Frank Thomas HOF Discussion Thread

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't. Biggio didn't get in on his first ballot, and he has 3,000 hits and I've never heard anybody link him to PEDs.

As has been said before, it's the BBWAA being sanctimonious. One or two bad apples spoils the whole bunch.

Agree. I do not think he will get in next year due to being a DH half his career and playing in the steroid era. I do think he is pretty much a lock to get in his 2nd year.

[Hitmen77]

I think Frank Thomas should be a 1st ballot HOFer. Period. His numbers speak for themselves. I don't care if he played half his career at DH.

[beasly213]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...homafr04.shtml

Just look at his numbers from 91-00. It is incredible! Even in his "Down years" during that time frame in 98 he hit .265 with 29 HR then in 99 he bumped his avg back up to .305 but the power went down to 15 hr. Just incredible.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by SephClone89

I think you're blowing Williams's comments totally out of proportion. He wasn't implying that he would be suspicious, but that the writers will be. And after seeing how they voted on Piazza and Bagwell this year, would it really shock anyone if Thomas didn't get in next year?

yes. Frank was better than those two. The baseball writers are clearly incompetent and they need to either widen the pool of voters or change the requirements for induction. These same writers who lauded these steroid induced players and their historic achievements at the time, all the while knowing something was amiss, are now acting all holier than thou like they are the guardians of baseball integrity. Most of them are idiots. I'm not sure how much validity the Hall of Fame is going to have if they plan on erasing an entire era of the game and a lot of it's greatest players. These writers like to bring up this character nonsense nonstop but overlook the fact people like Cap Anson and Judge Landis, who both set back intergration for decades due to their racial bigotry are already in. And Ty Cobb is another example, virulent racist who was suspected strongly of throwing games in an era where this was commonplace. All the while this nonsense goes on , players like Raines,Biggio, Mc Griff, Piazza, and others are going to suffer the consequences because the numbers they put up are still being compared to the steroid users of the era and making them look less worthy.

[wilburaga]

I'd really be surprised if he got in on the first ballot. Of the five tools, he aces two of them, but is probably in the bottom 10% in the other three, and possibly dead last in one (throwing).

He had no notable success in the postseason. Of the four postseason series in which he participated, he 0-ferred two of them.

#35, with a bat in his hand, is a first ballot HOFer. Without the bat, not so fast.

[blandman]

Do I think Frank should be a first ballot hall of famer? Absolutely.

Will he be? No.

Frank's got too much working against him. Stubborn writers not voting any slugger in due to the PED situation, stubborn writers not voting in guys who DH'ed, and stubborn writers not wanting to vote too many players in (as both Maddux and Glavine will also be eligible for induction and more likely to be voted in).

I think he'll get in. But it may take a few years. Or five.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by wilburaga

I'd really be surprised if he got in on the first ballot. Of the five tools, he aces two of them, but is probably in the bottom 10% in the other three, and possibly dead last in one (throwing).

He had no notable success in the postseason. Of the four postseason series in which he participated, he 0-ferred two of them.

#35, with a bat in his hand, is a first ballot HOFer. Without the bat, not so fast.

He's gonna get in but it might be close for the reasons you mentioned. The fact Piazza didn't get in gives me pause however. He was the same kind of player legendary hitting skills , poor to average defensive skills I think Thomas 2 MVP's and the fact it should be three (cheater Giambi) are going to get him in , and I'll say it is going to be high 70's low 80's, a relatively close call. Also, these writers are going to be feeling the heat to actually elect some of these deserving players they for some reason passed on this yar.

[PalehosePlanet]

Tim Kurkjian just stated that Frank THomas is a first ballot HOF'er -- along w/Maddux, Glavine and Mussina.

He states that one of the problems is that each voter only gets a certain amount of votes. The other problem is many voters do not use all of their votes.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by jamokes

Frank will be a Hall of Famer. If he was a Yankee, he would be a first ballot winner.

I don't know, it seems like the consensus is that being a Yankee has worked against a lot of players . Bernie Williams, Mattingly, etc.

[asindc]

For those citing Frank's lack of defensive prowess, I give you Ted Williams.

[wilburaga]

Originally Posted by mahagga73

I don't know, it seems like the consensus is that being a Yankee has worked against a lot of players . Bernie Williams, Mattingly, etc.

Quite right. Joe Dimaggio, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford all failed in their first attempt at the HOF.

[Chez]

Frank, Maddux and Glavine will all be first ballot HOF'ers. Biggio makes it next year too.

[rdivaldi]

It's a shame that besides Frank's gawdy numbers, most people do not know of his outspoken stance against PEDs. In 2003 he helped organize a revolt against the testing process to make it even harsher and more widespread. Too bad the union talked them down.

When people mention PEDs and drop in Frank's name it's just massively unfair and untrue.

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by rdivaldi

It's a shame that besides Frank's gawdy numbers, most people do not know of his outspoken stance against PEDs. In 2003 he helped organize a revolt against the testing process to make it even harsher and more widespread. Too bad the union talked them down.

When people mention PEDs and drop in Frank's name it's just massively unfair and untrue.

It isn't fair, but it is the reality due to the era he played in.

[Irishsox1]

I think the odds of Frank getting in are better due to anti-Bonds, Sosa, McGuire position the media has taken.

The media remembers Frank complaining about a lot of things but one big one was drug testing. The media called him a whiner at the time but that's the best thing Frank could have done.