Franco still going strong despite his age

Posted 4:27PM on Thursday 18th September 2003 ( 21 years ago )

ATLANTA - Two years ago, when the Atlanta Braves were looking for a first baseman near the end of the season, one name kept passing through the front office: Julio Franco. At the time, Franco hadn't played in the big leagues since 1999. The former American League batting champ was in Mexico, where he was hitting .437 for Tigres, with 18 home runs and 90 RBIs in 110 games. ``I remember the first reports I got were in 1999, that he was a physical specimen, playing great,'' Atlanta assistant general manager Frank Wren said. ``I just kept getting these reports. Different people kept saying, 'You wouldn't believe Julio Franco, how he looks, how he's playing.' ``I called a couple of people that I trust in Mexico and they said he was outstanding. So I called Julio directly and asked him if he was interested in joining us.'' Franco remembers it pretty much the same way. ``I was playing my butt off, and Frank Wren found me,'' he said. Two years later, Franco's still going strong. He's hitting .283 as a backup to Robert Fick, and Atlanta manager Bobby Cox often inserts Franco into the lineup as a defensive replacement in the late innings. He's one of the reasons the Braves won their 12th straight division title, which they clinched Thursday when Philadelphia beat Florida 5-4. Not bad for a guy who started his professional career in 1978, before seven of his current teammates were born. In the Atlanta media guide, Franco is listed as 42 years old, but he's thought to be a bit older. He still shies away from simply stating his age, but during conversations, he'll hint that he's at least 45. ``I'm not trying to prove to people that I can play until I'm 50, I'm trying to prove that to myself,'' he said. ``That's a goal. Five more years.'' He certainly has the body for it. When he played his first full season in the majors in 1982, Franco was a 6-foot, 165-pound shortstop who had little power at the plate. Now, thanks to a rigorous workout program that includes weightlifting, yoga and power pilates, he weighs closer to 225 pounds, with very little body fat. ``God has given me a talent to play this game, but I've got to do my part,'' he said. ``I've got to take care of myself.'' His time in the weight room led to a freak accident last month, when an 80-pound dumbbell rolled over the middle finger of his left hand and broke it. Franco went on the 15-day disabled list, but returned last week without skipping a beat. In Wednesday's victory over the Montreal Expos, he went 2-for-5 with a two-run double in the first inning. Franco hasn't gotten as many opportunities since Fick has become the full-time first baseman. After playing in 125 games last season and getting 338 at-bats, Franco has 187 at-bats in 2003. ``I'm going to do my job whenever I get the chance,'' Franco said. Another part of his job, one that often falls to an older player, is helping his younger teammates. Several of them jokingly call him ``Gramps,'' and when he enters the clubhouse, he's often greeted with a chorus of ``Hola, Julio.'' He also stands behind the cage during batting practice, talking with hitting coach Terry Pendleton and offering advice when it's sought. ``When he's back there, we just talk about different hitters and what they're doing, what they're not doing,'' said Pendleton, who won the NL batting title in 1991, the same year Franco led the AL. ``I think he just has fun giving people a hard time.'' Franco has no plans to stop anytime soon. ``What you do with your talent is up to you,'' he said. ``I'm taking advantage of that, until that talent is gone. If I've still got that talent and that ability, why shouldn't I keep playing.''

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