I was looking through one of the many preseason baseball guides last night and happened across Frank Thomas' stats over the last few years.

Forget Barry Bonds. Forget that Junior kid.

Thomas is the most impressive hitter you will ever see.

Last year, the Chicago White Sox first baseman became the first player to ever hit .300 with at least 20 home runs, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored and 100 walks for five-straight seasons. No one has ever done that. How about Lou Gehrig? No. Babe Ruth? Nope. Ted Williams? Willie Mays? Mickey Mantle? You get the picture.

Over the last three years, Thomas is averaging a robust .326 with 40 home runs and 119 RBI.

I took an informal newsroom poll and the biggest name to come up as Thomas' rival is San Diego right fielder Tony Gwynn, who over the last three years is hitting a Ty Cobb-like .372, but has a Wade Boggs-like nine home runs and 71 RBI.

When it comes right down to it, Gwynn is just not the triple threat that Thomas is. He can kill you with the longball, average and on-base percentage (come on, the guy walked over 100 times last year). Give me Frank Thomas any day.

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While we're on the subject of guys I want in my lineup everyday, let's talk about Ben Davis.

The senior center on the Arizona men's basketball team is quite simply the most valuable player in the Pacific 10 Conference. The Wildcats have six guys that average in double figures in points, but Davis means the most to the Wildcats when they are missi ng shots. He averages 9.5 rebounds per game and is the most important player on a team, and in a conference, filled with quality basketball players.

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I still don't understand how Cincinnati is in the top 10. Over the last two weeks they have lost to Arizona and Louisville, and barely got past Tulane this weekend.

Their punishment for those two losses is that they fell all of two spots. That's two spots. In fact, after losing to Arizona, the Bearcats actually rose a spot in the USA TODAY/CNN Poll. If somebody could relay this message to the Associated Press voters , I'd appreciate it: The Bearcats don't play anybody! Aside from Louisville and Memphis, Conference USA is filled with traditional powers like Alabama-Birmingham (they beat the Bearcats, too) and South Florida. When Arizona was ranked third and lost to No . 19 Syracuse, they fell nine spots.

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I hope freshman Lisa Pitt returns to the Arizona softball team from a broken right hand soon. Quite simply, Nancy Evans should not be pitching, and Arizona head coach Mike Candrea understands that. But there is nothing he or the team can do.

Although doing well, Evans is struggling to pitch while she heals a broken foot, and her pain is evident. Her pitching motion has changed, and all the strain is now put on her arm.

Former St. Louis Cardinal and Chicago Cub great Dizzy Dean changed his motion rather than let a toe injury heal.

His arm was never the same.

Craig Degel is a journalism sophomore and a sports reporter for the Arizona Daily Wildcat.