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 on October 23, 1981, is a former American professional baseball player. He was an outfielder, which means he played in the outfield area of the baseball field. Ben played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), including the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Rays, and New York Yankees. Today, he works as a scout for the Los Angeles Angels, helping to find new talented players.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Ben Francisco graduated from Servite High School in Anaheim, California, in 1999. He played baseball there with his future teammate, Ryan Garko. After high school, Ben continued to play baseball at Cypress Junior College in 2000. From 2001 to 2003, he played for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) baseball team.
Ben Francisco's Professional Baseball Journey
Playing for the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians chose Ben Francisco in the fifth round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. He was called up to the major leagues on May 1, 2007. That night, he made his first appearance as a defensive replacement. On June 29, Ben got his first major league hit and his first home run. This home run was a "walk-off" hit, meaning it won the game for the Indians 2–1 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In 2007, Ben played 25 games for Cleveland, hitting for a .278 average with three home runs and 12 RBI (runs batted in).
In 2008, Ben played very well during spring training. He was sent to a minor league team but was called back up to the Indians several times. On June 5, he made five hits in one game against the Texas Rangers. This was a rare achievement for a rookie player. By the end of the 2008 season, Ben had a .266 batting average, 15 home runs, and 54 RBI in 121 games. He started the 2009 season with the Indians, hitting 10 home runs and 33 RBI in 89 games.
Time with the Philadelphia Phillies
On July 29, 2009, Ben Francisco was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He joined the Phillies along with star pitcher Cliff Lee. Ben finished the 2009 season as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter for the Phillies. He played in 37 games, hitting five home runs and 13 RBI. He also played in the postseason, but did not get any hits in 11 at bats.
In 2010, his first full season with Philadelphia, Ben batted .268 with six home runs and 28 RBI in 88 games. He got his first postseason hit and scored his first postseason run in the 2010 National League Championship Series. However, 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 in right field. Later in the season, he returned to a reserve role. He batted .244 with six home runs and 34 RBI in 100 games. Ben had a very important moment in Game 3 of the 2011 National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. With the game tied 0–0, the Cardinals chose to intentionally walk another player to face Ben. Ben then hit a huge 405-foot home run, which helped the Phillies win the game 3–2. Even with this big hit, the Phillies eventually lost the series to the Cardinals.
Moving to Other Teams
On December 12, 2011, Ben Francisco was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays. He played for them until July 20, 2012, when he was traded again. This time, he went to the Houston Astros as part of a big trade involving several players.
Just over a month later, on August 31, 2012, Ben was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. He finished the 2012 season having played for three different teams: Toronto, Houston, and Tampa Bay. For the whole season, he hit .240 with four home runs and 15 RBI in 82 games.
Playing for the New York Yankees
On January 21, 2013, Ben Francisco signed a minor league contract with his former team, the Cleveland Indians. However, the Indians released him on March 11. On the same day, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees. He made the Yankees' team for Opening Day. He was often used as a designated hitter against left-handed pitchers. However, he struggled to hit well in April. On May 26, he was removed from the team, and he was released on June 3. He finished his time with the Yankees hitting .114 with one home run and one RBI in 21 games.
Playing in Independent and Mexican Leagues
After his time in Major League Baseball, Ben continued to play baseball. On June 8, 2014, he signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is an independent league. In 57 games for the Barnstormers, he hit .242 with six home runs and 27 RBI.
In December 2014, Ben signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he was released in March 2015. On May 8, 2015, Ben signed with the Rieleros de Aguascalientes in the Mexican League. He played 14 games there, hitting .244 with no home runs and five RBI, before being released on May 24.
Life After Playing Baseball
In 2016, Ben Francisco started a new career in baseball. He was hired by the Los Angeles Angels as a scout. As a scout, he helps the team find new talented players.
In 2022, Ben was honored for his contributions to baseball. He was inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame. This was in recognition of the three seasons he played for the Buffalo Bisons, a minor league team.
