Blue Jays Release Frank Thomas

[kq76]

Originally Posted by remangiii

Check out his numbers from the 14th onward:


ESPN - David Ortiz Stats, News, Photos - Boston Red Sox

Okay, he's been showing some improvement. I don't follow the Sox religiously; I only knew he wasn't doing so well. It looks like he was only benched once on the 13th and since then he's been picking up some hits here and there.

I just don't think the Jays have time to fool around here and if he isn't cool sitting for a bit then it's probably best to separate. I think what really bugs me is he threw a fit. We're paying him a lot of money and he doesn't want to take a few extra days off for the good of the team? Well, forget that.

Now we're stuck paying his 12.5M salary for this year and we don't even have the chance that he might turn it around later. But if he was just going to be a malcontent in the locker room then I guess it's still for the best. Now I'm starting to think the White Sox weren't so wrong for letting him go when they did.

Originally Posted by remangiii

ESPN - MLB Spring Training Stats - Major League Baseball Spring Training Stats

Thanks. Yeah, .097 BA in ST (what, they don't track BB in ST?) with only 1 EBH, a double. Then you take out that series against the Sox and yikes.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

If Thomas' allegations are true, it wouldn't be the first time that a contract clause was used against him. After being hurt for most of 2001 and putting up a sub-par 2002 (.252/28/92), the Sox invoked a "diminished skills clause" in his contract, which wound up allowing them to cut his salary in half.

Well I wouldn't say that a contract clause is being used against him. He signed the contract with full knowledge (I hope). The vesting option was a form of performance clause that he must have been smart enough to know it could be iffy in the 2nd season. The Jays decide not to use him regularly and he whines about it. If he was so interested why did he not sit on the bench and wait it out? Somebody could get injured in the next week and he's back in the lineup. Typical "me first" "money first" attitude.

I applaud JP's guts here. Seems like he's asking for "team first" players. Good.

[myasu]

Originally Posted by kq76

Okay, he's been showing some improvement. I don't follow the Sox religiously; I only knew he wasn't doing so well. It looks like he was only benched once on the 13th and since then he's been picking up some hits here and there.

I just don't think the Jays have time to fool around here and if he isn't cool sitting for a bit then it's probably best to separate. I think what really bugs me is he threw a fit. We're paying him a lot of money and he doesn't want to take a few extra days off for the good of the team? Well, forget that.

Now we're stuck paying his 12.5M salary for this year and we don't even have the chance that he might turn it around later. But if he was just going to be a malcontent in the locker room then I guess it's still for the best. Now I'm starting to think the White Sox weren't so wrong for letting him go when they did.



Thanks. Yeah, .097 BA in ST (what, they don't track BB in ST?) with only 1 EBH, a double. Then you take out that series against the Sox and yikes.

I think there is a huge defference between Thomas case and Ortiz case.

David Ortiz is not only a core of the Red Sox offence, but he is a fan favorite (He got a huge obation before hitting a grand slam couple of days ago, yes, before he hit it. fans at Fenway certainly knew Ortiz had had horribe first month and still did not boo him but tried to support him), and, apparently, his slow start has not really hurt the team so far.

And yes, he has started to show some improvements at the plate for the last couple of games.

[The Wolf]

Ortiz is just in a slump. Thomas looks like you can stick a fork in him.

[darkenigma510]

To be honest, this should surprise no one. When the jays signed Thomas they figured to maybe squeeze one more good year out of him with the second year likely iffy. Since this year started out slow, the Jays likely figured it was best to cut their losses and move on.

[Sdpm100]

Originally Posted by kq76

Thanks. Yeah, .097 BA in ST (what, they don't track BB in ST?) with only 1 EBH, a double. Then you take out that series against the Sox and yikes.

Those totals are out of date. He batted .160 (8-for-50) with a walk and 12 strikeouts.

The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Stats: Sortable Player Stats

[Tony M]

Originally Posted by The Wolf

Ortiz is just in a slump.

It's an almighty slump. I'll give you that. Just look at how many Yankees have batted more runs in than Ortiz this season...

There's

erm...

erm...

come on guys, help me out here.

[eriqjaffe]

Originally Posted by RchW

Well I wouldn't say that a contract clause is being used against him. He signed the contract with full knowledge (I hope). The vesting option was a form of performance clause that he must have been smart enough to know it could be iffy in the 2nd season. The Jays decide not to use him regularly and he whines about it. If he was so interested why did he not sit on the bench and wait it out? Somebody could get injured in the next week and he's back in the lineup. Typical "me first" "money first" attitude.

I applaud JP's guts here. Seems like he's asking for "team first" players. Good.

Yeah, well, there was a lot of the same thought when the Sox invoked the diminished skills clause, because Frank wasn't too happy about it. General consensus was that invoking it was kind of a classless move by the Sox, but Frank did agree to it, so...

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by redsoxford

It's an almighty slump. I'll give you that. Just look at how many Yankees have batted more runs in than Ortiz this season...

There's

erm...

erm...

come on guys, help me out here.

It's just a result of Ortiz trying to be even more clutch. Since it's hard for him to improve his clutch hitting, he decided to hit miserably in non-clutch situations.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by eriqjaffe

Yeah, well, there was a lot of the same thought when the Sox invoked the diminished skills clause, because Frank wasn't too happy about it. General consensus was that invoking it was kind of a classless move by the Sox, but Frank did agree to it, so...

This time I would say it's the opposite? I don't think people would call it a classless move by the Jays.

Blue Jays could have just hold onto him as a part time player, since they are already paying the money. Instead, they did Thomas a favor by allowing him to seek more playing time elsewhere while still paying him.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Blue Jays could have just hold onto him as a part time player, since they are already paying the money.

Well keeping a guy pissed off at management worked well when we had this guy in the mix.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by kq76

The guy was sucking this year. He didn't deserve what he was getting this year, not alone what he would get next year. Don't get me wrong, after we shipped out Reed Johnson, Frank became my favourite player on the team, but you don't play a guy who's sucking just because he has a vesting option.

It sounds like this was best for both parties and apparently the Jays are eating his salary for this year so he really shouldn't have anything to complain about. Good luck to him, but if he thinks he should get playing time while hitting as poorly as he's been hitting he's crazy, certain future HOFer or not.

While I think 3+ weeks into the season was a little early to pull the trigger. I agree you shouldnt play a person just so they can meet a certain incentive in their contract. If he wanted to play more, he should of like earned it.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by kq76

If he is, I don't think the two cases are very similar. Thomas will be 40 soon, Ortiz is 32. Ortiz is off to an even worse start, but you'd have to think there's more hope for him. Both teams are contenders, but Boston should be the favourites and therefore have more room for error. The Blue Jays waste another month or two for Thomas to turn it around and it might be too late.

Still, if I was a Sox fan I'd be calling for some bench time for Ortiz as well. And honestly, I'm sure this is all we were wanting to do with Thomas. If he picked it up again later I have no doubt he would have got his regular amount of PAs. It's Thomas who didn't want anything to do with that. I like Thomas, but no one should expect to get full playing time playing like that.

Some wonder who Thomas will land with; I wonder if the Jays might now be interested in Bonds. I know Godfrey said no way earlier in the year, that it would be far too much of an unwanted distraction, but with Thomas not living up to hopes I wonder if they just might reconsider. My gut reaction is to say no way in hell too, but part of me is awfully curious if it would be a good move.

Please, no. I like the Jays dont ruin my fanfare by putting Bonds on the team.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

Please, no. I like the Jays dont ruin my fanfare by putting Bonds on the team.

If JP wants to lose his job quick he will. There's no love for him here.

[koohead]

Originally Posted by koohead

Oakland? they did give Karros a shot after all a couple years ago. maybe they are ready to give up on the Jack Cust exp too.

Called it!

Big Hurt's back in the Bay: A's sign Thomas - Baseball - MSNBC.com

[darkenigma510]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

If JP wants to lose his job quick he will. There's no love for him here.

No love for whom? Bonds? JP? or both?

I'd vote both.

[GoCubsAndJays]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

If JP wants to lose his job quick he will. There's no love for him here.

Lose his job? If anything Bonds might help save his job...

Signing a guy like Bonds may be exactly the thing the starting lineup needs. Have you seen what the lineups have looked like the last few games? At the very LEAST, J.P. should call up Lind in the next couple of days.


Seriously, Bonds might not be the most media friendly guy in the world, but there's no doubting he'd be a HUGE boost to our lineup.


Off topic, has anybody heard anything about Rolen returning? I know he's been playing in a couple of rehab games, but has anybody heard when the Jays are calling him up?

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by darkenigma510

No love for whom? Bonds? JP? or both?

I'd vote both.

More then likely.

Originally Posted by GoCubsAndJays

Lose his job? If anything Bonds might help save his job...

Signing a guy like Bonds may be exactly the thing the starting lineup needs. Have you seen what the lineups have looked like the last few games? At the very LEAST, J.P. should call up Lind in the next couple of days.


Seriously, Bonds might not be the most media friendly guy in the world, but there's no doubting he'd be a HUGE boost to our lineup.


Off topic, has anybody heard anything about Rolen returning? I know he's been playing in a couple of rehab games, but has anybody heard when the Jays are calling him up?

Ya I'm sure the Skydome would be great with their crowd booing their own. Besides, having a real asshat in the lineup worked well before. I mean look at the success we had with Clemens and Bell.

The day we need to rely on oversized spoiled children to win is the day we're really in trouble or desperate.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by GoCubsAndJays

Off topic, has anybody heard anything about Rolen returning? I know he's been playing in a couple of rehab games, but has anybody heard when the Jays are calling him up?

Jays' Rolen expected back Friday - Sportsnet.ca

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by kq76

Jays' Rolen expected back Friday - Sportsnet.ca

ANd probably back on the DL Saturday.