[新聞] Mets part ways with Franco
48歲老胡被DFA了...
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-spfranco0713,0,2041038.story?coll=ny-hsports-headlines
The Mets made what some consider a long overdue move Thursday when they cut
48-year-old Julio Franco from the roster.
They also made what Lastings Milledge obviously felt was an overdue move by
promoting the brash 22-year-old from his rehab assignment and installing him
as their latest leftfielder.
Milledge, returning from a sprained foot ligament that cost him more than two
months, made an immediate impact, going 1-for-4 and scoring the go-ahead run
from first base on a single to center in the fifth inning of the Mets' 3-2
win over the Reds at Shea Stadium.
Milledge was on first when Ruben Gotay hit a two-out liner to center that
fell in front of a diving Ryan Freel. Milledge, who was running with the
pitch, made it all the way home with a nifty slide to avoid the tag of
catcher David Ross.
While Milledge was hurt, the Mets had injuries strike Moises Alou, Endy
Chavez and Carlos Gomez. Now there's an opening in leftfield that will
probably last until Alou returns.
"I'm getting my opportunity to play here every day, at least until Moises
comes back and Chavez comes back," Milledge said. "I've got to take advantage
of what I have and see how I do from here."
Milledge made headlines in May for his explicit lyrics on a rap single called
"Bend Ya Knees" produced by his record label. The Mets told him they don't
approve of the lyrics, but Milledge seemed unfazed.
"It's something I do in the offseason," he said. "I'm going to continue what
I do. Like the Mets say, they don't approve of it, which is fine, because
it's a venture of mine and the thing I'm focused on right now is contributing
to the team and really, really trying to catapult my career and trying to get
off to a good start. That's it."
The Milledge/Franco moves may seem connected, but they really aren't. The
Mets say they let go of Franco to give manager Willie Randolph more
flexibility on his bench; Franco has really been replaced not by Milledge,
but by third catcher Sandy Alomar Jr.
Alomar's presence allows Randolph to use Ramon Castro as a pinch hitter, as
he did on Sunday in the Mets' last game before the All-Star break.
"We wanted more flexibility in some of our players," Randolph said. "With
Alomar being the third catcher we'll be able to do some things."
Franco signed a two-year, $2-million contract before last season and was the
Mets' top pinch hitter. That in itself was a problem, since Franco offered
little power to make opposing managers quake in the late innings. In 50
at-bats this season he hit .200 with one home run and eight RBIs. As a pinch
hitter he was 7-for-26 (.269) with six RBIs.
The Mets designated Franco for assignment; they have 10 days to trade or
release him. General manager Omar Minaya said he expected Franco to try to
hook on with another club. Franco has often said he wants to play into his
50s.
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