AL (197). Later career Traded to the Seattle Mariners for the 1984 season, Thomas played in only 35 games for the team that year before he underwent season-ending rotator cuff surgery in June. In spring training before the 1985 season, Thomas had some difficulty with the timing of his swing, but he was able to swing without pain and he was looking forward to assuming Seattle's designated hitter role. Thomas was selected as The Sporting News AL Comeback Player of the Year in 1985, as he became the first player in Mariners history to hit 30 home runs in a season. However, Thomas began to feel alienated from his teammates. At a team tenth anniversary party, Thomas was left out of a 1985 Mariners highlight video. Mariners executives said they tried to trade him away but that there was minimal interest in Thomas because of his age and his limitation to the designated hitter role. After Dick Williams took over as the manager in Seattle toward the beginning of the 1986 season, Thomas saw decreased playing time. By late June, he was hitting .192 with 10 home runs and 26 RBI, and the team decided to release him. Thomas was making $650,000 that season and Mariners owner George Argyros had to absorb the loss of $361,000 that was still owed to Thomas under that contract. Thomas contemplated retirement, and he turned down a contract offer from the Detroit Tigers, but he signed with the Brewers a couple of weeks later to fill a designated hitter and pinch hitter role. Thomas retired after the 1986 season. He was a career .225 hitter with 268 home runs and 782 RBI in 1435 games. Later life In retirement, Thomas played amateur golf and he spent time hunting and carving duck decoys. In the early 1990s, he collected limited-edition prints and considered opening an art gallery. Thomas works under a personal services contract with the Brewers to make appearances in the community and welcome visitors to Gorman's Grill at American Family Field. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003. Since 2015 Thomas has marketed "Stormin' Gorman's B.B.Q. Sauce", a mustard based condiment that can be enjoyed with various meats and vegetables. It is available at American Family Field, home ballpark of the Milwaukee Brewers, as well as retail establishments in Wisconsin. See also List of Major League Baseball career