Jeff Francouer Interview - Part 2 of 2

[RTBP]

Q: You've played in 326 consecutive games. You only need 2,306 more to catch Cal Ripken. What are your chances?

A: That's my goal! That's my goal! People laugh at me all the time, but that is my favorite number in baseball, my favorite record. I watched every second of his Hall of Fame speech last year. We were in Arizona playing the Diamondbacks. That was one of my idols growing up. Ripken and Dale Murphy, those were my two favorite players growing up. My first goal is to get Murph, get the Braves' record (740), then go after Cal.

Q: You were a wide receiver and safety on a high-school football team that won two state championships in Georgia. You turned down a football/baseball scholarship to Clemson to sign with the Braves. How much do you miss football?

A: I miss it a lot. This year I went to the Chick-fil-A Bowl and hung out with Clemson for two or three days, hung out with Coach (Tommy) Bowden in his suite and talked football with him, Xs and Os. I miss it. I love it. Come September, it's football season for me. I'm glad I did what I did. But I'll always wonder what it would be like to run out there in Death Valley in front of 85,000.

Q: You're still close with Coach Bowden, even though you turned him down?

A: We talk frequently. I'm actually trying to buy a piece of property from him right now down in Florida. We talk some business, too. Great dude, great family. They had a great recruiting class this year, too. They should be pretty good next year.

Q: When you told him you were going to play baseball, what was his reaction?

A: He was disappointed because he wanted me to come there. But he also understood. He told me if it was my kid and they offered him that (Francoeur received a $2.2 million signing bonus), I would tell him to go play baseball and chase after his dream. There's not a day that goes by where he says, "I wish you would have been here." He says, "You're lucky to be doing what you're doing."

Q: There is that great story about Tommy visiting your home when his father, Bobby, called from Florida State.

A: Tommy was eating dinner at our house. It was after I had committed, but you know, these days, people de-commit everywhere. He came over two weeks before signing day and had dinner, he and a couple of other coaches. Our phone rang. My grandpa was sick at the time. Otherwise, we never would have answered it. We wanted to make sure it wasn't someone calling from the nursing home.

It was Bobby Bowden. I said, "Hey, Coach Bowden." Tommy looked at me and said, "Hey, give me the phone." So he got the phone and said, "Dad, I'm in the house," and hung up on him.

Q: As a young player, how embarrassed are you — if that's the right word — about the whole steroid issue?

A: It stinks. The whole process sucks. I'm hoping that the game will continue to clean itself up. You look at a lot of young guys, when we came into the minor leagues, the minor leagues already had a strict testing program. I don't think any of us ever thought about it.

It's sad to see some of the greatest baseball players that we've ever watched go through this. I heard Andy Pettitte. Talk about a compromising situation. You just feel for a guy like that. You look at what he said: "Do you see what we're going through? If you want to take that chance, you can." I think that alone will clean up the game.

Q: Do you believe players are role models?

A: I totally disagree with Barkley and his whole thing back in the day. We are role models, whether you like it or not. I'll never forget the first time I walked into the Braves' clubhouse and met Dale Murphy. I was 21 years old in the big leagues. I was so nervous to meet this guy, because that was my idol growing up. Same thing with Cal Ripken. I remember I met him in Wilmington, Del. He was at a game doing a camp. That was so great for me.

I was down at spring training in West Palm Beach for the Braves. My dad used to take me down there a couple of times. For me, seeing all those guys, getting autographs, seeing what they're like . . . kids are going to watch every step you take. We have a job to be role models. I believe we're called to do that.

Q: How badly do you want to be a star? It seems that you crave being known as one of the best in the game.

A: I like to try to be the best. I try to strive to be the best. I knew that when I came up I had a great chance to play this game for a long time and be good. As I've started to play, started to see some of the things I can do, it drives me to work even harder.

I know Chipper and some of these guys, their years are numbered. They're getting older. And I know, between myself and Brian, we've talked about wanting to carry this team for the next 10 or 15 years, be the guys people look to in big situations. For me, that's part of the reason I'm hoping to have a huge year. As you look in our division, there are some great young players. For us, we want to take that next step, get up there and be All-Stars