Article: Frank Thomas: Comeback Player of the Year: after being sidelined for most of the 2004 and 2005 seasons, The Big Hurt returned to form to help lead Oakland to a division title.

A LOCKER AWAY, OLD TEAMMATE NICK SWISHER TEASED FRANK THOMAS about the way he d lumbered home from first base on a double earlier in the week against Kansas City.

"A monumental occasion," A's outfielder Jay Payton called it, jokingly. Then Swisher, Dennis the Menace in green stirrups, kidded Thomas after overhearing the Big Hurt mention his age.

"You're 38? Gosh, are you an old man," said Swisher, 13 years younger.

Thomas just nodded and smiled, looking as relaxed as one might expect the most valuable player on a first-place team to look. He seemed nothing like the supposedly brooding superstar criticized at times in Chicago for being unable to ...

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