Frank Thomas Released By The Blue Jays/signed by the A's

[max power]

They might have the best DH in the American League already.

Its pretty sad that a young player like that can't even play first base.

[WCSox]

I bet you the Mariners go after him.

 

I agree. Their offense sucks and there's been a lot of talk about them going after Bonds.

 

[iamshack]

Its pretty sad that a young player like that can't even play first base.

 

He makes Ryan Braun look like a solid fielder.

[Dick Allen]

The Jays, John Gibbons, and JP Ricchardi have been up to this sort of bs for a few years now. Ricchardi has gone to the media about several players, including AJ Burnett, basically saying he needs to pitch through pain.

 

Frank doesn't feel he is entitled to it because he is Frank. He feels he is entitled to it because he has held up his end up the deal. He's been healthy, he's produced, and that is what the contract is structured under- those assumptions- that if he was healthy and producing, the option would be in the interests of both parties. And now that he has started slowly, the Jays aren't sure they want to pay him next year under the terms of that option, so they bench him.

 

Why the hell do you think they told him the benching might be "indefinite"? Who the hell tells a player he may be benched "indefinitely"? They knew how he would react- how any player of his stature and accomplishments would react- and used that as an excuse to then release him.

What is indefinite? It could be 2 games, it might be 20. I seriously doubt he was just going to take up a roster spot and get paid $8 million to occassionally pinch hit. If that was Toronto's plan, its not a bad job. Frank will be 40 in a couple of months, isn't it a possibility that he may be at the end of the line anyway? If you were running the Blue Jays would you just keep sending him out there doing nothing when you had guys on the bench who could produce, and then be on the hook for $10 million with a perhaps washed up almost 41 year old in 2009? Like the poster above stated, maybe Stairs breaks his leg tomorrow. He was under contract for this season. He can cry to the Blue Jays all he wants, but he shouldn't have gone to the media, and he shouldn't have blown off his teammates after they won a game where Frank's replacement reached base 3 times. Riccardi going to the media about players is wrong, yet Frank crying to the media about being benched isn't?

Edited April 20, 2008 by Dick Allen

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

Since I suspect Franks is done, I wonder if the Sox would sign him to a one day contract and let him retire a White Sox.

[fathom]

Since I suspect Franks is done, I wonder if the Sox would sign him to a one day contract and let him retire a White Sox.

 

If he does it on a day where we bench AJP and Dye, at least he won't have to worry about shaking hands.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

If he does it on a day where we bench AJP and Dye, at least he won't have to worry about shaking hands.

Ouch.

[max power]

What is indefinite? It could be 2 games, it might be 20. I seriously doubt he was just going to take up a roster spot and get paid $8 million to occassionally pinch hit.

I know. It makes so much more sense to pay him not to play on their team. Who are they going to use that roster spot on that is better than frank?

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

I know. It makes so much more sense to pay him not to play on their team. Who are they going to use that roster spot on that is better than frank?

Barry Bonds or Mike Piazza

[fathom]

I know. It makes so much more sense to pay him not to play on their team. Who are they going to use that roster spot on that is better than frank?

 

Addition by subtraction....sometimes it's better to get rid of that negative attitude in the clubhouse. They also have some stud offensive players in the minors, so I wonder if they'll call up Snider.

[jackie hayes]

So this isn't about money at all? Please.

I know you're asking kyyle, but my 2 cents -- suppose that's true; they're still willing to pay him about $8 mil to just go away and avoid only $10 mil. So Frank is worth less to them than $5 mil per year. If a team doesn't think a player is valuable, why should they give him abs?

[Dick Allen]

I know. It makes so much more sense to pay him not to play on their team. Who are they going to use that roster spot on that is better than frank?

Maybe we can take up a collection for the Big Whiner here's his contract details, basically the Blue Jays are paying him $18.2 million for 1 season and 60 ABs and people think he's being screwed:

 

Thomas gets a $9.12 million signing bonus that is payable in January, a $1 million salary next year and $8 million in 2008. The deal includes a $10 million vesting option for 2009 that would become guaranteed if Thomas has 1,000 plate appearances in the next two seasons or 525 plate appearances in 2008.

[iamshack]

What is indefinite? It could be 2 games, it might be 20. I seriously doubt he was just going to take up a roster spot and get paid $8 million to occassionally pinch hit. If that was Toronto's plan, its not a bad job. Frank will be 40 in a couple of months, isn't it a possibility that he may be at the end of the line anyway? If you were running the Blue Jays would you just keep sending him out there doing nothing when you had guys on the bench who could produce, and then be on the hook for $10 million with a perhaps washed up almost 41 year old in 2009? Like the poster above stated, maybe Stairs breaks his leg tomorrow. He was under contract for this season. He can cry to the Blue Jays all he wants, but he shouldn't have gone to the media, and he shouldn't have blown off his teammates after they won a game where Frank's replacement reached base 3 times. Riccardi going to the media about players is wrong, yet Frank crying to the media about being benched isn't?

 

I'm not excusing Frank's behavior last night. I don't even particularly like Frank. You don't see me posting in these threads where people are gushing about Frank.

 

But there is a difference between a move that is designed to help the team and a move that is designed to avoid living up to a contract that was agreed to in good faith by both parties.

 

Frank will be fine, and I am glad he got his release.

 

But I agree with him that the move was bs, and the fact that it occurred by the Blue Jay's front office is not particularly surprising.

 

What do you suppose Jim Thome would do if he was told right now that he was going to be benched indefinitely? Obviously he would handle it with more class than Thomas, because he is a classier guy. But I doubt he would ever want to play for this team again.

[iamshack]

Addition by subtraction....sometimes it's better to get rid of that negative attitude in the clubhouse. They also have some stud offensive players in the minors, so I wonder if they'll call up Snider.

Adam Lind first.

[max power]

Addition by subtraction....sometimes it's better to get rid of that negative attitude in the clubhouse. They also have some stud offensive players in the minors, so I wonder if they'll call up Snider.

No doubt at that point. I guess my whole point is that they should have never come to that position. They shouldn't have signed a contract like that if they weren't going to give the player an opportunity to fulfill it. 60 at bats and he is suddenly not worth what they signed him for? After being their best hitter or second best hitter last year?

Edited April 20, 2008 by max power

[max power]

Maybe we can take up a collection for the Big Whiner here's his contract details, basically the Blue Jays are paying him $18.2 million for 1 season and 60 ABs and people think he's being screwed:

 

Thomas gets a $9.12 million signing bonus that is payable in January, a $1 million salary next year and $8 million in 2008. The deal includes a $10 million vesting option for 2009 that would become guaranteed if Thomas has 1,000 plate appearances in the next two seasons or 525 plate appearances in 2008.

Who thinks he is getting screwed? Why do you keep saying that? I think the blue jays are screwing themselves, both with frank, and in the future by damaging their image to potential free agents.

Edited April 20, 2008 by max power

[jackie hayes]

Maybe we can take up a collection for the Big Whiner here's his contract details, basically the Blue Jays are paying him $18.2 million for 1 season and 60 ABs and people think he's being screwed:

 

Thomas gets a $9.12 million signing bonus that is payable in January, a $1 million salary next year and $8 million in 2008. The deal includes a $10 million vesting option for 2009 that would become guaranteed if Thomas has 1,000 plate appearances in the next two seasons or 525 plate appearances in 2008.

Well, it's still basically 2 seasons. If he plays this year, he won't get any more than $18.2 mil, just a small part of that will be paid by another team, if I understand it correctly. If he could get the Blue Jay money and sign a completely new deal, then I'd agree, but it doesn't work that way.

[fathom]

Who thinks he is getting screwed? Why do you keep saying that? I think the blue jays are screwing themselves, both with frank, and in the future by damaging their image to potential free agents.

 

Did you read some of the earlier posts in this thread?

[CaliSoxFanViaSWside]

The Jays, John Gibbons, and JP Ricchardi have been up to this sort of bs for a few years now. Ricchardi has gone to the media about several players, including AJ Burnett, basically saying he needs to pitch through pain.

 

Frank doesn't feel he is entitled to it because he is Frank. He feels he is entitled to it because he has held up his end up the deal. He's been healthy, he's produced, and that is what the contract is structured under- those assumptions- that if he was healthy and producing, the option would be in the interests of both parties. And now that he has started slowly, the Jays aren't sure they want to pay him next year under the terms of that option, so they bench him.

 

Why the hell do you think they told him the benching might be "indefinite"? Who the hell tells a player he may be benched "indefinitely"? They knew how he would react- how any player of his stature and accomplishments would react- and used that as an excuse to then release him.

 

I respect your opinions in this forum. You are well informed and always make sense. I don't think Blue Jay mgmt. would want to see an $8 million dollar investment leave after 3 weeks of a season. You make it seem as though they huddled up and said let's piss off Frank by telling him he's benched "indefinitely", which could be anywhere from a day to the whole year , and then release him and blow $8 mill. this year but save $10 mill. on next year. I don't buy into any conspiracy theory. How could they even give an $8 mill. contract to someone and just expect 304 plate appearances ? That's a lot to pay for a base clogging part time DH.

[iamshack]

Maybe we can take up a collection for the Big Whiner here's his contract details, basically the Blue Jays are paying him $18.2 million for 1 season and 60 ABs and people think he's being screwed:

 

Thomas gets a $9.12 million signing bonus that is payable in January, a $1 million salary next year and $8 million in 2008. The deal includes a $10 million vesting option for 2009 that would become guaranteed if Thomas has 1,000 plate appearances in the next two seasons or 525 plate appearances in 2008.

 

If the Jays would have come out and admitted they didn't want the option to vest, so they were going to bench him, fine.

 

But don't make a bs excuse and say they are benching him because they feel they have a better lineup without him.

[Dick Allen]

I know. It makes so much more sense to pay him not to play on their team. Who are they going to use that roster spot on that is better than frank?

Frank didn't want to be there anymore, so the Blue Jays are going to pay him their contractual obligations and let him either go home and relax or find a team he would rather play for. They will have paid him $18.2 million. Not bad.

 

[fathom]

If the Jays would have come out and admitted they didn't want the option to vest, so they were going to bench him, fine.

 

But don't make a bs excuse and say they are benching him because they feel they have a better lineup without him.

 

Matt Stairs was better than Frank Thomas last year, and he's off to a better start this year.

[max power]

I respect your opinions in this forum. You are well informed and always make sense. I don't think Blue Jay mgmt. would want to see an $8 million dollar investment leave after 3 weeks of a season. You make it seem as though they huddled up and said let's piss off Frank by telling him he's benched "indefinitely", which could be anywhere from a day to the whole year , and then release him and blow $8 mill. this year but save $10 mill. on next year. I don't buy into any conspiracy theory. How could they even give an $8 mill. contract to someone and just expect 304 plate appearances ? That's a lot to pay for a base clogging part time DH.

With all that you said you have to consider the alternative. Do you think frank just flipped out and went crazy thinking that he was going to be benched, not because they told him he would be, but because he thought that up on his own? That seems so illogical to me, I am forced to think it didn't happen.

Edited April 20, 2008 by max power

[max power]

Frank didn't want to be there anymore, so the Blue Jays are going to pay him their contractual obligations and let him either go home and relax or find a team he would rather play for. They will have paid him $18.2 million. Not bad.

I don't see how that has anything to do with what I posted but I agree.

[max power]

Did you read some of the earlier posts in this thread?

I realize that some people think he might have been screwed. He quoted me though, I am trying to make the point that I don't.