As long as Frank is healthy, he can still contribute, as we learned this season. He is a hitter and nothing more, a total zero on the basepaths that makes a Giambi look like Vince Coleman. For $9 million a year, you take a potential 40 homers, though.
It was weird enough this season to think, "Frank Thomas of the Oakland Athletics," but somehow "Frank Thomas of the Toronto Blue Jays" is even more bizarre to me.
The Toronto lineup in 2007, for now, looks something like this:
C - empty for now, could be Rod Barajas
.256/.298/.410, 11 HR, 41 RBI for Texas
1B - Lyle Overbay
.312/.372/.508, 22 HR, 92 RBI, 46 2B
2B - Aaron Hill
.291/.349/.386, 6 HR, 50 RBI
3B - Troy Glaus
.252/.355/.513, 38 HR, 104 RBI
SS - empty for now, you could see Julio Lugo or someone here
LF - Reed Johnson
.319/.390/.479, 12 HR, 49 RBI
CF - Vernon Wells
.303/.357/.542, 32 HR, 106 RBI, 40 2B, 17 SB
RF - Alex Rios
.302/.349/.516, 17 HR, 82 RBI, 15 SB
DH - Frank Thomas
.270/.381/.545, 39 HR, 114 RBI
Some folks are going to say this really makes them super potent, but there's a lot of ifs there if you ask me. Johnson and Rios are both guys that I could see collapsing to some degree. Thomas is always going to be an injury risk. And there are holes at catcher and shortstop.
So, we'll see. As much good stuff as the Jays have done the last two offseasons, and they did finish in second place this year, I think at this moment, you're looking at a team that could win 95 if things go right, or win 80 if they don't.
Other quick news: Bob Geren is the A's manager, the A's are considering Barry Bonds (but it ain't happening because they don't have the money), and Wes Helms signed a two-year, $5.45 million deal with Philly.