Father Time Just Had A Heart Attack

By Tom "Mr Star" Starita
Posted Thursday, July 5, 2007

This past Sunday, my cousin Greg came by to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon watching the Mets go for the sweep in Philadelphia. Since I’m not Bill Simmons I won’t give you a running diary. Instead, what I will give you is the one topic we talked about all day: Julio Franco.

Around the fourth inning, Greg asked me which Mets players were in their contract year. As we ran down the list, he asked me about Julio Franco. Unfortunately he still has a couple of more months on THIS contract. We both agreed that if he is anywhere near the plate in October this team is in trouble. That’s when Greg jokingly said, “You know he’s batting in the ninth inning as the tying run.”

More moaning and groaning followed, as we both, “went out on a limb” and “predicted” the inevitable ground ball to second base. As the innings ticked down we kept repeating it, no matter what we’ll get the tying run up, only to see Julio ground out to second.

In the seventh inning, Willie Randolph needed a right hander to pinch hit for the pitcher. Greg mockingly asked for Julio Franco, I wanted Damion Easley. Wouldn’t you know it, Willie gives Damion the at bat, only to see him ground out to third on the first pitch.

“Tom, you know we’re DEFINITELY seeing Julio in the ninth inning now!”

Of course, after Ruben Gotay singled home Carlos Delgado, up stepped Julio Franco as the tying run. What had been a funny all-day running joke now just became extremely aggravating to watch. Julio actually made semi-decent contact; sure it was to second base, but Utley bobbled the ball! There might be a close play at first. Until, when the camera panned back and we saw Julio JOGGING to first base!!

Greg looked at me and simply said, “You better make this the subject of your column this week. I want this all in there, how we joked around all game and it not only happened, but he JOGGED!” I gave Greg my word, thus the column you’re reading right now.

Julio Franco HAS to go!

He has more strikeouts than hits -- thirteen punch outs to nine hits. Hell, he has more WALKS than hits –- ten bases on balls. The nine hits he has are spread out over forty-eight at bats -– which equal a rousing .188 batting average. At this point, when he steps to the plate you’re praying for the pitcher to be wild and either walk him or hit him.

Still, this whole subject didn’t really make me mental until Sunday’s at bat. With the game on the line, there is a CHANCE you can beat out an infield hit, or at the very least cause Chase Utley to rush his throw. Instead, there he is, jogging to first base. From his actions I drew two conclusions, neither positive.

1) his injured knee won’t allow him to run; or

2) he gave up on the play.

If the first conclusion is correct, why isn’t he on the disabled list? Seeing how all he ever does is hit the ball to the right side, the man NEEDS his legs to have any chance of reaching. Why throw away a roster spot? Put him on the DL and let him rest.

Of course there is always conclusion #2, which, if true makes me even more nuts. His job description is basically four at bats a week, and in those at bats just run to first base. If he gave up on the play, with the game on the line, what kind of “veteran leadership” is that? After all, Omar and Willie have not so subtly said he’s on this team for his intangibles aka veteran leadership. If a guy can’t run to first base in the ninth inning, what kind of message does that send to the younger kids?

Let’s face facts; in the year-and-a-half he’s been on the team I have three positive memories of him. Feel free to remind me of others if somehow I forgot something.

1) A pinch hit home run off Scott Linebrink in San Diego last year to win the game;

2) Pushing Carlos Beltran out of the dugout to respond to the fans request for a curtain call in April 2006; and

3) His ground ball in the hole fielded by Robinson Cano, only to see him throw the ball off his foot, in the Mets/Yankees Saturday home game at Shea this year.

You want to add in becoming the oldest man to hit a home run, or steal a base, fine. But those are the only three positive memories I have of the man, and only one is an actual accomplishment.

Julio has said he wants to play till he’s fifty, which means August 2008. Omar has said he wants him managing in the Mets minor league system when he retires. I REALLY hope those two goals don’t mean another three months of ground balls to second base. The TEAM goal this year is to play deep into October. As we saw last October, when he had four at bats total and struck out three times, he is NOT the man you want up in a big spot. Yet, there will come a time, late in the game when the opposing team brings in their lefty, and Willie will pinch hit with a right handed bat. If Easley has already been used, or is playing in the game, this means either we use our back up catcher or Julio Franco. Baseball logic dictates not using your backup catcher as a pinch hitter, meaning here comes the ground ball to second base.

Omar potentially has three options coming up at the trade deadline: import a starting pitcher; strengthen the bullpen and/or strengthen the bench. As constituted right now the bench has potential, with Easley, Gotay, Ledee, Castro and Franco. After Alou and Chavez come back from injuries the bench looks even better with Chavez, Gomez, Easley, Gotay, Castro and Franco. Of course most likely Gotay or Gomez goes back to the minors at that point but still, it’s a good bench. If Omar could replace Franco with a right handed guy with some power it becomes an excellent bench.

Julio, if you’re reading this, listen, I understand where you’re coming from. Next August you turn fifty. That’s a big number in man’s life. Of course, next August for me is my thirtieth birthday, which is the first BIG number in a man’s life. I know you want to play till you are fifty, and receive the acknowledgments and accolades that will go along with it. Just like I want to be 6’3” by the time I’m thirty. I’m already 5’9” so there is hope for me just like there is for you.

But reality is neither of us will accomplish our goals. The height I am at right now will always be my height, unless some miraculous drug comes along in the future. The same goes for you as well, you are way past your athletic peak, and it’s a wonder I’m writing an entire column about a man who is almost forty-nine years old! But facts are facts and instead of getting pushed out the door, which is what is slowly starting to happen with you, go out with the same class and professionalism you have displayed since your baseball renaissance began. Relieve the Mets organization of having to force you to retire. Have a press conference with the topic being it’s time to give a younger guy, like a Ruben Gotay or Carlos Gomez your roster spot. Let them continue their development in the major leagues and then say you are going down to manage and develop the kids so this organization, one which gave you a two-year contract at age forty-seven. can continue to enjoy the baseball renaissance you experienced on a personal level.

Thanks for twenty five years Julio; now, say "you're welcome" by letting a twenty-five-year-old play in your spot.
 

Tom remembers Julio Franco winning the All Star MVP in a rain-soaked Wrigley Field when he was 12 and he can’t believe almost twenty years later he’s writing about the same guy. He would also like to thank Julio for the batting stance he copied when playing wiffle ball. If you agreed with this column (and you’re not a Mets fan if you don’t) and want to thank Tom for writing it, email him at MrStarita@yahoo.com or simply add your glowing praise in the forums below.