Thomas out as starting DH

[Geddy]

TORONTO - Slumping slugger Frank Thomas is no longer the starting designated hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays.

The veteran was told Saturday morning by manager John Gibbons that his playing time will be cut.

The move comes with Thomas batting .167 in 16 games, with three homers and 11 RBIs. But if you take away one big series against Boston in the season's opening week, when he hit two homers and drove in eight runs, he's batting just .125.

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I guess this is the right thing to do since he is in a slump right now, but the whole thing about the number of at bats might cause a problem with him and the team down the road.

[Michael Bradley]

Frank is, uh, not happy:

[Michael Bradley]

If they are eventually going to take my advice, which is platoon Stairs/Thomas at DH with Lind playing everyday in LF, then I like the move. Thomas, at this point in his career, is a mistake hitter with a good eye. In other words, his batting average will deteriorate while his power/walks will just be decent enough to be an everyday player (and that's the best case scenario). That's not worth blocking Adam Lind, who even if he doesn't pan out at least deserves the opportunity to play everyday.

This is definitely going to be a distraction, and it may end up like a Shea Hillenbrand situation, except we won't be able to trade Thomas (he's a struggling 40-year old DH....not many takers for that). At this point, it's best to not be stuck with paying $10 million to Thomas next season, so limiting his AB's is a good idea.

[Banger_bro]

Or they are setting the table to sign Bonds as the DH..

[Mak]

Can we buy him out? I don't know how he can complain when there are better options at least now. We can't just let him suck until August, like last year. By that time it will be too late.

[Schad]

If they are eventually going to take my advice, which is platoon Stairs/Thomas at DH with Lind playing everyday in LF, then I like the move. Thomas, at this point in his career, is a mistake hitter with a good eye. In other words, his batting average will deteriorate while his power/walks will just be decent enough to be an everyday player (and that's the best case scenario). That's not worth blocking Adam Lind, who even if he doesn't pan out at least deserves the opportunity to play everyday.

My fear is that Gibbons will start DHing Scutaro or Stewart with Thomas on the bench; there might not be another manager in the league that loves using back-up catchers and utility outfielders in that role as much as Gibby. If this clears the way for Lind, I'm for it.

[fliszt25]

I agree with everyone on the Lind situation. Other than the Boston series, Thomas has been a waste of a player. For now, the pressure should be taken off of him to deliver when it's apparent that he is in his usual first half slump.

As for Lind, he's ready and has been hitting too well in the minors to be ignored any longer.

Another guy I think that needs to be lose his job is zaun. I'm tired of his lousy batting average and inability to throw out runners. Barajas was hired a year ago to substitute for him so why does zaun still get the majority of starts? I'm wondering if Diaz from triple A is ready defensively. From what I see, he is a good hitter already and should be promoted if he is able to get out runners. Let Greg be the Sal Fasano of last year for all I care and spend time in the minors until he's needed.

Another issue with the lineup is Gibbons love for the Scutaro/Macdonald combo. I simply don't understand the reasoning of putting two bad hitters in there at the same time when your offense is inconsistent. Inglett should get the majority of the time at 3rd until his batting average declines.

[Holmes]

You know what the sad part about all this is though? Its the fact that while Gibbons has Thomas benched, he can't even use Thomas to pinch run and he can't even use him as a positional player. The Jays are using up one roster spot for an extremely limited part-time player.

[evilRyu]

You know what the sad part about all this is though? Its the fact that while Gibbons has Thomas benched, he can't even use Thomas to pinch run and he can't even use him as a positional player. The Jays are using up one roster spot for an extremely limited part-time player.

True... even if he is used as a late game pinch-hitter, and reaches base, I can see him being replaced by a pinch runner

[evilRyu]

I also heard that Thomas wasn't in the game celebration at the end... that is pretty low-class, and to me, reflects what his priorities are.. if he's a team-first guy, like he claims he is, the least he can do is congratulate the team on the win.....

I want to feel bad for the guy.. but he is making it hard for me to

[Geddy]

At first I agreed with this move but now that I think about it more it doesn't seem that valid to me. It's not as if Stairs is tearing it up these days, and in big situations Stairs hasn't produced like he was doing last season. And when you look at other big mashers around the league like Ortiz, Fielder and Howard, they're off to slow offensive starts average wise but they're still going to be getting their at bats. Add that to the fact that he is a notoriously slow starter.

I'd rather have Thomas up their taking whacks instead of someone like inglett. Gibbons should have just moved him down in the order. Also, the way they worded the statement seemed a bit odd.

[The_Hater]

While I don't think that taking Thomas out of the lineup right now is a bad idea, as usual, Gibbons has handled a dicey situation with a player about as poorly as possible.

Of course Thomas hasn't handled himself here that well either. That said, people have been saying that about Frank Thomas for years. It's the very reason he played himself out of Chicago when he started moaning about his playing time there during the middle of a World Series run.

And let's not forget our good friend JP Riccardi in all of this. It was pretty much universally agreed that giving a 39 year old Thomas a huge 2 year contract was a high risk, low reward move last winter and now here he his in year 2 with $10 million worth of worthless, unmoveable, aging, benchwarming DH on his hands. Well done. And it's not like the team couldn't have used the $10 million this past winter to improve other problems...

[xAIRNESSx]

I also heard that Thomas wasn't in the game celebration at the end... that is pretty low-class, and to me, reflects what his priorities are.. if he's a team-first guy, like he claims he is, the least he can do is congratulate the team on the win.....

I want to feel bad for the guy.. but he is making it hard for me to

Thomas did not shake hands with his teammates following Toronto

[jalenrose#5]

I dunno....this whole situation reeks if you ask me. The Jays know that Thomas has been a career slow starter and if you ask me...his lack of production this early is not only frustrating, but it's also a thing you can depend on from Frank...you'll get odds similar to Tiger Woods winning the masters on Frank and slow starts...7-5...vs 8-1 for the 2nd best golfer in the world...lol....anyways.....

If the Jays didn't want anything to do with the guy....why did they even keep him after ST? Frank will never hit .300 ever again, he won't steal 20 plus, and most of all, he doesn't fit in with the Jays new style of getting on base and making things happen. Really, if Frank doesn't hit a HR, he's really a waste of space. He'll get the odd 1B and 2B but really it's been homers and that's it.

It's obvious to me that this move is merely a money move and that's all. They could've easily have done this last year too when he had an even worse start IMO....this move just reeks IMO.

Although I'm stoked this could mean Adam Lind getting a promotion...his bat right now would be a welcomed addition to an inconsistent offence

[Mak]

Thomas was released.

[raps4life~]

Thomas was released.

wtf?

[The_Hater]

So now I've read about the $10 million option that will kick in for 2009 if Thomas receives if he gets 304 plate appearances. 304!?!

You're simply a negotiating genius JP. Who else the market was going to give him that type of contract? How many teams were even in need of a DH last winter AND would have been willing to guarantee an aging oft-injured player like Thomas as many as 2 highly paid seasons? Was Isiah Thomas helping you with the negotiations?

[stro4swift]

Thomas was released.

Yeah...does that mean we'll see Bonds in TO soon???