If Frank Thomas career is over...

[Guest Brian]

2 MVPs, 448 career homeruns, 2100 hits, career .307 hitter, .995 OPS

 

Are his hitting numbers enough to overcome that he spent a good chunk of his career as a DH (less than 50% of his games in the field)? Were his dominant years enough?

 

I ask because I'm as big of a Big Hurt mark as possible, and going down with the ankle injury looks like he is getting close to the end.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'm a White Sox fan so I'm a bit biased but yes he is. He has the stats to back it up.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I feel that he's in. If Edgar Martinez gets in, Frank Thomas is definitely in. And besides, without the DH, he's a first baseman, so it's not as if he would have been terribly active as a fielder anyway.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Probably, but not on the first try...

[Brett Favre 0]

He should get in easily. He's 11th all time in OBP, 10th all time in OPS, and 12th all time in adjusted OPS.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Eventually but it will take sometime. Thomas hasn't really been at his peak since the late 90's. He's also considered a jerk so that will go against him in the voting.

[Vampiro69 0]

He isn't a first ballot hall of famer in my eyes. I see him eventually getting in but it depends who else is on the ballot with him that year.

 

What could keep him out of the Hall is a couple of things. He has been injury prone the last few years. Second he has had trouble with the media which some members could hold against him.

 

Why he should get in we had were mentioned by Cena's writer. Also he was arguebly the most feared hitter of the 90's if you take away the sudden boom of Bonds, Sosa and McGwire.

 

I say that it will take a couple of tries for him but he will get there.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

He's also considered a jerk so that will go against him in the voting.

 

So by that token, Bonds will NEVER get in....

[Vern Gagne 0]

Hey that's exactly what will happen.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I can't see an argument for leaving Thomas out. Thomas is 11th all-time in On Base Percentage, 16th in Slugging Percentage, and 10th in OPS. Thomas is 16th in Adjusted OPS, around the same spot as Stan Musial. And on top of that, Thomas has two MVP awards to his credit. The only argument against Thomas is the fielding aspect, but is that really enough to keep a legendary hitter out of the Hall?

[Vern Gagne 0]

As of right know numbers like OPS, Adjusted OPS and even slugging aren't the numbers the voters tend to look at when voting. It's still more about HR's, rbi's hits, batting average.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

As of right know numbers like OPS, Adjusted OPS and even slugging aren't the numbers the voters tend to look at when voting. It's still more about HR's, rbi's hits, batting average.

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Many voters look at those numbers. More importantly, many of the counting stats are there. Thomas has 440+ home runs and a .308 career average.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Making it clear. I think Thomas should make it on the first ballot. I'm just trying to play devil's advocate. Another things to consider. Voters might think Thomas finished his career on a downslide. Even though he had 42 Hr's and 105 rbi's in 2003. He hasn't really been at his peak since the late 80's.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Uhh Frank debuted in the majors in 1990.... are you saying he peaked in college?

[Vern Gagne 0]

oops make that late 90's.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

oops make that late 90's.

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I think he would have still been playing great if he wasn't injured every year.

[Guest Brian]

I just needed some reassurance. I figured the .300 career average and 440 homeruns with the two MVPs and a batting title should be enough for many of the HOF voters.

[cabbageboy 0]

I dunno, he's still far from a lock. To be a legit lock he'd have to have either 500 homers or 3000 hits and he has neither.

 

He might get in but it'll take a few times. As good as he was for a period of time, Thomas was never one of those players that did it for me, never seemed like THE dominant player at his position, that sort of thing.

 

And yes, he'll get penalized somewhat for the DH thing. Playing in the field is kinda the original point of playing baseball, after all.

[Guest Brian]

I dunno, he's still far from a lock.  To be a legit lock he'd have to have either 500 homers or 3000 hits and he has neither.

 

He might get in but it'll take a few times.  As good as he was for a period of time, Thomas was never one of those players that did it for me, never seemed like THE dominant player at his position, that sort of thing.

 

And yes, he'll get penalized somewhat for the DH thing.  Playing in the field is kinda the original point of playing baseball, after all.

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Who was the dominant player at his position?

[Guest]

I dunno, he's still far from a lock.  To be a legit lock he'd have to have either 500 homers or 3000 hits and he has neither.

 

He might get in but it'll take a few times.  As good as he was for a period of time, Thomas was never one of those players that did it for me, never seemed like THE dominant player at his position, that sort of thing.

 

And yes, he'll get penalized somewhat for the DH thing.  Playing in the field is kinda the original point of playing baseball, after all.

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Frank Thomas is pretty close to a lock. He was the most feared hitter in the AL during the mid and late 90's, and Edgar Martinez is probably going in, so why shouldn't Frank?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

He might get in but it'll take a few times. As good as he was for a period of time, Thomas was never one of those players that did it for me, never seemed like THE dominant player at his position, that sort of thing.

 

Frank Thomas from 1991-97 led the league in OPS four times, and finished third or higher every year. No player beat him twice. Two seasons in a row Thomas was considered dominant enough to win the MVP award, and he led the league in On Base Percentage four times. If that is not dominant, what is?

[The Czech Republic 0]

Playing in the field is kinda the original point of playing baseball, after all.

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But if he was to play first base full time, he would've done marginally more fielding as a first baseman than a designated hitter, since it's just not a demanding position to field, compared to catcher, center field, or shortshop. I'm not saying that this means no first baseman should go to the Hall, that's ludicrous. I'm saying that with DHs that would in all likelihood be first basemen in the National League, you can't really get on them for a lack of fielding, since it's such a secondary part of the job.

[yankovic fan 0]

I heard he was a nice guy and when hitting a homerun he'd trot around the bases without excessive celebration as not to hurt the pitcher's feelings. This I obtained from a sports book I had as a teenager.

 

He's my favorite baseball player and I have about 500 of his cards in a binder. I always wanted to make my way to Chicago and see him play, and I guess I've lost my chance.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Yeah Frank's great to watch. I will always remember when I went to a game with my wife who was new to baseball. I was filling her in on the White Sox players. It was the bottom of the 9th, the White Sox was trailing by 1 and they had a man on base. Frank comes to the plate and I half-jokingly go "Watch him hit a home run to win it." He proceeded to smash the ball out of the park to win the game. My wife is now convinced Frank Thomas is the best player, bar none. Great moment....

[snuffbox 0]

I dunno, he's still far from a lock.  To be a legit lock he'd have to have either 500 homers or 3000 hits and he has neither.

 

 

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Like Ryne Sandberg?

 

Frank Thomas (first ballot, in my own opinion) is a definite hall of famer. The two mvps is pretty remarkable, and he was also one of the 2 or 3 most dominant/intimidating hitters of an entire decade(90s).

[Precious Roy 0]

I'd definitely put him in, he was was THE most dominant hitter in the AL for a good part of the 1990's and while he's been injured recently his career numbers are still pretty F'n good, especially the %'s

[A Happy Medium 0]

Frank Thomas hasn't been at his peak since perhaps 1997. I believe it was in 1996 that he suffered a stress fracture in his foot. Honestly, ever since his last batting title, which was 1997, he hasn't been the same since.

 

People forget that when Cal became the Iron Man, Thomas had not missed a game since he came up from the minors.

 

Injuries stopped him from hitting 600 homeruns.

 

I believe he is a first ballot HOF. He put up numbers similiar in the same timespan that Lou Gehrig did.

 

Of course, I grew up watching him as a kid, so I am biased.

[Jericholic82 0]

I would vote for him. He was the most feared hitter in the AL other than Griffey in the mid 90s. His numbers arent among the all time greats, but they are solid.

 

Besides my dad caught a foul ball off him at Yankee Stadium in 93 (which I keep in my room as my good luck charm ball) and that ball would be valuable if I could get him to sign it ever lol

[Matt Young 0]

I'm a White Sox fan so I'm a bit biased but yes he is. He has the stats to back it up.

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Ditto.