Chisox73
01-27-2006, 12:38 AM
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/images/2006/01/26/EFAilFb8.jpg
Billy Beane and Frank Thomas smile for the cameras during Thursday's press conference. (Ben Margot/AP)
Thomas officially introduced by A's
Newly acquired slugger excited to make an impact
By Rick Eymer / Special to MLB.com
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060126&content_id=1301577&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
OAKLAND -- Frank Thomas hit his 300th career home run in Oakland and he'd like to hit No. 500 there as well. If he stays healthy, the Oakland Athletics will give him every opportunity to do so.
Thomas, signed by the A's on Wednesday, was in Oakland on Thursday for his first official appearance with his new team.
"As soon as I was released, I looked around," Thomas said. "I wanted to make a serious impact quickly. The A's are an organization I have followed for a long time. When I first came up , this was the organization. It was an easy choice."
Thomas hit his 300th home run against Kevin Appier on Aug. 7, 1999, in his 4,800th career at-bat. More than 2,000 at-bats -- and three major injuries -- later, Thomas is 52 home runs shy of the goal he set when he began playing professional baseball.
"It's very important to me; I can't lie," Thomas said. "Five hundred is somewhere I wanted to be once I started this journey 15 years ago. It will be something special."
The question surrounding Thomas is his health. The 37-year-old has appeared in just 108 games over the past two seasons because of two separate fractures in his left ankle. He also missed most of the 2001 season with an injury.
Thomas said he was at 90 percent, although he hasn't run yet. He's convinced he'll be ready by Opening Day.
"My plan is to be ready," he said. "I probably came back a little early last year. I came back at 70 percent and I came back and made a positive impact right away. I'm looking forward to a healthy year. That's important to me."
If Thomas even approaches his career stats with Oakland this year, A's general manager Billy Beane will have gotten himself a bargain. At his best, Thomas is capable of Hall of Fame production. He's a .307 lifetime hitter with a .427 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging percentage.
"He is one of the greatest offensive players of his generation," Beane said on Thursday. "He is nirvana for us as far as what we look for in an offensive player."
A's manager Ken Macha said he hasn't decided where Thomas will fit into the lineup, with the option of using Eric Chavez, Bobby Crosby, Thomas or offseason acquisition Milton Bradley in the heart of the order.
"All four of those are capable of hitting third, but that's a question that doesn't need to be answered right now," Macha said. "I'd like to get some balance in the lineup as far as right-left-right-left, and I'll do the best I can with that. We'll be able to put out a quality lineup every day."
Thomas likes the idea of batting behind Chavez.
"This is a great core of hitters," Thomas said. "I'll be happy to protect Chavy. I don't think he's fulfilled his potential yet. He's got something special."
Thomas became available when the Chicago White Sox declined to offer him arbitration, though he always thought he would spend his entire career in Chicago.
"I visualized myself as retiring there, but sometimes things don't work out the way you want," he said. "Sometimes change is good. I know what I can bring to the ballpark every day. I will be missed there. I didn't like the conclusion of it, but who says that's the way it's supposed to be?"
The A's travel to Chicago for a three-game series beginning May 22, but Thomas insists there won't be any animosity or added motivation because of the way his career ended there.
"I'm always motivated," he said. "I love playing this game and I love doing well. There's no shame to my game at all. It's been a lot of hard work. I've played my butt off to get where I am."
The A's are hoping Thomas will help get them to where the 2005 White Sox ended their season. Thomas hasn't been able to play much in the past two years but he's always been part of the team.
"It was rough being in a cast for most of the past two years," he said. "I kept telling myself that I've been blessed and have played for a long time. But this has been a hungry offseason."
Thomas is a career .304 hitter in Oakland, with 16 home runs in 253 at-bats. More important is that he owns a .433 on-base percentage there.
"He's one of the marquee offensive players," Macha said. "He has impressive numbers through his career. I'd like to see him get 52 more home runs."
[I]Rick Eymer is a contributor to MLB.com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Billy Beane and Frank Thomas smile for the cameras during Thursday's press conference. (Ben Margot/AP)
Thomas officially introduced by A's
Newly acquired slugger excited to make an impact
By Rick Eymer / Special to MLB.com
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060126&content_id=1301577&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
OAKLAND -- Frank Thomas hit his 300th career home run in Oakland and he'd like to hit No. 500 there as well. If he stays healthy, the Oakland Athletics will give him every opportunity to do so.
Thomas, signed by the A's on Wednesday, was in Oakland on Thursday for his first official appearance with his new team.
"As soon as I was released, I looked around," Thomas said. "I wanted to make a serious impact quickly. The A's are an organization I have followed for a long time. When I first came up , this was the organization. It was an easy choice."
Thomas hit his 300th home run against Kevin Appier on Aug. 7, 1999, in his 4,800th career at-bat. More than 2,000 at-bats -- and three major injuries -- later, Thomas is 52 home runs shy of the goal he set when he began playing professional baseball.
"It's very important to me; I can't lie," Thomas said. "Five hundred is somewhere I wanted to be once I started this journey 15 years ago. It will be something special."
The question surrounding Thomas is his health. The 37-year-old has appeared in just 108 games over the past two seasons because of two separate fractures in his left ankle. He also missed most of the 2001 season with an injury.
Thomas said he was at 90 percent, although he hasn't run yet. He's convinced he'll be ready by Opening Day.
"My plan is to be ready," he said. "I probably came back a little early last year. I came back at 70 percent and I came back and made a positive impact right away. I'm looking forward to a healthy year. That's important to me."
If Thomas even approaches his career stats with Oakland this year, A's general manager Billy Beane will have gotten himself a bargain. At his best, Thomas is capable of Hall of Fame production. He's a .307 lifetime hitter with a .427 on-base percentage and a .568 slugging percentage.
"He is one of the greatest offensive players of his generation," Beane said on Thursday. "He is nirvana for us as far as what we look for in an offensive player."
A's manager Ken Macha said he hasn't decided where Thomas will fit into the lineup, with the option of using Eric Chavez, Bobby Crosby, Thomas or offseason acquisition Milton Bradley in the heart of the order.
"All four of those are capable of hitting third, but that's a question that doesn't need to be answered right now," Macha said. "I'd like to get some balance in the lineup as far as right-left-right-left, and I'll do the best I can with that. We'll be able to put out a quality lineup every day."
Thomas likes the idea of batting behind Chavez.
"This is a great core of hitters," Thomas said. "I'll be happy to protect Chavy. I don't think he's fulfilled his potential yet. He's got something special."
Thomas became available when the Chicago White Sox declined to offer him arbitration, though he always thought he would spend his entire career in Chicago.
"I visualized myself as retiring there, but sometimes things don't work out the way you want," he said. "Sometimes change is good. I know what I can bring to the ballpark every day. I will be missed there. I didn't like the conclusion of it, but who says that's the way it's supposed to be?"
The A's travel to Chicago for a three-game series beginning May 22, but Thomas insists there won't be any animosity or added motivation because of the way his career ended there.
"I'm always motivated," he said. "I love playing this game and I love doing well. There's no shame to my game at all. It's been a lot of hard work. I've played my butt off to get where I am."
The A's are hoping Thomas will help get them to where the 2005 White Sox ended their season. Thomas hasn't been able to play much in the past two years but he's always been part of the team.
"It was rough being in a cast for most of the past two years," he said. "I kept telling myself that I've been blessed and have played for a long time. But this has been a hungry offseason."
Thomas is a career .304 hitter in Oakland, with 16 home runs in 253 at-bats. More important is that he owns a .433 on-base percentage there.
"He's one of the marquee offensive players," Macha said. "He has impressive numbers through his career. I'd like to see him get 52 more home runs."
[I]Rick Eymer is a contributor to MLB.com This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.