Comments on: Frank Thomas: On the Verge of History http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/636 This and that about baseball stats. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:06:20 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David in Toledo http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/636/comment-page-1#comment-4475 David in Toledo Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:27:01 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/636#comment-4475 So, with his release by Toronto, is Frank Thomas not just on the verge of history, but history? So, with his release by Toronto, is Frank Thomas not just on the verge of history, but history?

]]> By: kingturtle http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/636/comment-page-1#comment-4422 kingturtle Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:36:24 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/636#comment-4422 It looks to me like major media outlets read Stat of the Day. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/4527/news "Apr 14 DH Frank Thomas popped out in the seventh inning Sunday in Texas. It marked his 9,832 plate appearance without recording a sacrifice bunt. He now holds the Major League record, passing Harmon Killebrew. Thomas also is just eight sacrifice flies shy of tying Eddie Murray (who has 128) for the all-time lead." It looks to me like major media outlets read Stat of the Day.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/4527/news

"Apr 14 DH Frank Thomas popped out in the seventh inning Sunday in Texas. It marked his 9,832 plate appearance without recording a sacrifice bunt. He now holds the Major League record, passing Harmon Killebrew. Thomas also is just eight sacrifice flies shy of tying Eddie Murray (who has 128) for the all-time lead."

]]> By: spartanbill http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/636/comment-page-1#comment-4415 spartanbill Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:26:09 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/636#comment-4415 Maybe Cecil Fielder and Ron Kittle don't have any SH's because of their awesome ability to leg out bunt singles. :-) Maybe Cecil Fielder and Ron Kittle don't have any SH's because of their awesome ability to leg out bunt singles. :-)

]]> By: David in Toledo http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/636/comment-page-1#comment-4411 David in Toledo Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:12:14 +0000 http://www.baseball-reference.com/sotd/archives/636#comment-4411 In the case of Frank Edward ("Big Hurt") Thomas, it may not be that he can't lay down a SH. After all, there are 28 HoFers with 10 or fewer career SH (and yes, a few of those, like Wilbert Robinson, Walter Alston, and Tommy Lasorda, are on the list for some eccentric reason such as managing the Dodgers). Also, the sacrifice is out of favor as stathead strategy, so a hip manager might never ask Frank Thomas to bunt, whether he can bunt or not. But Frank Thomas's strength may just lie in a different direction: up. With 3 more sacrifice flies, he will rank third all-time in that category, passing Sierra, Brett, Aaron, and Yount. 9 more, and he'll have 129 and be first in career sac flies. Why have a player sac bunt? Often, so he can't hit (down) into a double play. And here Frank Thomas isn't even (quite) into the top 50. With "only" 218 career GIDP, he is far behind Killebrew, I-Rod, Aaron, and Ripken, who leads with 350. In the case of Frank Edward ("Big Hurt") Thomas, it may not be that he can't lay down a SH. After all, there are 28 HoFers with 10 or fewer career SH (and yes, a few of those, like Wilbert Robinson, Walter Alston, and Tommy Lasorda, are on the list for some eccentric reason such as managing the Dodgers).

Also, the sacrifice is out of favor as stathead strategy, so a hip manager might never ask Frank Thomas to bunt, whether he can bunt or not.

But Frank Thomas's strength may just lie in a different direction: up. With 3 more sacrifice flies, he will rank third all-time in that category, passing Sierra, Brett, Aaron, and Yount. 9 more, and he'll have 129 and be first in career sac flies.

Why have a player sac bunt? Often, so he can't hit (down) into a double play. And here Frank Thomas isn't even (quite) into the top 50. With "only" 218 career GIDP, he is far behind Killebrew, I-Rod, Aaron, and Ripken, who leads with 350.

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