Jump to content

The Jim Thome Saga Ends


southsider2k5

Recommended Posts

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 09:40 AM)
Even if he played 150 games this year, he still does not get to 600 home runs. He is a wonderful person, but we have to move on, he has not figured out how to beat the shift and soft tossing lefties make him look bad.

so its perfect for ozzie...ozzie can do his mixing and matching vs. lefties

 

thome still had an obp of .372 and slugged .493 with us last year, and 23 Hr (good for a 122 OPS+) ....still good production...frankly i think he fits perfectly here...its possible he completely breaks down, but on a 1 year contract for not much money, its low risk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 976
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 07:40 AM)
Even if he played 150 games this year, he still does not get to 600 home runs. He is a wonderful person, but we have to move on, he has not figured out how to beat the shift and soft tossing lefties make him look bad.

 

We don't need to bring him back to chase 600 anyway. If have to believe he can help us win. The rest doesn't matter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 08:48 AM)
Yeah Im still failing to see what is holding the white sox back from signing Thome. If Ozzie wants to rotate the DH spot more he can still do that by sitting Thome vs lefties. It would make the lineup much better, be relatively cheap signing, and bringing back a fan favorite....

They may still do it. I was pretty sure they would, now I'm 50/50. If they go into April with the rotating DH situation, hoping Andruw Jones will have a big comeback, that would be a mistake.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (GoodAsGould @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 08:48 AM)
Yeah Im still failing to see what is holding the white sox back from signing Thome. If Ozzie wants to rotate the DH spot more he can still do that by sitting Thome vs lefties. It would make the lineup much better, be relatively cheap signing, and bringing back a fan favorite....

You make the perfect point here. Sit him against lefties, start Andruw vs righties. If one of them gets hot, well, there's your DH. That could be an incredibly effective combination at the DH spot for a total of what? 2.5 million dollars?

 

Bringing back Big Jim at this point is a no-brainer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Springfield SoxFan @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 01:40 PM)
Even if he played 150 games this year, he still does not get to 600 home runs. He is a wonderful person, but we have to move on, he has not figured out how to beat the shift and soft tossing lefties make him look bad.

 

 

I would have liked to see more opposite field hitting by Thome also, but the reality of it is the Sox paid him to hit homers not singles to left.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 10:41 AM)
You make the perfect point here. Sit him against lefties, start Andruw vs righties. If one of them gets hot, well, there's your DH. That could be an incredibly effective combination at the DH spot for a total of what? 2.5 million dollars?

 

Bringing back Big Jim at this point is a no-brainer.

Well, the question is, then what do you carry on your roster?

Do you only carry an 11 man pen? Or do you cut Nix from the 25 man?

 

As it currently stands, we're looking at the following:

 

8 regular position players

2 DH's in Kotsay & Jones

3 bench players in Vizquel, Castro, & Nix

5 starting pitchers

7 men in the bullpen

 

=25 man roster

 

If you sign Thome now, you'll have to cut Nix or go to a 6 man bullpen and leave Hudson in Charlotte, most likely.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 10:07 AM)
Well, the question is, then what do you carry on your roster?

Do you only carry an 11 man pen? Or do you cut Nix from the 25 man?

 

As it currently stands, we're looking at the following:

 

8 regular position players

2 DH's in Kotsay & Jones

3 bench players in Vizquel, Castro, & Nix

5 starting pitchers

7 men in the bullpen

 

=25 man roster

 

If you sign Thome now, you'll have to cut Nix or go to a 6 man bullpen and leave Hudson in Charlotte, most likely.

 

I think if they do sign Thome or another DH-only type, then they'll go with 6 in the pen. Something they've stayed away from. But they need a couple reserve infielders no matter what, I think.

 

If he does come back, I want him to be a part-time starter and pinch hitter. I don't want them to rely on 130 starts. Maybe 90 starts and pinch hitting duty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:07 AM)
Well, the question is, then what do you carry on your roster?

Do you only carry an 11 man pen? Or do you cut Nix from the 25 man?

You cut Nix. No question about it. Let him find a job somewhere else, and if he doesn't you outright him to AAA.

Edited by Thunderbolt
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:13 AM)
You cut Nix. No question about it. Let him find a job somewhere else, and if he doesn't you outright him to AAA.

Nix is really redundant on this team after signing Vizquel. Viz is better defensively and bats from the same side of the plate. Nix brings more power against LHP but based on last year is a defensive downgrade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:13 AM)
You cut Nix. No question about it. Let him find a job somewhere else, and if he doesn't you outright him to AAA.

See, for some reason, the idea of being left with just Vizquel and Kotsay as reserve infielders frightens me.

I'm not sure if it frightens me more or less than having Jones/Kotsay as out DH though....

 

Let's just hope that Ozzie and Kenny are really j/k with this Jones/Kotsay thing...;)

Edited by iamshack
Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (iamshack @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:18 AM)
See, for some reason, the idea of being left with just Vizquel and Kotsay as reserve infielders frightens me.

I'm not sure if it frightens me more or less than having Jones/Kotsay as out DH though....

 

Let's just hope that Ozzie and Kenny are really j/k with this Jones/Kotsay thing...;)

There's one other possible solution to this issue...find a LH batter who can DH and also play the infield some. I don't know how his health is, but this is why my head keeps coming back to Blalock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:19 AM)
There's one other possible solution to this issue...find a LH batter who can DH and also play the infield some. I don't know how his health is, but this is why my head keeps coming back to Blalock.

Well, I am more concerned about the MI than the CI positions. In a pinch, Gordo can always play third, along with Vizquel...It's just the idea of only having 1 guy who can play MI after the starters that bothers me...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that Kenny thinks we have enough right now to win the Division with our current DH combo. I like Thome alot and if he comes back that's cool with me.

But I could see where Kenny might want to wait and see if he can pick up A. Gonzalez before the deadline. The asking price might be better than it is now. Just a thought!!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (dadwassoxfan @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 10:29 AM)
I think that Kenny thinks we have enough right now to win the Division with our current DH combo.

 

The current DH combo has the following numbers:

Over the last 3 years, in 1000 ABs Jones has hit .207 with a .697 OPS and Kotsay has a .687 OPS in the same time frame. It gets worse if you factor in the at-bats at DH that Vizquel will receive. And think about that -- they're talking about playing Omar Vizquel at DH.

 

If the Sox don't want Thome back, that's fine but they need to get a real hitter to play DH. Thome is attractive in that he'd probably be really cheap and you know you'd get over an .800 OPS from him versus RHP. But whatever, they need to acquire someone because replacing Thome at DH with a combo that might not OPS over .700 is insane.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 11:49 AM)
The only thing I'd mind about signing Thome would be if they still had him bat either 3rd or 4th. If he's back, they need to have him later in the lineup, 7th or 8th maybe.

When you look at the lineup, Thome or someone like him would probably fit in best right around the 5th spot, even though it slows things down, just because your 2-3-4 hitters are all RH hitters almost no matter how you stack it, and you have 2 guys in AJ and Teahen who fit best in that 7-9 range right next to your other lefty in the leadoff spot. You've got to break that up, and unless Teahen rediscovers his .900 OPS form, that's where your DH fits. If you don't hit lefty 5th, you've got a giant string of RH bats in the middle of your lineup, and if you use one of the guys you have now, I'll just walk your cleanup hitter.

 

Pierre

Alexei or Rios or Beckham

Quentin or Beckham

Konerko or Quentin

5th spot, ideal for a lefty

Rios or Alexei

Teahen

Rios or Alexei

AJ

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 10:17 AM)
Nix is really redundant on this team after signing Vizquel. Viz is better defensively and bats from the same side of the plate. Nix brings more power against LHP but based on last year is a defensive downgrade.

 

Haven't we mainly gone with a four man bench in recent years anyways?

 

As said prior, unless Kenny's keeping Fielder or Gonzalez under a massive blanket, sign Thome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

QUOTE (elrockinMT @ Jan 21, 2010 -> 10:06 AM)
I would have liked to see more opposite field hitting by Thome also, but the reality of it is the Sox paid him to hit homers not singles to left.

Last year, he started doing that a bit more. He actually hit some soft liners and ground balls to the far left side, on occasion, as I recall. He even attempted a bunt that direction once.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...