If you are a fan of baseball and live this side of the 49th parallel you will know the name Jeff Francis.
Francis, who was born in B.C., made something of a splash in terms of baseball in Canada back in 2002.
Francis was selected in the first round (ninth overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2002. Along with Adam Loewen, who was selected at fourth overall in the same draft, the two made baseball headlines in this country as they were drafted higher than any other Canadian baseball players up to that time.
So why the interest in Francis at this juncture?
Well in 2019 the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame called for Francis to be among the inductees.
Having seen that online yours truly reached out to a contact at Baseball Canada, who passed me on to another in that organization, who it turn put me in contact with Jason Beck, Curator and Facility Director with the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Jason reached out to Francis on my behalf and thanks to the world of emails and contacts; I had an interview with the former Major Leaguer, which as a baseball fan is frankly just cool.
Of course Francis never got the big banquet for his induction due to COVID-19, which was one of the first things he noted as we chatted.
“It was disappointing we couldn't have the ceremony this year,” he said, adding it would have been a great excuse to visit his home province.
But, the call to be inducted was still much appreciated.
“It's certainly an honour, and not one I was expecting,” said Francis.
While Francis might not have expected it, his career was notable as a Canadian playing baseball.
Francis' pro career got off to a stellar start after the high draft selection. In 2004, Francis was named Minor League Player of the Year by both Baseball Americaand USA Today.
By 2005, Francis was a regular in the Colorado rotation, pitching in 33 starts for the Rockies. While the numbers were not golden; he finished with a 14-12 record, his ERA was 5.68 and his WHIP was at 1.62 while allowing 228 hits in 183 innings; he looked durable and ready for better things.
In 2006, Francis signed a four-year deal worth $13.25 million, and a year later it looked like a great signing by the Rockies.
Francis had a career year in 2007 leading the Rockies into the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. He finished the season with 17 wins while pitching over 200 innings for the first time in his career.
On October 3, 2007, Francis became the first Canadian starting pitcher to win a Major League Baseball postseason gameby beating the Philadelphia Phillies. It was his first postseason appearance.
On October 24, 2007, Francis became the second Canadian starting pitcher to pitch in the World Seriesbut struggled in lasting only four innings and allowing six runs. The Rockies went on to lose the game 13 – 1.
Sadly the injury bug set in after that and Francis would become something of a baseball nomad, playing for Kansas City, Cincinnati, Oakland, the New York Yankees and Toronto over a career that extended into 2015.
Francis finished his career with a 72-82 record, with a 4.97 ERA and 869 strikeouts.
Francis said during one's career you don't think about how it stacks up in terms of history.
“Not in the moment,” he said.
But when a hall of fame calls from your home province you do become reflective.
“You realize more now looking back on it,” he said.
As Francis reflected he said he realizes Canada “is producing more and more talent, and if I had a small part in inspiring that, I take pride in that.”
In terms of baseball Francis said Canadian players have a far better chance of making it because the quality of instruction and play has improved so much to help them pursue success, which is why we now see players like Mike Soroka and Tyler O'Neill starring in the majors.
It helps too when the Toronto Blues Jays are doing well.
“I don't think there's any doubt interest (in baseball) is related to the success of the Blue Jays,” said Francis, adding he was 11 / 12 years old when the Jays won back-to-back World Series and they certainly inspired his own interest.
Francis remains a Jays fan, and he likes what he sees with the current rendition of the team.
“I see a group of guys that's exciting to watch,” he said, adding it's obvious that players such as Bo Bichette "just enjoy playing ... it looks like he loves to play baseball,” and that exuberance catches on with fans too.
As for his own career, Francis looks back on his time in Colorado most fondly having spent parts of eight seasons with the Rockies.
“I kind of grew up with the team,” he said, adding of course it was with Colorado he got to the World Series.
Of course not winning hurt, and so too did not making it back to the final.
Francis said as a young player finding early success “you think geez we could do this every year, but we never went back.”
In retrospect Francis said “I wish I had enjoyed it more in the moment, but that's not how it works.”
Still the time with the Rockies was special.
“You spend a lot of time with one team there's a lot of fond memories,” he said.
Playing for Team Canada in the Pan American Games in Toronto in 2015 stands out for Francis too.
“There's nothing like playing for your country,” he said, adding in baseball international play is not the pinnacle it is in some other sports, but winning the gold medals in TO was still a huge thrill.
