French Fried

If you want to know what happened to Braves outfielder Jeff Francoeur this year, all your answers are contained in one game against the Phillies.

Francoeur is a strong-armed Gold Glove candidate who flashed ample talent his first year-and-a-half in the Bigs. Because of his power without patience approach, it seemed he could go either way heading into 2007. When his walk rate doubled, his batting average jumped to .293 and he poked 40 doubles and 19 home runs, it seemed that his prospects were bright.

Then he hit the wall. His .238/.295/.358 results this year are pretty much the resume of a AAA lifer. What happened?

Yesterday happened, that's what. Frenchy made four outs on eight pitches. He struck out on three pitches twice, popped out on the first pitch once and grounded out on the first pitch once. He didn't take a single pitch.

Those aren't just bad results; it's a counter-productive approach. Francoeur never saw what Phils pitchers were throwing. He didn't make the pitchers work. He didn't wait for his pitch. He just hacked. That's why he has fanned 105 times and earned just 39 free passes.

It's very hard to hit your way out of those kinds of results. Francoeur needs to learn his way out, but taking a whole new mindset to the plate. Because if he goes up swatting at flies next year, he'll be doing it in Richmond.