A Tribute To Julio Franco

Most people do not realize the age Mets first baseman Julio Franco. Julio Cesar Franco was born in the Dominican Republic on Aug 23, 1958. At 48 Franco is the oldest player in the Major Leagues, in fact he begin his Major League career with the Phillies in 1982 before two of his teammates (Jose Reyes & David Wright) were even born. The soft spoken Franco is not the most popular player in the league and does not run around blowing his own horn. He signed his first professional contract in 1979. He has made millions of dollars and had his share of moments in the sun, however his career has not been a bed a roses either.

After only playing 16 games in his rookie year (1982), Franco established himself as one of the best hitters in baseball from 1983 to 1994. During this time he won four silver slugger awards, made the All-star team in 1989-1991, was voted MVP of 1989 All-star game and won the American League batting title in 1991. During these 12 years Franco had hit over .300 six times and collected 1,922 hits.

In 1992 he was hurt and only appeared in 35 games. However in 1993 Franco rebounded and hit .289 while playing everyday for the Texas Rangers. In 1994 Franco was off to the best start of his career hitting .319 with 20 home runs and 98 RBI'S when the season was canceled due to the players strike. He returned home to the Dominican Republic disappointed his season had ended that way.

Figuring the strike would continue through the 1995 season Franco packed up his bags and went to Japan to play the 1995 season with the Chiba Lotte Marines. The Japanese league is regarded as the second best league in the world, with a level of play considered to be FOUR A, somewhere between the highest minor league class of AAA and the Major Leagues. While playing for former Rangers manager Bobby Valentine, Franco pounded the pitchers in the far east, he also won a gold glove in the Japanese League. Franco later said the only reason why he went to Japan was because he though the 1995 Major League season would be canceled due to the players strike and he just wanted to play baseball.

In 1996 Franco returned from Japan and was signed by the Cleveland Indians. He got another impressive start hitting .322 with 14 home runs and 76 RBI's, when an injury cost him the rest of the season. The Indians were trilled with Franco's performance and exercised the option on his 1997 contract. However 1997 proved to be a hard season for Franco. Although he was hitting .284 in August his power numbers were way down and the Indians (in last place) released him in order to give some younger players a chance to develop. The Brewers picked him up within days, but Franco struggled and hit only .241 down the stretch.

At the age of 39, Franco had lost a step in the field and rumors started flying around the baseball world that he had lost his bat speed too. Franco no longer had the range to play short stop or second base and Major League teams were not interested in a first baseman or designated hitter that did not hit home runs. Franco returned to the Dominican Republic where he hit well in the Dominican League, however, he was not offered an invitation to spring training in 1998.

Although Major League teams were not willing to take a chance on him, the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese league had not forgot what he did for them two years earlier. In 1998 Franco turned 40 and signed a one year contract with Chiba Lotte. Franco again pounded the pitching in the far east hitting well above .300. He returned to the Dominican Republic happy, knowing he would get another shot in the Major Leagues.

In 1999 the Tampa Bay Devil Rays invited Franco to spring training. However he was injured again and spent weeks on the disabled list. Upon returning from the disabled list he struck out in his only at bat and was released. He did not receive any calls from any other Major League teams and many baseball experts again assumed his career was over. Even though Franco had played good in Japan, the Japanese league is not the Major Leagues and at 41 big league pitching had been dominating him for the past three years. At this time Franco had made over 15,000,000 dollars in his career and returned to the Dominican Republic to consider retirement.

On new years eve 1999 Franco made a resolution-to return to the Major Leagues. In 2000 he changed his diet, working outs, began to practice baseball non stop. He spent the year in Korea playing and although his numbers were good the Korean League is light years away from the show and no-one paid attention. However that winter at age 42 he hit well enough in the Dominican winter League to catch the attention of the Mexico City Tigers. The Mexican league is considered to be the last stop for over the hill Major Leaguers. Franco was just hoping to play well enough to earn a trip back to Japan for the 2002 season. However he would not need to go back to Japan to prove himself. Franco proved everything hitting by destroying the Mexican league pitching hitting .437

In September of 2001 Franco was a 43-year-old who had just one major league at bat in the previous four seasons. Despite his lengthy absence, the AtlantaBraves, after seeing his success in the Mexican League, purchased his contract from the Mexico City Tigers. The Braves re-signed him after that season and each of the next three years. He continued to hit well hitting over .300 two times and nearing that mark in his other two seasons.

He then signed a two year contract with the New York Mets in January of 2006. At 48 Franco continued to pound the baseball for the Mets hitting .273, since his return to the Major League in 2001 he has had five more birthdays and became the oldest player to hit a Grand Slam(47, 2005, breaking his own record set in 2004 at 45) oldest regularly-playing non-pitcher player in MLB history (48) second-oldest player to appear in MLB post season play (48, during the 2006 post season) oldest player in Major League History to hit a home run (48) and Second-oldest player to steal a base (47, 6 times during 2006 season).

2007 will be Franco's 28th year in professional baseball and he will turn 49 in August. Over the past 27 years he has amassed over 4200 professional hits including over 2500 at the big league level. He continues to hold his own against players half of his age. Franco has more hits than any other Dominican born player and carries with a him a .299 career average. He has announced plans to play until he reaches 50, so he can be the first player to receive a paycheck and pension check from Major League Baseball. Franco has said he would like to manager after he retires as a player. Fans should pay attention to this guy, he is something special. I dont know if he will finish his career in Cooperstown but everyday he gets older, he plays himself a step closer. Hats off to you Julio!