Frank Thomas given walking papers

by fuzzycubfan on Apr 21, 2008 6:50 AM CDT Comment 7 comments

It seems as though The Big Hurt has been released due to his poor performance. The funny thing to me is that they paid him the remainder of his salary. They must have wanted that roster spot.

Kinda crappy if you ask me. He's a future HOF'er and he led the team in RBIS and HRS last year. Think of fan reaction if we released D Lee (typically a slow starter) in previous years or Soriano (his slow start this year)!

Here's a link to the article:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/416530

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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They cut him and paid him the

remainder of this year’s salary. He was owed a $10 mil option if he reached 375 AB’s and that played a large part in this episode. No way Toronto was going to pay him that money, so they started to cut his PT, Thomas reacted, as per usual, with bluster and bile and ended up confronting the manager. So, really, there’s a combination of things here:

1.) Thomas woeful start
2.) J.P. Riccardi’s scummy GM tactics
3.) Gibbons being an a-hole and a puppet of the GM
4.) Thomas being an a-hole and focusing on himself instead of the team

That, friends, is a recipe for disaster and that’s what happened. I agree with Al in the recap thread: Thomas has likely burned his last bridge. I’d be surprised to see him play anywhere else, barring a serious injury to someone’s DH.

"I've always felt that starting pitching is the most important part of the rotation." - Joe Morgan, Sunday Night Baseball 8-12-07

by gary varsho on Apr 21, 2008 7:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A Big Hurtin

I hope another team signs him. It seems like there is too much bark, and not enough bite from the Toronto Blue Jays organization.

by TheHawkRules on Apr 21, 2008 10:21 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry
"Swung on belted!!!"---Chip

by Hammer on Apr 21, 2008 10:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Based on this scenerio here's the opportunity

He is going to sit, his agent will market him quietly and he will have to beg forgiveness. (There are two HOF prima dona’s out there now, one a ‘Roid disaster and the other a psycho disaster.) In a month of so Thomas will realize he may never play again and would be willing to come back at some minimum salary as a part time player. I would entertain him coming on the Cubs as a test as the DH or RH PH’er off the bench. Cubs could cut him immediately if he doesn’t respond. The negative is that he takes away from an OF’er sub, (Pie?) but having two big guns as late-inning pinch hitters might be worth a few games.

Piniella: "This is a tougher job than I thought it would be, I'm going to be honest with you."

by Ivy Walls on Apr 21, 2008 10:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No return to Chi-Town

Ah, I can’t see FT coming to the Cubs. There isn’t any spot open for him… even if he would be willing to DH the games against the American league, that would be all he’d play. No way he’s going to replace D-Lee at first, even if its just a few innings here and there. As for when they’d play in the American League parks, Im sure Lou would rather use the DH available to put Soriano, when he’s back there, to give his legs a rest, yet still have his bat in the line-up. Probably the same with A-Ram… and I can’t blame him.

There is no way Thomas will ever play for the White Sox again, so any career as a Chicago player is nonexistent. I still have a feeling somebody will give him a try… anyone think the Yankee’s will? They have a history of trying out former all-stars. A few come to mind… Though, the Yank’s are a different team nowadays. A few come to mind…
Canseco
Fielder
Strawberry

by TheHawkRules on Apr 21, 2008 10:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Thomas cannot play first base any more.

That leaves him 13 teams as choices. Let’s run them all down, and who their primary DH is (i.e. who’s played the most games at DH so far this year):

Baltimore - Aubrey Huff
Boston - David Ortiz
Tampa Bay - Jonny Gomes
New York - Hideki Matsui
Detroit - Gary Sheffield
Cleveland - Travis Hafner
Minnesota - Jason Kubel
Chicago - forget it. He ain’t comin’ back
Kansas City - Billy Butler
Texas - Milton Bradley
Oakland - if they wanted him, they’d have kept him!
LAA - Garret Anderson
Seattle—Jose Vidro

The only team that might remotely be interested might be Seattle. Then they have to decide whether it’s worth the soap opera.

I think Thomas is done.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Apr 21, 2008 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs