Post by #1 Jays Fan on Mar 5, 2008 23:09:53 GMT -5
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Frank Thomas is determined to blast a homer over the wall in left-centre field at Knology Park, where the winds have felled many a baseball, and won't feel good about heading north until he does.
"Most definitely, I'm going for it," Thomas said Wednesday, after ripping two balls that looked gone only to watch them die at the warning track. "Hey, keep doing it."
The Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter's determination is just one sign of his new approach this spring, after a laissez-faire pace at training camp last year led to abysmal numbers in April and May. Thomas salvaged his season with a strong finish, ending up with a .277 average, 26 homers and 95 RBIs, but arrived in Dunedin determined to change things.
"I'm going to be aggressive all spring because I think last March I was too passive, I was trying to push the ball to right field a lot and do all the right things, this year I'm going to come in and try to air it out," he said. "That's going to help me have a better start, I'm sure.
"I've never felt this good the first week of spring training."
Thomas started his work earlier than usual, spending a week with Walt Hriniak (his former hitting coach with the Chicago White Sox) to get his mechanics straight. By the time the 39-year-old got to training camp, he was ready to let loose.
"I'm not afraid to really let it go because I know my mechanics are sound, my head's on the ball, my finish is good, I'm getting to the ball," said Thomas. "Even today, a front-door slider from (Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett) Myers, who has a very good slider, I was still able to pull those hands through and almost hit it out.
"So I think I'm above the curve right now. Mentally it feels good."
A key for Thomas has been the confidence he now has in the surgically repaired left ankle that sidelined him for most of the 2004 and 2005 seasons. With those worries behind him, he no longer feels like he has to pick and choose when to let his massive forearms rip.
"Now I'm starting to feel comfortable going to get the ball," he said. "It's healed, it's never going to feel 100 per cent again but it feels good and I'm able to go out and get the ball and be aggressive, like I've been my whole life as a hitter."
That approach has served Thomas well during what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career. He begins 2008 with 513 home runs, 1,674 RBIs, a .303 batting average and .421 on-base percentage.
The Big Hurt also added to his credibility by becoming the only active major-leaguer to voluntarily meet with Mitchell Report investigators looking into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
The players' stance on further amendments to baseball's current plan was a main topic of discussion Wednesday during union head Donald Fehr's annual spring visit.
"I haven't really been that outspoken, I'm just one of those guys that's been clean and really had an incredible run," Thomas said. "Now knowing what was going in the late '80s and '90s, I was able to play at a high level, so I'm proud of that but the game has changed now. Guys have to really understand, there's no more chances, this drug policy is serious now."
Thomas said talk of the players agreeing to blood tests for HGH if a reliable test is found came up at the meeting, but believes many issues remain with the subject. He's in favour of blood tests, but is uneasy with certain aspects of them.
"I've heard (about) storing people's blood for countless years and urine, is that stuff safe?" he said. "I can't see someone with blood and urine stored in warehouses for 15 years go back and retest it and then feel honestly it's a clean test."
Thomas has seemed to be critical of the union's stance on drug testing in the past but softened that tone after Wednesday's meeting. He said there's been no backlash from other players to his participation with Mitchell investigators, and that his actions were a positive.
"I care about the game and I just think the game could have been portrayed a lot better with superstar players who have been around, and I'm one of them that could have helped the game look better, instead of people looking at the game as a game that's tainted," he said.
"It's not true, everyone is not on drugs, there are true performers out there who have done things over the years that are true. You just can't put everyone in the same boat."
But he wouldn't go as far as commenting on how the accomplishments of players implicated as steroid users in the Mitchell Report should be viewed. That, he says in his politically-correct best, should be left in the past.
"I know I'm clean, that's all that matters to me," he said. "I've got a few years left, that's it. When this game goes forward, there's going to be other young players who are going to have to step up and help police the game.
"Maybe it was a few, maybe it was more than a few, but they weren't by themselves so why waste time thinking about it now. I'm shocked, playing with so many great players and a lot of guys were implicated, I had no idea. Let's move on."
"Most definitely, I'm going for it," Thomas said Wednesday, after ripping two balls that looked gone only to watch them die at the warning track. "Hey, keep doing it."
The Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter's determination is just one sign of his new approach this spring, after a laissez-faire pace at training camp last year led to abysmal numbers in April and May. Thomas salvaged his season with a strong finish, ending up with a .277 average, 26 homers and 95 RBIs, but arrived in Dunedin determined to change things.
"I'm going to be aggressive all spring because I think last March I was too passive, I was trying to push the ball to right field a lot and do all the right things, this year I'm going to come in and try to air it out," he said. "That's going to help me have a better start, I'm sure.
"I've never felt this good the first week of spring training."
Thomas started his work earlier than usual, spending a week with Walt Hriniak (his former hitting coach with the Chicago White Sox) to get his mechanics straight. By the time the 39-year-old got to training camp, he was ready to let loose.
"I'm not afraid to really let it go because I know my mechanics are sound, my head's on the ball, my finish is good, I'm getting to the ball," said Thomas. "Even today, a front-door slider from (Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Brett) Myers, who has a very good slider, I was still able to pull those hands through and almost hit it out.
"So I think I'm above the curve right now. Mentally it feels good."
A key for Thomas has been the confidence he now has in the surgically repaired left ankle that sidelined him for most of the 2004 and 2005 seasons. With those worries behind him, he no longer feels like he has to pick and choose when to let his massive forearms rip.
"Now I'm starting to feel comfortable going to get the ball," he said. "It's healed, it's never going to feel 100 per cent again but it feels good and I'm able to go out and get the ball and be aggressive, like I've been my whole life as a hitter."
That approach has served Thomas well during what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career. He begins 2008 with 513 home runs, 1,674 RBIs, a .303 batting average and .421 on-base percentage.
The Big Hurt also added to his credibility by becoming the only active major-leaguer to voluntarily meet with Mitchell Report investigators looking into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
The players' stance on further amendments to baseball's current plan was a main topic of discussion Wednesday during union head Donald Fehr's annual spring visit.
"I haven't really been that outspoken, I'm just one of those guys that's been clean and really had an incredible run," Thomas said. "Now knowing what was going in the late '80s and '90s, I was able to play at a high level, so I'm proud of that but the game has changed now. Guys have to really understand, there's no more chances, this drug policy is serious now."
Thomas said talk of the players agreeing to blood tests for HGH if a reliable test is found came up at the meeting, but believes many issues remain with the subject. He's in favour of blood tests, but is uneasy with certain aspects of them.
"I've heard (about) storing people's blood for countless years and urine, is that stuff safe?" he said. "I can't see someone with blood and urine stored in warehouses for 15 years go back and retest it and then feel honestly it's a clean test."
Thomas has seemed to be critical of the union's stance on drug testing in the past but softened that tone after Wednesday's meeting. He said there's been no backlash from other players to his participation with Mitchell investigators, and that his actions were a positive.
"I care about the game and I just think the game could have been portrayed a lot better with superstar players who have been around, and I'm one of them that could have helped the game look better, instead of people looking at the game as a game that's tainted," he said.
"It's not true, everyone is not on drugs, there are true performers out there who have done things over the years that are true. You just can't put everyone in the same boat."
But he wouldn't go as far as commenting on how the accomplishments of players implicated as steroid users in the Mitchell Report should be viewed. That, he says in his politically-correct best, should be left in the past.
"I know I'm clean, that's all that matters to me," he said. "I've got a few years left, that's it. When this game goes forward, there's going to be other young players who are going to have to step up and help police the game.
"Maybe it was a few, maybe it was more than a few, but they weren't by themselves so why waste time thinking about it now. I'm shocked, playing with so many great players and a lot of guys were implicated, I had no idea. Let's move on."
