With nearly a full season under his belt, manager Bill Inkster decided to take another shot at using Dong-po Thum in the leadoff spot, shifting him there for the Twin Cities series, and the opening game against Calgary. The results were, shall we say, a hit. Thum went 7-20 in those four games, with a pair of doubles and three steals. It’s a far sight better than the first month and a half of the season, which saw the youngster start off red hot, but then go into a tailspin of somewhat epic proportions until the team moved him down in the order for a bit.
“Even back then I told Dong-po that I wanted him back up there,” Inkster said. “But the pressure was pretty intense for a guy in his situation, so in the end I think it worked out fine.
The Month of May had seen Thum’s average plunge into the .230 before he righted the ship, and began to leverage himself back up. He’s currently sitting at .325/.383/.471. He’s swiped 65 bases, though he’s taken 90 attempts to do it, something the team would now like to see him adjust around. More important, perhaps, his glove at shortstop has remained steady, which speaks well for a guy going through trauma at the plate.
Gillstrom Race Tight
Added up, it puts Thum back into what promises to be a very entertaining voting process for the league’s Gillstrom trophy, an award that goes to the league’s best rookie. The core field consists of California’s outfielder David Simpson, Calgary’s first baseman Liann-wei Mao, and Vancouver’s Masaki Sato. It wouldn’t take many arguments to add in Calgary’s second entry in Werner McConnell, Jr. or San Fernando catcher Bin Okarafor. A third-tier argument could be made for Vancouver outfielder Jeffrey Smith or Yellow Springs center fielder Abdeljillil Sediki, though common wisdom probably has both of them far enough back to be considered long odds.
Of the top contenders, Simpson, Mao, and Sato are all thumpers whereas Thum is more multi-purpose guy who hits the gaps (as 36 doubles will note), an athletic master of all trades rather than a wielder of pure thunder.
“I think that question is a little premature,” Thum said when asked about his chances in the voting. “Don’t we still have a month to play?”
9-News: 39.068 – Thum Back to Leadoff?
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Re: 9-News: 39.068 – Thum Back to Leadoff?
okorafor has been very good and should get some down ballot votes, but if you put him above simpson and mao you need to have your head examined.
Randy Weigand
Havana Sugar Kings/San Fernando Bears: 32-50 (1608-1481)
Des Moines Kernels: 52-
League Champion- 34
JL Champion- 34
FL Champion- 36, 37
JL Southern- 34
FL Pacific- 37, 39
Wild Card- 33, 35, 36, 40, 43
Havana Sugar Kings/San Fernando Bears: 32-50 (1608-1481)
Des Moines Kernels: 52-
League Champion- 34
JL Champion- 34
FL Champion- 36, 37
JL Southern- 34
FL Pacific- 37, 39
Wild Card- 33, 35, 36, 40, 43
- RonCo
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Re: 9-News: 39.068 – Thum Back to Leadoff?
He would need a very good month, but time will tell it's tale.
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