Eric Thames Could Be Comeback Player of the Century
Even if he struggles for the next 148 games starting tonight, Eric Thames is already leading the running for Comeback Player of the Year, and possibly of the century. After struggling with Toronto and Seattle in the big leagues over three years ago, Thames went to Korea when he had decided it would be better for him than going back to the minor leagues. I think we can all agree he made the right decision.
Some people compare the Korean League to that of Advanced-A baseball, or Double-A at best, and while that is fair, posting the numbers Thames did doesn't happen that often in Double-A. It doesn't happen very much in any league. In three seasons, he had no worse of a batting average than .321, no fewer RBI's than 121, and no fewer home runs than 37. Those smaller numbers are an MVP-caliber season in the MLB, and Thames always had a better season.
Korea changed his approach as well, as he went from more of a free-swinger to a much more disciplined hitter. That allowed him to become the player he is today, a de facto rookie who can hit a home run in six straight games if he homers tonight in Wrigley Field. Oh, and he leads baseball with seven. He's made people forget about the monster spring backup first baseman Jesus Aguilar had, and an ex-Brewer who led the NL with 41 homers last season in Chris Carter.
The only real argument against his early season Comeback Player of the Year is that he never really was in the majors, so he can't really "come back". But that doesn't change that he bounced around for years before finding his ground in Korea, and then came back stateside and is putting up big boy numbers.
I understand that it is too early for MVP talk, and too early to crown him the home run king or to crown the Brewers the NL Central, but he's making people wonder if they need to start paying attention to Brew City. The Brewers and Reds are basically tied atop the NL Central, and while this is unlikely to last forever, and Thames won't homer in every game, it has made itself a fun story.
