Notes: Frank Thomas improving

[Jabroni]

"Notes: Thomas improving

Big Hurt to receive third shockwave treatment Thursday"

CHICAGO -- With near sellout crowds expected at U.S. Cellular Field for all four games against Baltimore next weekend, Frank Thomas realizes the buzz that has been created by Sammy Sosa's first trip back to Chicago as part of the Orioles.

 

But the White Sox slugger is hoping to be out of the area when Sosa arrives. It's clearly nothing personal against Sosa, but Thomas believes he could be ready for a Minor League rehab assignment after he returns with the team from a six-game road trip to Toronto and Tampa.

 

Triple-A Charlotte figures to be Thomas' rehab destination, but the Knights have just five games at home starting next Thursday, before they embark on an eight-game road trip to Ottawa and Buffalo. Charlotte finishes May and starts June with an eight-game homestand, followed by travels to Indianapolis and Louisville.

 

By that time, Thomas sounds as if he hopes to be back with the White Sox.

 

"I don't see it being too long with the way I'm hitting the ball right now," Thomas said of his stint in Charlotte. "I'm seeing so much batting practice. To me, I've always been a hitter that's all about timing.

 

"Now, I'm getting used to seeing the ball released from the pitcher's hand and when I go (to Charlotte), I'll take every at-bat seriously. I don't plan on being there forever."

 

Thomas ran the bases during batting practice once again Wednesday and reported great progress in terms of the amount of pain he still feels. The biggest concern for Thomas, though, is the pain level on the ensuing day after he runs, and he gave solid marks to his bounce-back ability over the past week.

 

"I have to get to the point mentally to start doing the natural cuts," Thomas said of his running. "That's going to be the next phase, just letting it go, instead of trying to guide every step.

 

"It's going to be OK. I'm taking my time and I'm happy the team is winning so that pressure isn't on to get back before I'm ready. I'm going to keep maxing it out. That's all I can do."

 

Thursday marks the third shockwave treatment Thomas will receive on the sore tissue area right above where the surgery was performed on Oct. 6 to repair his fractured left navicular. Thomas mentioned that this specific treatment usually is prescribed for every 10 days, but he's doing everything he can to get himself back on the field.

 

If Thomas comes back by the first or second week of June, he serves as an early trade deadline pickup for a team currently holding a 3 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins. Thomas has no doubt he can fit into the great team chemistry that has been established, ready to do anything requested by manager Ozzie Guillen, aside from possibly laying down a bunt.

 

"My bunting is no good," said Thomas with a laugh. "I don't think Carl [Everett], Paul [Konerko] or myself will be doing any bunting. When I come back, hopefully I won't disrupt anything.

 

"Every team needs a shot in the arm and hopefully I can be that for this team. On a consistent basis, I'm going to get up there and take my hacks."

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sp...tesox-headlines

Hurt hurts less

 

Frank Thomas hopes to undergo his second round of shock wave therapy on his surgically repaired left ankle Thursday morning.

 

Thomas underwent the treatment for the first time last week with some success and continues to run every day without any lingering pain. Thomas said he would accompany the Sox on their upcoming trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay.

[The Critic]

Let's play that fun new game show that's sweeping the nation, Contrast And Compare!!!

 

First, let's get in the Wayback Machine for SamME Soso's comments when he was injured and the Cubs were still winning games:

"Bulls***, that team needs ME!!!"

 

Now, let's zip back to the present for Frank Thomas' comments about basically the same situation:

"When I come back, hopefully I won't disrupt anything. Every team needs a shot in the arm and hopefully I can be that for this team. On a consistent basis, I'm going to get up there and take my hacks."

 

Ahhhhhh......that's NICE......

 

GET BACK HERE SOON, BIG MAN!!!!!!

[YASNY]

Let's play that fun new game show that's sweeping the nation, Contrast And Compare!!!

 

First, let's get in the Wayback Machine for SamME Soso's comments when he was injured and the Cubs were still winning games:

"Bulls***, that team needs ME!!!"

 

Now, let's zip back to the present for Frank Thomas' comments about basically the same situation:

"When I come back, hopefully I won't disrupt anything. Every team needs a shot in the arm and hopefully I can be that for this team. On a consistent basis, I'm going to get up there and take my hacks."

 

Ahhhhhh......that's NICE......  

 

GET BACK HERE SOON, BIG MAN!!!!!!

 

Speaking of Sosa .... Has anyone recently run across an Cub fans that will admit to ever having been a Sosa fan?

[Jabroni]

I just heard an interview with Frank and he said that he would start his minor league rehab assignment sometime next week and he feels that he will be back with the Sox sooner than expected. He said he is feeling alot better and doesn't think he will need many at bats in the minors because he has been hitting so much BP.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Jabroni

[Capn12]

Konerko is doing his best to make Franks return back to first base smooth...down to .194 now, and hitless in last 22 ABs....

[YASNY]

Konerko is doing his best to make Franks return back to first base smooth...down to .194 now, and hitless in last 22 ABs....

 

Frank at first base? I highly doubt that.

[TheBlackSox8]

Konerko is doing his best to make Franks return back to first base smooth...down to .194 now, and hitless in last 22 ABs....

[Capn12]

Frank at first base?  I highly doubt that.

 

 

Sorry, I'm guilty of trying to fan the troll fires. I honestly don't expect Frank to play 1st at all, unless we have an emergency need for it.

[Jabroni]

Sorry, I'm guilty of trying to fan the troll fires. I honestly don't expect Frank to play 1st at all, unless we have an emergency need for it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think we will ever see Frank at 1st base again, regardless of Konerko's health. If Konerko gets hurt we would see Gload play 1st. It's not worth the risk and I think the organization finally realizes it.

Edited May 5, 2005 by Jabroni

[greasywheels121]

Wow....Go Frank! That'd be sweet as hell to see him play with Charlotte though. I'd love to see him play at that stop in Indy, if he's still with them at the time.

[southsider2k5]

This could be a great shot in the arm for the struggling middle of the order.

[bjm676]

A good Couch article in today's Sun-Times:

 

Frank worth risk of altering Sox chemistry

 

BY GREG COUCH SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

 

Frank Thomas wakes up every morning and waits for the pain, the excruciating pain in his left foot. It has been there for months as he has tried to recover from a broken bone and suffered through all types of rehab. The face of the White Sox for the last decade, and he has had to just sit there, limp around and watch his team run out to the best record in baseball.

 

Without him.

 

But on Wednesday, Thomas pushed himself in batting practice for the third straight day. Wearing a clunky contraption over his ankle and foot, he hit home runs and ran the bases. Finally, the pain is fading. He said it was a 10 on his pain meter a few weeks ago, "but now it's in that seven area. Six is very tolerable, and I can play on that.''

 

Here comes Frank Thomas. He said he's two weeks from going to Charlotte for minor-league rehab, then it's back to the Sox.

 

And that's great news.

 

Right?

 

Because the Sox have been almost perfect without him, and the talk about this team is its chemistry. This is supposed to be an new era for the Sox, and Thomas comes from the old one. Manager Ozzie Guillen has pointed out that Thomas was a disruptive attitude problem in the past. And it isn't easy to see exactly where he would fit in, or who would go out to make room for him.

 

"Hopefully, when I come back, I'm not going to disrupt anything,'' Thomas said. "I'll do whatever Ozzie wants. Sit on the bench some days ... that'll be fine.''

 

Are you sure?

 

"Why not?''

 

Because it hasn't been fine in the past. Remember, a few years ago? Manager Jerry Manuel benched Thomas, and he went into a huff.

 

"That was different,'' he said. "It was three days, and Manuel didn't say a thing to me. If he would have said, 'Frank, you're not going to play,' I wouldn't have had a problem with that.

 

"But I hadn't been on the bench in my whole career, and then he doesn't talk to me about it? Ozzie's not like that. He's a communicator. You know where you stand with him.''

 

Do you mess with the best record in baseball and insert a 36-year-old from the home-run era? Here's my answer:

 

God, yes.

 

Thomas is exactly what this team needs. And if it doesn't need him now, it's going to soon because these guys can't hit and they can't get on base. And Thomas can hit homers and draw walks with the best of them.

 

But there's no doubt you're risking the chemistry, risking the momentum.

 

Where does Thomas fit in?

 

And where would you put him? At designated hitter? Then you have to put Carl Everett in left field, I guess, and move Aaron Rowand to right and Scott Podsednik to center and Jermaine Dye to the bench. Whoa, that's an awful lot of shifting around for the best team in baseball.

 

Guillen, who normally can't stop talking, declined to talk about how he would use Thomas.

 

"What's going on now is totally controlled by the pitching staff,'' Thomas said. "I hope to give a power surge, something to take the pressure off the other hitters in the lineup.''

 

The Sox have been here before, in first place way past this date. And then they have blown it. It seems like a pattern with these guys, an annual trick on Sox fans.

 

Thomas has been there for it all, been blamed for plenty of it.

 

The Sox can't keep this up without hitting. But to be honest, I keep waiting for reality to set in, for the mirage to be exposed. And it never does.

 

But Thomas has changed over the years, grown up. He doesn't agree with that, and in fact denied it Wednesday. But he used to brood, used to pout, used to be so ridiculously self-absorbed.

 

Clubhouse is a difference place

 

He's not like that anymore, and hasn't been for a few years. But the Sox are bound to have a losing streak at some point, especially when they start playing teams outside this weak division. And if the losing coincides with Thomas' comeback, then he will become the fall guy. And the test will come about clubhouse chemistry.

 

Pitcher Mark Buehrle said this year's team is so much more together than in the past. The players eat together on the road and hang out together. In Cleveland, they rented a meeting room at the team hotel for a poker game, and several players joined in.

 

"We've bonded more,'' he said. "There's not really little cliques going on.''

 

And here comes Frank?

 

This is going to be a risk. If he doesn't take criticism well, this whole season could be jeopardized.

 

"Back [in the past], there was so much pressure on me to do it day in and day out,'' Thomas said. "I know I've still got a few good years left.''

 

Let's hope. To me, the Sox will go nowhere without Thomas unless all five starting pitchers keep this up all year.

 

Thomas ran hard and fairly fast from second to third Wednesday. He said he needs to be able to run two bases, and he's almost there.

 

And then we'll see.

[aboz56]

Lineups when Frank is back:

 

Against RHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Everett RF

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Against LHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Dye RF

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Just my two cents.

[Punch and Judy Garland]

Frank never gets his share of at bats in those June and summer interleague trips so I hope he doesn't come back at a time when all he can do is pinch hit. I miss him and can't wait to go to the Cell to see him though

[Chisoxfn]

Lineups when Frank is back:

 

Against RHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Everett RF

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Against LHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Dye RF

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Just my two cents.

 

I tend to agree with that, but if Konerko keeps struggling I'd even think of letting Everett play 1st on ocassion against RHP's. Although hopefully by then you'll see Konerko hitting.

[Capn12]

Lineups when Frank is back:

 

Against RHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Everett RF

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Against LHP:

 

Pods LF

Iguchi 2B

Thomas DH

Konerko 1B

Dye RF

Rowand CF

Pierzynski C

Crede 3B

Uribe SS

 

Just my two cents.

 

 

Seems about right, though I'm still not sold on Dye hitting 5th. Thats slowly changing though. Throw in Winde getting the start every 3-4 games, and I'm content with that lineup.