Big Hurt cut loose after 19 seasons in majors
Brandon Scardigli
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports
Nineteen-year Major League Baseball veteran Frank Thomas has recently become the latest victim in a group of aging players who should have retired. Instead of going out while he was on top, probably during 2005 after 16 extremely productive years with the White Sox, he now faces the inevitable bouncing around from team to team until ultimately, no club will even give him a minor league contract.
After he left Chicago, Thomas was signed by the Oakland A's, where he was predictably let go, and was picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he was, and hold your breath in disbelief, let go. The announcement to release Thomas from the Blue Jays was made after he went just 10 for 60 from the plate in his first 17 games this season.
With a 13 straight hitless at bat slump, the Blue Jays took the 39-year-old designated hitter out of the lineup. Thomas was offered a lesser role in the clubhouse where he would play just two or three times per week, but the offer was eventually declined.
"Our best opportunity is to put other guys in the lineup at this point," said general manager J.P. Ricciardi. "Obviously, reduced playing time is not something that he was interested in. In order to let him go forward and get on with his career, I think it's fair to do it at this point."
The past three seasons certainly do no justice for the first 16 of Thomas' definite hall of fame career. He slugged 516 home runs, placing him eighteenth on the all-time list. He made 264 of those home runs as a designated hitter, giving him the most in MLB history. He is also one of four players in baseball history with at least a .300 batting average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks. The other three are Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Thomas was clearly upset when he found out he was released by his second team in three years, leaving the clubhouse without shaking the hand of a single teammate. "It's pretty obvious, 60 at-bats isn't enough to make that decision. I'm angry, I know I can help this team. My career isn't going to end like this," said Thomas.
The only team that shows any interest in letting Thomas finish out his career the way he wants is the Oakland A's, who released him in 2006 and would love to add another right-handed veteran to their young lineup, especially at the bargaining price of the league minimum.
Thomas' story is just another chapter in the ongoing saga of careers that go on much longer than they need to, joining the ranks of Sammy Sosa, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. Why do players insist on ruining our memories of them as superstars by lowering themselves to the status of nearly unwanted? Thomas should have taken notes from Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr. and even Mark McGwire, all of whom did it the right way, retiring while they were on top. Maybe Frank Thomas will be a role model for younger players on how not to retire.
After he left Chicago, Thomas was signed by the Oakland A's, where he was predictably let go, and was picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays, where he was, and hold your breath in disbelief, let go. The announcement to release Thomas from the Blue Jays was made after he went just 10 for 60 from the plate in his first 17 games this season.
With a 13 straight hitless at bat slump, the Blue Jays took the 39-year-old designated hitter out of the lineup. Thomas was offered a lesser role in the clubhouse where he would play just two or three times per week, but the offer was eventually declined.
"Our best opportunity is to put other guys in the lineup at this point," said general manager J.P. Ricciardi. "Obviously, reduced playing time is not something that he was interested in. In order to let him go forward and get on with his career, I think it's fair to do it at this point."
The past three seasons certainly do no justice for the first 16 of Thomas' definite hall of fame career. He slugged 516 home runs, placing him eighteenth on the all-time list. He made 264 of those home runs as a designated hitter, giving him the most in MLB history. He is also one of four players in baseball history with at least a .300 batting average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks. The other three are Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams.
Thomas was clearly upset when he found out he was released by his second team in three years, leaving the clubhouse without shaking the hand of a single teammate. "It's pretty obvious, 60 at-bats isn't enough to make that decision. I'm angry, I know I can help this team. My career isn't going to end like this," said Thomas.
The only team that shows any interest in letting Thomas finish out his career the way he wants is the Oakland A's, who released him in 2006 and would love to add another right-handed veteran to their young lineup, especially at the bargaining price of the league minimum.
Thomas' story is just another chapter in the ongoing saga of careers that go on much longer than they need to, joining the ranks of Sammy Sosa, Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens. Why do players insist on ruining our memories of them as superstars by lowering themselves to the status of nearly unwanted? Thomas should have taken notes from Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken Jr. and even Mark McGwire, all of whom did it the right way, retiring while they were on top. Maybe Frank Thomas will be a role model for younger players on how not to retire.
Be the first to comment on this story