As he usually does, Peter Gammons has the best stories from around the spring camps. This time he tells us which team Jeff Francoeur grew up rooting for, and may still root for when he's not rooting for the Braves.
In 2002, Francoeur was considered unsignable because he was signed to play football and baseball at Clemson. However, before the draft, he reached a deal with the Red Sox, who were picking 57th. Atlanta scouting director Roy Clark found out, was able to get the money to sign Francoeur and took him at No. 23, ahead of Boston, which then took Jon Lester.
"My father [Dave] used to take the train from Springfield to Boston to see the Red Sox," says Francoeur. "He went to Chicopee Commerce. All the family's out there. My brother and sister were born up there, then my parents moved to Atlanta."
Talk about a perfect personality for Fenway Park... Team USA players like to tell the story of Francoeur confronting Alex Rodriguez during the WBC for trashing a clubhouse kid who brought him the wrong sandwich.
"It's going to be wild because of all the family I'll have there," he says. "Problem is, they'll all be rooting for the Red Sox."
0 recs | 3 comments
trade?
if he wants to play for them, then we will take manny, big papi, or papelbon straight up. sounds fair right?ryan c - March 7, 2007
sounds great
maybe we should call Ted and see if he wants to donate the extra money to pay for it....Hizilla - March 8, 2007
A-Rod
I'd never heard the A-Rod story before. I salute you Mr. Francouer.rabies - March 8, 2007
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