and where I've been," Francoeur said. "To finally come back here, it's like I never gave up." Those who knew Francoeur as the suburban Atlanta multisport high school phenom who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated a month after making his big league debut did not anticipate how the script unfolded over most of the past decade. There was no reason to believe this kid who was destined for stardom would be forced to navigate a humbling path and eventually return home with extreme appreciation for his new role as a backup outfielder for the Braves. "Now I'm going to be ready to do whatever I have to do," Francoeur said. "I didn't always have that attitude." Seven years after seeing his first tenure with the Braves end with an unexpected midseason trade to the Mets, the 32-year-old Francoeur understands that he put far too much pressure on himself -- especially when his offensive production began to decline in 2008. During the ensuing journey with six other Major League clubs (the Mets, Rangers, Royals, Giants, Padres and Phillies) and one Minor League affiliate (the El Paso Chihuahuas), Francoeur found himself and benefited from a harsh wakeup call delivered by his wife. Catie Francoeur has been part of this journey dating back to the days she shared with Jeff at Parkview High School. She has lived the highs, dealt with the lows and brought the couple's two children into the world. Along the way, she has been a patient and supportive spouse who has been willing to point out harsh realities when necessary. During the early stages of the 2014 season at the Triple-A level for the Padres, Francoeur and his El Paso teammates traveled to Las Vegas for a three-game series that coincided with Easter weekend. After watching Jeff's batting average dip below .200 with an 0-for-5 performance in a lopsided Chihuahuas victory, Catie helped Jeff get back on the path that has brought him to this second chance with the Braves. "I'll never forget it," Francoeur said. "She was like, 'Hey listen, get your head out of your [butt], and play if you want to play. If not, we need you at home to be a dad to start the next part of your career.' It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was like, 'Holy crap.' When we flew out the next day and went to Sacramento, it was a new me." After being humbled by the experience of spending most of 2014 in the Minors, Francoeur was rejuvenated by the confidence and comfort he regained while spending all of last season appreciating every plate appearance he had as a backup outfielder for the Phillies. The past two years have unexpectedly ushered Francoeur toward the chance to experience a happy ending and savor moments like Monday, when he listened to the loud ovation, gathered himself long enough to draw a walk and crossed the plate with a run that gave the Braves a short-lived lead. "It was honestly overwhelming," Francoeur said. "When they started cheering for me, I was like, 'Oh my, I still have to hit.' I can't just wave my hat and walk off. It would have been a perfect ending to win that game, but it doesn't always happen like that." At this stage, Francoeur can appreciate what happens, even if the script does not unfold as perfectly as envisioned. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Healthy Freeman is Braves’ best news so far By David O’Brien They got quality starts from Julio Teheran and Bud Norris, good work from a bullpen many have fretted over, great glovework from center fielder Ender Inciarte, and four hits including a homer from new cleanup hitter Adonis Garcia. But perhaps the most encouraging development out of the Braves’ first two games, as it was from spring training, is the good health of Freddie Freeman. Or, put another way, the lack of anything newsworthy regarding his right wrist. Freeman is the Braves’ best hitter, their only exceptional all-around hitter. With the additions of top-of-the-order guys Ender Inciarte and Erick Aybar and a full season of Garcia at third base, the Braves have a chance to be an improved offense over the past two seasons, when they scored a majors-low 1,146 runs, which was 89 runs fewer below the next-lowest total in that two-year span. That chance doesn’t exist without Freeman, who missed 44 games last season for two stints on the disabled list. His troublesome right wrist/hand injuries lingered through December and kept him from taking any live batting practice until spring training began. Then he took a few sessions of batting practice, hit a frozen-rope double in his first at-bat of the Grapefruit League opener, homered in his second game, and proceeded to hit four homers among his eight hits at spring training, along with 14 walks for a .423 OBP and .579 slugging percentage. Braves veteran Kelly Johnson compared Freeman to a former teammate, now-retired Braves great Chipper Jones, who was known for his ability to flourish at the plate immediately after DL stints late in his career — sometimes without any minor-league rehab assignment whatsoever, which would be unheard of for most players. “They’re guys who can hit rolling out of bed,” Johnson said. “They’re strong, and their bad speed is second to none. When they catch one, and when they get hot … they’re just never far off from feeling good. Even if they’re not getting hits, they’re not far off from being dangerous. And their hot streaks are second to none.” Two days before spring training began, the Braves announced an ease-into-it plan for Freeman. They wanted to make sure not to push him and risk aggravating that wrist and having it linger into the season. But Freeman didn’t do much easing, and didn’t have any setbacks. Then he homered Monday off Nationals ace Max Scherzer in the first inning on opening day, the first time he’d ever faced the three-time All-Star and former Cy Young Award winner. It doesn’t take long for those who’ve been around baseball a while to recognize Freeman is special, and it has nothing to do with the franchise- record eight-year, $135 million contract extension he signed in February 2014. “He’s got lightning-quick hands, he’s got a little uppercut which, that’s just the way his swing is,” said Braves hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, who describes work with Freeman as light maintenance, since Seitzer doesn’t need to or want to adjust his pretty swing. “You just try and make little tweaks and adjustments, it’s not something that you go into too much depth with him, because he’s just not that type of guy.” Seitzer himself is a former All-Star, American League Rookie of the Year runner-up, .295 career hitter in 12 seasons, and ex-teammate and protégé of legendary Royals hitter George Brett. I asked him if Freeman, an NL Rookie of the Year runner-up in 2011, two-time All-Star and .284/.366/.466 career hitter who averaged nearly 21 homers over the past five seasons, had the talent to be a truly elite hitter. “No question,” Seitzer said. “I mean, I feel like he is now. He’s an excellent breaking-ball hitter, very quick on the fastball, he stays on the heater, recognizes off-speed really well, and he’s really good at hitting secondary pitches. The key for him is just making sure he stays healthy with that hand.” During spring training I asked Dansby Swanson, the Braves’ top-rated prospect and the No. 1 overall pick in the June 2015 draft by the Diamondbacks, about Swanson’s improved performance, offensively and defensively, after a few weeks in his first major league camp. I asked him if it was from getting more comfortable. “I think the word would be, just getting back in rhythm a little bit,” said Swanson, a former Vanderbilt star. “Baseball takes time. There’s some people, like Freddie — Freddie’s a freak. Hadn’t been able to hit as much with his wrist last season, comes in and first at-bat (at spring training) hits a double. It’s like, good gosh. That guy, he’s above and beyond.” With Freeman in the lineup, opposing pitchers have a hitter to be seriously concerned about, a hitter who can do damage with one swing at any time. A hitter who, even in his injury-plagued 2015 season, hit .276 with 18 homers and an .841 OPS, and, oh, by the way, led the major leagues with a .376 average with runners in scoring position, ahead of Nolan Arenado (.373) and Miguel Cabrera (.365).