Frank Thomas Chicago White Sox

Frank Thomas was one of the biggest and best stars in baseball back when my love for the game was at its peak. In my opinion he was one of the best player to ever play for the Chicago White Sox. Broadcaster Ken Harrelson coined the nickname “The Big Hurt” for Thomas in the 1992 season. Frank Thomas is known for his menacing home run power; he routinely swung a rusted piece of rebar (reportedly found during a renovation project in Old Comiskey Park in the on-deck circle. He is part of an elite group of four players (including Mel Ott, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams) to have at least a .300 batting average, 500 home runs, 1,500 RBI, 1,000 runs and 1,500 walks in a career.

Today Thomas decided to retire. This was not surprising given his age and how long its been since he last suited up for a baseball game. Fanhouse had this to say about his retirement:

Saying he’s “at peace” with his decision, Frank Thomas announced his retirement Friday following a 19-season career in which he hit 521 homers and won two American League MVP awards with the Chicago White Sox.

Considering he didn’t play last season, the news was hardly shocking.

“It took awhile to get to this point,” the 41-year-old Thomas said during a news conference at U.S. Cellular Field. “I know I hadn’t played since 2008, but I had to get baseball out of my system before I made this announcement. I’m happy with this announcement. I’m at peace with it. I had one heck of a career. I’m proud of it.”

With his power and ability to hit for a high average and reach base, Thomas figures to land in the Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

A five-time All-Star who batted .301 with a .419 on-base average, Thomas is tied for 18th with Ted Williams and Willie McCovey on baseball’s home run list while driving in 1,704 runs. And in an era clouded by performance-enhancing drugs, he was outspoken against their use.

Thomas split his final three seasons between Oakland and Toronto, but he’ll be remembered most for a 16-year run with the White Sox.

Thomas’s departure from the White Sox was somewhat controversial. He and White Sox General Manager Kenny Williams exchanged words before Thomas left for Oakland. After signing with Oakland, Thomas said that he didn’t appreciate the way his 16-year run with the White Sox ended, saying that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf didn’t call him to tell him he wasn’t coming back. He also said that he and Williams didn’t see eye-to-eye after Williams became GM following the 2000 season. At the time, Thomas was unhappy that his next-to-last deal with the White Sox contained a “diminished skills” clause. He said the White Sox should have traded him after the playoffs that season.

Thomas went on to play for the Oakland Athletics in 2006, the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007-2008, and then back to the Oakland A’s in ‘08, but regardless of where Thomas played during his career however he will go down in history best remembered as a member of the White Sox and will always be considered one of the greatest designated hitters of all-time.

After weeks and weeks of speculation on when New York Yankees star player Derek Jeter will eventually wed his fiancee and actress Minka Kelly, word is spreading fast that they’ve chosen a date, November 5th, 2010. Does that date look at all funny to you baseball fans?

Ummm, yeah that’s only a day or two after the end of a possible World Series appearance for the Yankees next year! Well at least he didn’t schedule it for a date DURING the World Series.

Then again, wait a minute….maybe Jeter is actually a genius. If the Yankees do make the World Series next year then he will be so focused on baseball and winning another chip, he will have all the excuses in the world not to be a part of the wedding planning. Damn, Jeter that’s a genius move. What didn’t I think of that? (Oh wait, i’m not a professional ball player for the Yankees, and I doubt my wife would have let me out of planning for my recreation league finals…)

Apparently the New York Post broke the story open by spotting a date in the calendar for the ritzy reception palace Oheka Castle in Huntington, LI that said “Jeter Wedding” on November 5th. The castle, the second-largest private residence in the United States, has hosted lavish parties for royalty, Hollywood stars and heads of state for nearly a century. Teen idol Kevin Jonas was married there last month.
Oheka, known for fiercely protecting the privacy of its guests, would not comment.

As of late Yankees star player Alex Rodriguez has been on a reputation rebuilding campaign after being smeared in the media for his confession a few months ago that he took performance enhancing drugs earlier in his career. While its not certain if this was his idea, or a PR push to rebuild his reputation to ensure he doesn’t lose any more sponsorship/spokesperson opportunities, one this is certain, this latest public outreach by Rodriguez is great for the target audience. Students. We often forget how much young ball players look up to their favorite players. And when it comes to baseball A-Rod is the favorite player of many. For him to admit what he did was a mistake, and the fact he is now willing to talk about the err of his ways is a great message for developing ball players.

Here is what the Baltimore Sun had to say about the recent A-Rod talks with students:

New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez made an unexpected visit to 500 students at a Baltimore County school to deliver an anti-steroid message Tuesday, months after admitting publicly that he used performance-enhancing drugs earlier in his career.

At the time of his admission, Rodriguez vowed to turn his past transgressions into a positive lesson for young athletes and he apparently is attempting to uphold that promise by discreetly speaking to select students this season. It’s under the agreement, however, that the talks are not covered by the media.

After previously addressing groups in New York City and Texas, he presented his anti-steroids message at Milford Mill Academy on Tuesday, hours before Rodriguez’s Yankees played the Orioles at Camden Yards.

He talked for about 10 minutes and answered several questions from Milford Mill athletes, who did not know the identity of their guest speaker until shortly before the three-time American League Most Valuable Player stepped to the podium.

Rodriguez had this to say to the students about his steroid use earlier in his career:

“I’m here because I made a mistake, and one of my missions in life is to turn a negative into a positive,” Alex Rodriguez told a gathering of student-athletes at Milford Mill Academy. “And to actually tell the truth, it feels pretty darn good and liberating. It is very important to me professionally and spiritually.”

I’ve heard some pretty terrible singing of anthems in my sports watching days, but forgetting the words to ‘God Bless America’? C’mon now. It’s not like her rendition had a whole lot of words to remember anyhow. Erika David may be an up and coming pop star, and she may have even had some good harmony when singing at the Dodgers game last night. But damn, did she ever butcher the words to ‘God Bless America’.