Business may supersede emotional rescue for Thomas

[greasywheels121]

http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/co...ia/x05-ard1.htm

 

Business may supersede emotional rescue for Thomas

Phil Arvia

 

The next time Ken Williams talks to Frank Thomas, let's hope it won't be like the last time.

 

"It was perhaps the most gut-wrenching, emotional conversation I've had with a player about his health status and legacy and future," the White Sox general manager said Thursday.

 

As it should be when, essentially, you are advising the greatest hitter in your franchise's existence to protect himself for another season and, probably, another team. As it should be when you're telling him to go make history, of a like your fans have never witnessed, someplace else.

 

Williams, of course, didn't say exactly that. But he is a man never far from strong feelings — and even recalling the powerful empathy he felt for Thomas during their last face-to-face put him in touch once again with the raw emotion of the moment.

 

Thomas' raw emotion.

 

"It's his career — part of what I was feeling was as a result of listening to and watching him," Williams said, his voice falling nearly to a whisper. "I don't know what else to say."

 

He knew, though, what to say to Thomas.

 

"I talked to him about his legacy a little bit and where I felt his legacy was in terms of Hall of Fame, in terms of the organization," Williams said. "I was adamant about him not jeopardizing the chance to play next year or the year after, to continue his career, by doing something irresponsible this year, trying to gut his way through this with the injury that he has."

 

Thomas' legacy? That's easy: Greatest White Sox ever. Certain Hall of Famer.

 

At least, I'm certain. And though Thomas may not have the gaudy home run numbers of some of his contemporaries, thanks to Rafael Palmeiro and Mark McGwire that may actually help him now that Hall voters are getting hip to the juicier aspects of baseball in the 1990s.

 

In the days after last week's announcement that Thomas was done for the season with another fracture in the same ankle bone he had surgically repaired last offseason, I was reminded of a couple of numbers those voters might want to consider.

 

Thomas is the only player in major league history to bat over .300 with 20 homers, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored and 100 walks in seven straight seasons. That's the kind of consistent greatness Hall voters usually seek.

 

Thomas is one of only 14 players with a batting title and at least 400 career homers, and the 11 players on that list currently eligible for the Hall are in it. Hitting for average and power makes him far more than a one-dimensional belter.

 

But my favorite Thomas number is this:

 

There are only five players in big-league history with both a higher lifetime average than Thomas' .307 and more than his 448 homers. They are Babe Ruth, Stan Musial, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx. As a measure of greatness, that is stunningly unassailable.

 

Case closed. If Thomas never plays again, he's in.

 

But the point of this is to remind you what a shame it would be if, indeed, Thomas never plays again.

 

The possibility claimed, to my way of thinking, far too little of our attention. Worse, and perhaps typically, what smattering of retrospective coverage given to what might have been the end of a career unparalleled in Sox history was one downtown newspaper's compilation of Thomas' public missteps.

 

Why not choose to remember the gigantic 22-year-old who came to the Sox in August 1990 straight from Double A and hit .330 the rest of the way? Why not recall the juggernaut who won his second straight MVP by ripping 38 homers and driving in 101 runs in the strike-shortened, 113-game 1994 season?

 

By the way, over a full slate, Thomas' numbers projected to .353, 54 and 145 in '94. As it stands, his greatest full season would have to be one among '96 (.349, 40, 134), '97 (.347 to win the batting title, 35, 125) or 2000 (.328, 43, 143, the latter two career highs as were his 115 runs).

 

Too bad Jason Giambi won the MVP in 2000, denying Thomas what would have been his third such award. But I'm sure Giambi earned it fair and square.

 

It should have been among the greatest moments in the memory of any White Sox fan to see Thomas march on toward 500 homers. Save short-time Sox pitcher Tom Seaver, who got his 300th win while with the club, no player has approached an iron-clad Hall number (300 wins, 500 homers or 3,000 hits) while in a Sox uniform.

 

Considering Seaver's win came at Yankee Stadium, the greatest statistical threshold surpassed by a Sox player at home may have come on Sept. 3, 1990, when Bobby Thigpen broke the major league save record with his 47th on his way to 57. Otherwise, it's Thomas' 400th homer, hit in July 2003.

 

"I wanted to see him hit his 500th and see this place erupt as he got closer," Williams said. "Our fans haven't had the opportunity to see that with our players, so yeah, I had a desire for him to do that.

 

"That's the emotional side. The business side, I do have to make sound business decisions."

 

And it sounds like business will dictate Thomas' departure.

 

The Sox will certainly buy their way out of the last year of Thomas' contract for $3.5 million. While the possibility would still exist for them to sign a new deal with Thomas in free agency, they would have to offer him arbitration by Dec. 7 or lose the right to negotiate with him until May 1 of next year.

 

Here's hoping Thomas is healthy enough by December to allow that possibility. Whether that's likely is guesswork, though it's not terribly encouraging that Thomas seems to be leaning toward the familiar wait-and-see approach he took last season.

 

In '04, Thomas went down in July and chose to rest his foot. That didn't work and ultimately he had surgery in October, after which he didn't even start his minor league rehab until May 15.

 

"The difficult part is you've got to plan," Williams said. "You've got to make a concrete plan as to how you want your offseason to go. We went into this one, for instance, with people saying, 'Well, what do you need Carl Everett for if you've got Frank coming back?'

 

"Well, we weren't sure whether Frank was coming back, and look how important Carl Everett was and is to us at this point. Then you've got to make sure you spend the resources you have on the targets that you identify quickly, go after them as quickly as you can and let those players know you have interest in them joining the organization. If you wait until December or January on some of these guys, you may lose out."

 

If Thomas is circling the bases for someone else next season, there is no "may" about it.

Edited August 5, 2005 by greasywheels121

[Yossarian]

I'm not a doctor and I have no inside information but I wouldn't be surprised if big Frank has circled the bases for the last time. I really wanted the baseball fans of America to have a chance to see Frank shine in the post season this year. Not to be. One more example of how life isn't always fair.

[Whitewashed in '05]

This organization owes it to FT, he needs to finish his career in a White Sox uniform. When healthy Big Frank can contribute so I don't see why they can't give him another contract. Doesn't mean he needs a contract with a guarenteed 8 million a year.

 

Like I said before, Thomas can contribute if healthy so theres no reason why they shouldn't offer him arbitration. This "business" side of the story I consider BS. FT can contribute, you owe it to him to atleast give him a chance to show u KW.

[jamslam]

Good post, I agree Frank will probably retire, But it sure would be nice to see a pinch hit homer in the playoffs before he does!

[SnB]

i'd like to see him finish here as much as everyone, but if he's not willing to negotiate a new contract, then it's not worth it, plain and simple.

 

Saying that, i sure hope he travels with the team, come playoffs.

[Rowand44]

i'd like to see him finish here as much as everyone, but if he's not willing to negotiate a new contract, then it's not worth it, plain and simple.

 

Saying that, i sure hope he travels with the team, come playoffs.

Exactly how I feel.

[greasywheels121]

If Thomas is even able to play next year, whether it's here (it better be) or anywhere else in MLB, he's going to have renegotiate a contract. Frank definitely knows that; he was saying the same thing before he went down for good.

[SnB]

If Thomas is even able to play next year, whether it's here (it better be) or anywhere else in MLB, he's going to have renegotiate a contract.  Frank definitely knows that; he was saying the same thing before he went down for good.

which is why i think we'll find out frank's true feelings during all this.

Is he going to be willing to take a major paycut to finish his career here?

we'll see

[Whitewashed in '05]

which is why i think we'll find out frank's true feelings during all this.

Is he going to be willing to take a major paycut to finish his career here?

we'll see

He has no choice, whose going to shell out a fat contract for an injury prone player who barely played this season? I really believe its up to management to decide if Franks gonna stay. Frank wants to stay and will stay if it was up to him, thers no doubt in my mind about it.

[SnB]

He has no choice, whose going to shell out a fat contract for an injury prone player who  barely played this season? I really believe its up to management to decide if Franks gonna stay. Frank wants to stay and will stay if it was up to him, thers no doubt in my mind about it.

i'm willing to bet a GM will be willing to take a chance on frank and throw some money at him.

[Whitewashed in '05]

i'm willing to bet a GM will be willing to take a chance on frank and throw some money at him.

Thomas will accept a fair contract from the Sox even if its less than what another GM is offering.

[White Sox Josh]

Remember also that Reinsdorf is friends with Thomas so he will probably tell KW to resign him. Like him or not Reinsdorf has always been loyal to longtime Sox Players who have been loyal to him. They will get something done.

[greasywheels121]

Remember also that Reinsdorf is friends with Thomas so he will probably tell KW to resign him.  Like him or not Reinsdorf has always been loyal to longtime Sox Players who have been loyal to him.  They will get something done.

 

I don't know if it's just something that KW's doing to avoid controversy or he's actually changed his mind on Frank. However, it seems KW has gained a lot of respect for Frank this season.

 

http://chicago.comcastsportsnet.com/media/...ms0729_16x9.wmv

[SnB]

Thomas will accept a fair contract from the Sox even if its less than what another GM is offering.

that's what i'm hoping.....

[3 BeWareTheNewSox 5]

I'm a huge Sox fan, have been for life, and I have been a big KW fan, but if Thomas is wearing another uniform next year, it will be a direct slap in the face to me and I may have to reconsider my allegiances. I may have not been around too long, but I have never seen such a great player (great doesn't describe it, in fact there's no word that does) disrespected so much in his own city, especially for one that did not deserve it. The White Sox owe it to Frank to keep him here no matter the cost.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I'm a huge Sox fan, have been for life, and I have been a big KW fan, but if Thomas is wearing another uniform next year, it will be a direct slap in the face to me and I may have to reconsider my allegiances. I may have not been around too long, but I have never seen such a great player (great doesn't describe it, in fact there's no word that does) disrespected so much in his own city, especially for one that did not deserve it. The White Sox owe it to Frank to keep him here no matter the cost.

I feel exactly the way you do, if he can play next season he needs to play in a Sox uni until he decides he is finished. I can't make it any clearer than that.

[greasywheels121]

I'm a huge Sox fan, have been for life, and I have been a big KW fan, but if Thomas is wearing another uniform next year, it will be a direct slap in the face to me and I may have to reconsider my allegiances. I may have not been around too long, but I have never seen such a great player (great doesn't describe it, in fact there's no word that does) disrespected so much in his own city, especially for one that did not deserve it. The White Sox owe it to Frank to keep him here no matter the cost.

 

I'd be CRUSHED to see Frank still healthy enough to play and not doing it in Chicago. However, I wouldn't go that far. I'm as big a Frank Thomas fan you're ever going to find, but I'm a White Sox fan for life now. However, I'd probably have a 2nd favorite team that I actually follow from here on out if that were to ever happen.

 

I feel exactly the way you do, if he can play next season he needs to play in a Sox uni until he decides he is finished. I can't make it any clearer than that.

 

Agreed.

[fathom]

If Frank does decide he wants to resume his career, it's going to be very difficult for him to stay with the Sox. However, as much as I'd like to see him in a Sox uniform for his entire career, any fan who b****es at KW if Thomas goes to another team should be slapped. There's no way we can bring him back if he wants any type of medium money deal. He'll be too far of an injury risk the rest of his career.

[greg775]

For some reason I expect we'll offer him a "fair" deal and he'll accept and finish his career here.

Reinsdorf isn't going to let Frank play elsewhere if he's healthy enough to play.

[kapkomet]

Frank's contract just about has to be incentive laden whereever he goes, be it staying on the southside or any other team.

[southsider2k5]

Our only chance of getting Frank back here is a Scott Williamson/Jon Lieber type two year deal with a minimal amount for next year, and a big time incentive contract for 2007