Frank Thomas to officially retire

[free2131]

Got nothing to do with DH, HR totals, or steroids (era or stance).

You can't fudge OPS+. It compares numbers to the league average at the time. And over 10,000 PAs (which is an enormous amount of time), Frank Thomas was a more exceptional hitter for his era than Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Sure, the bar is higher for a DH. Frank Thomas is one of the 20 best hitters of all-time, maybe even the top 10.

Frank Thomas is actually underrated compared to how good he truly was because he was never part of a home run race. He and Griffey are considered immortal because they truly had immortal production.

Shhyeah, but, dude, they played in the STEROID era. Duh!

Besides this is dickay your talking too. Frank Thomas is better than EVERYONE who played more than 30 years ago!

[HoustonGM]

alot of people have spoken out vehemently against roids and later were found users. i'm not saying he used....but he did play in the era. as such, his HR numbers alone being over that 500 mark are not enough, especially for a pretty much career DH.

he deserves the same scrutiny every other player who played during the era deserves. just because he was perceived as more vocal against their usage shouldn't matter.

i'm not saying he shouldn't be in the hof. i haven't looked at the numbers close enough to evaluate. i'm just saying the HR's alone aren't enough, as someone in this thread did. he's a DH...the bars automatically higher. he played during an era of elevated power numbers that were artificially enhanced. as jeffy eluded to...to many middle aged men Thomas and Griffey are close to immortals due to their being major parts of our upbrining into baseball. We've gotta put the fandom hat aside though when evaluating.

I don't care about his views on steroids. I was pointing out a reason why I think he will have an easy time actually being elected - the writers do care (and they care more about reputation than fact).


Frank Thomas is Alberts Pujols before there was Albert Pujols ('cept without the superb defense). I don't take steroids into account one way or the other when it comes to the HoF. Evaluated purely on the basis of his career, Frank Thomas should be an obvious Hall of Famer (and "his career" = "his entire career", not his home run totals. Look at which user said that - he's not to be taken seriously).

[boomboom]

Frank Thomas in the early 90's was concidered the Right Handed Ted Williams. If you look at his career OPS+, that is just amazing! Him and Griffey should sail in with 1st ballot honors...

[TheNamelessPoet]

1st ballot

thread and argument over


He was a HR hitter hitting .300 with an obp over .400 when other hit .250-.275. An absolute BEAST who was "underrated" beause he didnt hit 50 a year... back to back MVP's... 6 times in the top 5

[Jeffy25]

I love that we have the consensus here, will the writer's give to him??

[ragecage]

He should have earned that 3rd MVP with the A's in '06 btw. He was our whole offense.

[HoustonGM]

He should have earned that 3rd MVP with the A's in '06 btw. He was our whole offense.

Derek Jeter or Joe Mauer are the ones with legitimate complaints about that award, not Frank Thomas.

[TheNamelessPoet]

I hate when I guy loke him finishes with another team like he did. not his fault of course he just wanted to play. But like him, Mays, Ruth, Thome, guys like that that spend 80-90%+ with 1 team then go play elswhere

[ragecage]

Derek Jeter or Joe Mauer are the ones with legitimate complaints about that award, not Frank Thomas.

boo hiss.

[dickay]

I hate when I guy loke him finishes with another team like he did. not his fault of course he just wanted to play. But like him, Mays, Ruth, Thome, guys like that that spend 80-90%+ with 1 team then go play elswhere

i don't understand why people have any issue with this??? all the crying about, "hurting their legacy". How do we remember Ruth, Jordan, Rice, Montana, and on and on and on and on? None hurt any legacy. So what if they go to another team to finish their career off. I look at them no differently.

[TheNamelessPoet]

i don't understand why people have any issue with this??? all the crying about, "hurting their legacy". How do we remember Ruth, Jordan, Rice, Montana, and on and on and on and on? None hurt any legacy. So what if they go to another team to finish their career off. I look at them no differently.

It's nto a legacy thing... Its a fan thing...
It was not that easy to root agains Smoltz when he could have pitched agains the Braves after what 19 years And what If Chipper were to leave after his contract is up and he is 10 HR short of 500 to go play for TB or something and then we face him in interleague...

As a fan its crushing. i dont think it diminishes their career at all... its a heartfelt fan thing

[dickay]

It's nto a legacy thing... Its a fan thing...
It was not that easy to root agains Smoltz when he could have pitched agains the Braves after what 19 years And what If Chipper were to leave after his contract is up and he is 10 HR short of 500 to go play for TB or something and then we face him in interleague...

As a fan its crushing. i dont think it diminishes their career at all... its a heartfelt fan thing

oh, ok. i can understand if its a guy on the team you root for. but Thomas leaving ChiSox is not a team you rooted for. i can definetly see from a white sox fan them not liking him leaving.