Rockies shut down Francis for season

Rockies shut down Francis for season
September 17
Denver Post


"A season full of cringes ended painfully for starter Jeff Francis on Tuesday as he was shut down after developing slight shoulder soreness again. "It's been a forgettable year from an individual standpoint," said Francis, who will be replaced for Wednesday's series finale against the San Diego Padres by Livan Hernandez. After tying the franchise record with 17 wins last season, Francis never got on track. He was sabotaged by poor fastball command, particularly his inability to command the inner half of the plate. Eventually, Francis revealed that he was dealing with shoulder pain that kept him from throwing side sessions between starts. He landed on the disabled list July 3, missing 34 games. He has thrown better since returning, posting a 3.50 ERA in seven starts. He said Tuesday night that he had felt some discomfort during his last two games. Rockies trainer Keith Dugger, armed with this knowledge, told Francis that it made more sense to exercise caution than risk an injury."


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