Fodder for the Mackanin distractors.
Two quotes from the article on Franco.
"I don't get it," Mackanin said after a 13-8 loss to Pittsburgh. "He lost the ball in the sun. We're going to have to fine him a dollar."
"I don't like the way he's swinging the bat right now," Mackanin said. "He's in that mid-spring lull and I want him to get as many at-bats as I can right now to get him back on track."
I don't think he is throwing him under the bus, but I'm sure some will see it that way. He did respond with a grandslam.