The Top 16 franchise-making trades in Atlanta Braves history
By Fred Owens
11. Ageless Wonder
2001 – JULIO FRANCO
Braves manager Bobby Cox pieced together a lineup that had several weak spots that season, none weaker than first base, where the departure of Andres Galarraga left a hole that general manager John Schuerholz and Cox couldn’t patch.
A combination of aging veterans Rico Brogna, Ken Caminiti, Dave Martinez and rookie utility man Wes Helms pulled together a .237/.267/.378/.644 line through August. Seeing this, the front office and Cox knew they needed another bat.
On page 42 of Built to Win, Schuerholz gives then assistant general manager Frank Wren credit for finding Julio Franco. Cox thought they were crazy: Franco last played more than one plate appearance in the majors in 1997 and was listed at 40 years old – later they found that number was three years short.
Nevertheless, scouts said Franco could still hit. On August 29, the Braves purchased his contract and Franco became a Brave.
In 25 September games, Franco came to the plate 101 times, walked 10 times, batted .300/.376/.444/.821, hit three homers, four doubles and drove in 11 for the Braves. Fangraphs says that was good for a .357 wOBA and 116 wRC+.
Franco had a superb postseason as well, batting .308/.308/.538/.846 and hitting a homer off the Houston Astros’ Shane Reynolds in the third inning of a Braves’ 6-2 NLDS win. He followed that by driving in both Atlanta runs in Game 7 of the NLCS with a solo homer off future National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson in the bottom of the fourth and an RBI single off Johnson in the seventh.
The ageless wonder remained a Brave through his age-46 season (2005), hitting 26 homers, 55 doubles, seven triples, batting .291/.364/.426.790, 105 OPS+, with a .135 ISO, .344 wOBA and 108 wRC+, in 1232 PA in 447 games and returned for 15 games in 2007.
On September 17, the then 49-year-old hit a soft line drive, RBI single to right off an 0-2 pitch from Lee Gardner.
That hit brought his career total to 2,586 hits and his final line .298/.365/.417/.782. 111 OPS+, 43.5 rWAR, 42 fWAR, a .248 wOBA and 112 wRC+.
He played in the majors over a span of 26 years and remains a Braves fan favorite.
Next: During the Braves’ 15-year streak, a tall left-hander came via a pillaging of the Pittsburgh Pirates.