A Great Thomas Article

[daa84]

I know hes not a very popular guy here, but dayn perry wrote a terrific article on the big hurt....

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5042114

 

What should've been a lowlight during an otherwise blissful time for Chicago White Sox fans was the short shrift given to Frank Thomas this postseason.

 

Thomas, of course, has been the bedrock of the organization for the last 15 years or so, and while it was heartening to see him delight in the team's championship run, it was just as disheartening to know he couldn't be a part of it.

 

What's even more disappointing is that proper recognition continues to elude Thomas.

 

Despite his first-ballot Hall of Fame credentials and the fact that he's spent his entire career with one organization, Thomas isn't treated to the fawning media coverage bestowed upon, say, a Jeff Bagwell or a Craig Biggio. While Thomas certainly has his share of personality foibles, the Bagwell- and Biggio-led mutiny against erstwhile Houston manager Larry Dierker is largely forgotten. In contrast, Thomas'occasionally challenging personality often gets foreground treatment. Whether or not this is a matter of race seems a touch obvious.

 

Also consider the organization's halting embrace of Thomas. His relationship with the front office has never been a simple one, but it was nevertheless puzzling that the Sox would trot out Bo Jackson, who spent all of 108 career games on the South Side, to deliver the first pitch of Game 2 of the World Series. Why not Thomas? He had more than earned such a spotlight moment. In any event, it's time we heap some belated praise upon the career of the Big Hurt. So let us now praise Frank Thomas.

 

The Sox drafted Thomas out of Auburn University (where he attended on a dual baseball-football scholarship) with the seventh overall pick of the 1989 draft. By August of 1990, he was in the majors for good, going straight from Double-A to the highest level. While mashers like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Albert Pujols deservedly get much attention for the impressive starts to their careers, Thomas is very much their peer in terms of early excellence. From 1990 through 1994, the first four-plus years of Thomas' major league career, he put up an average batting line of .326 AVG/.449 OBP/.590 SLG and tallied more than 300 extra-base hits. Those are early-career numbers exceeded only by Williams. Throw in the 1995-1997 seasons, and you've got seven full years of this: .330 AVG/.452 OBP/.604 SLG. That's a peak all but unrivaled in the annals of the game.

 

Thomas claimed back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1993 and 1994 (in '93 he was only the 10th unanimous MVP ever) and also became the first player in history to bat at least .300 and total at least 20 homers, 100 walks, 100 RBI and 100 runs in seven consecutive seasons. Even during his nominal decline phase, he managed to put up MVP-caliber numbers in 2000 and 2003.

 

Off the field, Thomas' failed business interests in the music industry exacted a toll on him, and fans and media soured on him following a very public row with then manager Jerry Manuel. Still, at this moment in time Thomas ranks 13th all-time in career OBP, 15th in career SLG, 74th in total bases, 77th in doubles, 30th in home runs and 48th in RBI, 17th in walks and 64th in times on base. It's the lattermost marks—his career OBP and SLG—that really distinguish his career. Thomas is among the best ever at reaching base and hitting for power, the most fundamental of offensive skills.

 

If not for late-career injuries and labor stoppages in his prime, Thomas would certainly have 500 homers, 500 doubles, 4,000 total bases, 1,500 walks, 1,500 RBI and 1,500 runs scored to his credit. As things stand, he's within hailing distance of all those benchmarks.

 

Thomas managed to play only 34 games this past season because of a foot injury, but in those 34 games he launched 12 bombs and slugged .590. Thomas' substantial skills are squarely in decline, but he can still hit for power. If he's able to regain some measure of health, he'll help the Sox for the next couple of seasons (provided they do the wise thing and re-sign him) and pad his already impressive career totals.

 

When you think of the great players in White Sox franchise history — Thomas, Luke Appling, Eddie Collins, Minnie Minoso, Joe Jackson, Dick Allen, Ted Lyons — it's Thomas whose name should come to mind first. That's because he's far and away the greatest player in White Sox history. That the Sox were able to win a World Series mostly without his services is to their tremendous credit. But don't allow that fact to diminish Thomas' career. If he's not elected to Cooperstown on the first ballot, it's a grave disservice to the game. If he doesn't begin garnering more attention as one of the all-time greats, it's also a disservice.

[Balta1701]

So wait, they complain about how Bo was trotted out to throw the 1st pitch in game 2 of the W.S., yet they don't even bother to note who threw out the first pitch of the first game of the playoffs?

[illinilaw08]

Always glad to see a favorable article about the Big Hurt.

[BFirebird]

So wait, they complain about how Bo was trotted out to throw the 1st pitch in game 2 of the W.S., yet they don't even bother to note who threw out the first pitch of the first game of the playoffs?

 

 

Agree about the first pitch thing but it is great to see that someone cares about how great Frank Thomas is as much as we do. I don't know if he will get 1st ballot but he should be a HOFer without question.

[sox-r-us]

Big Hurt will win one more ring next year....with us