ATLANTA -- Julio Franco will get another chance to swing the bat in the big leagues.

 

The 48-year-old utilityman signed with Atlanta on Wednesday, rejoining the Braves a week after he was cut by the New York Mets.

 

Franco cleared waivers during the Braves' game against Cincinnati. Atlanta signed him for the rest of the season and said he would be activated for Thursday night's game against St. Louis.

 

Franco, who turns 49 next month, played for the Braves in a backup role from 2001-05. He is a 24-year veteran with 2,576 career hits and is a lifetime .298 hitter.

 

He hit just .200 (10-for-50) with one homer as a reserve with the Mets. Franco will serve in the same capacity for Atlanta.

 

This season, Franco became the oldest player to hit a home run in major-league history. He has said he would like to play until he turns 50.

 

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2941209

this guy is going to play until he dies.

sure does look like it.

wait...he's still alive?

 

will they allow power scooters on the basepaths?

wait...he's still alive?

 

will they allow power scooters on the basepaths?

The Yankees would put up all the money in the world for baseball to allow Jeter to do this

Damn it's like they can't put Franco out of his misery. He is like a bad case of VD...just won't go away

48.. more power to him.

I don't know how anyone can talk smack abouta guy going on 49 who can still make a regular major league roster, a contending team's at that.

 

Julio is the man.

48.. more power to him.

 

 

Even that's a stretch. :shifty

the guy looks like he's Das' age......but Andruw Jones said he had the best body on the team. (however queer that may sound)

48 years old and still playing in the big leagues... very impressive

Mets didn't have kind words to say about the vet

i'm hoping he goes on a tear so he gets resigned and plays til 50

Julio is the man and should have his own national holiday.

That Julio Franco found work with the Braves isn't surprising. What was surprising, however, were the lack of references, especially when it came to the "clubhouse leadership" issue. Jose Valentin offered up that Franco was a less than eager participant in the club's pregame stretching. However, what irked some players was Franco wouldn't hesitate to get in the face of some of the younger players about doing their jobs when he was hitting .200 with one homer with the Mets.

Julio is the man and should have his own national holiday.

 

I don't know about his own holiday, but his ginormous butt certainly deserves it's own

plaque in the hall of fame. That thing is huge!