Booing Jim Thome

[LosMediasBlancas]

I don't understand booing former players in most cases. Did anyone catch Jimmy's post game comments when asked about it? He said it 'brought him some closure'. Translation: f*** this town, it's ON. Look for him to light up the tribe the rest of this year.

[Queen Prawn]

I was wondering what their issue was. I couldn't remember any drama surrounding Thome leaving the Indians whatsoever. I guess I must have missed something when he ended up with the Phillies.

[Pants Rowland]

IIRC, while Thome did technically sign a big contract with another team, his departure had much more to do with a rebuilding youth movement masterminded by Cleveland GM Shapiro. Cleveland basically told him he could stay as long as he gave them a huge "home town" discount. Am I mistaken, or do the Indians fans know something more than this? It seemed to me to be another classic example of the childish, high school type atmosphere that we have seen in Cleveland since Jacobs Field opened several years back. I do not care for the Indians or their fans. I would love to see them miss the playoffs again.

[rangercal]

He may receive it, but he hasn't earned it.

Oversensitive or not, Frank Thomas was the greatest offensive force in White Sox history, and if people boo that, I just think they're wrong.

Yeah, I better not go to the game that night. Dont want to do something stupid to my fellow "white sox fans".

[Guest JimH]

As I recall Cleveland offered him a pretty big contract and then he went and signed with Philadelphia for even more money. Some of the fans there must feel jilted, whether they're right or wrong it's completely their right to boo.

 

It doesn't take away Jim Thome's memories of the great times he had there so to me it's not a big deal one way or the other. Thome is a professional and winning is the most important thing to him. I doubt he loses any sleep over this.

[Wedge]

Weren't the Cubs interested in signing Thome when he was a free agent? Had he been on the 2003 team, they probably win the World Series.

 

I just sent a message to one of my friends who was a Phillies fan. He says that both the Phillies and Cleveland extended Thome an offer, but that Philadelphia offer was significantly better in terms of base salary and years. Looks like Cleveland offered $60 million for 5 years, but Philly offered a monster $87.5 million for 6 year contract, so the contract was really an order of magnitude larger from Philly. Add to that the fact that Cleveland wanted to start the youth movement and you get that it was a fairly mutual departure.

[Nokona]

Man Jim looked pissed off tonight.

 

Nothing was better than seeing him rope that single in the 9th.

[whitesoxfan101]

In almost all cases, fans will boo ex superstars who went to another team when they return. Such is life, and the sooner people learn to deal with it the better.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Cleveland can't get more than 17.000 in the first appearance by the defending champs and the homecoming of Jim Thome, they suck

[Gene Honda Civic]

I was extremely disappointed, though not at all surprised, by the reaction of the Cleveland fans when Jim Thome came to the plate. The better part of the 17,845 in paid attendance decided to boo Thome. As much as the reception was a disappointment, the apathy was even worse. Those 25,000 empty seats were speaking louder than the fans who bothered to show up to watch two of the best teams in baseball.

 

When Frank Thomas comes back to the south side on May 22nd, (also a Monday night) the stands will be packed, and I imagine the reception will be much, much different. And in the event that it falls short of a full-house standing ovation, I'll be back here ripping the Chicago fans far more than the Cleveland fans.

 

I hope this makes some of you who thought about booing Thomas rethink your actions. You're only making yourself, the fans around you, and your city look bad.

 

You wanna really mess with Frank, make him try and hit a 95 MPH fastball with tears in his eyes.

[Gregory Pratt]

Cleveland can't get more than 17.000 in the first appearance by the defending champs and the homecoming of Jim Thome, they suck

 

Attendance isn't a particularly valid way to judge a team or even its fanbase, I don't think. White Sox and Attendance -- ring a bell?

 

That said, I was surprised but only mildly so. I thought it hurt him when I first saw him, but hey, he hurt them when he left, I'm sure.

 

Breaking up is never easy.

[KevHead0881]

Of course, Jimmy did the right thing and took the high road...and let Ozzie do the talking for him.

 

Game Recap

 

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, never one to hold back an opinion, called the crowd's reaction to Thome "brutal."

 

"I was real disappointed by it, kind of embarrassing," he said. "Even the Indians players were shaking their heads. Booing Jim Thome? You don't boo him, he's a class act. That's OK. We'll give him a standing ovation in Chicago."

 

You knew Ozzie would say something. By the way, congrats to Ozzie on his 200th win as manager.

 

Edited May 2, 2006 by KevHead0881

[Jimbo's Drinker]

Attendance isn't a particularly valid way to judge a team or even its fanbase, I don't think. White Sox and Attendance -- ring a bell?

 

That said, I was surprised but only mildly so. I thought it hurt him when I first saw him, but hey, he hurt them when he left, I'm sure.

 

Breaking up is never easy.

 

 

It will be a full house when Frank returns.

[Whitewashed in '05]

I hope this makes some of you who thought about booing Thomas rethink your actions. You're only making yourself, the fans around you, and your city look bad.

 

You wanna really mess with Frank, make him try and hit a 95 MPH fastball with tears in his eyes.

Thank you. Frank should not be booed on his return no matter what happened.

[RockRaines]

Attendance isn't a particularly valid way to judge a team or even its fanbase, I don't think. White Sox and Attendance -- ring a bell?

 

That said, I was surprised but only mildly so. I thought it hurt him when I first saw him, but hey, he hurt them when he left, I'm sure.

 

Breaking up is never easy.

17k is pretty lousy though. Even we would have drawn more than that with defending champs in town. Especially a division rival.

[Gregory Pratt]

It will be a full house when Frank returns.

 

You missed the point, but that's okay.

 

17k is pretty lousy though.  Even we would have drawn more than that with defending champs in town.  Especially a division rival.

 

Hmm. Probably. Yeah, I'd say that's right on. Still, though, glass houses.

[mr_genius]

You missed the point, but that's okay.

Hmm. Probably. Yeah, I'd say that's right on. Still, though, glass houses.

 

well, cleveland fans did give their team a HUGE number of consecutive sell-outs in the recent past.

 

yea ,the showing tonight was bad, but im not going to go the attendance bashing route. their cheering a pitch that almost hit Thome in the head was classless.

Edited May 2, 2006 by mr_genius

[rangercal]

anyone remember how cleveland welcomed manny back?

[ChWRoCk2]

Johnny Damon also got booed which is somewhat of a similar case in that both players eventually ended up on rival teams.

[SoxAce]

Johnny Damon also got booed which is somewhat of a similar case in that both players eventually ended up on rival teams.

 

Damon and Thome are very similar. Both are good guys in the clubhouse, have good charities and really help children, both basically said they would have to rip/pay a million bucks to leave their respected teams (Thome saying he'll never leave Cleveland and Damon saying he'll never play for the Yankees) both taking more money to go somewhere else (NOONE can blame them, gotta take care of the family) both playing for rival teams, and both getting booed by their old teams (Thome having horrible signs from the fans and Damon getting dollar bills thrown on the field by the fans.)

[bmags]

(NOONE can blame them, gotta take care of the family)

 

its more you should take what the market gives you. When its a few million, location/coach/team can come into factor but when there is such a large discrepency you have to take the larger deal

[greg775]

Our fans won't boo Frank, will they?

It should be a loud ovation at least the first time he's up.

[The Critic]

Yeah, I better not go to the game that night. Dont want to do something stupid to my fellow "white sox fans". 

Never said it was stupid, just said I believe it's wrong.

You can do whatever you want, obviously - I just don't think he deserves to be booed. If you think he does, that's your choice, and you're entitled to it.

What's done is done, and I just prefer to remember the things he did on the baseball field, instead of some unfortunate things he said off of it.

[Kyyle23]

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindeale...ll=2&thispage=1

 

He's been gone for three full seasons, none of which he's celebrated by lying on a raft in the Bahamas telling Cleveland jokes. Those who thought Thome was different than other players who maximize their free-agent value were victims of their own naivete, not Thome's deceit.

 

The Phillies blew away the Indians' offer. They wanted him desperately.

 

The home team opened the negotiations in the low $40 million. Now, Philly was talking six years and $85 million. Gee, what to do?

[Dick Allen]

Cleveland can't get more than 17.000 in the first appearance by the defending champs and the homecoming of Jim Thome, they suck

Considering its a team that came off of a 93 win season, and sold out 5 1/2 years straight, I agree, the attendance was surprisingly low. As to booing Thome, the Indians wound up offering him over $60 million, and while Philadelphia's offer blew that away, I'm sure the fans felt jilted, just as White Sox fans were upset when Magglio left. It probably didn't help their feelings when Thome was traded to the White Sox, perhaps Cleveland's biggest rival, and he basically called it coming "home". They have a right to boo whether its appropriate or not. I'm sure it didn't affect Thome either way.