MLB NEWS

Thomas emotional in Hall of Fame ceremony

The Sports Xchange

July 27, 2014 at 9:08 pm.

 

Frank Thomas got emotional during his Hall of Fame speech. (Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports)

Frank Thomas is one of the most physically imposing players ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

However, the 6-foot-5 slugger, whose playing weight was 240 pounds, was the only one of six inductees Sunday reduced to tears during the ceremony in front of an estimated crowd of 48,000 in the field behind the Clark Athletic Center.

Immortalized along with Thomas — nicknamed “The Big Hurt” — were pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and managers Tony La Russa, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre.

Thomas choked back tears from the start of his speech and voice often quivered until the end.

“I wear my emotions on my sleeve,” Thomas said. “I knew I was going to choke up as soon as I started talking about my father. As many times as I practiced it and got all the way through the speech without getting emotional, I knew when it was time for the real thing that it would be hard to get through.”

Thomas hit 521 home runs in his 19-year career from 1990-2008 with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays. Thomas won consecutive American League Most Valuable Player awards in 1993-94 and his .419 career on-base percentage is the third-highest in major league history by a right-handed hitter.

—Colorado Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau (neck strain) and left-hander Boone Logan (diverticulitis) will play in a rehab game Monday at Triple-A Colorado Springs and could rejoin the Rockies on Tuesday in Chicago.

Morneau is eligible to be activated that day, and Logan was eligible to return Sunday.

—San Diego Padres left-hander Jason Lane will be promoted from Triple-A El Paso to start Monday’s series finale in place of right-hander Ian Kennedy, who is dealing with left oblique soreness.

Lane, a former outfielder, is 6-8 with a 4.67 ERA in 19 starts for El Paso. He made two relief appearances for the Padres in June.

Kennedy, who was hurt on a swing Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs, is expected to miss just one start and not need a stint on the disabled list.

—Los Angeles Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson will make a rehabilitation start at Double-A Arkansas on Monday. Wilson went on the disabled list July 10 with a sprained right ankle.

—The Houston Astros promoted top pitching prospect Mark Appel, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 draft, to Double-A Corpus Christi despite the fact that Appel (2-5, 9.74 ERA) struggled mightily with high Class A Lancaster.

Appel threw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park on Sunday while en route to Corpus Christi.

—Minnesota Twins right-hander Ricky Nolasco threw a bullpen session before the game. He will travel with the team on their upcoming road trip, throw three more bullpen sessions and go on a rehabilitation assignment as he recovered from a sore right elbow.

Right-hander Kyle Gibson threw a bullpen as well. He is on track to start Tuesday against Kansas City after having his scheduled start pushed back twice because of a stiff lower back.

—Chicago White Sox right-hander Matt Lindstrom will throw a simulated game Tuesday before going on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.

Lindstrom hopes to be back with the White Sox when they begin a four-game series against Seattle on Aug. 7. He hasn’t pitched since mid-May following ankle surgery.

—Cincinnati Reds first baseman Jack Hannahan was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list and started at first base. Hannahan began the season on the DL following offseason shoulder surgery.

—New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira missed his seventh straight game with a lower lat strain but manager Joe Girardi said he was feeling better.

Teixeira took 25 practice at-bats from each side of the plate and is taking ground balls. The Yankees said that he remains day-to-day.

—The Toronto Blue Jays activated outfielder Nolan Reimold from the 15-day disabled list after missing two weeks with a strained left calf.

To clear room for Reimold, Toronto designated left-hander Esmil Rogers for assignment. Rogers had a 6.97 ERA in 16 appearances.