FORMER MLB star Jeff Francoeur has revealed that his former manager, Bobby Cox, once helped him fake an injury so he could play golf with Tiger Woods.
Francoeur, now 40, played for the Atlanta Braves between 2005 and 2009 before returning in 2016.
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During his first stint with the Braves, Francoeur worked under his longtime manager, Cox.
Now 83, Cox is in the Braves Hall of Fame, having managed the team from 1978 to 1981 and again from 1990 to 2010.
Recalling his time playing for the Oklahoma native, Francoeur made an incredible admission.
Speaking to ESPN Tim KurkjianFrancoeur said: “I was very lucky, I met President Bush, President Obama… I wasn’t as impressed as I was when I met Tiger Woods for the first time.
“But the coolest story about Bobby Cox, guys, is that during training he loved us playing golf.
“We’re playing the Yankees at 1pm in a day game and I was 22 years old.
“I’ve been playing as a starter for three months. I wouldn’t go up to Bobby and say, ‘Hey, I need a day off,’ right?
“But he comes down the stretch and says, ‘(John) Smoltz, he said you had a chance to play Tiger today.’
“There was a 1:50 tee time and I was like, ‘Bobby, I’m good,’ I’m playing today.
“He said, ‘No, I’ll make a deal with you.’
“He said ‘after the first game today, run around first base and rub your ankle a little like it’s hurt, okay?
“In two days we’re going to Bradenton, and you know you need three participants to make a trip, of course.
“And he said, ‘I hate the Bradenton infield, I don’t want to hurt any of the guys, so if you go to Bradenton, I’ll let you go play Tiger today.’
“So, sure, we’re playing the Yankees, 12-13,000 people. I hit the first one, run to start, you know, rubbing my ankle.
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3. Teams will only be able to visit four mounds per game in 2024, compared to five last season.
4. Defenders and defenders blocking bases will be called for obstruction.
5. The runners’ lane from home plate to first base has been widened to include the dirt between the grass and the white line.
“You know, Bobby, he goes around with all his…
“He checks me out. I run inside and literally put on my golf clothes, I haven’t showered.
“I get to the golf course and they’re on the first fairway.
“So I hit my tee shot and we ended up playing 27 holes.
Francoeur then left Kurkjian in stitches by revealing that his “injury” was to his wife, Catie.
He added: “And at about 4.30pm my wife sent me a little something, saying there was an update that said ‘Francoeur day to day with a high ankle sprain.”
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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