Jeff Francoeur receives standing ovation in Braves return

By: Matt Rappa, managing editor

ATLANTA — Six years. Nine months. Two days.

The amount of time passed since outfielder Jeff Franceour last donned a Braves uniform at Turner Field created a long-anticipated atmosphere Monday afternoon at the soon-to-be-demolished venue.

Francoeur, 32, was drafted by Braves 23rd overall in the 2002 amateur draft. A 2007 Gold Glove Award recipient, Francoeur hit 129 doubles, 12 triples, 78 home runs and 359 runs-batted-in over 631 games as a Brave starting July 7, 2005, before being dealt to the division-rival New York Mets nearly four years later on July 10, 2009.

The Atlanta, Georgia, native went on to play 360 games for the Kansas City Royals, 199 for the Mets, 22 for the San Francisco Giants, 15 for the Texas Rangers, 10 for the San Diego Padres and 119 last season as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, where he hit .258/.286/.433 with 13 home runs and 45 runs-batted-in.

With the Phillies, Francoeur served as a veteran mentor within the clubhouse. Although he and the Phillies coaching staff wanted him to return for a second season in red pinstripes, the front office sought to look elsewhere this offseason.

It wasn't until Feb. 22 that Francoeur found a new home for the 2016 season, his old home with the Braves, agreeing to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. After hitting .310/.365/.414 this spring with 18 hits in 22 games, four of which went for extra-bases, Francoeur earned a spot on the Braves' Opening Day roster.

His return on Monday did not disappoint.

With the game tied at two and one out recorded in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals, Francoeur came in to pinch-hit and worked a seven-pitch walk against southpaw Felipe Rivero. The former Phillies outfielder would later come around to score the go-ahead run via a bases-loaded walk.

The Braves went on to lose 4-3 in extra innings, however. All-time Phillies saves leader Jonathan Papelbon recorded his first save of the season with just a nine-pitch, six-strike outing with one strikeout.

While Francoeur is expected to serve a similar role on this year's Braves roster as he did with the Phillies in 2015, his impact in the locker room will not go unnoticed.