Julio Franco calls quits, played 23 seasons

Mexico City - Today Julio Franco has announced that he has finally decided to hang up his cleats. Franco is 49-years-old, he played basesball for 23-years. Other than playing in the major leagues, he also played in his native country Dominican Republic, South Korea, Japan, along with Mexico. Last year, during his 2007 season, he became the oldest player to hit a home run in the majors.

"It was the hardest decision in my life," Franco said in an interview published Saturday by Mexican sports daily Record. "I always said I would be the first one to know the exact moment. I think the numbers speak for themselves, the production speaks and this is the right moment.

"I understand that my time has passed and the great men and athletes know when to say enough."

Franco had been playing the 2008 season in the Mexican league, with the Quintana Roo Tigers. He then told the team on Wednesday night that he was going to retire. The next day, the league posted the news on their website.

He last played in the majors for the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves in 2007. He played in 55 games in 07, (40)were with the Mets and the Braves had him play in (15) games. He hit .222 with only one home run and 16 rbi's, while getting 90 at-bats.

The last major league home run that he hit was back on May 4th, 2007. He hit that homer against D'Backs starter, Randy Johnson. He was 48-years-old at that time, and became the oldest player to homer in the majors.

He ends a great career, that he started back in 1980. That year, he played in the
Dominican winter league for the Escogido Lions. Then in 1982, the Philadelphia Phillies called him up to make his major league debut. The other teams in the majors who Franco played for were the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, along with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

In Japan, he played for the Chiba Lotte Marines, in South Korea he played for the Samsung Lions. And then, in Mexico, he played for the Angelopolis Tigers and the Quintana Roo Tigers.

His career stats finish with a career batting average of .298, 2,586 hits, 173 home runs and 1,194 rbi's in 23 seasons in the majors; with only eight teams. Franco only received two awards in the majors. His first award was in 1990, when he became the All-Star Game MVP. The second award came in 1991, when he became the AL Batting Champion.