Francoeur Generating Power
Mar. 30, 2009
By David O'Brien
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lakeland, Fla. —- Even as Jeff Francoeur made good contact, avoided strikeouts and gave the Braves plenty of reason for optimism, for much of spring training his power was absent.
The right fielder wasn’t too concerned because of what he was told by a hitting coach when he revamped his swing this winter. Francoeur believed power would come, and it looks like it might have arrived.
He hit a mammoth two-run homer to left field off Jeremy Bonderman in the first inning of Sunday’s 5-4 loss to Detroit. It was Francoeur’s first of the spring after two other potential homers were held up in windy conditions this past week.
“When I worked with Rudy [Jaramillo], he told me it would take a little bit of time,” Francoeur said, referring to Texas’ hitting coach that he worked with in November.
“And I talked to [Braves hitting coach Terry Pendleton] about it, and he said you’ve got to get comfortable, that when you change up a stance you’re not just going to come out there hitting balls all over the place. I think I was trying to have such a good effort to make sure I stay up the middle. …
“I’ve got a lot of hits up the middle this spring. You do that, you start to open holes [in the defense]. We’ve played some of these teams two or three times, and I’ve seen the second or third time that I’m starting to open holes that weren’t there for me before.”
It has been an encouraging spring for Francoeur, trying to bounce back after hitting .239 with 11 homers and 71 RBIs in 2008.
He has hit .333 (18-for-54) and tied for the team lead with 12 RBIs.
“I’m proud of him —- his eye is really good right now,” manager Bobby Cox said of the erstwhile free-swinger, who has struck out twice with seven walks this spring.
“I’m swinging at good pitches,” Francoeur said. “If I do that, I’m going to hit for average and get power with it.”
