Ben Francisco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ben Francisco |
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Francisco with the Rays in 2012
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: October 23, 1981 Santa Ana, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 1, 2007, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 17, 2013, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .253 | ||
| Home runs | 50 | ||
| Runs batted in | 190 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Louis Benjamin Francisco (born October 23, 1981) is a former professional baseball outfielder from the United States. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. These teams included the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Yankees. After his playing career, Ben became a scout for the Los Angeles Angels.
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Early Life and College Baseball
Ben Francisco grew up in Anaheim, California. He graduated from Servite High School in 1999. There, he played baseball with his future teammate, Ryan Garko. After high school, Ben played college baseball. He attended Cypress Junior College in 2000. Later, he played for the University of California, Los Angeles from 2001 to 2003.
Ben Francisco's Professional Baseball Career
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians chose Ben Francisco in the fifth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his big league debut on May 1, 2007. That night, he entered the game as a defensive replacement. On June 29, Ben got his first major league hit. He also hit his first home run in his first start. This home run helped the Indians win 2–1 in the ninth inning.
In 2007, Francisco played in 25 games for Cleveland. He batted .278 with three home runs and 12 RBI. He had a strong spring training in 2008. Despite this, he started the 2008 season in Triple-A. He was called up to the Indians several times that year. On June 5, 2008, he made five hits in one game against the Texas Rangers. This was a rare achievement for an Indians rookie. Ben finished the 2008 season batting .266. He hit 15 home runs and had 54 RBI in 121 games. In 2009, he played 89 games for Cleveland. He had a .250 batting average with 10 home runs and 33 RBI.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
On July 29, 2009, Ben Francisco was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He joined the Phillies along with pitcher Cliff Lee. In return, the Indians received several minor league players. Ben spent the rest of 2009 as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter. He played in 37 games, hitting .278 with five home runs and 13 RBI. He also played in the postseason for Philadelphia.
In 2010, his first full season with the Phillies, Ben batted .268. He hit six home runs and had 28 RBI in 88 games. He got his first postseason hit and run in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The Phillies lost that series to the San Francisco Giants. In 2011, Ben signed a new contract with the Phillies. He started the season as a regular player. However, he later returned to a reserve role. He batted .244 with six home runs and 34 RBI in 100 games.
Ben had a key moment in Game 3 of the 2011 National League Division Series. This was against the St. Louis Cardinals. The game was tied with no score. The Cardinals chose to intentionally walk a batter to face Francisco. Ben then hit a 405-foot home run. This home run helped the Phillies win 3–2. The Phillies eventually lost the series to the Cardinals in five games.
Moving to Other Teams
After his time with the Phillies, Ben Francisco played for several other MLB teams. On December 12, 2011, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. In July 2012, the Blue Jays traded him to the Houston Astros. This trade involved several players moving between the teams.
Later in 2012, on August 31, the Tampa Bay Rays acquired Ben Francisco. He finished the 2012 season with a combined .240 batting average. He hit four home runs and had 15 RBI across his time with Toronto, Houston, and Tampa Bay.
In 2013, Ben signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. He made the Yankees' Opening Day roster. He played as a designated hitter against left-handed pitchers. However, he struggled at the plate. He was released from the team in June 2013. He hit .114 with one home run in 21 games for the Yankees.
Playing in Independent and Mexican Leagues
After his MLB career, Ben Francisco continued to play baseball. In 2014, he signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers. This team is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent league. He played 57 games for them. He batted .242 with six home runs and 27 RBI.
In 2015, Ben signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes in the Mexican League. He played 14 games for this team. He batted .244 with no home runs and five RBI. He was released by the Rieleros in May 2015.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring from playing baseball, Ben Francisco started a new career. In 2016, the Los Angeles Angels hired him as a scout. A scout's job is to find new talented players.
In 2022, Ben Francisco was honored for his contributions to baseball. He was inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame. This recognized his three seasons playing for the Buffalo Bisons, a minor league team.
