Reflecting on the career of the Big Hurt

One of my favorite players of the 1990's, Frank Thomas has recently called it quits as a Professional ballplayer.  The "Big Hurt" known as his nickname throughout baseball concluded his career in 2008 with Oakland.  He finished with 521 Home Run and was the 1993 and 1994 AL MVP.  Some questions have been raised about Thomas...

#1: Was Frank Thomas clean?
My take is that yes, he was... And I truly believe that.  Playing in an era marred by performance enhancing drugs, Frank has been connected with steriods and steriod reports.  In today's world everyone associated with the game seems to be a suspect.  Frank, being as big as he was... was always linked to steriods.  When he hit his 500th home run in 2007, he adamantly was proud of how in his words "Did it the right way."  I really think he is telling the truth.  The guy is a big guy.  He played football at Auburn and could hammer the ball.  Some people are just big people.  I will go with innocent until proven guilty with Frank.  I loved the way he played, but in today's game every home run hitter will be tainted and that is just the way it is.

#2: Will Frank Thomas be voted into the Hall of Fame?
Again, I believe he will be and should be.  I don't think he will be a first ballot hall of famer.  He had some down seasons.  Overall, in the 1990's it was the Thomas and Griffey show.  Them 2 players are the players of the decade in my opinion.  Hitting 500 homer's isn't as exclusive as it used to be.  It still is a great accomplishment though.  Hitting 500 proves that you had longevity.  Longevity in my opinion is one of the great things about baseball, You don't see athletes in the NFL or NBA playing 20 year's, like you do in the MLB.  In the next 10 years, I believe you will see Frank Thomas be inducted into Cooperstown.

Frank had a great career which lasted from 1990-2008.  Not all people like Frank and his controversial end with the White Sox in 2005 was pretty much a bad soap opera.  Frank will go down as one of the greatest southsider's to put play the game.  Look foward to seeing Thomas in the Hall of Fame in the upcoming years.