Gailey comes home after trade for Francisco
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Gailey comes home after trade for Francisco
Daily News staff
The Phillies traded Ben Francisco today to Toronto for minor league lefty reliever Frank Gailey.
Gailey, 26, who split the season between Single A and Double A in the Blue Jays' system is graduate of Archbishop Carroll and West Chester University.
The Daily News caught up with him about the trade and the prospect of coming home.
On the news he was coming home: “It’s amazing to get the news but it was bittersweet as well. I first started my career in Toronto learning the ropes in pro ball and left a lot of people up there who were influential to my career. But as soon as they said you’re going back to Philadelphia, I was ecstatic.”
On playing for the Phillies: “Growing up I just wanted to be one of those guys to wear that uniform. Now I can say I am one step closer to that dream. I got a ton of calls today. It was awesome to know that people still care about my career.”
On how he plays the game: “My type of game is to pound the zone and work quick, I like to believe I have what the Phillies are looking for and that I can help any team.”
On spring training in Clearwater, Fla.: "It’ll be weird not to be heading to Dunedin, since its so close to Clearwater, but I can’t wait to put on that red jersey after wearing that blue one for so long.”
On being a part of Toronto system as a Phillies fan: "My big picture is to play pro baseball, all around their clubhouse was the ring in 1993 and that took some time (as a Philadelphian) to get over. It’s crazy how it all worked out, but I am excited to be playing baseball and glad it’s now with my hometown organization."
5'9"...26 yo....A and AA.....no shot.— Mark1npt- He's made it a lot farther than Mark1npt, eh?— Brian E. Breslin
- Actually Mark, this guy reminds me of another area kid who made it to the bigs and contributed to the Phillies for a couple of years...Steve Frey...He was also 5'9" and battled like a warrior...He also played on the 96 team with......Ruben Amaro Jr...His age is just the result of being a college graduate rather than becoming a pro at 18...Lefthanded relief depth is never anything to discount..we're not looking for a HOFer, just guys to get the Prince Fielders of the world out....Good Luck, kid.— bearsfriend
- Now if they would have gotten Gailey's batterymate with the New hampshire River Cats, Travis D'Arnaud...then we'd be in business...but Gailey reminds me of another 5'9" lefty from the area who made it for a few years with the Phillies..William Tennant and BCC's Steve Frey, a battler who contributed in the mid-90s..He also happened to play with another area kid in 96...Ruben Amaro Jr...You can never have enough lefthanded relief depth down on the farm.— bearsfriend
- this trade had nothing to do with gailey, it was about dumping francisco's salary.. im sure amaro would have done this trade for a 'player to be named later' if the blue jays balked at letting gailey go.— zwarte piet
- Of course it is...But this is the obligatory welcome piece, and even with short tidbits, this writer outperforms his peers in town, inside out and upside down! — bearsfriend
- What a puff piece ! Coming home, geeze you'd think the Phillies just got Cy Young instead of....'Sigh', who ???— phineas
- Yeah, I remember Steve Frey, Bears. My ex wife went to William Tennent at the same time. He played for the Expos, Angels, Mariners and Giants also. Actually, he did pretty well with the Angels.— EL Zorro
- Faced him in the Penn-Del league...little sucker throwing pellets...makes ya wonder how scary Koufax and Guidry must have been. — bearsfriend
- i love how fans over-hype anyone local— main liner
- Or the Big Unit. Ask the Kruker.
— EL Zorro - Or the poor bird that met one of the Big Units FB in midair.— EL Zorro
- Or Lonewolf— NewMick314
- Ben Francisco... Hopefully the Blue Jays enjoy his first pitch fly outs to the middle outfield. Ben Fran was nothing but a fly out machine. Always completely unproductive plate appearances.— FetchDixon
It's amazing Rube hasn't plucked the incisive Mark1npt to pass judgment on all his decisions. He knows all.
Idiot.— COskier
