A's and Thomas Close to Deal According Olney

[CubfaninCA]

34 games and a .315 obp aren't too impressive, but Beane can do no wrong.

 

so if the move is unimportant, why did you make this comment?

 

the move was getting overhyped by some... Thomas turns 38 in May and has missed a considerable amount of time the past 2 years. The guy could be going the way of other great power hitters/steroid users like Sosa & Bonds. His body's probably shot, but if he gets on Giambi's HGH who knows maybe he'll play half a year....

 

What's up with the steriod talk? Are you privy to information no one else is or are you just spouting off?

 

educated guess ~ lots of guys used them back in his heyday. thomas is huge and strong. thomas is getting hurt a lot now. i don't have hat size measurements tho.

[Mark_R]

 

What's up with the steriod talk? Are you privy to information no one else is or are you just spouting off?

 

We don't know. Thomas was apparently told not to take a drug test.

 

I know, silly concept.

[UK1679666180]

Thomas has been big since HS, his body type is that of a large frame and he is the cliche "big boned". I find it hard to believe that it wasn't genetics that blessed Thomas rather than a science lab.

 

To put it in perspective, his numbers indicate it being a wise gamble. He still has the bat speed and raw power that'll likely translate as well.

[RynoRules]

Thomas has been big since HS, his body type is that of a large frame and he is the cliche "big boned". I find it hard to believe that it wasn't genetics that blessed Thomas rather than a science lab.

 

To put it in perspective, his numbers indicate it being a wise gamble. He still has the bat speed and raw power that'll likely translate as well.

 

- This was a very nice signing by the A's; may be not as earth-shattering as a few people might think, but still avery nice job.

 

- If Thomas is healthy, you can realistically expect .275/.350-60, IMO.

 

- I don't think Thomas has taken or is taking 'roids.

 

- Stop calling people names - all of you - whether it be "moneyballer" or "martyr", they're equally stupid. Cut the nonesense out. The WWf analogy is a good one and was promulgated by media sensetionalism and Michael Lewis, IMO. Stop giving in to it.

[cheapseats]

Frank Thomas was actually calling for steroid testing as far back as 2002:

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0529/1388575.html

 

And he was part of the White Sox team in 2003 that tried to intentionally fail their steroid tests in order to bring about permanent steroid testing:

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0311/1521844.html

[noisesquared]

Frank Thomas was actually calling for steroid testing as far back as 2002:

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/0529/1388575.html

 

And he was part of the White Sox team in 2003 that tried to intentionally fail their steroid tests in order to bring about permanent steroid testing:

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2003/0311/1521844.html

 

And if memory serves correctly, Thomas got beat out by a steroid enhanced Jason Giambi for the 2000 AL MVP.

 

Thomas has always been a huge guy - he was a tight end at Auburn when Bo Jackson was there, IIRC. To me, his numbers have never been indicative of steroid use - he's been a consistent 30-40HR guy who puts up ridiculous OBP when healthy.

[Diffusion]

[The A's lineup] really [has] only one zero, catcher.

 

Some zero. Kendall started off excruciatingly slowly last year, most probably explained by the fact that it was his first ever experience of the American League and it took him a while to adjust, but from May 22nd onwards, Kendall put up a .358 OBP. Over the entire 2005 season, only two Cubs managed to beat that, and one of them hardly played.

 

Here's an interesting fact: for his career, Kendall has a .382 on-base percentage, which is higher than the current career mark of absolutely every single player with more than a handful of at-bats that has spent time on the Cubs roster since Mark Grace left after 2000. I'm pretty sure too that at no stage over those five years has anyone of those players ever had an on-base percentage above .382 as well.

 

Certainly, Jason Kendall has embarrassingly little power, and no speed whatsoever either, he's not that great a defensive catcher I don't think, and he's 31 and has spent an awful lot of time behind the plate, so you've got to be worried about his knees, and his contract is pretty ugly too, but at least the guy still seems to know how to hit for average and how to avoid outs. That's not to say that I would want him on the Cubs' roster, just that I wouldn't call him a zero.

 

In other words, I think the A's have a solid lineup from top to bottom now.

[stitchface]

[The A's lineup] really [has] only one zero, catcher.

 

Some zero. Kendall started off excruciatingly slowly last year, most probably explained by the fact that it was his first ever experience of the American League and it took him a while to adjust, but from May 22nd onwards, Kendall put up a .358 OBP. Over the entire 2005 season, only two Cubs managed to beat that, and one of them hardly played.

 

Here's an interesting fact: for his career, Kendall has a .382 on-base percentage, which is higher than the current career mark of absolutely every single player with more than a handful of at-bats that has spent time on the Cubs roster since Mark Grace left after 2000. I'm pretty sure too that at no stage over those five years has anyone of those players ever had an on-base percentage above .382 as well.

 

Certainly, Jason Kendall has embarrassingly little power, and no speed whatsoever either, he's not that great a defensive catcher I don't think, and he's 31 and has spent an awful lot of time behind the plate, so you've got to be worried about his knees, and his contract is pretty ugly too, but at least the guy still seems to know how to hit for average and how to avoid outs. That's not to say that I would want him on the Cubs' roster, just that I wouldn't call him a zero.

 

In other words, I think the A's have a solid lineup from top to bottom now.

 

 

you're right, I forgot they had kendall!

[Balsa]

I was reading an interview with Kendall and IIRC he said he was really embarrassed about his OBP and SLG and wants to do a lot better this year.

 

I think the A's are really in a spot to succeed, and I think that they're gonna try and make a run this year. All the A's really have to worry about is the Angels, but I'd put money on the A's this year.

 

If Thomas plays >100 games and is healthy for the offseason, they're in a good spot to go somewhere.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

Question, what would you rather have?

 

Thome for about 7.5m a year

 

 

or

 

 

Thomas for 500k, Rowand and 2 solid pitching prospects.

 

 

 

 

Kenny messed up.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Question, what would you rather have?

 

Thome for about 7.5m a year

 

 

or

 

 

Thomas for 500k, Rowand and 2 solid pitching prospects.

 

 

 

 

Kenny messed up.

 

I don't think getting Thomas for 500k was much of an option. They only had until the arby deadline to sign him(since offering arbitration would be suicide), right? I don't think there's any way Thomas would've signed that early for that little.

[CardsFanInChiTown]

Question, what would you rather have?

 

Thome for about 7.5m a year

 

 

or

 

 

Thomas for 500k, Rowand and 2 solid pitching prospects.

 

 

 

 

Kenny messed up.

 

I don't think getting Thomas for 500k was much of an option. They only had until the arby deadline to sign him(since offering arbitration would be suicide), right? I don't think there's any way Thomas would've signed that early for that little.

 

Maybe, hard to say. That said the Sox gave up a lot for a guy who's going to be primarily a DH.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Question, what would you rather have?

 

Thome for about 7.5m a year

 

 

or

 

 

Thomas for 500k, Rowand and 2 solid pitching prospects.

 

 

 

 

Kenny messed up.

 

I don't think getting Thomas for 500k was much of an option. They only had until the arby deadline to sign him(since offering arbitration would be suicide), right? I don't think there's any way Thomas would've signed that early for that little.

 

Maybe, hard to say. That said the Sox gave up a lot for a guy who's going to be primarily a DH.

 

Oh yeah, go nuts after KW, I'll be right there with you. :wink:

[SouthSideRyan]

I thought I head somewhere that Thomas had a pretty expensive buyout, so it wouldn't cost that much more over the buyout I wanna say.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I thought I head somewhere that Thomas had a pretty expensive buyout, so it wouldn't cost that much more over the buyout I wanna say.

 

The buyout was 3.5 million, but I think the option was 8 figures.

[stitchface]

I think the Thome move was a good one for the Sox. If Jim is healthy, that offense got a lot better. Why not play for a run of WS wins? Rowand isn't really that much to lose.

[SouthSideRyan]

I thought I head somewhere that Thomas had a pretty expensive buyout, so it wouldn't cost that much more over the buyout I wanna say.

 

The buyout was 3.5 million, but I think the option was 8 figures.

 

Ah, I didn't take into account the cost of a set option.