TBO.com - Live in the moment

SEMNIOLES

Thomas' Assets: Offense, Hair

By SCOTT CARTER The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jun 1, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - As he has all season, Tony Thomas Sr. will arrive in town today with his personal set of hair clippers. He'll ask his son, Florida State second baseman Tony Thomas Jr., if he can finally trim his hair. And inevitably, Junior will say "stay away."

After all, earlier this week Tony Thomas Jr. put twists in his overgrown hair reminiscent of the style worn by New York Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, his favorite major-leaguer. But that's not the real reason he'll keep his father away from his fashionable do.

It's more the Samsonesque production he has enjoyed in the batter's box since last cutting his hair sometime before the Christmas break.

"He thinks that is his good luck charm," said Thomas Sr., a talented shortstop in his day at Southern University until suffering a career-ending neck injury. "The whole team is superstitious about cutting that hair."

In this case, the Seminoles (47-11) may be onto something. In his first two seasons, Thomas flashed a steady glove and decent bat, but he was known more for striking out than anything else. As a freshman in 2005, the Bloomingdale High product struck out a school-record 75 times. He whiffed another 66 times as a sophomore, good for fifth on FSU's all-time single-season list.

Tired of walking back to the dugout with nothing to show for his effort except a K in the scorebook, Thomas talked after last season with hitting coach Mike Martin Jr. about making some adjustments.

He then headed north to play last summer in the Cape Cod League, adding about 15 pounds of muscle by lifting weights nearly every day. When he arrived back at FSU in the fall, he and Martin Jr. immediately went to work in the batting cage and video room. In the end, the biggest change Thomas made was opening up his stance more, allowing him to see the ball better.

Did the tweaking of his stance help?

A .442 batting average entering tonight's game against Bethune-Cookman - the best single-season mark in school history if he can maintain it through the NCAA Tournament - answers that question.

"I think the year that Tony had in comparison to the first two is the most phenomenal turnaround of any player I have ever coached," said veteran FSU coach Mike Martin, in his 28th season. "That guy is a five-tool player. He was competing for a job [in the fall]. Nothing was given to that young man. He has earned everything."

Thomas' turnaround has garnered him more awards than he ever imagined. He was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, Collegiate Baseball's Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year on Wednesday, and on Thursday he was named one of five finalists for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award.

"I had to go and work extremely hard on my hitting," Thomas said. "Having the outcome I've had was definitely unexpected. I expected a big improvement, but nothing like this."

Thomas has elevated his profile so much that major-league scouts who mostly ignored Thomas coming out of high school - he went undrafted after helping lead Bloomingdale to the state semifinals his senior season - have flocked to Dick Howser Stadium to watch him play.

Baseball America's scouting report on Thomas says he "has gone from a non-prospect to a potential top 100 talent." To illustrate how much improvement Thomas has shown, the report points out he has more walks (42) than strikeouts (36).

"I understand being a question mark [in the draft]," Thomas said. "First two years, I'm an average hitter, and then all of a sudden having the year I'm having right now. Being consistent has been the main thing. I'm definitely paying attention to the draft, but right now my main focus is on getting to Omaha."

If FSU makes it there for the College World Series, you can bet Thomas Sr. will pack his hair clippers for the trip.

"He says I can cut it after the season," Senior said.

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.