Maikel Franco might be the best hitter he’s ever been, but you’d never know it by looking at the box score.
Through the team’s first 18 games, Franco slashed a dismal .171/.244/.329 — a worse batting average than shaky rookies Brock Stassi and Andrew Knapp. By wOBA, he ranks 156th out of 189 qualified hitters. He’s left the yard three times and plated the game-winner in an exciting walk-off finish against the Braves on Saturday, but he’s otherwise drawing the ire of some fans who expected a big year from the young third baseman.
There are signs of encouragement, as Todd Zolecki pointed out last week in a fine article about the slumping slugger.