Matt Franco
Encyclopedia
Matthew Neil Franco is a former professional baseball
player who played first base in the major leagues from 1995–2003, and in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2004-2006. Franco started his pro career in 1987 with the Rookie League Wytheville Cubs
in the Appalachian League. Matt then started the 1988 season in short season rookie ball, again with the Wytheville Cubs and hit .392 there and was promoted to the Low Level A ball New York/Penn League. Playing for the Winston-Salem Spirit of the Carolina League in 1991. Franco then moved up to class Double-A and for the next two seasons played for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliates in the Southern League, first with the Charlotte Knights in 1992, and then the Orlando Cubs in 1993. This came about with the Charlotte Knights being awarded membership into the Triple-A International league for the 1993 season. Franco would move up to Triple-A as well in 1993. After starting the season in Orlando he ended the season in Des Monies with the Iowa Cubs of the Triple-A American Association. Franco would return to the Iowa Cubs the next season before breaking into the Major Leagues with the Chicago Cubs in 1995.
A highlight of his career occurred on July 10, 1999. With the Mets trailing the Yankees by one run with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, Franco came up with a pinch hit single off of Mariano Rivera
to score two runs and give the Mets a 9-8 win.
On December 13, 2007, he was named in the Mitchell Report
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball.
Franco, who currently lives in Simi Valley, California
, is the nephew of actor Kurt Russell
. He holds the major league record with 20 pinch hit walks in a season.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who played first base in the major leagues from 1995–2003, and in Nippon Professional Baseball from 2004-2006. Franco started his pro career in 1987 with the Rookie League Wytheville Cubs
Wytheville Cubs
The Wytheville Cubs, located in Wytheville, Virginia, were a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs that played from 1985 to 1989. They played in the Appalachian League and had four different managers in their five years of existence...
in the Appalachian League. Matt then started the 1988 season in short season rookie ball, again with the Wytheville Cubs and hit .392 there and was promoted to the Low Level A ball New York/Penn League. Playing for the Winston-Salem Spirit of the Carolina League in 1991. Franco then moved up to class Double-A and for the next two seasons played for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliates in the Southern League, first with the Charlotte Knights in 1992, and then the Orlando Cubs in 1993. This came about with the Charlotte Knights being awarded membership into the Triple-A International league for the 1993 season. Franco would move up to Triple-A as well in 1993. After starting the season in Orlando he ended the season in Des Monies with the Iowa Cubs of the Triple-A American Association. Franco would return to the Iowa Cubs the next season before breaking into the Major Leagues with the Chicago Cubs in 1995.
A highlight of his career occurred on July 10, 1999. With the Mets trailing the Yankees by one run with two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, Franco came up with a pinch hit single off of Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...
to score two runs and give the Mets a 9-8 win.
On December 13, 2007, he was named in the Mitchell Report
Mitchell Report (baseball)
The Report to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball, informally known as the "Mitchell Report", is the result of former Democratic United States Senator from Maine...
to the Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into the Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball.
Franco, who currently lives in Simi Valley, California
Simi Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile...
, is the nephew of actor Kurt Russell
Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
. He holds the major league record with 20 pinch hit walks in a season.