The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame announced that they will be inducting former Pitcher, Jeff Francis to their ranks this year.

From Vancouver, Francis played in the Majors for 11 seasons, most notably with the Colorado Rockies, where he was an upper rotation starter for three seasons (2005-07).  Francis also played for Kansas City, Cincinnati, Oakland, New York (AL), and Toronto, and had a lifetime record of 72-82 and 869 Strikeouts.  

As there were no official ceremony in 2020 due to COVID-19, Francis will be inducted alongside the Class of 2020, which consists of Jacques Doucet (broadcaster), Justin Morneau, John Olerud and Duane Ward.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like congratulate Jeff Francis for earning this honor.

A first-round pick out of the University of British Columbia, the left-hander arrived in Denver with a polished delivery and a professional poise that seemed immune to the psychological toll of pitching at altitude. For a brilliant three-year window in the mid-2000s, "The Socially Conscious Southpaw" provided the Rockies with a steady-state reliability that finally allowed the organization to dream of October.

He established himself as a model of specialized durability between 2005 and 2007, a three-year run where he averaged over 190 innings per season and posted consistent winning records. He possessed a rare, high-leverage mental toughness, navigating the thin air with a focused intensity that saw him secure 14 wins in 2005 and 13 in 2006. He was the primary engine of a rotation desperate for a frontline anchor, proving that a pitcher could find success in Denver by prioritizing location and movement over raw velocity.

During the historic "Rocktober" run of 2007, Francis had a career year, going 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA, a decent mark for a Coors Field starter in that era, and finishing ninth in the Cy Young voting. He achieved historic outlier status that October, becoming the first Canadian pitcher ever to win a postseason game and start a World Series matchup. He served as the tactical leader of the staff during the club's 21-of-22 game winning streak, providing the veteran-like poise required to carry the franchise to its first National League pennant.

The middle chapters of his story were marked by a difficult physical toll. Following his 2007 heroics, a significant shoulder injury forced him to miss the entire 2009 campaign. While he showed a remarkable resilience by returning for a second stint in a Rockies uniform later in his career, he was no longer the high-frequency workhorse of his prime.

With the Rockies, Francis compiled 82 wins and 869 strikeouts.