The Big Hurt

[djacks]

Is Frank Thomas ever gonna be a worthy fantasy starter again? Last year was supposed to be his recovery year, and this year he was supposed to be 30/100 but I just don't see it. Every game seems like the same stat line.....0-2, 0 rbi, 2 bb, maybe a run. Hit the frickin' ball already!!!! What the hell happened to the perinneal .300 hitter that I was hoping for.

[Chiggidy Chester]

I don't know what to tell ya man. I guess you can just start calling him Frank "The big blob" Thomas. I just think he's one of those guys that doesn't have a large window of dominance in his career. He peaked and now he's declining rapidly. Nobody expects him to get back to where he once was. I don't quite understand it myself. This guy was a spokesperson for plate discipline mixed with power. He reminds me of Jose Canseco. The last few years of his career he was this mammoth that looked menacing at the plate but all he could do was pop it up most of the time.

I'm gonna take a real shot in the dark here and strictly speculate without anything to back it up that he is incapable of self perpetuating confidence. What I mean is he is missing some mental tools required to make adjustments, think objectively, and generally handle all the negativity that goes along with not living up to expectation. I'm a big believer in confidence turning into results and it seems to me his confidence factory isn't producing any product. When he first became good his results fueled his confidence. When the going gets tough you have to start manufacturing your own confidence to get to the level again where once again results are producing confidence for you.

I know I know it's all so philosophical. How about this for an answer......He's a headcase.