Let's Get To Know - P - Frank Francisco

Franklin Francisco
Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6' 2", Weight: 250 lb.

Born: September 11, 1979 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, D.R. (Age 32)
High School: Rosa de Saron (Rosa de Saron, DO)
Signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1996. (All Transactions)
Debut: May 14, 2004
Teams (by GP): Rangers/BlueJays 2004-2011
2012 Contract Status: Signed thru 2013, 1 yr/$4M (11), 2 yrs/$12M (12-13) (details)[*]
Service Time (01/2012): 7.053, Free Agent: 2014 [*], - link

Pitching Stats
Year	Team	W	L	ERA	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	SVO	INN	H	R	ER	HR	HBP	BB	SO
2004	TEX	5	1	3.33	45	0	0	0	0	3	51.1	36	19	19	4	3	28	60
2005	TEX	0	0	---	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2006	TEX	0	1	4.91	8	0	0	0	0	0	7.1	8	4	4	2	0	2	6
2007	TEX	1	1	4.55	59	0	0	0	0	0	59.1	57	33	30	3	2	38	49
2008	TEX	3	5	3.13	58	0	0	0	5	11	63.1	47	24	22	7	0	26	83
2009	TEX	2	3	3.83	51	0	0	0	25	29	49.1	40	21	21	6	1	15	57
2010	TEX	6	4	3.76	56	0	0	0	2	6	52.2	49	23	22	5	1	18	60
2011	TOR	1	4	3.55	54	0	0	0	17	21	50.2	49	21	20	7	0	18	53
Total		18	19	3.72	331	0	0	0	49	70	334.0	286	145	138	34	7	145	368

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/players/playerpage/484950/frank-francisco

Season	Team	K/9	BB/9	K/BB	HR/9	K%	BB%	AVG	WHIP	BABIP	LOB%	ERA-	FIP-	FIP
Total	- - -	9.92	3.91	2.54	0.92	25.9 %	10.2 %	.225	1.29	.290	75.1 %	82	80	3.59
2004	Rangers	10.52	4.91	2.14	0.70	27.8 %	13.0 %	.195	1.25	.264	78.2 %	67	74	3.54
2004	Average	6.60	3.36	1.96	1.13	16.9 %	8.6 %	.261	1.40	.293	71.4 %			4.62
2006	Rangers (A-)	13.50	0.00	6.00	0.00	40.0 %	0.0 %	.200	0.75	.333	100.0 %			0.20
2006	Rangers (AA)	13.50	2.45	5.50	0.61	38.6 %	7.0 %	.189	0.95	.300	87.3 %			1.90
2006	Rangers	7.36	2.45	3.00	2.45	18.8 %	6.3 %	.267	1.36	.273	83.3 %	103	125	5.87
2006	Average	6.59	3.30	2.00	1.12	16.8 %	8.4 %	.265	1.41	.298	70.9 %			4.58
2007	Rangers (AAA)	21.00	4.50	4.67	0.00	60.9 %	13.0 %	.000	0.50	.000	100.0 %			0.53
2007	Rangers	7.43	5.76	1.29	0.46	18.3 %	14.2 %	.250	1.60	.307	69.0 %	98	93	4.27
2007	Average	6.67	3.33	2.00	1.03	17.1 %	8.5 %	.263	1.41	.299	70.7 %			4.43
2008	Rangers (AAA)	16.00	3.00	5.33	0.00	48.5 %	9.1 %	.100	0.67	.214	100.0 %			0.64
2008	Rangers	11.79	3.69	3.19	0.99	31.4 %	9.9 %	.197	1.15	.270	77.5 %	70	71	3.18
2008	Average	6.83	3.39	2.01	1.01	17.5 %	8.7 %	.259	1.39	.296	71.4 %			4.39
2009	Rangers (AA)	4.50	0.00	1.00	0.00	14.3 %	0.0 %	.143	0.50	.167	100.0 %			2.20
2009	Rangers	10.40	2.74	3.80	1.09	28.1 %	7.4 %	.214	1.11	.274	73.5 %	81	72	3.34
2009	Average	6.99	3.46	2.02	1.05	18.0 %	8.9 %	.258	1.39	.295	71.9 %			4.42
2010	Rangers	10.25	3.08	3.33	0.85	27.2 %	8.1 %	.243	1.27	.321	73.8 %	86	71	3.12
2010	Average	7.13	3.28	2.17	0.96	18.5 %	8.5 %	.253	1.35	.293	72.2 %			4.20
2011	Blue Jays (A+)	10.80	7.20	1.50	3.60	25.0 %	16.7 %	.300	2.00	.333	41.7 %			8.40
2011	Blue Jays	9.41	3.20	2.94	1.24	24.3 %	8.3 %	.245	1.32	.300	80.4 %	87	94	3.80

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1933&position=P 

Frankie's stuff can be outstanding, and he works primarily off of a mid-90s fastball and a split-finger pitch that can be devastating once he gets ahead of the count. He's got closer stuff, and part of me was hoping that his decision to accept arbitration would mean that Neftali Feliz would transition to the rotation this season, with Frankie moving back into the closer role.

Frankie's main problem over the years has been staying healthy. He had Tommy John surgery after his breakout 2004 campaign, missed all of 2005, and then struggled in 2006 and 2007, leading us to be concerned that he might be one of those guys who never makes it back. He has been terrific the last three years, though, when he's been on the mound. The "being on the mound" part has been the problem...he had three separate stints on the d.l. in 2009, and missed the final two months of the 2010 season (September and then the playoffs).

Even though Frankie lost his closer job a week into the 2010 season, he was probably the team's best reliever from the second week of the season until he got hurt. Like a lot of relievers, he became a lightning rod for fan criticism, with many proclaiming that they "didn't trust him" and that they never felt comfortable with him in the game. I think some of that has to do with his appearance and demeanor...he's a little on the puffy side, and he doesn't ooze confidence on the mound. In big situations, he gets deliberate, and takes a slow, deep breath before throwing. It also has to do with the natural tendency of fans to expect the late-game relievers to convert every opportunity...when a couple of key games are blown in a row (and Frankie's meltdowns do feel like they come in bunches), it taints the fans from that point forward.

In any case, Toronto fans have acquired a guy that I think most Rangers fans ultimately are still sad to see go. His absence from the 2010 playoffs drove home how important he was to the bullpen, and how much the team missed not having him. The Blue Jays should get solid work from him, but with his injury history, they probably also want to be careful with how frequently they use him, and how often on back-to-back days.

http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2011/1/26/1957334/a-scouting-report-on-frank-francisco-from-adam-francis-of-lone-star