Frank Edward Thomas... Married with three
children...Was signed by Danny Monzon and Mike
Rizzo...Signed a football scholarship with Auburn in
1986...Played only as a freshman, catching three passes
for 45 yards as a tight end...Played baseball at Auburn and
left holding the school record for career home runs (49) and
single-season record for walks (73) and home runs (21)...
Named Southeastern Conference MVP in 1989 and was an
All-SEC Tournament selection... Selected to The Sporting
News 1989 All-America Team... Led the SEC in batting
(.403) and RBI (83) and finished second in home runs
(19)... Named First-Team All-SEC first baseman in 1988...
Led the SEC with a .385 average... Named the designated
hitter on Baseball America's Modern Era College All-Star
Team... Selected to Baseball America's Freshman
All-America Team and First-Team All-SEC in 1987... Member
of the U.S. Pan-Am Team... Graduate of Columbus
(Ga.) High School... Made a cameo appearance in the
1992 film, "Mr. Baseball", starring Tom Selleck... Appeared
in an episode of "Married With Children" in November
1994...Established the Frank Thomas Charitable Foundation
in 1993 to improve the lives of Chicago-area residents...
Created "Big Hurt's Buddies" program to supply
hundreds of free tickets to fans... Donates $50,000 annually
to the Leukemia Society of America in memory of a younger
sister who passed away from the disease when he was 10...
Introduced own candy bar, the "Frank Thomas Bar", in
February 1996 to assist fund-raising...In 2007, was a
Post-Season Baseball Analyst on TBS.
2007
Led the Blue Jays with 26 home runs, 95
RBI and a .377 on base percentage...
AMONG THE ELITE: Has now recorded 11 seasons of at least 25 HR and 95 RBI
for his career...Is tied for the 2nd most on the all-time list
(Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and Willie Mays all had 12)...Is
one of just four players in MLB history to record a .300
batting average, 500 home runs, 1500 RBI, 1000 runs
scored and 1500 walks...The other three players on this
elite list are Ted Williams, Babe Ruth and Mel Ott...Ranks
18th on the all-time home run list (513), 9th in walks (1628),
18th in OBP (.421), 20th in SLG (.561) and 22nd in RBI
(1674)...Has hit 261 career home runs as a designated hitter
which represents the most by any DH in Major League
history...Passed Edgar Martinez (243 HR) for the lead back
on June 17 vs. WAS...Among the all-time designated hitters
list, ranks 2nd in walks (862), 3rd in OBP (.396), 3rd in RBI
(852), 4th in runs (736), 4th in SLG (.512), 5th in hits (1229)
and 5th in doubles (249)...
"HURTING" THE OPPOSITION: Among active players, nobody has hit more home runs vs.
the Boston Red Sox than Frank Thomas with 40 (T-7th all
time)...Hit five home runs vs. the Red Sox in '07, including
three off Tim Wakefield...Has hit six career home runs off
Wakefield (T-2nd most hit off any one pitcher)...In fact, has
had two 3-HR games in his career (1996 & 2007), both vs.
BOS & both games were started by Wakefield...Five of
those six career home runs vs. Wakefield were delivered in
those two contests...
IN THE BOOKS: On Aug. 28, 1990 at
MIN, Frank Thomas hit his 1st career home run off Gary
Wayne...7,583 at bats later, in the very same batters box, hit
his 500th career home run (off Carlos Silva on June
28)...Became the 21st player in ML history to reach that
milestone...Recorded his 500th career home run in his
7663rd at bat (15.33 HR/AB), becoming the 13th fastest to
reach that plateau...At 39.033 years of age, became the 5th
oldest player to record his 500th career home run...Had
hit 500 home runs off a total of 323 different pitchers...For
his career, has hit more home runs vs. the Twins than any
other opponent (52-HR, T-2nd on all-time
list)...
DESIGNATED PRODUCER: His 26 home runs were
the 2nd most by a Blue Jay DH over a single season (Brad
Fullmer hit 32 in 2000)...His 81 walks were the most ever by
a Blue Jay DH...His 95 RBI were the 2nd most delivered by
a Toronto DH over a course of a single season and his 146
hits were the 3rd most...Among designated hitters this season,
ranked 3rd in HR, batting average, hits, SLG and T-3rd
in RBI...
MULTI-TASKING: Led the Jays with four multi-HR
games this season (32 for his career)...The four multi-HR
games matched his career high (3rd time, 2000 & 2003 being
the others)...On Sept. 17 vs. BOS matched a career
high with three home runs (2nd time)...Set a season high five
RBI in that contest...His last three homer performance also
came against the Red Sox (at Fenway Park on Sept. 15,
1996)...The last Blue Jay to hit three HR in one game was
Vernon Wells back on May 30, 2006 vs. BOS...
GRAND
TIMING: Was one of nine AL players to hit at least two grand
slams this season...Hit his first grand slam vs. TB on Apr. 7
(Fossum) and June 20 vs. LAD (Kuo)...Has hit 10 career
grand slams...On Apr. 2 at DET, extended his opening-day
hitting streak to 13 games...Is the longest of its kind since
Will Clark hit in 14 consecutive opening-day contests from
1986 to 2000...On June 20 vs. LAD, recorded two hits in the
2nd inning (GS-HR & a single)...It marked the 1st time a
Blue Jay had two hits in the same inning since Reed Johnson
did so back on June 2, 2006 vs. TB (1B/HR)...Thomas accumulated six total bases in that inning...That marked the
most total bases in a single inning by a Jay since Carlos
Delgado on July 27, 2003 vs. BAL (six total bases,
HR/2B)...
HOMECOOKING: Was 4th in the AL with 19 home
runs at home and T-8th with 58 RBI...Knocked in a run in 10
straight home games from July 23-Aug. 15 (22 total)...His
159 career home runs vs. lefties are the 5th most on the
all-time list...
QUITE THE HONOR: Was named the
Toronto BBWAA Player of the Month for both June and August...
In June, batted .289 with five home runs and 18
RBI...Batted .316 with five home runs and 26 RBI in the
month of August...The 26 RBI were the T-4th most among
AL players.
2006
Was named the 2006 Players Choice Award Winner
for the AL Comeback Player of the Year...It was the 9th time
in his career he hit 30 home runs, but just the second time he
has done that over the last six years (105 in 2003)... Since
the statistic became official in 1920, only five players have
more 100 RBI seasons... They are Jimmie Fox 913), Lou
Gehrig (13), Barry Bonds (12), Babe Ruth (12, not including
114 RBI in 1919), and Al Simmons (12)...Led the A's in
home runs, RBI, on-base percentage (.381) and slugging
percentage (.545)... His 39 home runs tied for the 8th best
single-season total in Oakland history... Set an Oakland record
for home runs and RBI by a designated hitter... Tied for
2nd among AL designated hitters in home runs this year,
but that total tied for the 3rd best single season total ever by
a DH... Tied for the AL lead in two-out RBI (53)... Averaged
4.36 pitches per plate appearances, which was 3rd most in
the AL and the second best mark of his career (4.47 in
1990)... Led the AL in post-break RBI and was 3rd in home
runs...Did not play in a spring training game until March 26,
but he homered in his second at bat... Then homered in his
first regular season at bat on Apr 3 against New York's
Randy Johnson... He became the 9th player in Oakland history
to homer in his first at bat in an A's uniform...Got off to a
slow start, he batted .190 (15-79) in Apr... It was just the
second time in his career he hit under .200 in a full month
(.183 in Aug. 2002)...Played in the 2000th game of his career
on May 28 at Texas...Was on the Disabled List from
June 15-29 with a strained right quadriceps... It was his
seventh career stint on the DL, his fourth in the last three
seasons... Missed 13 games while on the DL, nine of which
came in National League ballparks when the DH was not
used... Was re-instated from the DL on June 30 and started
each of the A's next 79 games through Sept 26, the night the
A's clinched the AL West...Drew his 1500th career walk on
July 4 vs. DET...Was ejected from the game on Jul 23 at
DET by Adam Dowdy... Homered in an Athletics record and
career best six consecutive games from Sept 5-11... Broke
the previous mark of five held by George Alusik (1962),
Dave Kingman (1986), and Matt Stairs (1998)... It was the
21st time in his career he homered in at least three consecutive
games... Had eight home runs and 19 RBI in his first 10
games in Sept... Was named AL Player of the Week for the
week of Sept 4-10 after batting .462 (12-26) with five home
runs, 13 RBI, and eight runs scored in six games... Went
0-13 with no walks in a three-game series against LAA from
Sept 22-24, the only time all year he went at least two consecutive
games without reaching base... Finished Sept.
with 10 home runs and 31 RBI... Led the AL in home runs
and RBI in the month... The RBI equaled his most ever in a
month (Jul, 1994; July, 1997; Aug, 2003) and it was the most
RBI in a month by an Athletic since Jermaine Dye had 32 in
Aug. 2001.
2006 POST-SEASON: In three LDS games vs. MIN batted
.500 (5-10), with one double and two home runs... Became
the oldest player in post-season history to have a multi-HR
game in Game one of the LDS vs. MIN...Went 0-13 vs. DET
in the LCS.
2005
Opened the season on the disabled list while recovering
from off-season surgery on his left ankle... Played in
11 games at Triple-A Charlotte on a rehabilitation assignment
from May 17 to 29, batting .190 (8 for 42) with one
home run and four RBI... Was reinstated on May 30 and
made his season debut that day against Los Angeles (AL),
going 0 for 2 before leaving with a strained right hip flexor...
Was placed on the DL a second time on July 21 with an inflammation
in the foot... His season ended after medical
evaluations revealed a second fracture in his ankle... Was
transferred to the 60-day DL on September 1... Spent the
last two months of the season with his foot immobilized...Hit
eight home runs in June which tied for second in the American
League... Hit his second career pinch hit home run on
June 8 at Colorado (also June 7, 2000 at Cincinnati)...
Homered in three straight games, June 13-17, the 19th time
he has done that in his career...Hit the game-winning solo
home run in the 13th inning on June 29 at Detroit... The run
that he scored on the home run was the 1320th of his career
which set aWhite Sox all-time record, breaking the previous
record set by Luke Appling... Is Chicago's all-time leader in
runs scored (1327), home runs (448), doubles (447), RBI
(1465), extra base hits (906), walks (1466), total bases
(3949), slugging (.568) and on-base percentage
(.427)...Hit 10 home runs in his first 69 at bats, the fastest he
ever reached 10 home runs (previous had been in 100 at
bats in 1994)... The last AL player to reach 10 home runs in
fewer than 70 at bats was Carlos Delgado who did it in 56 at
bats in 2001.
2004
Was limited by a left ankle injury to 74 games... Was
placed on the 15-day disabled list on July 10, retroactive to
July 7, with a partial stress fracture of the navicular bone in
his left ankle and missed the rest of the season... Underwent
surgery on October 6 at UCLA Medical Center in Los
Angeles... During the procedure performed by Dr. Richard
Ferkel, debris was removed from the ankle, a bone graft
was performed, and two screws were inserted in the
area...At the time he was disabled, he led the American
League in walks (64) and on-base percentage (.434),
ranked fifth in slugging percentage (.563) and seventh in
home runs (18)...Made his 14th consecutive Opening Day
start on April 5 at Kansas City, the second-longest streak in
Sox history behind Luke Appling and Ray Schalk (15
each)... Was 3 for 5 with two doubles, a home run and four
RBI on June 8 vs. Philadelphia... his first double was career
No. 441, breaking Luke Appling's franchise record...Received
his eighth career ejection on May 16 vs. Minnesota
and his ninth on June 27 vs. the Cubs.
2003
His 42 home runs tied Carlos Delgado for second in
the American League behind Alex Rodriguez (47) and were
the third-highest total in franchise history behind Albert
Belle (49 in 1998) and his own personal best of 43 set in
2000...Was named to The Sporting News post-season
All-Star team as the designated hitter...Hit 40-plus home
runs for the fifth time in his career, drove in 100-plus runs for
the 10th time and drew 100-plus walks for the 10th
time...His 34 home runs as the designated hitter led the AL
and set a franchise record... His 29 homers at home led the
major leagues and were tied with Albert Belle (1998) for the
second-highest total in franchise history behind his record
of 30 set in 2000...Hit his 400th career home run on July 25
vs. Tampa Bay with a solo shot off Jorge Sosa, the 36th
player in major-league history to reach that level... Collected
his 2,000th career hit on August 4 vs. Kansas City
with a 454-foot solo homer off Nate Field, becoming the
fourth in club history to reach that milestone...Led the AL in
home runs and slugging percentage (.732) vs. lefties... His
13 home runs in August were a career monthly best and tied
Dick Allen (July 1972) for the second-highest monthly total
in Sox history...Was named AL Pepsi co-Player of the Week
for August 18-24 (13th career weekly honor) after hitting
.321 (9 for 28) with six homers and 12 RBI... Collected 16
game-winning RBI, including two game-ending homers...
Hit two home runs on August 18 vs. Anaheim, including his
third career game-ending shot (off Jarrod Washburn), and
on July 20 vs. Detroit... Also homered twice on July 2 vs.
Minnesota, including a game-ending, two-run shot in the
12th inning off Eddie Guardado...Became the Sox all-time
leader with 3,530 total bases on June 1 at Cleveland... Hit
his 8th career grand slam on August 26 at New York off
Roger Clemens... Hit his 400th career double on May 13 vs.
Baltimore... Became the Sox all-time leader with 1,303
walks on April 18 vs. Cleveland, breaking Luke Appling's
53-year-old record...Batted second for the first time in his
career on May 7 at Oakland, going 4 for 6 with two
doubles... Received his 7th career ejection on June 17 vs.
Boston (balls and strikes).
2002
Returned from a season-ending injury in April 2001 to
bat .252 with 28 home runs, 88 walks and 92 RBI in 148
games... His 88 walks were tied for seventh in the AL... 24
of 28 home runs came at Comiskey Park, tying Ordonez for
third-most at home by an AL batter (Alex Rodriguez hit 34 in
Texas and Jim Thome 30 in Cleveland)...Was ejected on
July 2 vs. Detroit for arguing balls and strikes (sixth career).
and Jim Thome 30 in Cleveland)...59 RBI at home ranked ninth...hit the longest home run in new Comiskey Park history (495 feet, since broken) on July 23 vs. Minnesota...homered in consecutive games five times...his 10 sacrifice flies tied for
fourth in the league...led the AL with an average of 4.27 pitches per plate appearance...made his 12th straight Opening Day start...batted .359 (28 for 78) in September, sixth-best in the
league...was 4 for 5 with a career high three doubles on July 17 at Kansas City...went 3 for 3 in stolen base attempts...batted sixth in the second game of a doubleheader on July 13 at Detroit, the first time starting in that spot since May 8, 1991 vs. Milwaukee...hit a career-low .239 prior to the break...was ejected on July 2 vs. Detroit for arguing balls and strikes (sixth career)...started four times at first base (April 6-7 at Kansas City, June 18 at Philadelphia and June 21 at Atlanta).
2001
Season ended on April 27 vs. Seattle when he suffered
a torn right triceps... Sustained the injury diving for a
ball hit by Ichiro Suzuki while playing first base in the second
inning... Was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May
10 retroactive to April 30 and underwent surgery on May 15
at Palos Community Hospital in a procedure performed by
Dr. Scott Price, White Sox team physician... Missed the final
141 games... Homered in the Sox home opener on April 6
against Detroit for the third straight season.
2000
Finished second in the American League Most Valuable
Player voting behind Oakland's Jason Giambi after hitting
.328 with career highs of 43 home runs and 143 RBI...
Giambi collected 317 points to 285 for Thomas... Was
named AL Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting
News and won his fourth career Silver Slugger Award (also
1991, '93-94)... Also was selected to Baseball America's
Major League All-Star Team and named in a survey by the
same publication as the Second Best Power Hitter in baseball...
Was named to the White Sox All-Century Team, receiving
the most votes in the season-long voting by fans...
His 28-home run increase from 1999 (15 to 43) was the second-
largest in baseball behind Houston's Richard Hidalgo
(15 to 44)...Hit a franchise-record 30 home runs at home,
passing Albert Belle's mark of 29 in 1998... Combined with
Magglio Ordonez (126) to drive in 269 runs, breaking the
franchise record of 266 set by Zeke Bonura (138) and Luke
Appling (128) in 1936...Recorded 100 RBI, 100 walks and
100 runs scored for the ninth time in 10 full seasons, now
fourth-most in baseball history behind Babe Ruth (12), Lou
Gehrig (11) and Barry Bonds (10)... Was named AL Player
of the Week for April 3-9 and the post break period of July
13-16, his 11th and 12th career weekly honors...Hit grand
slams on April 26 vs. Baltimore (Sidney Ponson) and September
11 vs. Detroit (Nelson Cruz)... Matched his career
high with six RBI on July 15 vs. St. Louis... Became the Sox
all-time RBI leader on July 14 vs. St. Louis with a two-run
homer off Garrett Stephenson, breaking Luke Appling's
50-year old club record of 1116... Set the record in 1459
games compared to 2422 for Appling... Hit his first career
pinch-hit home run on June 7 at Cincinnati, a two-run shot in
the sixth that gave the Sox a 4-3 lead and led to a
three-game sweep... Scored his 1,000th career run on June
6 at Cincinnati...Began the season with an 11-game hitting
streak (.478, 22 for 46), his second-longest to open a
season (15 in 1996).
2000 POST-SEASON: Went 0-for-9 in the ALDS vs. the Seattle
Mariners.
1999
Season was cut short due to an injury to his right ankle
which eventually required surgery... For the first time in
his career, did not rank among the AL Top 10 in a major offensive
category...Underwent season-ending surgery on
his right foot on September 13... Team podiatrist Dr. Lowell
Scott Weil removed a spur from the ankle, a corn from his
small toe and performed several other minor podiatric procedures...
Became the eighth player in Sox history to
amass 1500 hits on June 24 vs. Minnesota... Compiled a
career-long 21-game hitting streak from May 24-June 15
(.402, 33 for 82)...Collected his 1000th RBI on June 6 vs.
Pittsburgh... Drew his 1,000th walk on April 17 at Kansas
City... Hit his 300th career home run on August 7 at Oakland...
Hit his 300th career double on June 18 vs. Baltimore...
His first-inning double on May 3 at Anaheim was his
588th extra base hit, breaking Luke Appling's club record.
1998
Reached the century mark in runs (109), RBI (109)
and walks (110) despite hitting a then career-low .265...
drove in at least 100 runs for the eighth straight season...
Only Al Simmons (1924-34) owned a longer streak to start a
career...Saw 2903 pitches which tied Oakland's Rickey
Henderson for most in the AL...Hit his fifth career grand
slam on July 31 at Texas... Hit a game-winning, three-run
homer off Rick Aguilera in the bottom of the ninth inning on
July 14 vs. Minnesota... Was ejected on May 4 at Anaheim
by Jim McKean for arguing balls and strikes...Tripled twice
in three games from August 24-26...His triple on August 24
vs. Seattle was his first since June 19, 1994.
1997
With a .347 average, became the second player
(third time) in Sox history and first since Luke Appling in
1943 (.328) to win the AL batting title... at 6-5, 275 pounds,
became the largest player ever to win a batting title... Dave
Parker (1978-79) and John Olerud (1993) each were listed
at 6-5 when they led the league in average, while Parker and
Andres Galarraga (1993) each weighed 235...Was the top
player in baseball according to the annual rankings of the
Elias Sports Bureau... Received a score of 97.5 out of 100...
Recorded a .300 batting average with 20 home runs, 100
RBI, 100 runs scored and 100 walks for the seventh consecutive
season, a major-league record... Ted Williams accomplished
the feat in six straight years (1941-42 and
1946-49), missing the 1943-45 seasons due to World War
II... Was named to the AL All-Star Team for the fifth straight
year, but did not play as he recovered from an abdominal
strain...Reached base 296 times, second-most in the AL...
his combined slugging and on-base percentage of 1.067
led the league by .039... Reached base in 15 consecutive
plate appearances from May 16-20, one short of the Major
League record of 16 set by Ted Williams in 1957... Went 10
for 10 with six singles, three doubles, one home run and five
walks during the streak, which began at Oakland with a
home run off Steve Montgomery and ended at Comiskey
Park when he flied out against Boston's Rich Garces... His
10 straight hits tied the Sox club record shared by Harry
McCurdy (1926) and Rip Radcliff (1938)... Joined Albert
Belle (30 home runs, 116 RBI) to become just the second
pair of teammates in club history to record 30 homers and
100 RBI in the same season... Thomas (40 and 134) and
Robin Ventura (34 and 105) in 1996 were the first duo to accomplish
that feat... Hit his 250th career home run on August
14 vs. Oakland (off Willie Adams)...Was named AL
Player of the Month for May after hitting .430 with nine home
runs, 29 RBI, 28 runs scored and 27 walks in 26
games...Played in 1,000th career game on July 4 vs.
Boston...Was on the 15-day disabled list from June 7-21
with a pulled left oblique muscle in his abdomen... Was
named AL Player of the Week for May 26-June 1... Hit his
first home run on April 25 at New York in his 75th at-bat, the
third-longest homer drought of career.
1996
Finished second in the AL batting race with a .349 average,
nine points behind Seattle's Alex Rodriguez...
Joined Robin Ventura (34 homers) as just the third
duo in White Sox history with 30-plus homers... Along with
Ventura, Harold Baines (22) and Danny Tartabull (27), gave
the Sox four players with 20-plus homers for the first time in
franchise history... Along with Tartabull (101 RBI) and
Ventura (105), gave the Sox three 100-RBI players for the
first time in club history...Hit safely in his first 15 games of
the season (.393, 24 for 61), the best by a Sox player to begin
a season since at least 1952 (streaks prior to that date
are not available)... Was placed on the disabled list for the
first time in his career on July 11 with a stress fracture in his
left foot... Was ejected by home plate umpire Brian O'Nora
(second career ejection) on August 7 at New York... Drew a
career-high three intentional walks on August 9 vs. Baltimore...
Hit a career-high three home runs on September 15
at Boston (all three off Tim Wakefield).
1995
Led the AL in walks (136), intentional walks (29) and
sacrifice flies (12)...Tied the AL record for right-handed batters
with his 29th intentional walk on September 27 at Kansas
City (set by Washington's Frank Howard in
1970)...Played in his 250th consecutive game on September
22 at Minnesota...His .849 slugging percentage
against lefties topped the AL and .524 on-base percentage
was second...Reached base safely 294 times, second in
the league to Seattle's Edgar Martinez (306)... Reached
base safely in all six plate appearances on May 14 at Seattle
(two hits and four walks).
1994
Became the 11th player in Major League history to
win consecutive Most Valuable Player awards... Was the
first AL player to win successive awards since New York's
Roger Maris (1960-61)... Was the runner-up in Player of the
Year balloting by the Associated Press... Led the AL in slugging
percentage (.729), on-base percentage (.487), walks
(109) and runs (106) and was tied for first in extra-base hits
(73)...Slugging percentage of .729 was the highest in the
AL since Ted Williams in 1957 (.731)... Named AL All-Star
first baseman by The Sporting News and claimed his third
Silver Slugger Award...Averaged one RBI every 4.0 at-bats
(second in the AL) and one home run every 10.5 at-bats
(first in the AL)... 32 home runs at the break are the most
ever by a Sox player... Recorded his 100th and 101st RBI
on August 7 at California, becoming the fastest Sox player to reach 100 RBI in a season... Finished July with 31 RBI, tying
Carlton Fisk (July 1985) for the second-best RBI production
by a White Sox hitter in a month (since 1964).
1993
Was a unanimous choice as American League Most
Valuable Player... Became the 10th player in baseball history
to be a unanimous selection... Was the third player in
White Sox history to be named MVP, joining Nellie Fox
(1959) and Dick Allen (1972)... Also was selected to the AL
Silver Slugger team... It was the second Silver Slugger
honor of his career (as designated hitter in 1991)... Set the
franchise home run mark with 41 homers on the season
(since broken)...Was selected as the top player in the AL in
a poll of his peers... The Players Choice Award was presented
by the Major League Baseball Players Association...
Was selected the first baseman on the Associated
Press Major League All-Star Team... His homer on Aug. 31
at NYY tied the franchise single season record and was the
100th of his career... Banged his left arm into the fence trying
to make catch on Sept. 19 at Oakland... Did not play
from Sept. 27 until the final day of the regular season...Hit
11 home runs in July and 10 in August when he was AL
Player of the Month...Was 1 for 1 in the All-Star Game.
1993 POST-SEASON: In six games of the ALCS vs. the
Blue Jays, batted .353 (6-17) with a home run and three RBI.
1992
Led the AL in extra-base hits (72) and on-base percentage
(.439), tied for first in walks (122) and doubles
(46)...Named September's AL Player of the Month...Hit
.342 on the road, second-best in the majors...Became the
first player in Sox history to walk 100 times in consecutive
seasons... Was named AL Player of the Week twice (May
4-10 and July 20-26)...Hit two home runs on May 8 at Baltimore,
including the game-winner in the 10th inning... Became
just the second Sox player to record 20 or more home
runs and 100 or more RBI in consecutive seasons, joining
Eddie Robinson (29/117 in 1951 and 22/104 in 1952)...Became
the 6th Sox player to drive in 100 runs in consecutive
seasons and the first since Minnie Minoso (1953-54).
1991
Finished third in AL MVP voting with 181 total
points...Named to both the Associated Press and The
Sporting News postseason All-Star Teams... Finished second
to Chili Davis in AL Outstanding Designated Hitter voting...
Set a franchise record for walks on September 28 vs.
Seattle, breaking Lu Blue's 60-year-old mark of 127...Led
the AL in on-base percentage (.453), finished fifth in home
runs (32) and RBI (109), eighth in runs (104) and ninth in
batting average (.318)...Named AL Player of the Week on
April 28 and August 4... Named AL Player of the Month for
August when he hit .373 with eight home runs, 27 RBI and
24 walks... Became the second Sox player to bat over .300,
hit 30 or more home runs and drive in over 100 runs (Dick
Allen, 1972)...Had exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his
right shoulder performed by Dr. Frank Jobe on October 11.
1990
Made Major League debut on August 2 at Milwaukee...
His .330 batting average was the highest by a Sox
player with at least 200 plate appearances since Taffy
Wright hit .333 in 1942... Named AL Player of the Week on
September 24... his 156 major and minor league walks led
professional baseball... Named Baseball America's Minor
League Player of the Year for his efforts at Double-A Birmingham...
Batted .323 in 109 games for the Barons with a
league-best 112 walks...Named Topps Southern League
Player of the Month for July.
1989
Following his selection from Auburn University, split
the season between Rookie Sarasota and Single-A
Sarasota...With Rookie Sarasota of the Gulf Coast League,
he batted .365 (19 for 52) over 17 games.
