* Franklyn, wife Luisa and daughter Luisi reside in Palenque, DR during the off-season.
* Appeared in 14 games for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League following the 2001 season and allowed just two unearned runs on four hits while fanning 23 batters in 15.2 innings.
* After the 2002 season, he recorded a 3.09 ERA (11.2IP/4ER) and three saves in 12 games for Escogido in the Dominican Winter League.
* Named the fourth-best prospect in the Dominican Winter League following the 2002 season by Baseball America.
2005
The surprise of Spring Training earned a spot in the Tigers bullpen out of camp. He went 3-0 with a 1.87 ERA over the first half of the season, holding opponents to a .227 average. One of those victories came July 8 at Tampa Bay, where he tossed a career-high three scoreless innings in relief of Nate Robertson, who was ejected on the game's first pitch.
2004
Saw action with both Detroit and Triple A Toledo during the season -- led the Mud Hens pitching staff and ranked second in the International League with 27 saves...Posted a 3-0 record, 0.64 ERA (14.0IP/1ER) and nine saves in his first 13 outings with Toledo April 9-May 10...struck out 16 and walked five over that span...Posted a 1-0 record, 1.20 ERA (15.0IP/2ER) and nine saves over a 14-outing stretch May 15-June 19, before
being recalled to Detroit on June 20...struck out 16 and walked six over that stretch...Issued at least one walk in five of his six outings with
Detroit June 20-July 7, before being sent to Toledo on July 11...posted a 10.38 ERA (4.1IP/5ER) in the six outings...Struggled over a 13-outing stretch at Toledo July 24-August 28, posting a 0-4 record, 13.50 ERA (12.0IP/18ER) and four saves, while opponents batted .396 (21x53) with four home runs...struck out 17 and walked 11 over that span...Did not allow an earned run in his final four outings with Toledo August 29-September 6, before being recalled to Detroit on September 7...Allowed a career-high six hits in 1.2 innings of work in the first game of a doubleheader on September 9 versus Kansas City...
Fired two perfect innings on September 28 versus
Chicago to earn his first victory of the season.
2003
Saw action with both Detroit and Triple A
Toledo during the season -- tied for the Tigers lead with five saves and
tied for third on the staff with 45 appearances despite spending nearly two months in the Mud Hens bullpen.
Tied for fourth among American League rookies in saves and tied for eighth in appearances...tied for 10th in the
league with eight wild pitches.
Fanned a
career-high four batters in consecutive outings April 18 at Kansas City and April 22 at Oakland...issued
a
career-high three walks at Oakland on April 22 -- matched the high with three walks on May 14 versus Oakland.
Posted a
13.2-inning scoreless streak May 3-June 4, just shy of matching Nate Cornejo and Wilfredo Ledezma
for the team high at 14.0 innings.
In 11 appearances during May, he posted a
2-1
record with a
1.46 ERA (
12.1IP/2ER) and three saves...
opposition managed just a
.143 batting average (
6x42) with German on the mound, but he was plagued by
control problems, issuing 12 walks.
Allowed a
home run on June 14 versus Colorado, the first surrendered in his major league career -- had
combined to work 34.1 innings over 32 major league appearances without allowing a
home run.
His struggles in 12 outings during June led to him being optioned to Toledo on June 29 -- finished 0-1
with a
6.52
ERA (
9.2IP/7ER) during the month, allowing eight walks and a
.300 batting average against (
12x40).
Surrendered just an unearned run on eight hits over his first seven appearances with Toledo July 1-13, tossing
eight innings...allowed four runs (
three earned) in his first 16 outings, a
total of 20.2 innings pitched (
1.31 ERA),
before allowing five runs over his last eight games with Toledo, a
total of 8.2 innings pitched (
5.19 ERA).
Fanned four batters in an outing for Toledo on three occasions: July 5
versus Syracuse, July 20 at Syracuse and
August 1
at Louisville.
Recalled by the Tigers from Toledo on August 24 -- struggled in his 14 appearances for Detroit following his return,
posting an 11.68 ERA (
12.1IP/16ER)...issued 13 walks as the opposition hit .396 (
21x53) against him.
Limited lefties to .238 batting average (
19x80) at the major league level, while righthanded batters hit .304 (
28x92)
with German on the mound.
Saw his opponentsb batting average soar from .218 (
26x119) prior to the all-star break to .396 (
21x53) after the
all-star break.
Issued at least one walk in 30 of his 45 appearances for the Tigers, including two-or-more walks on 13 occasions.
2002
- Opened the season with Double A Midland in Oakland's organization before being sent to the Tigers by the A's in a three-team, seven-player deal on July 6...assigned to Triple A Toledo after the trade, he received his first major league experience with Detroit during September.
- Combined to save 29 games between Midland and Toledo, tied for fifth-most among all minor league pitchers...his combined 12.66 strikeouts per nine innings were 13th-best among all minor league relievers.
- Named to Baseball America's Second-Team Minor League all-star squad.
- Tied for eighth in the minor league's Rolaids Relief Man standings with 87 points.
- Started slowly with Midland, posting a 9.28 ERA (10.2IP/11ER) in 11 outings during April...nine of the runs allowed came in two outings -- five on April 9 versus San Antonio and four on April 29 against Shreveport.
- Recorded a save in nine-of-11 outings May 12-June 3.
- Fanned a season-high four batters twice with Midland -- May 18 against San Antonio and July 1 versus Wichita.
- Did not allow a run in his final 17 appearances with Midland May 22-July 5, tossing 21.0 innings.
- Was the Rolaids Relief Man winner in the Texas League during May, posting 26 points after earning one win and eight saves...held league opposition to a .132 batting average (7x53) during the month, fanning 25 batters in 15.1 innings.
- Departed Midland third in the Texas League with 37 appearances and 16 saves.
- Third among league relievers with 12.85 strikeouts per nine innings and fifth with a .194 batting average against...fifth with his 16 saves and 48 relief points.
- Held lefties in the Texas League to a .193 batting average (11x57), while righthanders batted .195 (17x87).
- Assigned to the Mud Hens after the trade on July 6 and an appearance in the Futures Game at Miller Park in Milwaukee on July 7...struck out two batters in a perfect inning of relief for the World Team at the Futures Game.
- Struggled in his first outing with Toledo on July 11 against Richmond, taking the loss after allowing three runs on two hits in 1.1 innings.
- Held International League opposition scoreless for his next 18 appearances July 14-August 23, tossing 17.2 innings.
- Recorded eight saves in 12 appearances during August, posting a 0.79 ERA (11.1IP/1ER)...fanned 14 batters while limiting opponents to a .205 batting average (8x39).
- Dominated lefthanded opposition in the International League, holding them to a .095 batting average (2x21)...righties hit .220 (13x59) with him on the mound.
- Appeared in one game for Toledo during the International League playoffs, fanning three batters and allowing one hit in 1.2 innings.
- Recalled by the Tigers on September 7...made his major league debut that afternoon against New York at Yankee Stadium, earning his first major league win.
- Established a career high with two strikeouts in a perfect inning of relief on September 11 at Minnesota.
- Posted his first major league save September 16 versus Kansas City, striking out one batter in a perfect ninth inning.
- Limited American League opponents to a .150 batting average (3x20)...lefties were 1x10 (.100), while righties hit .200 (2x10).
- Named the 12th-best prospect in the Texas League following the season by Baseball America.
- Named the 11th-best prospect in the International League following the season by Baseball America.
- Named the top relief pitching prospect in baseball following the season by Baseball America.
- Named the third-best prospect in the Tigers organization following the season by Baseball America.
- Rated as possessing the best fastball in the Tigers organization following the season by Baseball America.
2001
Traded to the Tigers from the Oakland A's July 6, 2002.
Led the A's farm system and ranked fourth in the California League with 19 saves in his first professional season as a closer.
Had made just 12 career relief appearances prior to appearing in a career high 53 games in 2001 at Single-A Visalia.
Finished second on the Oaks in appearances and posted a 2-4 record and 3.98 ERA.
Struck out a career high 93 batters in 63.1 innings for an average of 13.2 per nine innings which ranked second among Cal League relievers.
It marked the first time in his career he had more strikeouts than innings pitched.
Allowed a .262 opponents batting average which broke down to .242 (44 for 182) against right handers and .311 (23 for 74) against left handers.
Opponents average dropped to .200 (22 for 110) with runners in scoring position.
Fared better at home where he posted a 2.73 ERA (10 er in 33.0 ip) and .240 (30 for 125) opponents batting average in 28 games compared to a 5.34 ERA (18 er in 30.1 ip) and .282 (37 for 131) opponents batting average in 25 road games.
Recorded nine saves in his first 19 outings despite a 5.79 ERA (12 er in 18.2 ip).
Then posted a 0.93 ERA (2 er in 19.1 ip) over a 13-game stretch from May 31 to July 4...had just two saves over that span.
Had a 1.32 ERA in June, his best ERA in one month...then posted a 4.97 ERA (14 er in 25.1 ip) with eight saves over his final 21 games.
Struck out 46 batters over that stretch, an average of 16.3 per nine innings.
Had a season high five strikeouts twice: July 27 at Modesto and August 17 at Mudville.
Struck out 26 in 13.0 innings in August and held the opposition to a .188 (9 for 48) batting average.
Tossed a season high 3.0 innings in the second game of a doubleheader on June 1 against Mudville and tossed at least 1.0 innings in 44 of his 53 outings...did not allow a run in 36 of his outings.
