Frank Thomas, the White Sox thumper who’s already among the best offensive players in recent baseball history, should win the American’s League Most Valuable Player Award, possibly by a landslide.
But he said before Monday night’s loss to Boston that he’s taking no chances.
“I’m going to keep it up so there’s no doubt about it,” he insisted. “I want to put up a big performance the last month.”
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I don’t know how Thomas could do much better. He leads the league in runs batted in with 120, is tied for second in home runs with 40 and is third in batting with a .321 average.
I told Thomas he looks like a cinch MVP, especially if the runaway White Sox win their division.
“If the season ended today, I’d vote for myself,” Thomas said. “But you can never tell about awards.”
His reply surprised me. He rarely talks about his achievements, real or potential.
“The MVP has been in the back of my mind, but I’ve been playing it down because we haven’t won anything,” he said. “Right now my mind is on winning, not on personal awards.”
Thomas said he should have finished among the top three in the MVP voting each of the last two seasons. He was third two years ago, behind Cal Ripken and Cecil Fielder, but was a distant eighth last season when he only drew one first-place vote.
His main competition appears to be John Olerud, the sweet-swinging Toronto first baseman who maintained a .400 average for almost three months but has since dropped to .379.
“His numbers right now don’t stack up with mine,” Thomas said. “And the lineup they have is too explosive for one guy to even think about carrying that club.”
Thomas then rattled off the names of Toronto’s other strong hitters, such as Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar and Paul Molitor.
A significant difference between Thomas and Olerud is this: Thomas does carry a club.
“I know he’s carried this team for a long time-offensively,” said third baseman Robin Ventura.
Ventura was asked where the Sox would be if they didn’t have the “Big Hurt.”
“Probably in fourth place,” Ventura replied.
Ventura insists Thomas is the ideal MVP.
“The guy who’s the most valuable player should be someone on a team that wouldn’t be the same without him,” he said. “That’s definitely Frank.”
Outfielder Ellis Burks, a crucial member of the White Sox, agreed.
“We’d be behind Kansas City and Texas, that’s for sure,” Burks said.
“Frank should be the MVP,” shortstop Ozzie Guillen insisted. “And you know why? It’s because he’s played better defensively.”
Not only has Thomas improved in the field, but he has cut down on his strikeouts. He averaged 100 in each of the last two years. But he has struck out only 48 times this season.
“He’s learned more about the pitchers,” said batting coach Walt Hriniak. “And he’s been swinging at more first pitches. He’s more aggressive early in the count.”
Manager Gene Lamont said he isn’t sure Thomas is having a career year. “He’s having a great season, but we don’t know what he’ll do in the future,” said Lamont.
What impresses Lamont the most, aside from his obvious offensive ability, is Thomas’ competitive drive.
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“There is no question that Cecil Fielder is a big RBI man,” Lamont said. “Cecil has led the majors in RBIs for the last three years. And then we go into Detroit, Cecil’s home field, and Frank drives in nine runs in the next three games. And that was head-to-head against his main rival. I don’t know how the voting will go, but Frank has to be the MVP.”
Amen!