Big Frank

[gosox41]

This is the first year Beane can take any credit.... all those other playoff teams were thanks to having 3 aces on your pitching staff he never drafted.

 

 

Not true. He was GM when 2 of the 3 guys were drafted.

 

 

Bob

[whitesoxfan101]

Or he drafted all of them, but you were close

 

courtesy Wiki

Tim Hudson - 6th round, '97

Mark Mulder - 1st round, '98

Barry Zito - 1st round, '99

 

Sooooooo he can take credit for everything the A's have done in the past 10 years.

He has changed that, as seen by the last two years.

 

A's bullpen - 3.56 ERA, 1.33 WHIP

Calero - 47 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 2.87 ERA

Duchscherer - 38.1 IP, 1.20 WHIP, 3.05 ERA

Street - 57.1 IP, 0.94 WHIP, 2.98 ERA

 

Along with Halsey, Gaudin, Flores, and Saarloos who have all been solid but not spectacular(most of mid 3 ERAs and WHIPs in the 1.3+ range).

 

His offense this year, on paper, has a little better slugging percentage as a team, but Chavez has been mediocre, Bradley's been hurt, Kotsay and Kendall have both been so-so, Swisher's been cold the past few weeks, Crosby flat out sucks, and Thomas was cold to start the year. If that offense could perform anything up to its capabilities, it would be really solid.

 

Regardless, all in all, they are a very scary team, even come postseason time where the A's have been horrible.

 

Your actually correct that their bullpen has been very good. Problem is, their starting rotation falloff and injuries have canceled out what the bullpen is doing, and overall that offense still sucks. They just aren't good enough to do anything come October in the AL, unless Harden is healthy, which is like saying unless Wood and Prior are healthy.

[witesoxfan]

Your actually correct that their bullpen has been very good. Problem is, their starting rotation falloff and injuries have canceled out what the bullpen is doing, and overall that offense still sucks. They just aren't good enough to do anything come October in the AL, unless Harden is healthy, which is like saying unless Wood and Prior are healthy.

 

I still think they are a threat in the playoffs, with or without Harden. Zito and Haren are both good starters, and Blanton and Loaiza can both be solid from time to time. If they can get to even the 6th in the playoffs with a lead, they have to feel pretty comfortable.

 

The problem is the offense, but if it gets hot, they can win it, just like the Sox did last year. The talent is most definately there in my mind.

 

Also, Rich Harden is becoming a joke. I don't even consider him when I think about Oakland...he's just completely fallen off the radar. He is the next Wood or Prior. Everyone talks about how good he'll be if he's healthy, but the problem of course is that he's not healthy at all.

Edited August 18, 2006 by witesoxfan

[Whitewashed in '05]

I still think they are a threat in the playoffs, with or without Harden. Zito and Haren are both good starters, and Blanton and Loaiza can both be solid from time to time. If they can get to even the 6th in the playoffs with a lead, they have to feel pretty comfortable.

 

The problem is the offense, but if it gets hot, they can win it, just like the Sox did last year. The talent is most definately there in my mind.

 

Also, Rich Harden is becoming a joke. I don't even consider him when I think about Oakland...he's just completely fallen off the radar. He is the next Wood or Prior. Everyone talks about how good he'll be if he's healthy, but the problem of course is that he's not healthy at all.

Yeah, but you know why everyone talks about him? Because he's on Beane's squad and anything Beane has is gold. Not a knock on Beane at all, but its true. I mean you'll see at the end of the season when Crosby gets his MVP tro...

[greasywheels121]

Verlander's a Frank fan:

 

"Justin, when he was coming up as a little leaguer, took No. 35 because Frank Thomas is such a great hitter – and this was in his prime," Richard Verlander said. "Justin didn't forget that. When they played at Oakland, Thomas came to the plate, and Justin was telling me, 'I think to myself I'm wearing No. 35 because of him, and here I am facing him.' "

[whitesoxfan101]

I still think they are a threat in the playoffs, with or without Harden. Zito and Haren are both good starters, and Blanton and Loaiza can both be solid from time to time. If they can get to even the 6th in the playoffs with a lead, they have to feel pretty comfortable.

 

The problem is the offense, but if it gets hot, they can win it, just like the Sox did last year. The talent is most definately there in my mind.

 

Also, Rich Harden is becoming a joke. I don't even consider him when I think about Oakland...he's just completely fallen off the radar. He is the next Wood or Prior. Everyone talks about how good he'll be if he's healthy, but the problem of course is that he's not healthy at all.

 

Agreed totally about Harden and them being able to win if they can get a lead to the 6th or 7th with their pen. But that team simply doesn't have NEARLY the potential our offense did. They don't have nearly as much power and don't even get on base as much as we did, and that staff couldn't hold the 2005 version of ours jock strap. Haren and Zito have been very good, but Loaiza and Blanton have both been average to slightly below average. And a rotation with only 2 true studs combined with a mediocre offense with minimal combustable abilities won't cut in this AL come October, even with that pen.

[beautox]

Rich Lederer over at The Baseball Analysts wrote good article about Big Frank, check it out.

[BigSqwert]

Rich Lederer over at The Baseball Analysts wrote good article about Big Frank, check it out.

Good read. I might have to make the trek out to Cooperstown when he is inducted.

[Goldmember]

Verlander's a Frank fan:

 

cool...

 

Rich Lederer over at The Baseball Analysts wrote good article about Big Frank, check it out.

 

good read...

[southsider2k5]

IMO we are long past the "IF" part of Frank going into the HOF. The question now is first ballot or not?

[Texsox]

Beane should also get credit for knowing which guys to keep. It isn't just being at the helm when a guy is drafted, but the longer development cycle as well.

 

Frank? I am so glad to see him pounding baseballs. Not first ballot. He spent too much time as a DH. Not saying it's fair, accurate, or the right thing to do. Just saying that would be a breakthrough (DH) that Frank's media relations would not help happen.

[Balta1701]

Beane should also get credit for knowing which guys to keep. It isn't just being at the helm when a guy is drafted, but the longer development cycle as well.

 

Frank? I am so glad to see him pounding baseballs. Not first ballot. He spent too much time as a DH. Not saying it's fair, accurate, or the right thing to do. Just saying that would be a breakthrough (DH) that Frank's media relations would not help happen.

Compared with the other guys of the steroid era...I think he has to go first ballot, because it makes a statement about the other guys when you consider that the main punishment for having not stood up and said it was a problem or used the stuff is going to be not being a first ballot HOFer. Why not reward the guys who do so cleanly?

[Chisoxfn]

The fact that he was a clean player could really help him get through since he may be one of the first clean hitters to have a legit chance 6 or 8 years from now (depending on how long Frank continues to play).

[hammerhead johnson]

The big guy had himself one hell of a game yesterday. He reached base in all four of his plate appearances with an HR and three walks. That is vintage Frank, right there.

[Steve9347]

The big guy had himself one hell of a game yesterday. He reached base in all four of his plate appearances with an HR and three walks. That is vintage Frank, right there.

[Hangar18]

I'll take a Line-Drive hitting Frank Thomas over a Swing-for-the-fences Thome anyday of the week.

 

The only reason I was OK with the Thome deal, was because the SOX werent sure about Frank Thomas and his injury issues and understood they couldnt take that chance again. Now that it seems that he was misdiagnosed in the 1st place, it has made me quite angry

[hammerhead johnson]

I'll take a Line-Drive hitting Frank Thomas over a Swing-for-the-fences Thome anyday of the week.

 

Thome has a 1.030 OPS, though. That is good for #6 in the MLB. He's a dangerous man, although I'd rather have him hitting clean-up with Dye in the 3 slot. Hell, who wouldn't.

 

BTW, the quote in your sig should be attributed to Jason Goff.

[witesoxfan]

Beane should also get credit for knowing which guys to keep. It isn't just being at the helm when a guy is drafted, but the longer development cycle as well.

 

Frank? I am so glad to see him pounding baseballs. Not first ballot. He spent too much time as a DH. Not saying it's fair, accurate, or the right thing to do. Just saying that would be a breakthrough (DH) that Frank's media relations would not help happen.

 

Good call Tex. Both Mulder and Hudson were very solid last year, but had very mediocre WHIPs in a mediocre NL, and now both are pitching very poorly this year. That was a hell of a call on his part.

 

Zito hasn't been an ace, but I'd say he's probably a solid #1 or #2 right now, and was for the A's the past 2 years. Good recognition by him to keep Zito knowing his team was pretty solid all-around this year, even if he loses him for draft picks come winter.

[hammerhead johnson]

Frank just hit a three-run HR to get Oakland back in the game. It was his 30th.

 

Oakland vs. Baltimore

[G&T]

Article on Frank

 

Figured you guys would want to see this. Pretty good article by Dayn Perry.

[greasywheels121]

Good stuff.

 

Thomas needs only 25 more homers to reach 500 for his career. Also, as Richard Lederer at BaseballAnalysts.com pointed out in an exceptional article on Thomas, he's almost certain to end his career as only the seventh player to retire with at least 500 homers and a career batting average of at least .300. The others on that exclusive list are Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams and Mel Ott. Needless to say, that's an elite crop of fellow travelers.

 

Dayn Perry's old pic must have been from years ago, because he's ballooned and added some glasses since the last time I read one of his articles.

[3E8]

Beane should also get credit for knowing which guys to keep.

/Andre Ethier

[Kyyle23]

I'll take a Line-Drive hitting Frank Thomas over a Swing-for-the-fences Thome anyday of the week.

 

The only reason I was OK with the Thome deal, was because the SOX werent sure about Frank Thomas and his injury issues and understood they couldnt take that chance again. Now that it seems that he was misdiagnosed in the 1st place, it has made me quite angry

 

How is it a misdiagnosis? Frank went down 3 years in a row to an broken left ankle. The Sox werent in a position to baby him along anymore and hope that he would be ok, the bar has been raised and the Sox had to make a move for someone they felt could contribute more. Its easy to sit back and say "Oh yeah, Frank has 30 hrs this year, the Thome has 36 and has been on the DL lately, that trade sucked.", but the Sox wouldnt have had their early success in the year that put them in a position to win the division(or wildcard for that matter) without Thome and his incredible start this year.

 

There was no misdiagnosis. Frank broke the navicular bone in his ankle multiple times, and for a big man, it is amazing that he has been able to bounce back this year and have a respectable year. Im happy for him, but I understand why Kenny had to make the move that he did.

[Kalapse]

Good stuff.

Dayn Perry's old pic must have been from years ago, because he's ballooned and added some glasses since the last time I read one of his articles.

 

Cheesus, what happened to him? How the hell is this the same person?

[Texsox]

Compared with the other guys of the steroid era...I think he has to go first ballot, because it makes a statement about the other guys when you consider that the main punishment for having not stood up and said it was a problem or used the stuff is going to be not being a first ballot HOFer. Why not reward the guys who do so cleanly?

 

That was something I had not considered, and if the voters wish to make his election a statement on that era, I could see a first ballot election. They may also look at 2000 and Frank getting f***ed out of the MVP by a steroid using Jason Giambi.

 

OK, I'm in the first ballot camp.