From: thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu (Ted Frank)
Subject: Clark v Thomas
Reply-To: thf2@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 00:01:04 GMT

In article <4200370@hpcc01.corp.hp.com> boell@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Donald P Boell) writes:
>I'm sorry, but there is no way I'll give Thomas the Nod over Will the-thrill
>Clark.  At the end of their careers lets see who makes the HOF.  Will is the
>best 1b in the game.

Oh?

1992:
        G   AB   R   H   2B/3B/HR  RBI  BB  SB CS  BA/OBA/SLG
Clark  144 513  69  154  40/ 1/16   73  73  12  7  300/384/476
Thomas 160 573 108  185  46/ 2/24  115 122   6  3  323/439/536
DIFF    16  60  39   31   6/ 1/ 8   42  49  -----  517/734/1050

Lessee, Thomas had a better batting average, more doubles, more triples,
more home runs, more walks, a better SB%.  Am I leaving anything out?  Oh,
yes, he was much more durable, missing one-ninth as many games as Clark.
And he's younger, which means he's going to improve, while Clark isn't
going to get any better, and will probably decline.

And that was an off-season for Thomas.

Ok, ok, it was an off-season for Clark, too.  Let's compare them at the
same ages.

                    Clark           Thomas               Advantage
                G  BA/OBA/SLG      G  BA/OBA/SLG
Age 22        111  287/343/444    60  330/454/529        Thomas (see below)
Age 23        150  308/371/580*  158  318/453/553        Thomas
Age 24        162  282/386/508   160  323/439/536        Thomas

*Rabbitball season.  Only time Clark has ever hit 30 HR.

I might add, for those that care about such things, that Thomas has
hit more RBIs in his first three years than Clark did in his--despite
playing forty fewer games.

Age 22: Thomas played much better, but Clark played twice as much.  We oughta
use the differential method again to compare.

        G   AB   R   H   2B/3B/HR  RBI  BB  SB CS   BA/OBA/SLG
DIFF   51  217  27  54   16/-1/ 4   10 -10   4  6  249/213/369

That's a below average player, never mind a below average first baseman.
Note that in half as many games, Thomas walked more often, and had almost
as many HR and RBIs.  Even though Clark played more often, thanks to
White Sox blunders in refusing to bring Thomas up, Thomas was a more
valuable 22-year-old.

Thomas's 1991 was better than Clark's 1991.  On what basis can you say
that Clark is better than Thomas?  Okay, he's been around longer--Thomas
could always get hit by a falling Lundy or attacked by Turkish terrorists,
or kidnapped by Masons or join a kibology cult (to complete the list of 
people who grep).  But he's been better than Clark at every step of the
way, and every season he's been in the majors.  Clark has never had
as good a season as Thomas's *second-best* season--even with the rabbit-ball
year.

Clark's only advantage is in defense.  It's not enough.  Point,set,match
Thomas, 6-0,6-2,6-0.

The only way Clark will have a better season than Thomas in 1993 (assuming
everyone healthy) is by beating up on Colorado Rockie pitching, which FT
won't get to do.

-- 
ted frank                     | thf2@ellis.uchicago.edu 
standard disclaimers          | void where prohibited
the university of chicago law school, chicago, illinois 60637
never shout movie in a crowded firestation