The Next Big Hurt Controversy

[TLAK]

This is from the Daily Herald article by Scot Gregor that Rotoworld quoted:

 

According to Williams, Thomas is headed for a minor-league rehabilitation assignment regardless of how he’s running.

 

“He needs to go down and get himself about 100 at-bats, then he should be ready to come back to the big leagues,’’ Williams said. “You have to remember it’s been almost a year since he’s faced live pitching at the major-league level.’’

 

Assuming Thomas averages 25 at-bats per week with Class AAA Charlotte, he would be activated by the White Sox in mid-May.

 

“In a normal spring training, you get about 60 at-bats, and that’s coming off a full season,’’ Williams said. “He’s not coming off a full season. We have to make sure, for the team’s sake and for Frank’s sake, that he’s ready to compete when he comes back.’’

 

Thomas, who played in 74 games last season and batted .271 with 18 home runs and 49 RBI before injuring his ankle, has never been on a rehabilitation assignment.

 

And the White Sox’ all-time leader in several offensive categories, including home runs (436) and RBI (1,439), doesn’t sound too thrilled about spending a month in Charlotte.

 

“I’ve always been able to bounce back and hit,’’ Thomas said. “I’m not really concerned with how much time I’m going to need down there before I’m ready to play the game.

 

“With me, hitting has always been about timing, and I’ve been seeing so many balls and have been hitting so much lately that I don’t think it’s going to be a problem once I step back in there.’’

This might be the next ‘Big Hurt’ controversy, with Marioti and his ilk calling him selfish again.

 

I think HOF bound Frank Thomas should be respected enough to judge for himself whether he wants at bats in AAA or jumps right back into the soup. Every time someone has argued with him on a fitness issue -like Jerry Manual over his ankle, or KW about being a decoy (when he couldn't even walk)- Frank has been proven right all along. Pompous Tsar KW should thank God everyday that he inherited the big hurt and not presume to tell him what to do.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

This is from the Daily Herald article by Scot Gregor that Rotoworld quoted:

 

This might be the next ‘Big Hurt’ controversy, with Marioti and his ilk calling him selfish  again.

 

I think HOF bound Frank Thomas should be respected enough to judge for himself whether he wants at bats in AAA or jumps right back into the soup. Every time someone has argued with him on a fitness issue -like Jerry Manual over his ankle, or KW about being a decoy (when he couldn't even walk)- Frank has been proven right all along.  Pompous Tsar KW should thank God everyday that he inherited the big hurt and not presume to tell him what to do.

 

Don't forget David Well's also questioned the severity of one of Frank's injuries and was also proven wrong. Even now I can't see Frank finishing his career in a Sox uni because of the way he is viewed by KW and Oz.

[AngelasDaddy0427]

QUOTE(TLAK @ Mar 29, 2005 -> 07:21 PM)

This is from the Daily Herald article by Scot Gregor that Rotoworld quoted:

 

This might be the next ‘Big Hurt’ controversy, with Marioti and his ilk calling him selfish  again.

 

I think HOF bound Frank Thomas should be respected enough to judge for himself whether he wants at bats in AAA or jumps right back into the soup.   Every time someone has argued with him on a fitness issue -like Jerry Manual over his ankle, or KW about being a decoy (when he couldn't even walk)- Frank has been proven right all along.  Pompous Tsar KW should thank God everyday that he inherited the big hurt and not presume to tell him what to do.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Maybe this just went totally over my head but how on earth is Big Frank doing a rehab assignment selfish. I don't hear him complaining about it. What on earth am I missing.

Edited March 30, 2005 by Jeckle2000

[TLAK]

Maybe this just went totally over my head but how on earth is Big Frank doing a rehab assignment selfish. I don't hear him complaining about it. What on earth am I missing.

Nothing has actually happened yet except that KW thinks Frank should go to the minors for rehab and Frank hasn't committed to anything. I'm just speculating how the pundits will play it -and challenging folks to form an opinion without hearing their take first.

[greasywheels121]

Kind of cool, this would be his first time in AAA. Frank's open to the idea of a minor league rehab stint.

 

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/ar...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

Notes: Thomas open to rehab in minors

Guillen discloses a handful of upcoming roster moves

By Scott Merkin / MLB.com

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- During the blink of an eye that was Frank Thomas' minor league career, he completely bypassed a stop at Triple-A Charlotte on his way to a prolific career with the White Sox.

 

But because of his long layoff after fracturing the navicular in his left ankle last June, and the subsequent October surgery, the 15-year veteran will get a chance in 2005 to see South Carolina in all of its spring glory. In Tuesday's edition of The Daily Herald, Ken Williams expressed the desire to send Thomas on a minor league rehabilitation assignment in mid-April.

 

According to Williams, the assignment ideally would cover 100 at-bats. And with approximately 25 at-bats per week, Thomas would be back in Chicago by mid-May.

 

It was less than one week ago when Thomas talked of not needing a trip to the minors, despite the absence of facing live pitching since a pinch-hit strikeout at Wrigley Field on the Fourth of July. Instead, he placed the focus on the intense hitting work he's putting forth currently to prepare himself and the first 20 at-bats to get the offensive feel once he returns.

 

On Tuesday, Thomas was more than amenable to Williams' Charlotte idea. He did have one very minor discrepancy with the White Sox general manager's comments.

 

"I don't know if I need 100 at-bats," said Thomas to MLB.com, mentioning that the idea makes sense to him after not playing for 8 1/2 months. "We will see. Normally, about 50 and I'm fine. Fifty good at-bats. But whatever it takes.

 

"The difference is when I go to Charlotte and start, I'll be getting four (at-bats) per night. In Spring Training, I normally get two. Once they see me swinging the bat like I'm going to swing the bat, I'll be out of there. I just have to get my timing, hitting the ball on the screws."

 

Thomas reported further progress after running in spikes for the first time Monday. He was a little sore, but it didn't stop him from working out Tuesday. It's a sign to Thomas that the painful scar tissue on the tendon in his left foot is starting to loosen up.

 

Over the next few weeks, during extended Spring Training, Thomas intends to get one of the batting practice pitchers up close enough while he's hitting to bring in the simulated high velocity. But seeing pitches during workouts and picking them up during game situations are not really close to the same level of preparation.

 

So, Thomas will watch from Arizona as his team opens the season Monday in Chicago. It might only be a couple of weeks, though, before Thomas is working his way closer to U.S. Cellular Field, via the Knights Castle in Charlotte.

 

"I've only been there a couple of times, but again, it's whatever I have to do," Thomas said. "I'm not concerned. I have no problem. It's a good hitting background. I'm just going to play baseball."

[Purdue129]

Nice. I was already planning on heading down to Toldedo to check out the Knights mid-April... now even more reason to do it.

[Wise Master Buehrle]

1) It'll be interesting seeing Frank in a Knights jersey

 

2) It'll be interesting to see if he complete tears apart the pitching down there

[Reddy]

Kind of cool, this would be his first time in AAA.  Frank's open to the idea of a minor league rehab stint.

 

http://whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/ar...t=.jsp&c_id=cws

 

 

damn, Frank's suddenly got one helluva good attitude and i'm lovin him even more. Anyone that tries to spin this is just a f***ing dips***!

 

FRANK

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Am I the only one who looked at that thread title quickly and thought he was heading for alcohol rehab or something like that?

 

[WilliamTell]

Am I the only one who looked at that thread title quickly and thought he was heading for alcohol rehab or something like that? 

 

 

 

lol no I thought that too.

[mreye]

Am I the only one who looked at that thread title quickly and thought he was heading for alcohol rehab or something like that? 

 

Cool. I was thinking of heading down to rehab, now even more reason to do it.

[RockRaines]

so hes not addicted to cocaine????

[rangercal]

Am I the only one who looked at that thread title quickly and thought he was heading for alcohol rehab or something like that? 

 

I think most of us did.

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

I think most of us did.

UMMM not quite.

[southsider2k5]

so hes not addicted to cocaine????

 

I can see the Kotex-Boy column already

[Pauly8509CWS]

I assumed he was meeting Jamal Lewis and Darryl Strawberry...