Wayne Franklin

Gary Wayne Franklin
also known as Gary Franklin

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
• School Cecil Community College, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• High School North East High School
• Debut July 24, 2000
• Final Game September 30, 2006
• Born March 9, 1974 in Wilmington, DE USA

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Biographical Information

Wayne Franklin was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 35th round of the 1996 draft. Franklin joined the Class A Yakima Bears of the Northwest League in 1996, where he went 1-0 with a save and a 2.52 ERA in 20 games. He was promoted to the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League in 1997, where he went 5-3 with 2 saves, a complete game, and a 3.18 ERA in 28 games. This earned Franklin a promotion to the A San Bernardino Stampede of the California League for 1 game, where he pitched 2 scoreless innings. In 1998, Franklin played with the Vero Beach Dodgers of the Florida State League, where he went 9-3 with 10 saves and a 3.53 ERA in 48 games.

Franklin was taken by the Houston Astros in the AAA phase of the 1998 Rule V Draft on December 14, 1998. He played with the Kissimmee Cobras of the Florida State League in 1999, going 3-0 with 1 save and a 1.53 ERA in 12 games. This earned Franklin a promotion to the AA Jackson Generals where he went 3-1 with 20 saves and a 1.61 ERA in 46 games. In 2000, Franklin was promoted to the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs, where he went 3-3 with 4 saves and a 3.63 ERA in 48 games. Franklin made his major league debut with Houston on July 24, 2000 and finished the year with no decisions and a 5.48 ERA in 25 games. In 2001, Franklin made the Astros' Opening Day roster, and appeared in 11 games with no decisions and a 6.75 ERA in 11 games before being optioned back to New Orleans. There, Franklin finished 2-1 with 0 saves and a 3.81 ERA in 41 games. In 2002, Franklin opened with New Orleans after struggling with Houston the previous season and was changed to a starter, finishing 13-9 with a 3.12 ERA in 29 games.

Franklin and infielder Keith Ginter were traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on September 3, 2002 to complete an earlier trade on August 31st which sent infielder Mark Loretta to the Astros. Franklin joined the Brewers right after the trade and went 2-1 with a 2.62 ERA in 4 games. In 2003, Franklin had his career year with the Brew Crew, going 10-13 with a 5.50 ERA in 36 games. The Brewers traded Franklin to the San Francisco Giants on March 30, 2004 with pitcher Leo Estrella for minor league pitchers Carlos Villanueva and Glenn Woolard. Franklin went 2-1 with 0 saves and a 6.39 ERA in 43 games with the Giants.

After appearing in eight games with the Giants in spring training in 2005, Franklin signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on April 4th. Franklin went 2-3 with 1 save in 46 games with a 3.61 ERA with the AAA Columbus Clippers; he also appeared in 13 games with the Yankees going 0-1 with a 6.39 ERA in 13 games.

The Tampa Bay Devil Rays signed Franklin to a minor league contract on January 11, 2006. After appearing in 8 games with a 3.24 ERA in spring training, he was re-assigned to minor league camp by the Devil Rays. Franklin signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves in April. The Braves purchased Franklin's contract on August 6th, where he went 0-0 with a 7.04 ERA in 11 games.

Franklin signed a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training with the Kansas City Royals on December 5, 2006. After failing to make the Royals out of spring training, Franklin went on to sign with the York Revolution of the independent Atlantic League. Franklin went 2-0 with a 7.04 ERA in 3 starts with the Revolution before being acquired by the President Lions of the CPBL to replace Rob Cordemans. He went 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in 7 games, including 4 starts, with the Lions before being released by the team. He returned to the Revolution, where he turned in a solid season finishing with a 8-3 record with a 4.19 ERA in 16 games, of which 13 were starts.

He managed the Pittsburg Mettle of the Pacific Association in 2014 and coached for Campolindo High School in Moraga, CA in 2015 and 2016. He was a coach for Holy Names University in 2022.

Sources: MLB.com, Delaware Baseball, CPBL Official Website

Related Sites

• Lions sign Wayne Franklin