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Let’s get the results part of this out of the way quickly, because I want to focus on something else. The White Sox got Meat Loafed by the Red Sox over the weekend, winning on Friday and losing the last two games. That leaves them 4.0 games behind Detroit and 1.5 games behind Cleveland. The Yankees visit the Cell for four games, so the Good Guys have their work cut out for them, especially since they’re going to have to do it without Paul Konerko for at least the first game. Paulie took one for the team on Sunday, getting hit in the leg by a pitch that forced in the lead run – but the lead didn’t hold up and neither did Konerko. He went down hard and stayed down for a bit. I doubt it was intentional since it led to a run, but regardless it knocked him out of the game and the lineup for today’s game. Get well soon, Paulie, for your sake and for ours.

The subject that’s on my mind is Frank Thomas. The Big Hurt was honored on Sunday with the unveiling of a bronze statue in the left-field concourse area. It shows Thomas finishing a swing one-handed, as was his style. His graphic is now in place on the outfield wall, along with other Sox players who have had their numbers retired. By the way, No. 35 originally wore No. 15 when he started with the Sox (Dick Allen’s old number).

I don’t know if fans realize how good Big Frank really was. He racked up some pretty amazing stats during his career – a batting average of .301, on-base percentage of .419, slugging percentage of .555, and 521 home runs. Only three other players in baseball history have done all of those things: Babe Ruth, Jimmy Foxx, and Ted Williams. All of them are Hall of Famers, and Frank Thomas should be too. That doesn’t even count his two MVP awards in 1993 and 1994, or what should have been his third in 2000 when the admitted steroid-user, Jason “the Juicer” Giambi, stole Thomas’s third MVP award.

I don’t want to hear about his having been a DH for a part of his career. If that doesn’t count as being a player, then they shouldn’t allow it. And it’s hard to pinch hit four to five times a game, which is essentially what DHing is like. Just ask Adam Dunn. If Frank Thomas isn’t a first ballot Hall of Famer, then the system needs to be revised. I look forward to attending the ceremony when it happens. Go Sox! Go Big Hurt!