Two for One: The Big Hurt and Big Hank
By Gary Armida
Looking around the world of baseball there is much good to behold. The Cardinals and Marlins are off to unexpectedly good starts. The Angels keep winning; the Red Sox look like they are picking up right where they left off. Yes, baseball is alive and well. Of course, there is the opposite end of the spectrum with the likes of the San Francisco Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates. Forgive me, but those two teams remind me of that scene in Major League when the older, rich lady says to Jake Taylor, “I didn’t know we had a team” and he replies, “Yeah, it’s great, we have uniforms and everything”. Anyway, instead of doing a traditional Fungos column, let’s concentrate on two hot button issues.
A Hall of Famer Disgraced
If you are reading this site, then surely you know that Frank Thomas was given his outright release by the Toronto Blue Jays. This comes as somewhat of a shock as Thomas is tied for the team lead in homeruns with three, tied for fourth in RBI, and second on the team in walks with 11. Sure, he is hitting a paltry .167, but that average is based on just 60 at bats. As baseball fans know, 60 at bats is not a basis of judgment. A player is likely to go into a slump during the season where he could post a .167 average over the course of 60 at bats.
From all accounts, Thomas still looks to be a good hitter with nice power. His release has nothing to do with performance or diminished skills at the age of 40. The hot rumor going around is that the Blue Jays were going to start sitting Thomas more so he didn’t reach the required plate appearances which would guarantee his $10 million dollar option for next season. If that is indeed the truth, the Blue Jays should be ashamed and doomed to never make the playoffs again. Ok, maybe that last part was slight hyperbole, but the Blue Jays only have themselves to blame for that option. If they didn’t want Thomas around this season or next season, then they should’ve just offered a one year contract. Everyone was shocked that Thomas got a two year, guaranteed deal at 39 years old. Now, three weeks into the season, the Jays decide that Thomas doesn’t fit into their plans.
–Rant Alert-this is why teams like the Jays will never, ever catch the Red Sox or Yankees. You would never see the Yankees or the Red Sox release a player who could help them win over a clause in a contract. The Blue Jays cannot be taken seriously as an organization if they keep making moves like this. It will be interesting to see what happens when their young pitching comes up to free agency. Cheap organizations cannot afford to keep their young, talented pitching.-Rant over; now back to Thomas.
The Blue Jays eliminate their designated hitter and call up prospect Adam Lind. By doing this, Lind, professional hitter Matt Stairs, and veteran Shannon Stewart will share time between DH and left field. While this looks good for now, the Jays will miss Thomas’ 20+ homeruns, 90+ RBI, and .370 on base percentage. For a team that is somewhat offensively challenged, giving up Thomas is a bad move.
For Frank Thomas, he must now play the waiting game. Someone will eventually pick him up to be a designated hitter, but for now, his options are limited. Contenders like the Red Sox and Indians are set at that spot. The Yankees, too, have a glut of designated hitters as do the Tigers and Angels when healthy. So, where does Thomas fit in you ask? The perfect landing spot for “The Big Hurt” would be in Seattle. With Jose Vidro as their starting designated hitter, the Mariners offense could use a dose of power and a hitter with good on base skills. Thomas would be an ideal protector for Raul Ibanez and would benefit greatly from having Ichiro on base to drive in. Those two seem like a match. Non-contenders like the Rays and Twins could also benefit from having Thomas in the middle of their lineups. A remote chance could come from the Detroit Tigers, depending on the health of Gary Sheffield. If Sheffield is ruled out for a long period of time, the Motor City will call.
The sudden release of Frank Thomas is a slap in the face to a man who has played the game clean, played it well, and is one of the best hitters of his generation. To release him over money is a second class move by a second rate organization.
The Bronx Zoo II?
All of New York buzzed on Monday because of general partner Hank Steinbrenner’s proclamation that one would have to be an idiot to have rookie sensation Joba Chamberlain be a set up man. Big Hank also said that he wants to see Chamberlain in the rotation sooner rather than later. General Manager Brian Cashman responded by saying that the Yankees will stick to their plans for Chamberlain who should be ready to start games after the all-star break. Since then, Steinbrenner has backed off by saying that he just really wants to see Chamberlain as a starter at some point.
Thus, many people are seeing this as the beginning of the new Bronx Zoo after 18 years or so of relative peace. The young owner has made many “Big George” like missives in his brief tenure as the managing partner. The difference between Hank and his Father is the fact that Hank does back down, as evidenced by the Alex Rodriguez contract and the Johan Santana trade. George Steinbrenner would not have taken no for an answer. The fact that “Big Hank” backed off shows that he is willing to listen.
The interesting person in all of this is general manager Brian Cashman. Cashman is in the final year of his contract and has not said anything publicly about next season. Best guess is that he runs things his own way and then sees the landscape of the Yankees’ brain trust. If he doesn’t like what he sees, he can simply go to any number of organizations who would be willing to pay him a nice salary and give him the keys to the kingdom. If he finds the Yankees’ scene still working, he signs an extension with the knowledge that he was successful his own way. This situation lends itself to a quite dramatic summer between owner and GM. Cashman remains committed to his plan. The true test will come if youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy continue to struggle. This could lead to a panic move of immediately putting Chamberlain in the rotation without the proper preparation.
More Yankees’ drama seems to be unfolding around veteran Mike Mussina. The Moose seems to have lost his ability to win games and must adapt by changing his pitching patterns. Thus far, he has not worked the inside corner of the plate, which the Yankees’ coaching staff believes will be the key to his success. If Mussina continues to get pounded, the calls for Joba will grow stronger.
As far as a position on the Chamberlain controversy, it’s already been stated on this site (read here). Chamberlain belonged in the rotation since opening day. This current plan to save innings seems to be overly cautious and one that could actually hinder the team as they have not developed an eighth inning pitcher or have they allowed Chamberlain to prepare properly. They have also put him into the position of savior as he will be viewed by fans as the knight riding in on the white horse to save the day.
Hank Steinbrenner may be right in what he is saying, but doing it in the press and at this point in the season does nothing but give him some press clippings. This seems to be his way so fans should sit back and wait for what “Big Hank” has to say next. He is an engaging personality who seems to a have thirst for the limelight as well as the desire to win. Hopefully, he can learn to tone it a bit and continue to stay out of the way (despite his proclamations) before he creates another Bronx Zoo scenario. While some people (especially the writers) may welcome this drama, it actually hurts the organization in terms of attracting free agents. Fans of the ‘80s and early ‘90s teams can attest to overpaying for mediocre talent as the superstar talent will not want to go the chaos in New York.
Stay tuned as it seems like there will be more drama every day.
