Frank Thomas

[whitesoxin']

On SC they did a list of the top ten current players on the bubble for making the HOF. Frank Thomas was listed at 4, by Peter Gammons. He is 81 homers away from 500 and within 200 RBI of George Brett. He also has a .310 career average. Personally, I think he deserves to go, but the bar has been raised to get into the hall in the past decade or so. Having a bad image in the press isn't helping him out too much either. You can vote on this topic on espn.com. He needs help because Mariano Rivera is the leader right now in the polls.

[maggsmaggs]

He will go easily I think because of his stats. He had a bad image, but never did anything bad to the game of baseball. No steroids, cork, rape, sexual assault and such, he has a bad press image, but he isn't a bad person. Also, his stats are amazing until he was injured. Until 1997, he was on his way to being one of the best baseball players ever with Ruth, Mays and Williams.

[witesoxfan]

Thomas is one of the best players of our generation and if the writers vote correctly, he should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He will get 500 homers, and he could even get up to 550 or even higher. He'll drive in 1750-1800 or maybe even more, will probably get 2750 hits, will probably draw close to 1800 walks while striking out 1500-1600 times. About the only other player in the league to have more walks then strike outs in his career in this generation is Bonds, who has done it in sick fashion(over 700 more walks and 300 more K's then Thomas while playing 5 more years).

 

Once Thomas's playing career is over, his career numbers should look something like .300 550 1750 with an OBP of .420, a SLG% of .565 with an OPS of .985, which would land him somewhere within the top 10-15 all time along with a BB-K ratio of more than 1. Those are some impressive numbers, and most likely all with one team.

 

At this point, only one question remains....will the big fella win anything of any type? The closest he's ever been is the ALCS, and he got there when that was the only series there was. The Sox then lost 4-2. I think that within the next 5 years, Jerry Reinsdorf should go on a spending spree, obviously spending wisely, and should try to get a World Series winner in Chicago if not for the fans, but for Frank, who has devoted his whole career to one team, and has stuck with them through thick and thin, through ugly times and through pretty times. Frank should be given a shot to end his career on top, like so many great players in sports have had the choice to do before....John Elway, David Robinson, Michael Jordan(and he then came back and took the Wizards no where), Roger Clemens, and many more that I have not thought of. Frank is and should be considered an all-time great by everybody everywhere. I think it would be a shame if he did not go to the Hall of Fame, especially on the first ballot.

[witesoxfan]

Just curious to see what events would lead you to the conclusion that JR will go on any sort of spending spree??? And for Frank???

We can all have fantasies, can't we?

[CSF]

I think it was Tim Kurjkian's list, not Peter Gammons. If it was Gammons, 8 out of the 10 players would've been Yankees or Red Sox. What I love is how he has Sosa & Griffey going, but Frank & Bagwell on the bubble? Unreal. Typical ESPN garbage.

[Haarold]

Gammons is an idiot and puts his foot in his mouth at least once a week. He should get himself a 900 number. :dips***

[The Critic]

I think Frank's HOF chances are damaged by the fact that he's been a DH for a few years and stands no chance of returning to 1B, and his reputation for being surly with.....well, EVERYONE.

 

He was on the fast track until he got "hurt". ( please pardon the pun )

There was nobody scarier at the plate than Frank in his first 6-7 years.

He was "Must See TV" whenever he stepped up to the plate.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

I think it was Tim Kurjkian's list, not Peter Gammons.  If it was Gammons, 8 out of the 10 players would've been Yankees or Red Sox.  What I love is how he has Sosa & Griffey going, but Frank & Bagwell on the bubble?  Unreal.  Typical ESPN garbage.

That's why I dont watch ESPN that much anymore. Their whole world recolves around New York / Boston and thats about it. There are other places to get sports news without listening to the likes of Boston Gammons.

[Spiff]

That's why I dont watch ESPN that much anymore.  Their whole world recolves around New York / Boston and thats about it.  There are other places to get sports news without listening to the likes of Boston Gammons.

Exactly, they act like they were the two best teams in the AL or something. Really, they couldn't say enough about the A-Rod for Manny trade, but where was the analysis of the Juan Uribe trade? What about the A's trading for Michael Barrett, the Indians signing Jose Jimenez? Let's go ESPN, there are other teams making moves.

[whitesoxin']

and his reputation for being surly with.....well, EVERYONE.

 

Frank Thomas is my favorite player and I think he should be a first ballot HOFer, but he doesn't get the credit he deserves. He hit 42 home runs last year. That's a lot and of course you didn't hear anything about him as a key FA. I'm so sick of people ripping on Frank, especially Ozzie Guillen. Oz needs to not hold grudges from when they played together. He has been loyal to this organization from the start, which is very rare these days, and nobody appreciates him.

[greasywheels121]

I think his stats say enough for him. He was the best hitter in the 90s. He's the only player in the history of the game to hit .300, w/ 20+ HRs, 100 RBIs, 100 BBs, and 100 R in 7 straight seasons. Not even Ruth, Williams, or Mantle has done such a thing.

[whitesoxin']

At this point, only one question remains....will the big fella win anything of any type? The closest he's ever been is the ALCS, and he got there when that was the only series there was.

 

If there wasn't the strike in '94 that team could have went very very far, and Thomas might have won something.

[witesoxfan]

If there wasn't the strike in '94 that team could have went very very far, and Thomas might have won something.

Woulda, coulda, shoulda. The day of the strike, the Indians were ONE game behind us for first place. We go on a 4-game losing streak, the Indians might not look back.

 

The closest Thomas has ever gotten to a World Series ring is 6 wins away....that's not good enough for most, unless you are an Ernie Banks(and Thomas is definately not an Ernie Banks).

[cwsox]

If there wasn't the strike in '94 that team could have went very very far, and Thomas might have won something.

point worth making

 

thank you

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Frank Thomas is my favorite player and I think he should be a first ballot HOFer, but he doesn't get the credit he deserves. He hit 42 home runs last year. That's a lot and of course you didn't hear anything about him as a key FA. I'm so sick of people ripping on Frank, especially Ozzie Guillen. Oz needs to not hold grudges from when they played together. He has been loyal to this organization from the start, which is very rare these days, and nobody appreciates him.

I give him props for being one of a dying breed of players that spend their whole career with 1 team but he hasn't exactly been a saint either. Most notorious was last season when he said "I'm not worried about singles and doubles, I'm only after home runs". That's very ShamMe like if you ask me.

[SoxAce]

I think Frank's HOF chances are damaged by the fact that he's been a DH for a few years and stands no chance of returning to 1B, and his reputation for being surly with.....well, EVERYONE.

 

He was on the fast track until he got "hurt". ( please pardon the pun )

There was nobody scarier at the plate than Frank in his first 6-7 years.

He was "Must See TV" whenever he stepped up to the plate.

About 1,300 of Paul Molitor's 3000 hits came as a DH. He alsoplayed about 3 or 4 more seasons because of the DH rule. Look where he is now.

[cwsox]

Woulda, coulda, shoulda.  The day of the strike, the Indians were ONE game behind us for first place.  We go on a 4-game losing streak, the Indians might not look back.

and yet - who knows

 

I know very well they were 1 game behind and yet feel that they were no threat to us for a fully played season, no more than we were a threat to them being 3.5 behind them on August 1 1997

 

 

 

(as for E Banks, I knew him and Santo and the others when I was 5 and my best friend's father [E Averill Jr.] played for that north side team - and as a small wee child in a cub north west side family, I looked at Banks, Santo, et. al. and said: no....... goofy...... t'ain't nothing I want anything to do with... I am a Sox fan! Not many times you reject the team that your best friend's father plays on let alone your family fave team, but whatever they were, I wasn't it - they repelled me

 

and I got my grandson a poster for Xmas with Mags (his fave), Frank,a nd PK on it and his first comment: "Look! The Big Hurt!" In our family, Banks ain't no Thomas.

[C.Rector]

Frank should have no trouble making the HoF since Hall voters overvalue offensive statistics. Between the 2 of them, Keith Hernandez and Terry Pendleton had a total of 14 Gold Gloves, yet the 2 of them both got dumped from the HoF ballot this year due to insufficient votes.

 

 

The only way that Frank does not make the HoF is if he murders Ozzie Guillen.

[cwsox]

The only way that Frank does not make the HoF is if he murders Ozzie Guillen.

or could be the other way around - not actually murdering Ozzie but stuffing a sock in it might just guarentee a 1st round enshrinement!

[baggio202]

the sad thing is if frank's first part of his career was "soso" and the last 7 years were like his first 7....he'd be a sure lock for a first ballot....sportswriters have short memories though..its all about what have you done for me lately....thats why soso , whose numbers arnt as good as thomas' , will go in first ballot while frank will have to sweat it out...

 

if frank gets to 500 homers he should go in first ballot imo...

[southsider2k5]

This is coming from one of Franks biggest detractors. Frank Thomas will be a first ballot HOFer. Espesially if this late career resurgance continues. If he has 3 or so years like the last one, he will be on 90% of the ballots.

[aboz56]

Is Frank a great player? Of course.

 

Is he a hall of famer? Perhaps.

 

Is he a first ballot hall of famer? No way.

 

The guy's had a great career. However, he's undeniably one of the worst defensive players of his era. There are two parts of the game: offense and defense. As a hitter, he's one of the best of his era. He's won 2 MVP's, but then again, never a playoff series. I've seen plenty of times he's come up empty handed in big time situations. 2000 against Seattle would be one. Last year when he had the MVP talk coming his way and then did nothing to justify it in the series at Minnesota. Add that to the fact that he's had a few subpar seasons in between and many questions arise. Also have to look at the rocky relationship he's had with the media. Remember they are the ones voting until the player goes to the Veterans Committee. I wouldn't be surprised to see Frank Thomas make the Hall of Fame, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him not make it either. Personally, he was my favorite player in the 90's for the Sox and then I lost a ton of respect for him after the contract situation that he took public. I'll be happy when he's no longer a part of the team.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Is Frank a great player?  Of course.

 

Is he a hall of famer?  Perhaps.

 

Is he a first ballot hall of famer?  No way.

 

The guy's had a great career.  However, he's undeniably one of the worst defensive players of his era.  There are two parts of the game: offense and defense.  As a hitter, he's one of the best of his era.  He's won 2 MVP's, but then again, never a playoff series.  I've seen plenty of times he's come up empty handed in big time situations.  2000 against Seattle would be one.  Last year when he had the MVP talk coming his way and then did nothing to justify it in the series at Minnesota.  Add that to the fact that he's had a few subpar seasons in between and many questions arise.  Also have to look at the rocky relationship he's had with the media.  Remember they are the ones voting until the player goes to the Veterans Committee.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Frank Thomas make the Hall of Fame, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him not make it either.  Personally, he was my favorite player in the 90's for the Sox and then I lost a ton of respect for him after the contract situation that he took public.  I'll be happy when he's no longer a part of the team.

He really pissed me off when he made the statement posted in my signature but he has been a rock for this team. First ballot: no way Eventual induction: Lock

[aboz56]

Just want to clarify one thing from my post.

 

Do I believe Frank will make the hall of fame? Yes, IF he has 2 or 3 more solid seasons. If he totally tanks his last few seasons he is borderline.

[JoshPR]

To be a sure thing Frank needs to Hit 500 homers. And still the DDH question will be raised. I do think he's a HOF right now cause of the years he dominated the league 1991 -1997 but to be more of a lock he needs the 500 homer plateau. Does anybody here think Edgar Martinez is a HOF?