Will the Real Frenchy Please Stand Up

In 2005 Jeff Francoeur did more than make an impact for the Atlanta Braves. He also gave fans reason to be excited about the future. With stars like Chipper Jones, and John Smoltz starting to age, and Andruw Jones nearing the end of his contract, Braves fans were happy to see the Atlanta native make a big splash. The hype surrounding Francoeur was well intact long before he became the ninth player in Braves history to homer in his Major League debut. Just three years earlier, Francoeur had become an Atlanta hero after leading Parkview (GA) High School to a state championship, and finishing a high school career that saw him hit .443 with 55 HR and 164 RBI. Maybe just as impressive was the fact that he was tabbed to be a great quarterback for the Clemson Tigers. Perhaps the praise came too quick and too often for Frenchy. Or maybe he is still adjusting to life in the bigs. It might even be that I have forgotten how young he is, but as a Braves fan, I have become disappointed and...