Major League Baseball Odds

Potty-mouthed Frank Thomas is looking for work

April 21, 2008

By Kevin Woodley
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

File this one under "No shit, Sherlock": Frank "Big Hurt" Thomas' profanity-laced claims that the Toronto Blue Jays released him to avoid a $10 million option on his contract for the 2009 season.

The fact that 39-year-old Thomas was batting .167 with three home runs and in the midst of a 4–for-35 slump didn't help his cause. But any claims by Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi that the move had nothing to do with a massive payday being 304 plate appearances away should be treated with about the same amount of respect that Thomas gave it.

"What the fuck is that, with my track record, they know what I can do," said Thomas, a notorious slow starter throughout a 17-year Hall of Fame career that includes being one of just four players in baseball history with at least a .300 average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBIs, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks. "That's bullshit. We all know what's behind this. What else could be behind this but the money? It's pretty obvious. Sixty at-bats isn't enough to make that decision... One good week and I'd be back on top. I know I haven't hit the ball that well but I'm not the only fucking player. Look at (Gary) Sheffield with Detroit, (David) Ortiz with Boston. I know I can hit."

Thomas' current 4-for-35 slump wasn't helping the situation. (AI Wire photo)

Don't rule out Thomas getting that chance elsewhere. In Oakland, where Thomas enjoyed a comeback-of-the-year type season in 2006, feast-or-famine DH Jack Cust was hitting .157 with one home run, and there's already talk about signing Barry Bonds.

Thomas' contract is null and void, meaning he can sign anywhere for any amount and the Jays still have to top him up to $8 million for the season. Besides, with sluggers like the aforementioned Ortiz (.158 average for $13 million in salary) and Sheffield (.192, $13.3 million) – not to mention Jason Giambi (.109, $23.4 million), Ryan Howard (.186, $10 million), Richie Sexson (.231, $15.5 million), and Carlos Delgado (.200, $16 million) – all struggling to match their statistics to their paychecks, Thomas wouldn't be out of place.

Three Up

• Kosuke Fukudome T-shirts: It's true the Cubs' Japanese import missed a game on Sunday with a cyst above his eye, and his .317 average isn't typically enough for this space. But nothing is hotter than the "What the Fuk?" T-shirts seen at Wrigley Field, so we stretched: Fukudome leads the major leagues in pitches seen per at-bat at 4.58.
  
  
  
• Utley has raised his average to .351 for the season. (AP Images)
  Phillies fill-ins: Chase Utley got a quick start returning the favor NL MVP Jimmy Rollins did while he was on the DL last season, sending two of his three hits out of the park on Sunday after a sprained ankle landed Rollins on the 15-day DL. Utley had three of the Phillies' 12 hits to raise his average to .351 for the season and .391 for the week, including five of his MLB-best eight home runs.
  
  
• Chipper Jones: Atlanta's third-bagger continued to rake, actually raising his average to an absurd .458 by going 13-for-23 the last week, including four big flies and seven RBIs. More impressively, he's done it with a sore right quadriceps that forced him to leave Sunday's win over the Dodgers early, but only after extending his hit streak to 12 games. Still, he indicated that he'd play Monday as the Braves open against Washington, and given that the Nationals have the fifth-worst ERA, he could probably keep mashing on one leg.

Three Down

• Hideo Nomo's career: It's true that being cut from surprising Kansas City isn't the indictment it used to be, but the Royals' release will likely end a pioneering 12-year MLB career. Nomo, the NL rookie of the year in 1995 with the Dodgers and winningest Japanese pitcher in major league history with 123 wins, including two no-hitters, was trying to come back at age 39 after elbow surgery in 2006. But he had an 18.69 ERA in just four 1-3 innings for the Royals this year.
  
  
• Top closers: Arizona closer Jose Valverde (47) and his Cleveland conterpart Joe Borowski (45) led their respective leagues in saves last season, but Valverde (12.27 ERA) and Borowski (18.00) have each blown two saves to start this season. Borowski's blow up is hardly surprising given he was the first big leaguer to post 35-plus saves with an ERA over 5.00. But Valverde's is more of a shock, at least outside of Arizona, where the D-backs obviously figured he pitched over his head last season and traded him to Houston.
  
  
• Miguel Tejada just might be a compulsive liar. (AP Images)
  Miguel Tejada's image: His age actually qualifies for "Three Up" after ESPN ambushed the Astros shortstop with a birth certificate proving he's two years older than claimed. Tejada, who is really 33, later said he lied about being younger when signing his first contract with Oakland back in 1993, the act of a "poor kid" desperate to get out of the Dominican Republic. Innocent or not, Tejada's old (pun intended) lie does little for 2005 claims before Congress committee staffers that he's never taken performance-enhancing drugs, which the Department of Justice has since been asked to investigate.

The Charlie Hustle (bets even Pete Rose couldn't resist)

Brandon-Barry, Part Deux: Giant(s) free agent bust Barry Zito is set to take the mound against Arizona ace Brandon Webb for the second straight outing on April 22. Note that it wasn't labeled "Part Duel," because the reality is that San Francisco "ace" Zito is no longer capable of going pitch-for-pitch with the true No. 1s he's been matched up against so far this season, mostly because his fastball velocity has dropped so precariously close to his once-wicked off-speed stuff that he's no longer fooling anyone.

Zito is a safe bet against all season. (AI Wire photo)

With no magic cure for his decline in mph, Zito is a safe bet against all season. (We had last week's loss to Webb and the Diamondbacks penciled into this space – no, really, we did – before editing it out because the failed Kenny Rogers-will-fail-again bet took up too much space). Opponents are also bringing out their aces against Zito, and the Giants don't have any in their batting order. Webb will be the fourth No. 1 Zito has seen in five starts, and things don't get easier in his second scheduled start of the week on April 27 against Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez, who is 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA.

Quote Me On That

"I'd boo myself, too. I'm always my worst critic. It's frustrating that I've pitched four games and not even given my team a chance in any of them. That's unacceptable." - C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland’s reigning AL Cy Young winner, after falling to 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA with a loss to the equally struggling Tigers that drew boos from Indians' fans. Control is the issue: The outing included walking the bases loaded – he's walked 14 in 18 innings after handing out 37 free passes in 241 innings last year.

By the Numbers

3,000: Career strikeout milestone Atlanta's John Smoltz is certain to pass Tuesday against Washington. In addition to a 0.56 ERA and coming off a dominant 10-K performance to raise his total to 2,996, the Nationals couldn't hit pavement if they tripped over a curb, setting the stage for the first 4-0 start of an impressive 21-year career and the 16th player in the 3,000 club.

TOP PHOTO: Frank Thomas created quite a stir in the MLB world with his profanity-laced comments on his release from the Blue Jays. (AP Images)