Blue Jays release Thomas after slow start to 2008 season

The Toronto Blue Jays released slumping designated hitter Frank Thomas Sunday, cutting the 19-year veteran loose one day after he was angry for being taken out of the lineup.

Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told ESPN's Peter Gammons that the release of Thomas was "by mutual consent. He doesn't want to be here if he's not going to play much, and we don't want him to be unhappy. He handled it with class, and I appreciate that."

"Our best opportunity is to put other guys in the lineup at this point," Ricciardi said, according to The Associated Press. "Obviously, reduced playing time is not something that he was interested in. In order to let him go forward and get on with his career, I think it's fair to do it at this point."

about 1 year ago The Cheat Comment 19 comments 1 recs |

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Makes sense,

I mean the Red Sox cut ties with Ortiz after his horrible start right?

by twoeightnine on Apr 20, 2008 1:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

damn

what, did he sign his contract to get paid in canadian dollars?

dick. move.

by thatshortkid on Apr 20, 2008 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If this is really it careerwise

I hope the White Sox find some way to bring him back for some kind honorary contract so he can retire with them.

Optimist

by Peder on Apr 20, 2008 1:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080420.wspt-thomas0420/GSStory/GlobeSportsBaseball/home

Thomas, who is batting .167 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in, had gone 0-for-14 on the Blue Jays current homestand. His last crack at keeping his spot came Friday when he went 0-for-3 against a left-handed pitcher he has owned throughout his career, Kenny Rogers. Thomas is a notoriously slow starter – he hit .250 last April and a woeful .193 in May but still led the team in homers (26) and RBIs (95). But this year has been different. He made contact … the ball just didn’t go very far. And Friday night, Thomas was so hunched over in his batting stance that the Tigers radio crew – who had seen a great deal of Thomas over the years – made constant note of it. Thomas was cheating on the outside pitch, raising a veritable white flag.

AIM: SouthSideCheat

by The Cheat on Apr 20, 2008 2:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

as i noted on one of the other threads on this

his hr to flyball rate dropped precipitously last year and, when i saw him a couple times this year, i noted how slow his bat looked. the latter could just be a slump induced thing. but the former is real. balls that used to be homers or doubles are now just being caught. he’s probably could enough to contribute still. but i’d want to get out of that option, too. good decision by the jays in attempting to salvage a prior horrible decision in that contract. faint praise, though.

in their respective baseball purgatories, both frank thomas and jerry owens loudly whine.

by larry on Apr 20, 2008 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

really?

J.P. Ricciardi isn’t going to be selling incentives to anyone for a long time.

by hscs on Apr 20, 2008 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yikes

this comes as a suprise. Are they really better with matt stairs? I know frank has issues at the plate and is ageing
and his hands are slower but to release him in April is a questionable move.
On the other hand, while I have lots of things to worry about, such as my wifes mood, my teen age sons mood…I occasionaly have wondered if frank would make it to retirement with his carrear .300 avg intact. Looks like he might now.

by spadog on Apr 20, 2008 4:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It had to feel like a kick in the nuts

watching the ‘05 team win in all from the sidelines with a bum foot.

Not sure if that makes me feel happy or sad.

Great player…but he often made it difficult to like him.

"We're gonna bring it all day, everyday...we're gonna keep grinding it out." - Nick Swisher (4/1/08)

by tailgater on Apr 20, 2008 10:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Must learn to proof myself...

“win in all” = “win it all”

"We're gonna bring it all day, everyday...we're gonna keep grinding it out." - Nick Swisher (4/1/08)

by tailgater on Apr 20, 2008 10:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is This The End?

Gee, I hope not. This isn’t how the greatest hitter I ever saw (non-steroids division) should go out. But, realistically, how many of us, even the best of us, get to choose that? I’d like to think that, for the league minimum, there is a team that Thomas can help and that he’d be willing to play for. Any obvious fits? Oakland has Mike Sweeney, so they’ve already got their old, injury-prone, no-defense right-handed slugger roster spot filled (see also; Piazza, Mike, Thomas, Frank (2006), Jaha, John). The Angels and Mariners have been running some pretty lame DHs out there. I bet he could get a place with one of them but, unless he does, and shows something for them, he won’t have a job next year.

I’m telling you, age is a bitch.

by Landfill on Apr 20, 2008 11:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta think the M's

Are a solid choice. They need power in that line up, they’ve traded for Bedard, Ichiro isn’t getting any younger, they clearly are trying to win, a guy like the Big Hurt can still drive in a lot of runs with Ichiro on base all the time.

by Grinder in Training on Apr 21, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Back to Oakland?

He has a good history there, and it fits Beane’s cheap, buy-low MO. Though SEA is a better fit.

I took the "under".

by winningugly on Apr 21, 2008 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the a's won't just dump mike sweeney.

Blood has been shed, Jerry.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 21, 2008 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sure they would

there’s a reason beane signs guys to cheap contracts.

you know i thug ‘em, fuck ‘em, love ‘em, leave ‘em cause i don’t fuckin’ need ‘em.

in their respective baseball purgatories, both frank thomas and jerry owens loudly whine.

by larry on Apr 21, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i suppose it depends

on how beane and co. are realistically feeling about their chances of competing for the long haul in the al west this season. obviously, the 7 homers they’ve hit in their first 20 games aren’t going to cut it. sweeney hasn’t hit one yet and hasn’t hit 20 since ‘05. so i guess if they feel they can compete by injecting some power into the lineup, maybe frank makes sense. although playing in that stadium isn’t going to make home runs easy to come by for thomas in light of what you and other noted regarding his bat speed and balls that used to be home runs falling into gloves.

Blood has been shed, Jerry.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 21, 2008 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm sure the a's are also cautious

seeing frank’s latest reaction to cut playing time. obviously he was pissed about the option situation in toronto, but how happy will he be ceding at-bats to a’s youngsters if they fall out of contention?

Blood has been shed, Jerry.

by Toonderstrook on Apr 21, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

competing may not matter all that much

asses in the seats? from reading As boards he was a pretty popular player. it’s pretty much a zero cost for the As to dump sweeney – another team is pretty likely to pick him up at some point and has to pay him the minimum, which is what he already makes with the As. so they’ll be off the hook for salary. a win or two more may keep them competitive that much longer and frank himself may bring in a few fans. a little here, a little there and that’s how the As make money. i’m sure we’ve all got our dog-eared copies of moneyball and know that this is a franchise that actually counts $50K.

in their respective baseball purgatories, both frank thomas and jerry owens loudly whine.

by larry on Apr 21, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

I present to you larry, a true thug.

Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos.

by rhythm on Apr 21, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With an aging roster come tough decisions

Look at Detroit now, what do you do with Sheffield? Do you wait for him to get healthy and come around, or cut bait and replace him with…Frank Thomas? If your DH doesn’t hit, he doesn’t do much for your team. Especially a guy like Frank who can’t run worth a damn anymore, even if he does draw a walk it’ll take 3 singles to bring him all the way around. Either he rakes or he’s useless.

''It's a grinder-type attitude, energetic attitude, confident-type attitude, and if it grinds on some people, then I need to know who those people are so we can move them on''

by ChicagoPete on Apr 21, 2008 7:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs