Jeff Francoeur

Manager: Bobby Cox 2008 finish: 72-90, fourth, 20 GB In: RHP Derek Lowe, RHP Kenshin Kawakami, OF Garret Anderson, LHP Tom Glavine, RHP Javier Vazquez, C David Ross, LHP Eric O'Flaherty Out: 1B Mark Teixeira, RHP John Smoltz, OF Mark Kotsay PROJECTED LINEUP Josh Anderson, cf .294-3-12 Yunel Escobar, ss .288-10-60 Garret Anderson, lf .293-15-84 Chipper Jones, 3b .364-22.75 Brian McCann, c .301-23-87 Jeff Francoeur, rf .239-11-71 Casey Kotchman, 1b. .237-2-20 Kelly Johnson, 2b .287-12-52 - with Angels - with Braves following trade from Angels PROJECTED ROTATION Derek Lowe 14-11, 3.24 Javier Vazquez.

7:05, Citizens Bank Park. TV: Channel 17. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM); WUBA (1480-AM) Spanish. Braves RHP Jair Jurrjens (13-10, 3.68 in 2008) vs. Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer (16-7, 3.71) Braves update: Jurrjens was Atlanta's most dependable starter last year, his first full season in the majors. "He has already shown you he can dominate," Hall of Famer Don Sutton, one of the team's broadcasters, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ... Rookie CF Jordan Schafer homered in his first big-league at-bat Sunday night.

The Atlanta Braves renewed outfielder Jeff Francoeur's contract for the second year in a row yesterday after the two sides failed to agree on terms. With less than three full years in the big leagues, Francoeur is not eligible for salary arbitration until 2009. The Associated Press reported Francoeur's salary at about $450,000. He was paid $427,500 last season after the Braves renewed his deal in similar fashion. He went on to bat .293 with 19 home runs and 105 RBIs. Orioles.

John Smoltz's return to the Atlanta Braves' starting rotation hasn't gone the way most expected. It's been better than almost anybody figured - and after nearly 4 months, Smoltz's teammates and coaches say the 38-year-old starter-turned-closer-turned-starter is stronger, more durable and more effective than ever. Smoltz pitched eight smooth innings for his seventh straight win, and rookie Jeff Francoeur went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer in the Braves' 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants yesterday.

Orlando Cabrera led off the 10th inning with a homer that hit the yellow screen just inside the leftfield pole, giving the Cincinnati Reds a 5-4 win over the visiting New York Mets yesterday and providing an appropriate finish to a series full of all-or-nothing swings. "When I hit it, I never thought it would hit the pole," Cabrera said. "I was thinking, 'Clearly, that's fair.' It was close. " Cabrera's fifth game-ending homer came off Pedro Feliciano (1-1) and gave the Reds their second last-swing victory in a wild series.

Seemingly out of the playoff hunt 11 days ago, the Atlanta Braves have won eight of their last nine games. With their two dominating righthanders slated to face the Phillies in the next two nights, they suddenly find themselves in the middle of the wild-card hunt. The Braves survived a shaky start by lefthander Chuck James last night and beat the Phillies, 10-6, to move within two games of Philadelphia in the wild-card race. They are th ree games behind San Diego. "No one expected anything from us, so we're having fun and maybe we can sneak in the backdoor," Atlanta rightfielder Jeff Francoeur said.

Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves roughed up a rusty Orlando Hernandez in a 13-5 victory over the host New York Mets last night. Yunel Escobar also went deep for Atlanta, which played without Chipper Jones for the second straight night but still managed 13 hits. Willie Harris drove in three runs, and Jeff Francoeur was 2-for-3 with two RBI. The Braves, clinging to their slim playoff hopes with 17 games left, pulled within 8 1/2 of NL East-leading New York.

The Atlanta Braves finally figured out Oliver Perez. Beaten three times by Perez - the only games they have lost to the Mets this season - the Braves got some revenge last night, ripping the lefthander for two home runs and 10 hits in a 7-3 victory in New York. Matt Diaz hit a solo home run and Jeff Francoeur added a three-run shot. The victory, Atlanta's seventh in 10 games against New York this season, moved the second-place Braves within 3 1/2 games of the Mets in the National League East.

Andruw Jones homered and drove in three runs to back seven strong innings by Tim Hudson, and the Atlanta Braves ended a three-game skid with a 10-1 victory over the visiting St. Louis Cardinals last night. Matt Diaz, whose solo homer in the second made it 3-0, finished 3-for-4 with 3 RBI. The Braves have won 13 of 20 despite a three-game sweep by Cincinnati this week. St. Louis, which scored its only run on David Eckstein's sacrifice fly in the sixth, has lost four of seven since the All-Star break.

Jason Perry filled in quite nicely for Jeff Francoeur. Perry hit a run-scoring triple in his first major league at-bat, Tim Hudson (9-6) gave up only one run in seven innings and the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Houston Astros, 6-2, last night to end a five-game losing streak. The Braves, who hadn't led a game in a week, won hours after the demotion of the popular Francoeur, a move general manager Frank Wren called the most difficult of his career. Wren plans to recall the slumping outfielder after the All-Star break.

MIAMI - A few important points before we look at the big-picture ramifications of Placido Polanco's back condition, which sidelined him last night for the second straight game: Polanco says the soreness is not related to the back spasms that prevented him from starting Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Reds last October. He does not sound too concerned about the pain in his lower back, which he said has caused some numbness to shoot down both legs.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - At this point, it is not clear whether Ruben Amaro Jr.'s public proclamations of satisfaction with his outfield are the words of a man who knows something that black-and-white numbers fail to relay, or if they are part of a calculated rhetoric designed to mask the perception of a buyer in need. Whichever the case - and there is some degree of evidence for both - the Phillies' general manager reiterated the mantra yesterday as he sat in the hotel suite that doubles as the organization's command center during the winter meetings.

SAN FRANCISCO - There was a time this season when Cody Ross and Jeff Francoeur were buried on the rosters of National League East teams, destined to play baseball through Game No. 162 and go home. When the Florida Marlins and New York Mets went to Puerto Rico for a three-game series at the end of June, the two went to a casino after a game and played blackjack. "Until about 5 in the morning," Francoeur said. "It was just the two of us. " "Next thing you know," Ross said, "we have stacks of chips in front of us. We couldn't lose.

Orlando Cabrera led off the 10th inning with a homer that hit the yellow screen just inside the leftfield pole, giving the Cincinnati Reds a 5-4 win over the visiting New York Mets yesterday and providing an appropriate finish to a series full of all-or-nothing swings. "When I hit it, I never thought it would hit the pole," Cabrera said. "I was thinking, 'Clearly, that's fair.' It was close. " Cabrera's fifth game-ending homer came off Pedro Feliciano (1-1) and gave the Reds their second last-swing victory in a wild series.

NEW YORK - Here's the way it works in baseball, the way it's worked forever: Baseball teams spend all spring training talking about the importance of getting off to a good start. Then, if they don't, they spend all April talking about how early it is and how they have plenty of time to turn things around. The New York Mets didn't even have that safety net this year. Not after coughing up late-season leads in 2007 and 2008 and completely falling apart last season. Nope, the other team in New York needed to open quickly, or goodness knows what hell might break loose.

Fines for Fielder, Mota Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder and Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Guillermo Mota were fined yesterday for their run-in this week. Major League Baseball will not suspend them. The amounts of the fines were not disclosed. Mota hit Fielder in the ninth inning of a 17-4 Dodgers win Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, most likely in retaliation for Chris Smith's grazing L.A.'s Manny Ramirez with a pitch two innings earlier. Afterward, Fielder charged toward the Dodgers' clubhouse but was restrained by teammates and security.

Livan Hernandez loves pitching against the Washington Nationals. Hernandez threw seven solid innings and Jeff Francoeur hit his first homer with the Mets, leading New York to a 6-2 victory last night over host Washington. Francoeur finished with three hits and two RBI for the injury-riddled Mets, who scored five times in the first two innings. The Mets have scored six runs or more just six times in 25 games since All-Star centerfielder Carlos Beltran went on the disabled list on June 22. Hernandez (6-5)

7:05, Citizens Bank Park. TV: Channel 17. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM); WUBA (1480-AM) Spanish. Braves RHP Jair Jurrjens (13-10, 3.68 in 2008) vs. Phillies LHP Jamie Moyer (16-7, 3.71) Braves update: Jurrjens was Atlanta's most dependable starter last year, his first full season in the majors. "He has already shown you he can dominate," Hall of Famer Don Sutton, one of the team's broadcasters, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ... Rookie CF Jordan Schafer homered in his first big-league at-bat Sunday night.

Manager: Bobby Cox 2008 finish: 72-90, fourth, 20 GB In: RHP Derek Lowe, RHP Kenshin Kawakami, OF Garret Anderson, LHP Tom Glavine, RHP Javier Vazquez, C David Ross, LHP Eric O'Flaherty Out: 1B Mark Teixeira, RHP John Smoltz, OF Mark Kotsay PROJECTED LINEUP Josh Anderson, cf .294-3-12 Yunel Escobar, ss .288-10-60 Garret Anderson, lf .293-15-84 Chipper Jones, 3b .364-22.75 Brian McCann, c .301-23-87 Jeff Francoeur, rf .239-11-71 Casey Kotchman, 1b. .237-2-20 Kelly Johnson, 2b .287-12-52 - with Angels - with Braves following trade from Angels PROJECTED ROTATION Derek Lowe 14-11, 3.24 Javier Vazquez.