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In his most-recent column for SI.com, Jon Heyman writes…
“Some people around the Mets say things are better in the clubhouse with Julio Franco gone. They say he was a divisive influence who was constantly second-guessing manager Willie Randolph. ‘It was obvious he wanted Willie’s job,’ one uniformed Met said.”
Heyman also comments on steroids, and the rise and fall of six teams in MLB’s pennant races.
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your link’s no good, Matt.
Thanks.
Fixed.
no, thank you :D
Interesting thought. Wonder what the record is pre Julio and post Julio, Marlon Anderson and Ruben Gotay have certainly gotten more quality at bats than Julio did.
What’s with the green for the links???
It’s always hard to tell how these guys are in the clubhouse compared to their public persona. Franco came off as the wise old elder statesman, but I’d read a small amount of grumbling about him. I’ve heard that Alou was a clubhouse cancer when he was with the Marlins, but when I read his quotes about playing in Pedro’s first game, I can’t imagine it.
Without being in the clubhouse ourselves, it’s hard what to make of this stuff. Any workplace will have cliques and I assume a baseball team is no different.
Cliques are one thing. Even if you’re a creep in the clubhouse, I guess it’s acceptable as long as you keep to yourself and don’t go after any teammates. But undermining the manager in a way that indicates you are vying for his job, is bad bad news.
At the end of the day, Julio was Omar’s guy, but Omar respected the integrity of his manager more, which is something the FO clearly lacked during the Phillips/Bobby V era.
Right, but I think the point was that we have no way of knowing how credible these rumors are or what, if any, effect a given player has on the clubhouse, let alone how his attitude might affect the team’s play (though I have no doubt that that “chemistry” does influence wins and losses.)
I, like RobInWisconsin, kind of assumed Franco was a steadying, almost grandfatherly influence (even though he’s a generation or more younger than that) — the kind of grandfather that has words of wisdom, not the sniping, world-weary, depressed kind. Really, though, it sounds by this account like he was a busybody who took his job as unofficial player/coach a little too seriously. But who knows? This smacks a bit of tabloid gossip.
I would tend to agree with you except a few days after his realease, Jose Valentin, a prety stand-up guy, publicly indicated that Franco was going around the clubhouse, critiquing the young guys a little too much for comfort.
Take that story, plus the infamous “gossip” piece from Luke Halpert’s blog a few months ago (which was picked up by Deadspin), plus this nugget from Heyman … I mean, where there’s smoke there’s got to be some fire — even if it’s just a half-truth in between all this other junk.
Im just glad he is not on the team anymore. I couldn’t stand having this guy up in crucial spots.
Was actually discussing this while watching Braves circle the bases, at the game last night. It seemed like when Rick Down (Willie’s Guy) got the boot, Julio (Omar’s Guy) was cut to even things out.
Remember, Willie was not too thrilled with Julio making an appearance in the visiting clubhouse back at Turner either.
(wonder who the one uniformed Met is)
Metropoliben, I heard similar rumors, it may have even been reported here, i don’t remember…that when Rick down — who is notoriously one of Willie’s “brothers” got the boot, Willie was basically like, well, get rid of “your” guy Franco. And I remember reading in the SI article last year that Omar was always dedicated to Franco, saying that as long as Omar is employed somewhere, Franco is always more than welcome for a job. Only probs is that Franco sucks and should have retired a long time ago. I’m just both of those dead weights (Down and franco) are gone now!!!
Franco reminds me of the cranky grandfather sitting on the porch telling all the young guys how much better things were when he was young. Its that bitterness because he can no longer keep up.
willie: 6 world series rings
franco: 0 ws rings
just keep quiet, julio when it comes to how a winning team should run
Clearly, he was only cranky because he had to go to the bathroom so often when in the dugout.
why DOES omar love julio so much….oh wait nevermind….lets just hope he doesnt get an omar scholarship to be a bench coach or something.
ah, the AGELESS Julio Franco – but his reaction (denial) was not unlike any long-time vet losing bat speed – gotta give him some props for getting Beltran out of the dugout that night – but clearly was destined for Minnie Minoso status last year.
Erm, that seems like a potentially divisive and pot-stirring comment itself, Jon. Things getting too quiet for you?
Looks like Papa Franco’s insubordination helped the Mets as it was time to show him the door and tighten up the best bench in baseball
I can totally see this. It’s funny, because when he was bought in and openly stated that he wanted to be a big league mgr and the guy’s only about 3 or 4 years younger than the young mgr, I wondered. Then, he gets cut, and the Braves pick him up, and I read a quote in the News of him saying that Bobby Cox gets the most out of his players, and that it’s a better fit. And continuing that he won’t have to worry bout only hitting once a week vs. the best closers in the game.
I mean, please. This from a guy who can’t hit an 84 mph fastball. Maybe egg whites everyday aren’t that great after all. I wonder what the Mets’ avg age is now that he’s gone. Much was made that we had one of, if not the, oldest roster in the game. Well, after getting rid of him, we must’ve come down quite a bit!
“Julio didn’t like Willie…”
Neither does a lot of the Met fan base. What’s the point?