Frenchy shows off one of game's best arms

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KANSAS CITY -- It seemed a fitting comment about a guy called "Frenchy."

"I got a text from a friend of mine after the game that said Jeff [Francoeur] has thrown out more people than a Bourbon Street bouncer," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "That's kind of true."

Francoeur's sixth-inning throw nailed the Yankees' Curtis Granderson trying for third base after Francoeur caught Alex Rodriguez's fly ball in right field. The throw was snagged by third baseman Mike Moustakas, who made the quick tag. The double play took the steam out of the Yankees in the Royals' 5-1 victory Saturday.

"It was a big throw at a big time, obviously," Francoeur said. "I had to make a perfect throw, and he's a fast, smart baserunner. He took a chance. I don't make that throw all the time but I happened to make the throw at that time, and it ended up being a big out for us."

Yost didn't see the throw because he was busy in the dugout, preparing to take starting pitcher Felipe Paulino out of the game.

"With [Robinson] Cano coming up, I was coming around to go up and take Paulino out of the game, and I got on the top step and saw Moose tag him and I thought, 'Geez-oh-Pete,'" Yost said. "That didn't even enter my mind that Frenchy was going to throw him out. So it was a pretty darn good throw -- they tell me."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi figured Granderson was just trying to get something started with his risky dash.

"Sometimes when an offense is struggling, you try to get in a situation where you can score," Girardi said. "You've got a guy as good as anyone out there, and he got behind the ball and you can't be thrown out."

Paulino got a reprieve and, after Cano singled, Francoeur made an encore with a sliding catch of Mark Teixeira's liner to end the inning and preserve the Royals' 3-0 lead.

Francoeur has five assists this season and 102 in his career since 2005, tops in baseball over that span. He might make quite a bouncer at that.

"I've been to New Orleans," Frenchy said with a smile. "I've tried to stay away from Bourbon Street."

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