5/31/05 Store Wars

My dad sends a cute movie called Grocery Store Wars. It's obviously a parody of Star Wars, but done in such a way that it is actually educational and points out the benefits of organic foods.

The Cannes Film Festival once again only shows the cream of the crop from the film industry. This movie, for example, has the classic line, "You poop into my butthole, I poop into your butthole, back and forth forever".

Last week I caught 2 White Sox games while they were here in Anaheim. My friend and I were discussing which current players will make the Hall of Fame. Since I'm lacking in good internet links lately, I'm going to make my pitch for one of my favorite players. Here goes...

I'm a big fan of Frank Thomas. Always have been. I think he's earned a spot in the Hall of Fame, regardless of what he accomplishes the rest of his career. You can fault him for his lack of defense and his team's inability to win a World Series. But I think the following statement says everything he needs in his favor - "He is just one of 10 players in Major League history with a .300 average, 400 home runs, 1,000 RBIs, 1,000 runs scored and 1,000 walks." He's actually a career .308 hitter with 1451 walks, 2113 hits, 1439 RBIs and a .996 OPS (On base percentage plus Slugging percentage, which is what most scouts use to determine player productivity as a hitter). Compare that to Sammy Sosa, who many would say is a shoe-in for the Hall of Fame - Sammy Sosa has struck out nearly twice as many times in his as Frank. 2131 to 1134. Frank Thomas ranks 10th all-time in OPS and 4th among active players (behind Barry Bonds, Todd Helton and Manny Ramirez). Also on the list are Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Hank Greenberg and Rogers Hornsby. Not bad company. Interestingly enough, the top 5 names on the list are all lefties. Hmmm... And where does "shoe-in" Sammy rank? Sixty-fifth. To say Frank Thomas is "on the bubble" or that "he has to hit 500 career homeruns" is insulting. He is in an elite group of hitters, feared by pitchers and admired by players, managers and fans alike. The numbers don't lie. Frank deserves to be a first ballot Hall of Famer. I am now stepping down from my soapbox.