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Of course it's about the money

JEFF BLAIR

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 12:00 AM EDT 22/04/08

Veteran slugger Frank Thomas released by the Blue Jays ...Read the full article

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  1. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: wow...the big hurt is outta here! i've heard some talk that bonds is on his way....not sure how i feel about that one.
  2. jimmy funk from Canada writes: Pathetic signing in the first place....what a waste of 15 or 16 M that they invested in this guy.

    How Riccardi still has a job with this club is beyond me.

    Releases Reed Johnson and all he is doing is hitting .375 for the Cubs. Keeps Shannon Stewart who is a) batting .220 or there abouts and b) is hurt now.....big surprise.
  3. Joe Dirt from Canada writes: Wow is right. Didn't see this coming even with his blasting of the team.

    Bonds? Please. Replace a 39 year old with a 43 year old with a worse attitude. That's not my definition of progress.
  4. Randy Farrell from Canada writes: I think it would be a good thing to sign Bonds to the Jays for one year as DH. He would probably be as good as Thomas and cost the club less. He needs just 65 hits to reach the 3000 hit level and it would be nice to see him do it while with the Jays. At his age though he should not expect a long term contract.
    I am sorry to see Thomas released and if it results from his costing the Jays too much money that is a shame....but business is business and we all come to a point where we have to re adjust ourselves...life does not necessarily begin at 40.
  5. Chris Lowry from writes: Bonds? LOL. People have been lying to you then.

    The Blue Jays are not interested in Barry Bonds. In fact no team is interested in Barry Bonds. Too many distractions. Too injury prone. Wants too much money. Not a team player.
  6. Fred Draper from Kingston, Canada writes: Talk about ME,ME,ME... not only does the club have to be happy about playing a .167 hitter and leadfoot and paying $10MM for it, it has to want to guarantee to do it all over again next year.

    ALMOST TWO MORE YEARS of Thomas, yea yea..

    Agree with Jimmy Funk... pathetic performance by JP with Ted's money on this one. He really outbid himself with this contract.

    Thomas never impressed me during his tenure here. Stairs had way more bat speed from the get go.

    Frank, look in the mirror and admit it... I WAS OVERPAID AND SHOULD BE THANKFUL.
  7. Lorne Carmichael from Canada writes: Great move . Now the Jays have a chance to win . The whole league knew Thomas couldn't do it anymore and that made Vernon Wells a non factor batting in front of him . Wells is bad enough as it is without other teams pitching tough . Matt Stairs as DH and get Adam Lind in left .
  8. J L from Canada writes: This is very unfortunate however I agree with the manager,Mr Thomas was in a slump and as the manager he is going to play those players that he feels will win .Mr Thomas's outburst and failure to come off he bench to congratulate his team mates after the victory yesterday.Sealed his fate with this team,We wish the big hurt.well.I suspect someone in the American League will pick him up as a designated hitter.He's capable of producing and he can still put the big hurt on you if you make a mistake.
  9. Darren Thomson from Vancouver, Canada writes: Lorne: Vernon is "bad enough as it is"??? You haven't been following the Jays much this year, have you? But I totally agree about getting Adam Lind out in left.
  10. Fred Draper from Kingston, Canada writes: Question... if another team picks up Thomas (and pays him the minimum, with the Jays on the hook for the remainder) AND gives him 304 plate appearances...

    WHO IS ON THE HOOK FOR 2009? Anyone? Buellar? Buellar?

    I'm assuming JP can write a contract here. Maybe that's a big IF...
  11. L. W. from Greener Pastures, Canada writes: There comes a day when we have to hang up the glove and cleats. Some just try to push it further than others. For a lot of years, Frank was putting butts in the seats at the park. Sadly, those days have come to an end. I hope he has enough smarts to retire while his career average is still over .300.
  12. sometimes serious from Canada writes: I have always liked the Big Hurt as a player and I suspect he is one of the "clean" ones. We will miss seeing him play but he was ineffective and is at the end of a great career. Why finish his career at less then .300? Hang em up Frank.

    Good decision by the Jays.
  13. Fred Draper from Kingston, Canada writes: Great. I'm goofing off to the game Monday aftternoon and now I won't be able to see the Big Hurt whiff.

    I'll guess I'll have to settle for watching that beautiful blonde superhottie hostess behind home plate!

    J L, I don't think anyone will pick up Thomas as a DH. He clogs up the basepaths too much. Like Rico Carty in his last year.
  14. Jonathan Shell from Toronto, writes: Barry! Barry! Barry!
  15. J L from Canada writes: Fred Draper from Kingston-Fred You could be right.He's certainly not on the top of his game and he's 39 and some times players at that age just hit the wall,more or less..But look at the stats of some of the DH'S on some of the other teams in the American League.There NOT ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE EITHER.
  16. BB Freak from Canada writes: Jimmy Funk is right!!! This is a stupid signing that should never have taken place..and how JP has kept his job is a testimony to his ability to fool his bosses..I have to say that even though I have very little respect for JP's ability as a GM..he has some kind of big balls to do this move...but he has the requisite ego...
  17. John S from Toronto, Canada writes: Forget Thomas, either JP or Gibbons or both will be let go by the end of the year.

    Let the countdown to one of them going begin !

    The team is already going down and down.....
  18. Roger Denley from Victoria, BC, Canada writes: Apparently Frank was a non-factor in the clubhouse last year but started this season so enthusiastically. Unfortunately that attitude did not last when they decided to bench him and I think that letting him go so quickly shows two things: that they won't tolerate any sulking and poisonous attitude, and that they are likely to have Scott Rolen back in a hitting role soon while his finger continues to heal to the extent that he can field. The former will come sooner than the latter and the Jays need that bat.
    Frank, in citing examples such as Gary Sheffield of other DHs still playing with slow starts overlooks the Tigers' lousy record with Sheffield as an easy out in their lineup so far. (And I see that he is not starting today -- maybe he's tired from dogging it down to first) Just go gracefully, Frank. Be the classy guy you usually are.
    I can't imagine that the Jays would ever consider that cancer Bonds. Whatever he might now contribute on the field would never justify the other harm he causes. The fact that no team now has picked him up has re-established some of my faith in baseball ownership.
  19. Mark Lanovaz from B.C., writes: JP i s just not getting the job done. He has got to go.
  20. Glen Morrison from Canada writes: barry bonds time!!!
  21. Eric Hunter from Canada writes: If they sign Bonds, I won't watch the Jays til he's gone. Even if they make it to the World Series I won't go to a game or watch a single game on TV.
  22. István P from Toronto, Canada writes: OK folks,

    While I don't condone all of the moves that the Jays have made over the past few years (including the signing of Thomas to begin with at this stage of his career), he was brought on board primarily to provide the kind of veteran leadership that Winfield brought with him back in the day.

    I doubt Thomas would have lashed out like this if the decision hadn't been broadcasted in this manner, but once Frank piped up, he CLEARLY gave Gibbons and JP one clear option - and they made the right choice.

    Gibbons should not have announced to the world that the Big Hurt was losing his carte blanche and Thomas should have kept his trap shut. As Jays fans, we should expect more from our boys - this is amateur hour!
  23. Gerry Pankhurst from Westport Ontario, Canada writes: That is the way to run an organization: "You don't like it here? Hit the road."
  24. BB Freak from Canada writes: i think both Gibbons and JP have no idea how to deal with players in a discreet manner...JP shoots off his mouth in the press over and over again in the most inopportune times and Gibbons chases guys down the tunnel to confront them openly...more than once these guys have made turned molehills into mountains with their macho approach...enough already.. get some brains at the helm please
  25. Jonathan Shell from Toronto, writes: If they sign Barry, I will go to every game. I bet they get 5,000 extra fans per game. I'll be holding the welcome sign.
  26. Robin of the Hood from Hammatown, Canada writes: This was the right move by the management. Thomas has been lack luster thus far in the season. Hopefully this puts that "sense of urgency" in to the other Jays that Halladay was talking about. These guys need to know that if they're not going to perform, then they're gone. I'm hoping that this lights a fire under them.

    cheers
  27. Two Creeks from Canada writes: Lets move on. Play ball Blue Jays!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  28. Jerome J from Canada writes: racism................thats all it is
  29. The Seeker from Toronto, Canada writes: Jerome J from Canada writes: racism................thats all it is

    Yup, that's what it was...Not his $hitty batting average and invisible rbi total.

    Thanks for the laugh, numbnuts...
  30. Gordon Katic from Vancouver, Canada writes: Well, I'm not quite sure what the plan is here. The Jays offense will not be able to keep up in the AL east. Thomas may not of been tremendous in his time with the Jays, but never-the-less he was a predominate bat in their lineup. Last year he led the jays in OBP, Slugging, HRs and RBIs. Any gains the Jays have made through a healthy Wells and an powerful Rios have been offset by their regression at 3B and DH.
  31. Bobby S from Toronto, Canada writes: "Fred Draper from Kingston, Canada writes: Question... if another team picks up Thomas (and pays him the minimum, with the Jays on the hook for the remainder) AND gives him 304 plate appearances..."

    WHO IS ON THE HOOK FOR 2009?

    Thomas is free to sign with whomever he wants now. The option for 2009 was only for the current contract, and now that becomes null and void. He is still entitled to the remaining $8MM this year that is outstanding.

    "Jonathan Shell from Toronto, writes: If they sign Barry, I will go to every game. I bet they get 5,000 extra fans per game. I'll be holding the welcome sign."

    I have been screaming for Barry Bonds since the start of the season. I think J.P knows his job is on the line so he may go out and get him. I was listening to ESPN radio last night and they were commenting on how it is a low risk move for the Jays to get Bonds. I too will be at every game in the right field bleachers if Bonds is signed.
  32. George Hall from Canada writes: Get rid of this loser who I don't think has a clue what he is doing and that is J.P. Ricciardi...he is the guy 'scuffling around' if anyone is
  33. A non-Imus from Canada writes: Eric Hunter from Canada writes: If they sign Bonds, I won't watch the Jays til he's gone. Even if they make it to the World Series I won't go to a game or watch a single game on TV.
    ************************
    Bonds is too good for T.O. We would rather miss the post-season every year with a happy clubhouse full of team-first players!
  34. Dwide Schrude from Canada writes: I'm glad he's gone, but the one thing I will say is this. When Frank was at bat in a tough situation where they needed a hit, he might not have gotten it done like any other player, but he went in with a look in his eyes that made you think he actually gave a $hit whether he got it done or not. I could care less whether it was because he wanted personal glory or team success. He wanted to win.

    The other players on this team don't have any intensity. Frank couldn't get it done physically any more and so good that he's gone, but with him leaves the one guy on the team other than Eckstein who seems to want to win more than half the games this season.
  35. Andrew Berthoff from Toronto, Canada writes: Agree with Dwide that Thomas seemed to care, but I don't think that's a problem with the team so far. Much better than last year, and Eck is a great addition. Wait till Rolen gets in there. He's a bulldog.

    So was Reed Johnson, and I can't see any upside on Stewart over him. All Johnson ever did was break his back he played so hard.

    I still this team can get the wildcard or better. We'll soon find out.

    One thing I loved about Jeff Blair's article: Blair finally admits that he doesn't even like baseball. I wish the Globe would get a baseball writer who understands, appreciates and enjoys the game.
  36. DAZ MILLER from Toronto, Canada writes: Pat Gillick please come back and bring Cito! Just bring us back some class!
  37. ron from hamtown from hamtown, Canada writes: I wonder how many players who made it to the Hall of Fame were released in their careers. Probably a small number of pitchers, but batters? Just wondering. Also, this nonsense about a mutual agreement to terminate Thomas' contract is so bogus. This is what I find so irritating about Ricciardi, all the covering up and misdirection. I don't believe a thing this team says anymore. Everyone knows that a General Manager has to be very discrete about what he says about players but Ricciardi just doesn't know how to craft his comments. Yes, can we please have Pat Gillick back!
  38. Mike Anderson from Canada writes: J.P.'s done it again, folks! He's managed to create another excuse to keep safely in his back pocket to whip it out when his great team again comes up short. Can Paul Godfrey really be this dumb to constantly swallow the Kool-Aid that Ricciardi brews up every year?
  39. Miroslav Tyslopov from Canada writes: I agree with most of the comments here - aside from not putting a playoff team on the field, this team is becoming an embarrassment. I read Jon Heyman's article on SI today about how these flare-ups seem to be a way of life in Toronto. There always seems to be some sort of confrontation but not enough winning to cover it up. It's either an argument or the same old excuses - injuries and "we can't compete financially". This isn't an organization to be proud of.
  40. John S from DrPhilville, Canada writes: If I understand it correctly the Jays still have to pay Thomas for '08 but because he didnt get his at bats in, NOT '09. So Frank's gone but cutting him cost $8 million. And should JP decide to hire - oh I dunno, let's say BARRY BONDS, is there that much more money in the DH budget? I'm still a bit skeptical that without steroids (he wouldnt dare use them would he?) and at 44 he could deliver a speech let alone a base hit. But then there's all that indictment stuff wherein he'd need permission to leave the country etc. Okay I checked the stats and really, the guy has this gaudy OBP of over .405 for what the last 8 years? And there's like 1 Jay who got close in '04 but with nowhere near the at bats. Not sayin he didnt do all that. I just think he's too much of an expensive question mark never mind all the other BS that comes with the package. And please dont tell me that he wouldnt have an effect on the clubhouse. Ask Jeff Kent. Ask any sports reporter that knows. Also with a distraction like that the chances are huge that the team would be adversly affected. Then there's that illegal elbow brace he wears.....

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