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Revision as of 16:45, 25 June 2007
- "The Big Hurt" redirects here. For the song by Toni Fisher, see The Big Hurt (song).
| Frank Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Toronto Blue Jays – No. 35 | |
| Designated Hitter | |
| Bats: RightThrows: Right | |
| debut | |
| August 12, 1990, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Career statistics (through June 23, 2007) | |
| AVG | .303 |
| HR | 499 |
| RBI | 1604 |
Stats at Baseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Frank Edward Thomas (born May 27, 1968) is an American Major League Baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Thomas became one of baseball's biggest stars in the 1990s, playing for the Chicago White Sox. He was given the nickname "The Big Hurt" by broadcaster Ken Harrelson. Thomas is one of several notable baseball players who played college baseball at Auburn University, such as Bo Jackson, who was a teammate of Thomas in both college and the major leagues. He also played tight end for the school's football team.
Early life and career
Thomas was born and raised in Columbus, Georgia. He attended Columbus High School and was a standout in both football and baseball.
Thomas played first base during the early part of his career and was not known for his defense. He never won a Gold Glove at the position, and has played primarily as a designated hitter since turning 30 years old. Rather, Thomas is known for his offensive performance; some regard him as one of the best pure hitters in baseball's history. Thomas is the only player in major league history to have seven consecutive seasons of a .300 average, and at least 100 walks, 100 runs, 100 runs batted in, and 20 home runs (from 1991 to 1997). The only other player to have more than five consecutive seasons accomplishing this feat was Ted Williams with six. This accomplishment is even more remarkable considering that despite playing only 113 games in 1994, due to the labor stoppage which curtailed that season prematurely, he still was able to attain these lofty numbers, thereby keeping the streak alive. Additionally, there are only five players in history who have both hit more home runs and have a higher career batting average than Thomas (Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx, Mel Ott, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams), which is one statistic alone that is likely to get Thomas elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Chicago White Sox
In Thomas's first full season, 1991, Thomas finished third in MVP voting with a .318 batting average and 32 home runs. He won the first of four Silver Slugger awards, and led the league in on-base percentage, something he has done four times. Thomas has always been one of the most patient hitters in baseball, leading the American League in walks four times. Through the end of the 2006 season, Thomas was second among all active players in walks and third in on-base percentage, and ranked among the top 20 lifetime in both categories.
Thomas is one of only two first basemen in history to win consecutive Most Valuable Player awards in the major leagues (Hall-of-Famer Jimmie Foxx is the other, in 1932–33). Thomas accomplished this feat in the 1993 and 1994 seasons. From 1991–1997, Thomas finished in the top 10 of the MVP voting every year. In 1997, Thomas won the batting title and finished third in MVP voting. He struggled over the next two seasons, but rebounded in 2000 when he hit .328 with a career-high 43 homers and 143 runs batted in. Thomas finished second in MVP voting that season, behind Jason Giambi of the Oakland Athletics. He also won the 2000 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
As a member of the White Sox, Thomas and teammate Magglio Ordóñez tied a major league record for back-to-back homers, with six in one season.
Thomas has been maligned by the media, especially in Chicago due to a dropoff in his performance later in his career. Much of this came about after the 2002 season, when the White Sox invoked a "diminished skills" clause in his contract. Oddly, this came after a season in which he hit 28 home runs with 92 RBI and 88 walks, while leading the major leagues in fly ball percentage (56.9%). Thomas somewhat resurrected his career in 2003; although he hit a subpar .267, he was tied for second in the American League in home runs (42), and was in the league's top ten in walks, extra-base hits, slugging percentage, and on-base plus slugging, as he led the major leagues in fly ball percentage (54.9%). In 2005, Thomas hit 12 home runs despite only having 105 at-bats in 35 games, demonstrating the fact that he still had the power that he showed earlier in his career. Adding together 2004 and 2005, he had less than 350 total at-bats because of the injuries but managed to hit 30 home runs and draw 80 walks. Thomas won a World Series title with the Chicago White Sox in 2005, but he was not on the post-season roster due to injury.
Thomas' departure was somewhat controversial. He and White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams mixed words before Thomas left for Oakland, but his legacy in Chicago will live on forever. Thomas has several White Sox records to his name, including all-time leader in runs scored (1,327), home runs (448), doubles (447), RBIs (1,465), extra-base hits (906), walks (1,466), total bases (3,949), slugging percentage (.568), and on-base percentage (.427). Regardless of the rumors that circulated when he left, Thomas has no doubt contributed more than the average player to his club of fifteen years.
Oakland Athletics
Partially due to his recurring ankle and foot injuries, the White Sox declined to pick up the option year on Thomas' contract on December 7, 2005. However, there was some animosity in the negotiations as Thomas was called "an idiot" and "selfish" by Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams in a television interview. Thomas, for his part, criticized the White Sox for letting him go as a "passing by player" instead of treating him like a long-term mainstay for the team. He signed with the Oakland Athletics to a one year, $500,000 deal with incentives on January 25, 2006.
The Athletics installed Thomas as their everyday DH. He started the season slowly, but ended the season as the team leader in home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. He provided a powerful right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup for the division-leading Athletics.
On Monday, May 22, 2006, Thomas homered twice in his first game against his former team. Before Thomas came up to lead off the 2nd inning, a musical montage played on the Jumbotron at U.S. Cellular Field, paying tribute to Thomas's legacy with the White Sox. He was cheered in his introduction by the White Sox fans. Moments later, when he hit his first home run of the night to put his former team behind in the score 1-0, he was loudly cheered along with a standing ovation.
Thomas rejuvenated his career playing with the Athletics. Through September 26, he had 38 HRs and 109 RBIs, and was named the American League's player of the week after hitting .462 with five homers and 13 RBIs in the week ending Sept. 10. He led the league in fly ball percentage (57.3%). The 2006 post season provided Thomas the opportunity to play in his first postseason games since 2005, when the Athletics clinched the American League West title, defeating the Seattle Mariners, 12-3 on September 26. During the A's first playoff game on October 3, Thomas hit two solo home runs, leading the A's to a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. His performance during the opening play-off game earned Thomas the distinction of being the oldest player to hit multiple home runs in a Major League Baseball postseason game.
On October 7, 2006, he finished behind Jim Thome, the man who replaced him as the Chicago White Sox's DH, in the voting for the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Toronto Blue Jays
On November 16, 2006 Thomas signed a 2-year, $18.12 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays which was officially confirmed on November 17, 2006. According to BlueJays.com, Thomas is scheduled to make $1 million (US) in the first season (with a $9.12 million signing bonus) and $8 million in the next season. The contract includes an option for 2009 contingent on him reaching 1,050 plate appearances over the next two seasons or 525 plate appearances in his 2nd year of the contract. On June 17th Thomas hit his 496th career home run putting him 4 shy of 500 but the blast also gave him his 244th home run as a DH beating the record of 243 held by Edgar Martinez.
Appearances in the media
Thomas appeared in the movie Mr. Baseball (as a hot-prospect rookie who forces Tom Selleck's character off the Yankees) and made a guest appearance (as himself) on the TV show Married With Children.
In 2007, he appeared in a promotional advertisement for the Toronto Blue Jays, in which he engages in a pillow fight with children. This ad drew the criticism of the Television Bureau of Canada, who requested a "Dramatization. Do not try this at home." disclaimer be placed on the ad. A similar warning was placed on teammate A.J. Burnett's commercial. The Blue Jays, humourously, have now scheduled a "Frank Thomas Kid's Pillow" promotion for September 2, 2007.
Trivia
- Thomas was born on the same day and year, May 27, 1968, as former Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell. The two have also had remarkably similar careers. Each was named MVP of their respective league, on consecutive days, in 1994. The pair faced each other in the World Series in 2005, though Thomas was injured and inactive, while Bagwell's injuries kept his playing time to a minimum.
- Frank Thomas is also the name of a successful Major League ballplayer from the 1950s and 1960s. Though not as successful as the modern day Thomas, the older Frank Thomas was a three-time All-Star and is one of the 150 greatest home run hitters of all time, ranking 126 on the list as of 2006 (the modern day Thomas is 21st). Both have also been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, in 1958 and 2000 , respectively.
- Thomas has a Super NES game named after him: Frank Thomas' Big Hurt Baseball.
- Thomas also had a pinball named after him, by Premier Technologies (trade name Gottlieb) called Big Hurt
- Thomas's walking-to-the-plate theme music is "We Takin' Over" by DJ Khaled.
See also
- MLB players who have hit 30 or more home runs before the All-Star break
- Top 500 home run hitters of all time
- DHL Hometown Heroes
References
- Statistics provided by Stats, Inc. (2007-01-02). "2006 Batted Ball Statistics". FanGraphs.com. Retrieved 2007-04-15.
- ChiSox GM Williams bashes "idiot" Thomas
- Former ChiSox slugger agrees to 1-year deal with A's
- Thomas named AL Player of the Week
- Big signing: Jays ink Thomas
- Frank Thomas at Baseball-Reference
- Jeff Bagwell at Baseball-Reference
- Frank Thomas autographed items
- Sports memorabilia at backin.thedays.com
- http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?gid=3591&puid=14026
Awards
| Succession boxes | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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External links
- Template:Espn mlb
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference
- MLB.com profile
- IMDb: Frank Thomas (II)
- Watch Frank Thomas' Toronto Blue Jays Commercial
| Chicago White Sox 2005 World Series champions | |
|---|---|
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- Major league players from Georgia
- 1968 births
- Chicago White Sox players
- Oakland Athletics players
- African American baseball players
- American League All-Stars
- Major league designated hitters
- Major league first basemen
- People from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Auburn Tigers baseball players
- Living people
- Birmingham Barons players
- American League batting champions
- People from Columbus, Georgia
- People from Chicago
- Toronto Blue Jays players