Wonder Franco avoids prison, but is sentenced to infamous living

It began with a thunder and ended with an astonishing dishonor.

Welcome to Wonder Franco’s career, an inverse baseball fairy tale.

Franco was a man as a free, but broken man, leaving his trial on Thursday for sexual abuse in the Dominican Republic. A two-year suspended sentence for intimate relationships with a minor girl kept the Rays playing out of prison, but the chances of returning to major league baseball will almost certainly be ruined. When the court clerk read the verdict, Franco dropped his head in his hand and seemed to wipe tears from his eyes.

Looking back, he should consider himself lucky.

According to a journalist in the Puerto Plata courtroom, a panel of three judges revealed that they primarily believe in the videotape testimony that they described themselves as Franco’s girlfriend when they were 21 years old in 2022-23. The girl also explained the economic arrangement between her mother and Franco, which led to her mother being sentenced to 10 years in prison for human trafficking and money laundering.

The idea that Franco somehow managed to escape prison time to date his 14-year-old while sending money to his mother, is surprising, and it is unlikely that he will be dismissed so easily by MLB officials who have conducted their own investigations until now, when legal proceedings have ended.

Once upon a time, Franco was the hottest genius of baseball. He was taken out of school at age 12 and groomed for stardom, he was Miss’ child and he was all ours. Signing a $3.85 million bonus by the 16-year-old Rays, he quickly embraced the idea that he would soon become the face of Tampa Bay baseball in the near future. And that was reflected in 11 years of $182 million transactions.

His talent was unusual and unrealistically adjacent. He was the No. 1 prospect in the game at the age of 19, hit a postseason home run at the age of 20, a 22-year-old All-Star, and a month later, an internet villain after the victim hinted at a social media connection.

Eventually, Franco emerged immortally and became infamous.

So how do you handle today’s news? Do you support justice or lament your useless talent? Do you think he somehow stayed on the railway, or did he fight back on the run for minor legal consequences?

I think the Ray is mostly satisfied with the resolution, but they have been careful not to speak extensively about Franco’s situation. If he was acquitted, and somehow he was given a visa to return to the US, Rays could have been on Hook for the remaining $164 million on his contract. Even if the team is sold, the contract is balanced as an outstanding debt.

Instead, the conviction allows Rays to void his contract and not be concerned about public relations nightmare hanging his old fifth jersey in the locker.

It’s great to think about it like this, but Franco is almost gone as long as he’s here. He made his MLB debut this week four years ago, hitting the three-run homer in his third big league plate appearance. Two years and two months later, he was pulled out of the lineup before a Sunday afternoon game after a victim’s social media post and soon disappeared from Tampa Bay.

By then, Franco had already achieved what only a handful of other shortstops at that age had done. We’re talking about players like Cal Ripken Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Franco may not be the first genius to be ascended, but he will fall into history as the most self-destructive.

Most others were pitchers whose arms were blown away too quickly. Some were draft picks and bonus babies that never endured the hype. There are few comparisons when it comes to authentic stars whose career was interrupted in their early 20s. Tony Conigliarro probably hit his face on the pitch. Probably not that much, Cesar Cedeno.

Is it fair to throw Franco into the cauldron of eternal shame? It depends on your perspective. And maybe in Franco, depending on what he does for the rest of his life.

During his time in Tampa Bay he was mostly celebrated, but it could also be that he is patient and immature. That’s not so surprising given that his fame and dedication to the game keep him from having a normal childhood. There have been some arguments with his teammates, and manager Kevin Cash sent him home for several days to readjust his attitude a few months before the scandal broke.

But despite great pressure, immediate wealth and enduring fame, the outcome is ultimately Franco alone.

The elevator at Tropicana Field had pictures that reminded me of every time I thought of Franco. A 10th birthday child is a child holding a Franco sign with a pen and a ball for signing. Franco stands next to her, laughing happily, not too old than her younger fans.

In light of his beliefs, today’s photos may look creepy, but I prefer to think about them in a more obvious way.

Fundar Franco could have been one of the greats. He should have been one of our greatest favorites of all time.

Instead, he will be talking about the cautions that MLB officials use to warn young players. He will be a forgotten name that old baseball fans will remember in the discussions in the barroom. He began with cheers, but then it becomes a baseball fairy tale that began with joyous and shyness ever since.

John Romano can visit JRomano@tampabay.com. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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