ESPN - Report: Blue Jays release Thomas after slow start to 2008 season - MLB
Day after he spoke out about being benched...
Day after he spoke out about being benched...
With a career average of .302, Thomas is one of four players in baseball history with at least a .300 average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks. The others are Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Yup, as far as MVPs, he won in 1993 and 1994 (although strike shortened, which overall probably hurt his career a lot, as well as going through a divorce) and he finished 2nd once (2000), and 3rd twice 1991 and 1997.
Don't forget that 2000 the MVP went to the admittedly roided up Jason Giambi, and even then, it's still debatable who was more valuable that year.
I would like to see my Twins sign him and platoon him with Kubel at DH, but I doubt he's interested. :wink:
I would like to see my Twins sign him and platoon him with Kubel at DH, but I doubt they're interested. :wink:
To a certain extent, I understand where the Big Hurt is coming from on this. This move isn't just about the Blue Jays getting rid of a guy who no longer produces. The Blue Jays benched him because they didn't want him to get enough ABs to trigger his option for next year. IMO, J.P. Ricciardi (the Blue Jays GM) is one of the worst in baseball and this is just par for the course with him. Thomas is a notoriously slow-starter and even though he's only hitting .167 right now, he's still hit 3 HRs and driven in 11 runs. Last year he hit 26 HRs with 95 HRs for the Blue Jays so it's not like he's been a complete dud in Toronto. Ricciardi doesn't want to pay Thomas next so he's cutting him loose. I think Big Frank is going to be one motivated dude after this and is going to put up some nice numbers for whoever picks him up. Just look at what he did in Oakland in '06 after he left the White Sox.
Couldn't agree more. I don't blame Thomas for being upset. He's not being benched or released to make the team better, he was benched so the team can save money. Most likely the team was sitting back and waiting for the Big Hurt to go through his first slump of the season so they could pull this.
Frank signed the contract, and if he didn't like the stipulation of the number of AB's then he shouldn't have signed the contract.
Baseball players are so spoiled. They all have guaranteed contracts! Talk to a football player, who can be cut at anytime and not get paid anymore.
If the Red Sox are in the red this year, I shutter to think the return Detroit is getting, as they have the second highest payroll.