Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

[sabresfan]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

I'm with you SPTO, I've never been a big Ricciardi fan and this certainly doesn't help. You just don't **** around with a player like Frank Thomas. I don't care how badly he was hitting right now, to come out 3 weeks into the season and say "You aren't playing much any more" is rotten and reeks of JP. If Gibbons is the stand up guy we're all led to believe that he is, theres no way he would do that unless he had to. I would totally have been in favour of cutting his PT until he figured out his stroke, but to bench the guy pretty much permantly is foolish on a lot of levels. Obviously, if you let him figure things out Barajas/Stairs/Lind wouldn't come close to his production. Second, how do you try and draw any free agents now? This is like hanging a sign over the GM's office that says "We'll throw lots of money your way but if 13 months later I don't like it I'll yank you around a little bit and then cut you."</rant>

On a lighter note (I guess), what do you do with 10,000 Frank Thomas bobbleheads that were scheduled to be given away on May 25?

[theaub]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

On a lighter note (I guess), what do you do with 10,000 Frank Thomas bobbleheads that were scheduled to be given away on May 25?

Alex Rios

[sabresfan]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Alex Rios

No, I mean what do you do with the actual bobbleheads? Bargain bin at the Jays Shop, here they come!

[SPTO]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

No, I mean what do you do with the actual bobbleheads? Bargain bin at the Jays Shop, here they come!

If the Jays were smart (which sometimes I wonder about) they should put them on the MLB auction site or Ebay and all the proceeds go to charity.

[sabresfan]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

If the Jays were smart (which sometimes I wonder about) they should put them on the MLB auction site or Ebay and all the proceeds go to charity.

You're pretty close. They're giving them all to the Jays Care Foundation to auction off or give away to the people they serve, which is a nice touch IMO.

[allBthere]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

i'm still convinced getting rid of glaus was a mistake. now ditching the big hurt?

[yucatan]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Matt Stairs outhit Thomas last year and is outhitting him this year. Plus, Stairs isn't an abscess in a key #5 spot in the lineup for 2-3 months of the year. This move was almost certainly expedited by Frank's ego. He was well below average vs RHP last year and would be the same this year if not for 2 mistake pitches from Manny Delcarmen that he pounded for 6 RBIs. The ideal situation would be to have Frank and Stairs in a platoon with Frank DHing against LHP and Stairs against RHP until Frank showed the compotency to hit right handed pitching. I will guarantee you that this is what was offered to Frank, but he chose to go straight to the media with his "plate appearances" wah story. If Frank showed that he was capable of hitting at an acceptable rate, he would certainly be placed in the everyday lineup. JP and Gibbons are on the hot seat and would have no problems giving Frank $10 million next season if it meant saving their behinds. Games in April and May count the same as they do in August and September.

[theaub]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Yeah...there is some unwarranted Matt Stairs hate. Stairs/Lind will produce just fine. Now, the difference between Rod Barajas and Thomas against lefties is like 400 OPS points. That's where that dude with the five letter first name and the five letter last name steps in.

[Dawz]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Blue Jays are the laughing stock of baseball

how do you DFA a 1st ballot hall of famer who got off to an even worse start last year and still had a decent year

how about you watch some baseball before making knee-jerk statements... This is NOT the same as last year... With the exception of a three game stretch against a worn out Red Sox team, Hurt was looking really bad at the plate

I'm not saying he won't end up with decent numbers by years end, but the team cannot afford slotting in the lineup everyday a DH who won't start hitting until mid-June... especially in this division...

Why doesn't Hurt deserve some of the blame for his own play... He's a professional, paid very well, show up in April not June....

[Mo]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

http://www.jackhammerbaseball.com/news/index.html?article_id=1751

JOLIET, IL- The Joliet JackHammers have offered former Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas a contract for their upcoming 2008 season. Thomas can sign for the JackHammers and be one of the team’s four “veterans” on their roster. He will receive a monthly salary in addition to a free apartment.

[theaub]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

http://www.jackhammerbaseball.com/ne...rticle_id=1751

Haha good stuff.

[sabresfan]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Is that the same Independet team that offered Bonds a contract?

[Mo]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

Not sure about Bonds, but they did have Pete Rose Jr a few years back.

[rsox]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

It appears the A's are considering trying to bring Frank back to Oakland:

https://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3361270

[CoRruPt-]

Re: Frank Thomas released by Blue Jays!

With the young guns on the A's, I don't think Billy Beane wants Frank back unless he's willing to take a bite out of his playing time. If he's not willing to do that in Toronto, I don't see why he would in Oakland.