Jeff Francoeur

Jeff Francoeur's trade to the New York Mets hit home on Thursday when he returned to his Atlanta hometown. "Now the one team you're never supposed to like, you're on," Francoeur said of the Mets before Thursday night's game against his former Atlanta Braves teammates. The Braves traded Francoeur to the Mets for Ryan Church on Friday in an exchange of right fielders. Francoeur started and hit fifth for the Mets in his return to Atlanta. Braves manager Bobby Cox started Matt Diaz instead of Church in right field against Mets left-hander Oliver Perez. "From talking with Bobby, there's a lot of left-handers in ... Read Full Story

The Atlanta Braves traded Jeff Francoeur and cash to the New York Mets for Ryan Church on Friday in a swap of outfielders who had fallen out of favor with their teams. The deal came with both NL East teams below .500. The Mets have especially struggled to score lately with stars Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado on the disabled list. Church is hitting .280 with two home runs and 22 RBIs. Solid at the plate and in the field, the oft-injured Church was slowed last year by two concussions. Mets manager Jerry Manuel never seemed to warm up to him, and ... Read Full Story

Jeff Francoeur has joined the New York Mets, and is the lineup against the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets acquired Francoeur and cash from the Atlanta Braves on Friday for Ryan Church in a trade of outfielders in need of a change of scenery. Francoeur took fly balls in right field before Saturday night's game and sent a stir through Citi Field with a couple drives into the second deck in left during batting practice. Francoeur says he's excited to get a new start in New York and is hoping to bring energy to the slumping Mets. He is batting .250 with five homers and ... Read Full Story

Jeff Francoeur hit a tying two-run homer with two outs in the ninth and Chipper Jones drove in the winning run with a 12th-inning single, helping the Atlanta Braves rally for a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night. The Cubs wasted a brilliant performance by rookie starter Randy Wells. Filling in for suspended Carlos Zambrano, he didn't allow a hit until Jones singled with two outs in the seventh. Alfonso Soriano and Derek Lee homered for Chicago, which couldn't hold a 5-0 lead. Garret Anderson started the comeback with his second homer in as many games — a leadoff shot off ... Read Full Story

Jeff Francoeur 's beautiful face was smoked by a baseball Sunday. During the second inning of the Atlanta Braves 3-2 Spring victory over the St. Louis Cardinals , Francoeur was beaned in the mouth by "a changeup that got away" from righty Todd Wellemeyer . Oops. But fear not ladies! He did not lose consciousness and his lip is going to be fine, as x-rays were negative. Besides, chicks dig scars, and bruised egos heal with time. For whatever reason, Braves manager Bobby Cox says Francoeur will miss at least a few games. [ Atlanta Journal-Constitution ] | [ Braves Blast ] | [ ... Read Full Story