Jeff Francoeur No Longer the Braves Problem—Welcome Ryan Church

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

Of course it would happen on the day that I come in from work and instead of writing and catching up on the day's news I decide to grill out and mow the lawn. So, when I checked my cell phone for text messages around 9 p.m. I finally found out that Jeff Francoeur had been traded.

When I found out whom to and for I was shocked and perplexed, but ultimately pleased. While trading a former top prospect to a bitter division rival, the Mets, seems a little risky, getting Ryan Church in return makes it a little better.

We dumped a .250 hitter who started strong but never really lived up to expectations in Atlanta for a solid major league hitter in Church.

Ryan Church is hitting .280 this season and .273 for his career. His best season was 2007 when he hit 15 HR, 70 RBI, and hit .272.

Francoeur was the native son. His career started with so much promise, but he became dejected when he was sent down to AA-Mississippi to work on his swing during his '08 campaign in which he hit .239. Many thought he had fixed his head and his swing this past offseason but it proved not to be true.

Jeff was hitting .250 this season with many missed opportunities and numerous disappointing at-bats. He ratcheted up the rhetoric early this week when he became upset with Bobby Cox over being benched three straight games. It was just a matter of time until Frank Wren would give him his wish of being sent elsewhere.

I don't particularly care for the fact that he'll be in the same division if he ever becomes what many thought he would be, but improving right field and this lineup by .30 percentage points has to be a positive in and of itself.

Is this the move the Braves need to make to become competitive in the East? Doubtful. Atlanta still needs a power bat. This move definitely helps though.

I made mention the other day that this team might look very different in the second half. So far the Braves have started proving me right.

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