Hall of Fame first baseman and designated hitter Frank Thomas believes the Chicago White Sox have the right formula to win the 2021 World Series.
Frank Thomas answered emphatically when asked if he believed the Chicago White Sox were ready to win a World Series title this year.
“Yes,” Thomas told Da Windy City Podcast. “I think offensively they just got healthy. You look at what Tony La Russa has done all year, patchworking guys out of the minor leagues, pickups, got them to perform at a high level. You gotta like their chances.”
Tony. La Russa. Many thought the White Sox, specifically owner Jerry Reinsdorf, was on the crazy side tabbing the 76-year old who had not managed since 2011, to lead the most talented White Sox team in nearly two decades.
Frank Thomas trusts Tony La Russa to lead White Sox to a World Series
“I never flinched because he has always been a winner,” Thomas said. “He has always had the heartbeat of his club. He is big-time in baseball. I went to the Hall of Fame with him. I always picked his brain about the game of baseball. Come October, you will not be out managed and he has done a helluva job with this team.”
La Russa’s lineup is nearly back to full strength. Yasmani Grandal is still recovering from knee surgery, but both Jiménez and Luis Robert returned earlier than expected.
“Now the stars are back,” Thomas said. “They are swinging the bat really well, noticeably Eloy Jiménez who is the biggest weapon in the line-up. To have him back healthy, cause I thought he would have a big breakout year before he got injured this year, I was looking at him to drive in about 120 runs and hit about 40 to 45 home runs. We are seeing that now. When he is healthy this line-up is tough to deal with.”
La Russa will have a decision to make whether to primarily DH Jiménez or let him play left field during the playoffs. Jiménez has said many times he prefers to play the outfield. Thomas knows the challenges of the DH role extremely well, especially for a young player.
“He’s (Jiménez) got to be in the field, he is a much better player in the field,” Thomas said. “You want his bat 100 percent so he needs to play left field. He will compensate for defense. He will drive in more than he is going to let in.”
Thomas trusts La Russa to make the right call.
Frank Thomas spoke to FanSided on behalf of Varilux. Their lenses help restore natural vision by creating a seamless transition of sight across near, middle and far distances.