Is Jeff Francoeur headed to Boston?

There has been some speculation that the Braves are willing to trade right fielder and Atlanta area native Jeff Francoeur to the Red Sox. After a stellar start, Francoeur has admittedly gone back to his old stance, hampering his abilities at the plate. Following a disastrous 2007 campaign, are the Braves willing to ship the once promising prospect to New England?

Braves GM Frank Wren has remained mum on the subject. But rumor has it that the Braves would likely get an outfielder to replace Frenchy in any trade they may entertain. It is also important to note that due to Francouer’s poor performance over the last 18 months, the Braves would not be able to get quite the same value in return as they would have if they had traded him in 2007. (We are not talking like a Melky Cabrera/Lastings Milledge trade value deflation here, but a significant one for sure.)

I am very torn on the subject. It seems like eons ago that Francoeur was gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated. Where did that player go? But at the same time, while his hitting has started to tail off, I still believe he is a solid option in the Braves line-up. Not to mention his defensive skills are hard to match. He has one of the best outfield arms in the game. But After more than 12 months of drop off at the plate, you begin to get a little antsy. Maybe he would be better suited heading to a different team, a new environment, maybe giving him something to prove. But then again, maybe he will turn things around. He started the season off much improved and he could be going through a bit of a slump. His performance is a far cry from 2008 but it also a far cry from 2007. I think if the Braves improve their line-up by acquiring a power bat, Francoeur’s more glaring weakness at the plate will be mitigated. He is not the answer to the Braves offensive woes, but he is not the only problem in a very inconsistent batting order either.
(Photo: AP; Source)