Day 22 - Big Hurt No More

I have to say I was surprised to hear Thomas had been released. I for one believe he still has something left and that he is just going through his usual slow start. Yes, he is the on the downside, but I believe given the opportunity he would probably come close to matching last year’s output, maybe slightly less. The Jays can say all they want that this move is b/c they can’t wait around for him to get going, they need somebody who is producing now, but this move was down b/c of next year, plain and simple. If not for the vesting option in the contract the Jays would surely still have Thomas on the team.

Now maybe this comes from never having played baseball professionally, but I don’t get the whole political issue of not being able to drop Thomas in the batting order. Sure the guy is going to be a hall of famer, but if he wants to continue playing in his 40’s he is going to have to accept the fact that he may not be best suited for the middle of the lineup. I would have dropped Thomas in the batting order to say 7th behind Stairs and Overbay while he struggles through April and probably part of May and they could probably give him a day off a little more frequently.

The good news is this clears the way for Adam Lind once he is fully healthy. I believed at the end of last season that Lind should be this year’s starting LF and I would not have brought back Stairs this offseason simply b/c they just wouldn’t have roster room w/Thomas at DH, and Lind/Johnson in LF and no need to carry a 5th OF. Of course Johnson has now been replaced by Stewart, but w/Thomas gone that opens up Stairs to DH and Lind should now platoon with Stewart in left.