Frank Thomas News: Pro Sports Daily

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August 31

Contra Costa Times

"The return of designated hitter Frank Thomas to the disabled list with a strained right quadricep headlined an active day for the A's, who also brought up outfielder Aaron Cunningham from Triple-A Sacramento, reinstated reliever Keith Foulke (right shoulder inflammation) from the 15-day DL and optioned left-hander Dan Meyer to Double-A Midland (Tex.). To make room for Cunningham on the 40-man roster, the team transferred right-hander Andrew Brown (right shoulder soreness) from the 15-day to the 60-day DL. The A's have now used the DL an Oakland record 24 times this season. Cunningham has been one of the A's best performers in the minor leagues this season. He played 87 games and hit .317 ..."

Thomas shakes off his struggles to hit his 521st homer

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August 10

Contra Costa Times

"Frank Thomas made his first-inning home run Saturday night at Comerica Park look as effortless as any of the 520 he'd hit previously in his career. But things have been anything but effortless since he returned from the disabled list Aug. 1 and resumed his role as the A's designated hitter. Before Saturday's 10-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers, Thomas was batting .179 with no homers and no RBI in eight games since returning from the DL. That's what made the homer he swatted on the first pitch from Detroit's Armando Galarraga so encouraging for the A's. It packed some historical wallop. The homer was the 521st of Thomas' career, which ties him with Willie McCovey and Ted Williams for 17th on ..."

Thomas appears ready; 2 optioned to Triple-A

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July 31

San Francisco Chronicle

"Frank Thomas should be back in the A's lineup as early as Friday. Thomas, who has been on the disabled list since May 28 with tendinitis in his left quadriceps, ran the bases and took batting practice against A's reliever Keith Foulke before Wednesday's series finale against Kansas City. Thomas indicated that he expects to be activated in time for Friday's game in Boston. The moves the A's made after Wednesday's 4-3 loss indicated that as well. Eric Patterson and Wes Bankston were optioned to Triple-A Sacramento before the team left town, presumably to make roster room for Thomas and Daric Barton, who has been on the DL with a neck strain. "I'm ready to play, ready to go," Thomas said. ..."

A's Thomas cleared to return

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July 30

Contra Costa Times

"The Athletics plan to activate designated hitter Frank Thomas from the disabled list as early as Friday. Thomas faced live pitching against Oakland reliever Keith Foulke in a simulated game Wednesday, the final step in his recovery from a strained right quadriceps muscle. "I'm ready to go," Thomas said as he sat in Oakland's dugout before the A's game against Kansas City. "I've got enough to get around the bases, that's all I need. Two weeks from now I should be back to full speed." Thomas has been on the disabled list since May 29, five weeks after he signed with Oakland following his release from Toronto. He will bypass a rehab assignment and be available to play for the A's when they ..."

Returning to the Cell is always big to Frank

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July 4

Chicago Sun-Times

"It has been quite the odyssey for Frank Thomas since he parted ways with the only organization he had known after the 2005 season. But hours before the game Thursday, Thomas insisted: ''Coming back here is always great because I can see these guys and remember what I did and who I am every time I walk into this ballpark. ... This is home. This is the place that made me who I am.''"

Ex-Sox Thomas proud of his non-steroid accomplishments

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July 4

Chicago Tribune

"Frank Thomas returned to Chicago on Thursday with a clear mind about his achievements during a steroid-tarnished era. "We all know that things went on, and that's the way it was," said Thomas, who owns seven White Sox franchise batting records. "I'm not going to kick and scream about it. I had a great career. I'm proud of my career. I'm proud to do it cleanly. I'm proud to be one of the guys who went the extra mile to work, and things worked out for me. "Coming back here is always great because I can see these guys and remember what I did and who I am every time I walk into this ballpark.""

Hot Thomas headed to DL

May 30

Contra Costa Times

"Frank Thomas had found himself in quite a groove by the time he injured his right quadriceps legging out a double Tuesday. That hit gave him 11 in 24 at-bats during the A's current homestand and lifted his average to .319 since joining the team on April 24. How will a stint on the disabled list mess with that? "It won't, because I know what I'm doing right now," Thomas said of his recent hot spell. "I've got the feel right now. I made a couple of adjustments I needed to make, and I'll be able to get right back to it.""

Thomas to DL? And A's lose, too

May 29

Contra Costa Times

"Seeing his team's winning streak end probably wasn't very high on manager Bob Geren's list of concerns by the time he left the A's clubhouse Wednesday night. Geren watched Roy Halladay spin his typically dominant stuff to help the Toronto Blue Jays to a 2-1 victory that snapped Oakland's string of five straight victories. After the game, news surfaced that designated hitter Frank Thomas could be headed to the disabled list with his injured right quadriceps."

Barring quick recovery, Thomas will limp to DL

May 29

San Francisco Chronicle

"Before the results came back from Frank Thomas' MRI exam, the A's were hopeful that his quadriceps injury wouldn't sideline him more than a few days. Then the tests came back showing significant inflammation in the area where the tendon meets the knee, and now it looks as if the team will have to put Thomas on the disabled list unless the problem clears up quickly. "It's inflamed really, really badly," Thomas said after the A's loss to Toronto on Wednesday. "There's nothing we can do but let it calm down. With a guy my size, you have to worry about it rupturing, so you've got to let it calm down."

A's help Thomas have a happy birthday

May 28

Contra Costa Times

columnist Art Spander

"Nothing stops the A's these days. Not singing gorillas, at least not a girl dressed up as one. Not the sparsest of crowds. Not a minor injury to Frank Thomas. Not a Toronto Blue Jays team which had won five in a row. Nothing stops the A's. These would be heady nights at El Coliseo de McAfee if only there were enough people in the stands (attendance Tuesday night was a terrifying 10,635), because there certainly are some key ones on the field. An Oakland club which started a season without expectations has put itself in a position where it no longer can escape them."

Big Hurt hits the big 4-0 in good form

May 28

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Ray Ratto

"Frank Thomas turned 40 on Tuesday, and celebrated by facing his most recent employment adventure. Then again, when you're a 40-year-old baseball player, you see a lot of old teammates and a lot of old employers, because life isn't a circle, it's a Slinky. Thus, as a mega-veteran who long ago learned how to finesse a potentially pointed question, he viewed the arrival of the Toronto Blue Jays, for whom he played in 2007 and 20 days of 2008, with no great thrill or apprehension. It was simply business, again. What wasn't business was the birthday, celebrated in slightly unsettling style with a singing telegram sent by his wife and performed by a pith-helmeted and banana-carrying ..."

Jays to A's, a happy Big Hurt birthday

May 28

Toronto Star

"It was Frank Thomas's 40th birthday yesterday, but the Jays had already given him his gift when they released him in April. Now he is back where he belongs, in A's green and gold where they appreciate what he brings to the table, while the Jays continue to pay the balance of his $8 million (all figures U.S.) contract. "Unfortunately things didn't work out, but I can't worry about that," Thomas said of his 17 months with the Jays. "I know the type of hitter I am and I have to continue to move forward. I had a wonderful year here (with the A's in 2006) but there was a great (Jays) contract out there and I had to be wise. I took the contract and it never was a real great fit for me over ..."

Hurt quad, not feelings

May 28

Toronto Sun

"To celebrate his 40th birthday yesterday, Frank Thomas' family hired a woman in a gorilla suit to dance and throw confetti and toss balloons at the birthday boy when he came out for batting practice. When she had finished her schtick, Gorilla Girl left the Big Hurt with a message. "Don't get mad, get even," she said. See, Thomas expected to celebrate the start of his fifth decade as a member of the Blue Jays, not the Oakland Athletics. That changed within three weeks of the start of the season when the Jays, concerned about Thomas' .167 batting average and lack of power, combined with the possibility that an addition $10-million US option for 2009 to kick in after 376 plate ..."