Hardblogger / MSNBC on Thomas

[Lip Man 1]

This was on the Hardblogger / MSNBC site (it's connected to Chris Matthews Hardball site...Matthews by the way has been a big Phillies fan since the 60's.)

Submitted for discussion and no this is not the entire story...

"Now take a look at White Sox slugger Frank Thomas. When Thomas declares (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7211809/), as he does in his opening statement, "I have not used steroids, ever," it's totally believable.

Consider the statistics: Thomas is now 37 years old and it's been a couple of years since he hit .300. It's also been a while since he hit 40 or more home runs in a single season. (A decade ago, Thomas was one of the most feared sluggers in the American league, hitting 40 or more home runs five times.) However, what makes Thomas so interesting today is the way he is using his appearance to protect himself against a possible trade. Over the last few seasons, the Chicago White Sox have traded away sluggers including Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee and have moved towards speed, agility, and clubhouse decorum. Thomas has allegedly been "prickly" to more than a few White Sox players and coaches in recent years... and his slow-footed slugging style is exactly what the White Sox want to shed. So, how does Thomas begin his congressional moment in the spotlight?

"My name is Frank Thomas and I am a baseball player for the Chicago White Sox— a team I am proud to have been part of since joining Major League Baseball in 1989." Translation: "Hey, White Sox fans... I've been loyal to you for 16 years. Don't let the bastards in the front office trade me." Again, it is brilliant, absolutely brilliant. Thomas knows that nobody covering this story really suspects him of ever having used steroids and that all of the sound byteson the news can be expected to feature Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. So, why not take the momentary attention from C-Span live, cable news, and ESPN, to try and avoid a trade? Terrific stuff. In my book, the ability of Thomas to stay on message goes right up there with President Bill Clinton. (During his Monica Lewinsky grand jury testimony, the president mentioned having to stay late on some occasions "when the Republican congress shut down the government...")

The best politicians make the most of every opportunity and use any "hot seat" to their own advantage. Kudos to Rafael Palmeiro and Frank Thomas. Not only are they sluggers... but today, they are political stars."

Comments, questions, questions for the blogcast DShuster@msnbc.com

Lip

[Frater Perdurabo]

Wow.

A "national media" person takes a look at Frank on the basis of his opening statement to Congress and comes to the exact opposite conclusion of the "conventional wisdom" in the Chicago media.

:?:

[jackbrohamer]

What a bizarre take on a very straightforward statement by Thomas.

[Baby Fisk]

What a bizarre take on a very straightforward statement by Thomas.
Maybe after covering politics long enough, one assumes everything is a hard core spin job with ulterior motives on several levels, as opposed to taking things at face value. :dunno: It should be common knowledge to any Sox fan that Frank wants to stay with this team and has made that very clear very openly in the past.

[mantis1212]

Why do so many media-types act like Thomas doesn't (or shouldn't) fit into the Sox plans. Last I checked, OBP is a BIG piece of the new puzzle.


Show me someone that will even come close to Hurt's number in that category

[Risk]

Maybe after covering politics long enough, one assumes everything is a hard core spin job with ulterior motives on several levels, as opposed to taking things at face value. :dunno: It should be common knowledge to any Sox fan that Frank wants to stay with this team and has made that very clear very openly in the past.

Yet another fine example of masterfull reporting by the media.:rolleyes:

Risk

[Foulke You]

What a bizarre take on a very straightforward statement by Thomas.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I think this guy is reading way too much into what was said. I don't believe there was any contract posturing in that statement at all. Let's face it, Frank has never been slick with the media, EVER. Why would he suddenly be this political mastermind that the author claims and use the steroid issue for his own gain. I think that is a big stretch on the part of the author of that article.

[DumpJerry]

Over the last few seasons, the Chicago White Sox have traded away sluggers including Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee and have moved towards speed, agility, and clubhouse decorum.

I'm going crazy trying to remember who we got from the Tigers for Maggs......

[TommyJohn]

I'm going crazy trying to remember who we got from the Tigers for Maggs......

Dick McAuliffe, Jim Northrup and Denny McLain.

[Medford Bobby]

:?: Don't forget they tossed in a minor league catcher too, some kid named Johnny Wockenfuss.........:o:

[Corlose 15]

It seems to me that the last time Thomas hit more than 40 HR was the last season he was healthy. I know remembering that he hit 42 in 2003 takes a lot of work. Man, I hope his source got canned for that oversight.

[ND_Sox_Fan]

This piece tells us more about the author than it does Frank. This guy just came out and told us what he would have done with the time.

He spun Frank's comments into "If I had the spotlight for five minutes, I would try to exploit it for personal gain."

[batmanZoSo]

This is freakin' stupid. Moving on...

[Rocklive99]

"Hey, White Sox fans... I've been loyal to you for 16 years. Don't let the bastards in the front office trade me."

As if we have a say in the transactions. I have always loved Frank, but there were times when almost all of Chicago was against him and he was close to going somewhere else, but I think this organization knows how important Frank Thomas is to the team and what it means for him to retire in the black and white. I was proud when I heard Frank talk about the White Sox in his opening statement. This is so stupid though, there are no trade rumors now.

[HITMEN OF 77]

Dick McAuliffe, Jim Northrup and Denny McLain.

LOL!! :rolling:

[Realist]

I don't think the writer's analysis of Frank's speech are out of line at all. When Frank gave his speech, the spotlight of North America was on him and I'm sure he was very aware that each of his chosen words would resonate strongly no matter what other subjects outside of steroids he would have slipped in edgewise. May as well make a statement loyalty to the team you love to help achieve the important goal staying put. The owners of profession sports teams have a thing for loyalty. Hell, even that whack-job owner of the Blackhawks has a reputation for respecting and being very loyal. How else do you explain the neverending presence of Bob Pulford?

From what I know of Frank, he loves Chicago and the White Sox and sincerely hopes to finish his career here. He has a very good relationship Uncle Jerry but doesn't always see eye to eye with Kenny Williams. Frank's a smart man (Well, with the exception of a few occasions when talking to the Chicago media) and he very well could have used his speech in the steroid hearings as a subtle yet very effective way of going over Kenny's head and locking in "Frank must remain a Chicago White Sox player for the duration of his career" in the mind of Jerry Reinsdorf.

[Church Turtle]

I don't argue with any of your analysis. And I don't suggest this is the real thinking for Big Frank, but... Could it be that he made a point of mentioning where he plays and that he was proud to be a member of this team because he knows there are some so-called baseball experts that assume the only good teams are on the coasts and that any player that is decent would really rather play for the Yanks, Mets, BoSox, Angels Dodgers? Ah, I don't know.

[Deadguy]

This clown really needs to do this homework. Frank is a 10 and 5 player who can only be traded away if he agrees to such a deal. He didn't need to use the congressional hearings for such an agenda, since he has the right to veto any trade the White Sox would try and make.

I might give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest that he got messed up in semantics, and was referring to the potential buy out of Thomas's contract after this season, but there were far too many errors in that piece to give this jerk the benefit of the doubt.

[Realist]

This clown really needs to do this homework. Frank is a 10 and 5 player who can only be traded away if he agrees to such a deal. He didn't need to use the congressional hearings for such an agenda, since he has the right to veto any trade the White Sox would try and make.

I might give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest that he got messed up in semantics, and was referring to the potential buy out of Thomas's contract after this season, but there were far too many errors in that piece to give this jerk the benefit of the doubt.

The Sox have an option to buy out Frank's contract and let him seek employment elsewhere next year.