Francoeur Comes up Big in Atlanta

Written by Nikki DeMaio | 04 August 2010

Last night, I was talking to one of my friends about baseball and how I was kind of running out of things to write about.  I said that I just needed something to happen.  About an hour later, I got my wish.

That win against the Braves is the type of win that can start something.  Everyone has been saying how this road trip, against Atlanta and Philadelphia, will determine the rest of the season for the Mets.  Last night, they showed us it might be a season worth sticking around for.  Jeff Francoeur has had a tough few weeks.  Not only has he been mired in a horrific slump, he essentially lost his job to Angel Pagan (only to get it back because Bay had to go on the DL), and has been the subject of trade rumors since the All-Star Break.  Francoeur the Baseball Player frustrates the hell out of me.  I love him for his arm in right field, I hate that other than that he is an average defender and potentially one of the streakiest hitters I've ever seen.  But Francoeur the Guy.... I feel badly for him.  I know that being a nice guy really has nothing to do with baseball, but it makes it harder to wish for him to just be traded already.

Anyway, my point here is that last night, Jeff Francoeur showed up to fight.  Apparently, he's been working with HoJo and Carlos Beltran in the cage to just find some sort of consistency at the plate.  It paid off because last night, HE DREW A WALK.  Jeff Francoeur does not walk.  He seems to be genetically programmed to swing at anything and everything...but last night, he got one.  Of course, this accomplishment would be forgotten by the end of the game because Francoeur came up big against Billy Wagner with a game winning solo shot in the top of the ninth.

Could that have been any more of a feel good story?  Or more dramatic?  The Mets are fighting for their season, Francoeur is fighting for everything... and he becomes the hero in a game that took place in his home town against the team that completely gave up on him last year.  Plus, I get the satisfaction of knowing that Wagner blew another game, since I have a running tally of his blown saves and losses in my head (I think rooting against Billy Wagner in every possible way is one of the few things Mets and Phillies fans can agree on, by the way).  With that kind of win under their belts, I want to see the Mets take that momentum and go for the jugular and the series win tonight.  Like I said, it's the kind of win that can start something... now we just have to wait and see what the Mets do with it.