John Franco

2.1. Birth and Upbringing

John Anthony Franco was born on September 17, 1960, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn and is of Italian heritage. His father, Jim Franco, worked for the New York City Department of Sanitation and was a significant influence, encouraging his son's baseball aspirations. John Franco honored his father throughout his career by wearing an orange Sanitation Department work-shirt under his baseball jersey.

2.2. Education

Franco attended Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. Following high school, he continued his academic and athletic career at St. John's University in Queens. During his freshman year at St. John's, he notably pitched two no-hitters. In 1980, he further honed his skills by playing collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.

3.1. Draft and Debut

Franco began his professional journey when he was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 5th round (125th overall) of the amateur draft on June 8, 1981. Before making his Major League debut, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on May 9, 1983, along with Brett Wise, in exchange for Rafael Landestoy. Landestoy retired the following year, while Franco went on to become a star reliever for nearly two decades. Franco made his MLB debut with the Reds on April 24, 1984.

3.2. Cincinnati Reds

Franco spent six seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, establishing himself as a highly effective closer. In his debut year of 1984, he primarily served as a setup man, appearing in 54 games. The following year, 1985, he recorded 12 wins, 3 losses, and 12 saves in 67 appearances. He transitioned into the full-time closer role in 1986, recording 29 saves. In 1988, he achieved a career-high 39 saves, leading the National League and earning his first Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award. During his tenure, he significantly contributed to the Reds' strong performance, helping them finish second in their division for four consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1988. In the autumn of 1986, he visited Japan for the 日米野球_{Nichi-Bei Yakyu}^Japanese (Japan-U.S. Baseball) series, where he demonstrated his signature screwball on a sports program.

3.3. New York Mets

On December 6, 1989, at the age of 29, Franco was traded to his hometown team, the New York Mets, along with Don Brown, in exchange for Randy Myers and Kip Gross. He remained with the Mets organization until the end of the 2004 season, becoming a franchise icon. He continued his success as a closer, winning his second Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award in 1990 with 33 saves. He led the National League in saves three times: 1988, 1990, and 1994.

Franco served as the Mets' closer until 1999, when he transitioned into a setup man role for the new closer, Armando Benítez. He reached the postseason for the first time in 1999 and participated in the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees in 2000. In 2001, Franco was appointed team captain, a role he held until 2004.

On May 11, 1996, the Mets held "John Franco Day" to celebrate his 300th career save during a game against the Chicago Cubs. However, the event was marred by a brawl in the fifth inning that cleared both benches and bullpens, resulting in Franco's ejection along with eight other players.

Franco missed the entire 2002 season due to injury but made a successful recovery from surgery, returning to play in June 2003. He signed a one-year contract for the 2004 season, finishing with a 2-7 record, 36 strikeouts, and a 5.28 ERA over 46 innings.

3.4. Houston Astros and Retirement

In January 2005, at the age of 44, Franco signed a one-year deal with the Houston Astros, making him the oldest active pitcher in Major League Baseball at that time. He appeared in 31 games for the Astros, recording a 0-1 record with a 7.20 ERA over 15 innings pitched. On July 1, 2005, Franco was designated for assignment and subsequently released, which marked the end of his distinguished 21-year professional baseball career.

3.5. Player Characteristics and Pitching Style

John Franco was known for his effective pitching repertoire, which primarily featured a strong fastball and a deceptive off-speed pitch. He threw a 90-mph fastball and a changeup that would break away from a right-handed batter. This changeup was often mistaken for a screwball or sinker, a testament to its unique movement and effectiveness. His ability to induce ground balls and strike out batters made him a formidable closer throughout his career.

4.1. Career Personal Statistics

Over his 21-year career in Major League Baseball, John Franco accumulated impressive statistics as a relief pitcher:

• Wins-Losses:** 90 wins and 87 losses
• Saves:** 424
• Earned Run Average (ERA):** 2.89
• Innings Pitched:** 1245 and 2/3 innings
• Strikeouts:** 975
• Games Pitched:** 1,119

Below is a detailed breakdown of his annual pitching statistics:

• Bold indicates league leader.
• G = Games, GS = Games Started, CG = Complete Games, SHO = Shutouts, GF = Games Finished, W = Wins, L = Losses, SV = Saves, HLD = Holds, W-L% = Win-Loss Percentage, TBF = Total Batters Faced, IP = Innings Pitched, H = Hits, HR = Home Runs, BB = Bases on Balls, HBP = Hit Batters, IBB = Intentional Bases on Balls, SO = Strikeouts, WP = Wild Pitches, BK = Balks, R = Runs, ER = Earned Runs, ERA = Earned Run Average, WHIP = Walks Plus Hits Per Inning Pitched.

4.2. Major Awards and Honors

Franco received significant recognition for his performance and character throughout his career:

• MLB All-Star** selection: 4 times (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990)
• Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award**: 2 times (1988, 1990)
• Pitcher of the Month**: 1 time (July 1988)
• Lou Gehrig Memorial Award**: 1 time (2001), an award recognizing MLB players who best exemplify the character and integrity of Lou Gehrig, both on and off the field.

4.3. League and Team Records

John Franco holds several notable records at both the league and team levels:

• Career Saves:** His 424 career saves rank seventh all-time in Major League Baseball history (as of the end of the 2024 season) and are the most by any left-handed pitcher. When he retired, he ranked second all-time in saves.
• Career Games Pitched:** His 1,119 career games pitched is a National League record and ranks fourth in major league history. He is also first all-time among pitchers with no career starts (Jesse Orosco had 4 starts, Mike Stanton had 1 start).
• Games Finished:** His 774 games finished rank second all-time in MLB history.
• National League Saves Leader:** 3 times (1988, 1990, 1994).
• New York Mets Team Records:** He holds the Mets' franchise records for:
  • Games pitched: 695
  • Saves: 276
  • Games finished: 484
• New York Mets Team Captain:** Served as the Mets' third team captain from 2001 to 2004.
• Postseason Record:** 2 wins, 0 losses, 1 save, and a 1.88 ERA in 15 postseason appearances.

5.1. Family

John Franco is married to his high school sweetheart, Rose, whom he has known since he was 17 years old. They have children together. His son, J.J. Franco, was drafted by the Mets out of high school and went on to play as an infielder at Brown University. J.J. was later drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2014 MLB draft and played in the Braves' and Mets' minor league systems through the 2018 season. Franco's cousin, Scott Pagano, also played minor league baseball.

5.2. Controversies and Associations

In 2004, FBI documents made public revealed that throughout his career, John Franco had supplied tickets to members of the Bonanno crime family of the Italian-American Mafia, and on one occasion, to Canadian organized crime figures. While there was no suggestion that Franco committed any crimes, his conduct was considered a violation of Major League Baseball rules, which strictly forbid contact with known criminals.

6.1. Hall of Fame Inductions

Franco has been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame:

• Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame**: Inducted in 2008.
• National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame**: Inducted in 2008.
• New York Mets Hall of Fame**: Inducted on June 3, 2012, in a ceremony at Citi Field, becoming the 26th member.

6.2. Commemorative Events

Several events have been held to honor John Franco:

• "John Franco Day"**: On May 11, 1996, the Mets held a special day to celebrate his 300th career save.
• Ceremonial First Pitch**: On March 29, 2009, Franco threw the ceremonial first pitch at the inaugural game played at Citi Field, which was a Big East college game between his alma mater, St. John's, and Georgetown.

Franco also participated in a post-game ceremony following the final game at Shea Stadium in 2008.