Franco, Julio C.
Baseball
b. Aug. 23, 1961, San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Franco appeared in just 16 games with the NL's Philadelphia Phillies in 1982 and was then traded to the AL's Cleveland Indians. A right-hander, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Franco took over as Cleveland's starting shortstop in 1983.
The Indians moved him to second base in 1988. After batting over .300 for three straight seasons, from 1986 through 1988, Franco went to the Texas Rangers. He led the AL with a .341 batting average in 1989.
Named the second baseman on The Sporting News AL all-star team from 1989 through 1991, Franco missed most of the 1992 season with a knee injury and was used entirely as a designated hitter in 1993.
He left Texas for the Chicago White Sox in 1994, was traded back to the Indians the following season, and the Indians sent him to the Milwaukee Brewers during the 1997 season.
For the next three years, Franco played in Japan, Korea, and Mexico, with just one major-league at-bat. But late in the 2001 season, the Atlanta Braves bought his contract from the Mexico City Tigers and Franco hit .300 in 25 games down the stretch. He batted .284 the following season as a utility player and pinch-hitter for the Braves.