WilcoxZone

It was destined to happen and indeed it could have happened at the end of last year, but unfortunately, it had to wait until this year when Julio dressed out in a Mets uniform when he became the oldest player to hit a home run in the Major Leagues. But the article puts it best in this section:

SAN DIEGO — He fully grasps and appreciates the distinction he now holds in the game. Listen closely to Julio Franco, though. Hear him when he explains that he’d rather hit a game-winning home run than be the oldest player to hit a home run. That he did both with one swing Thursday night was, in his estimation, good and cool. But this age thing: It’s getting a little old.

Franco was as proud and grateful as he could be. He had hit the home run that provided the runs critical to the Mets’ extraordinary 7-2 victory over the Padres. He beamed and thanked God for the opportunity. And at the same time, he knew how people — even his teammates and former teammates — would see it. They would look at it with the numbers of his birth certificate in the foreground. They would see his two-run, pinch-hit home run primarily, perhaps exclusively, through the prism of time.

And that unsettled him.

“They don’t see my ability,” Franco said. “They see my age.”

How true! Ever since Julio made it back to the Big Leagues, it’s been all about his age — especially in the last 2 years. When he stole two bases (2nd and 3rd) in the same inning of a game, one commentator (who hadn’t seen the game) said it must have been the back end of a double steal. Or there was the time he was outright accused of using steroids by another ballplayer (Andy Van Slyke) because he was playing so much later in life. It’s “Julio Franco, the Old Guy.” How about just thinking of him as the experienced player who continues to have some serious skills? How about Julio Franco, the Christian ballplayer who seems to get his strength from the Lord. I have said it before, and I will say it again. He’s still my favorite player, not because he’s oldest to hit a home run or steal two bases, but because of his work ethic, his passion for the game and his willingness to acknowlege where it all comes from. And I’ll let Julio’s own words (from back in 2004) close out this post:

“Tell Andy Van Slyke he’s right — I’m on the best juice there is. I’m juiced up every day, and the name of my juice is Jesus. I’m on His power, His wisdom, His understanding. Andy Van Slyke is right. But the thing he didn’t mention was what kind of steroids I’m on. Next time you talk to him, tell him the steroid I’m on is Jesus of Nazareth.” — Julio Franco.

Technorati Tags: Julio Franco, baseball, Christianity

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