Colleges

Thomas takes step into stardom

A new stance leads to an offensive explosion for the FSU second baseman.

By BRIAN LANDMAN
Published June 1, 2007

Florida State junior second baseman Tony Thomas moved his left leg only about 18 inches.

Not much you say? Perhaps not in a game that's usually defined by feet, and a lot of them, as in 90 to first base or 400 to dead center in a ballpark like Dick Howser Stadium.

But if you measure how far Thomas - and by extension, his team - have gone as a result of him opening up his batting stance, then 18 inches have never meant more.

"I was jumping at pitches; I wasn't recognizing pitches quickly enough before, " the former Bloomingdale High star said. "In the fall, (assistant coach) Mike Martin Jr. opened my stance a bit to slow me down and I see the ball better. As you can see, it definitely helped a lot."

Thomas, who's more square to the pitcher than ever before, has dramatically improved at the plate, leading FSU in almost every offensive category and into a position as a favorite to advance to the College World Series. The Seminoles (47-11) earned a No. 6 national seed in the NCAA tournament and are hosting a regional this weekend, beginning with tonight's game against Bethune-Cookman (33-25). Mississippi State and Stetson round out the double-elimination tournament field.

"I think we're all surprised at how well Tony is doing, but we knew he had the potential to do what he's done, " said junior shortstop Mark Hallberg, who added he's benefited by hitting behind Thomas and ahead of Buster Posey and has a robust .365 average. "It's just a remarkable feat."

Thomas, who batted a respectable .289 last season, has upped that number to .442, tops on the team and fourth nationally. In addition to his team-best 11 homers (one less than he had as a freshman and sophomore combined), he's tied for first nationally in runs per game (1.5) and is first in doubles (0.55 per game).

That's why both the ACC and Collegiate Baseball named him player of the year. He was just announced on Thursday as one of five finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, along with Vanderbilt's David Price and Pedro Alvarez, Florida's Matt LaPorta and Texas' Kyle Russell.

"I can hardly explain his turnaround, " gushed FSU coach Mike Martin. "This guy's a special player."

With 32 doubles and 30 stolen bases, Thomas has a statistical mark that Golden Spikes Award winner Mike Fuentes didn't reach. Nor did J.D. Drew, another Golden Spikes Award winner. Nor did Shane Robinson, the Collegiate Baseball player of the year in 2005. Nor did anyone in Martin's previous 27 years.

Not bad for a guy who described himself a year ago as a "scrap hitter playing defense."

But Thomas' transformation began before the fall practice. During a summer in the Cape Cod League, he spent postgames in the weight room, building size and strength.

He also regularly ate a high-protein concoction of peanut butter, bananas and melted marshmallow. The change in regimen and diet helped him gain about 15 pounds and he now nicely carries about 185 on his 5-foot-10 frame. Back in Tallahassee, Martin Jr. suggested he tweak his stance and Thomas, a guy who studies videotape of every at-bat, pitch-by-pitch anyway, zealously practiced it.

After the first couple of series, against Tennessee and UNC-Asheville, Thomas racked up 16 hits in 23 at-bats, which prompted his coaches to move him to the leadoff spot.

"I was having fun, " he said.

It also didn't hurt that Thomas and his father, Tony Sr., himself a former college baseball player, constantly talk about setting and striving for goals.

"Just last week, I told him, 'You're flirting with 100 runs. You need to try to get there, ' " his father said. "I'm always trying to give him goals to try to achieve so he won't settle down and be happy."

Not that Thomas, 20, a possible high-round draft pick next week (he was undrafted out of high school), brags about meeting or beating some of those target numbers. He's modest to a fault. After he was named the league player of the year, he asked his mother not to call everyone with the news. He even bristled a bit when he learned she had already phoned his grandmother.

"It's a great accomplishment getting that award, " he said, "but the season's not over. I want to go to Omaha and the College World Series."

Brian Landman can be reached at landman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3347.

[Last modified June 1, 2007, 00:13:10]