Thomas thrilled to be back with A's
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Big Hurt is back in the Bay Area -- and it's as if he never left.
The Oakland Athletics agreed to terms Thursday with designated hitter Frank Thomas, released last weekend by the Toronto Blue Jays after getting frustrated with his lack of playing time.
Thomas was in the lineup for the Athletics' 11-2 victory over Minnesota. He went 0-for-3 with 2 walks while batting cleanup as the DH.
He will be the team's new regular designated hitter, just as he was while a catalyst in Oakland's 2006 playoff run and AL West championship that year. Thomas received a warm standing ovation when he stepped into the batter's box in the first inning, with one man yelling, "Welcome back!"
Thomas, with his larger-than-life personality and 6-foot-5, 257-pound frame, was back in the green and gold and wearing No. 35. He began his second stint in Oakland sporting that big grin that's such a part of him.
"It feels nice to be in the batter's box," Thomas said. "It's great to be back. It's been crazy with the travel and five hours' sleep. I'm ready to go. This is where I want to be."
The deal came together in a matter of hours Wednesday after Thomas cleared waivers. Things were finalized in the early evening, and Thomas had about an hour to get to the airport and fly to Oakland from Chicago.
Oakland will be on the hook only for $336,721 -- a prorated share of the $390,000 league minimum -- so this move was a bargain for general manager Billy Beane and a club looking to boost its power numbers.
The A's started Thursday's game with 9 home runs.
"Bottom line, this was a risk worth taking," Beane said. "He looks in fantastic shape. Obviously we had a great year from him and he was a great influence on the club. It would be foolish on our part not to consider it."
The 39-year-old Thomas, who will get the vast majority of his $8 million salary this year from the Blue Jays, is hitless in his past 16 at-bats and has gone 4-for-38 since homering in three straight games April 5-8. Known as a slow starter, he batted .167 with 3 homers and 11 RBI for Toronto.
Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi -- good friends with Beane -- called it a "mutual agreement" to release Thomas after they met Sunday in the clubhouse.
"The situation there, they had just spent $200 million on two guys," Thomas said. "I understand it and I respect it. Maybe it wasn't a good fit there for me. I'm just happy to be back here. I wasn't forcing their hand. For them to tell me I wasn't going to play every day and I wasn't in their future plans, it really wasn't a good situation. I respect J.P. for coming out and saying that to me and we parted ways, peacefully."