The Jim Thome Saga Ends

[GREEDY]

Thome sure is lucky that "being a down-to-earth, nice guy, to over-zealous fans that meet him at a Texas Roadhouse" is still a stat category.

 

I think anyone who says anything positive on here about Big Jim needs to clarify whether or not they have:

 

A. Hugged him.

B. Ever said "He reminds me of me, I'd have been just like Jim.... if I hadn't blown out ma knee and got Mary Lou pregnant.... and ya know, made it to the bigs".

C. Not just gone hunting', but actually purchased real-estate for the sole purpose of shooting game.

D. All of the Above

 

I kid, I kid... I'd let him hit right handed starting pitching; The money just better be half of whatever Cust signed for, and 1/3 of what Dye is going to end up getting... Otherwise KW will have made the wrong choice.

 

Personally, I think if Jim was ANYONE but himself he would be accused of not caring about anything but his career homer total.... about ten times a week here.

 

I know this is ignorant thinking, but I just wish he would maybe one out of ten times just try and make it at least look like he is trying to beat the shift. Humor me Jimmy.

 

P.S. I have some Thome memorabilia hangin' in my basement... cause you know, he is a good ole' boy just like me.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

^Dude, people *want* Thome to only care about 2 things, walks and home runs. I agree he can be frustrating to watch, but beggars can't be choosers. We sat and watched Matsui and Johnson get taken off the market on cheap 1-year deals while we were spending money on other areas, and now this is the situation we're left with.

[witesoxfan]

Thoughts...

 

I seem to remember Hudson being one of the streakiest hitters in baseball. Not sure if that's a guy you want on the bench. If it comes to spending money on a free agent, it has to be worthwhile. Spending money on a player that might not be better than a Kotsay/Jones platoon is scary.

 

Williams leaving the decision to Ozzie is eerily similar to Angelo doing whatever it was to put Lovie out to dry. It seems like a job saving tactic. If Ozzie/Lovie fails, the GM is fine. If they succeed, the GM is a genius. The White Sox have been below .500 with a $100 million payroll in 2 of the last 3 years, and they LUCKED into a playoff birth in 2008, even if it was mostly circumstantial, as the 2008 White Sox were easily the best team in the AL Central. Injuries do and did happen that year and they Sox choked away a chance to clinch the division outright in Minnesota when they got swept. They also proceeded that with two losses against the Indians when the Twins were losing too. I won't discredit anything that team accomplished from game 161 on out, because they played their ass off and got beaten by a vastly superior Tampa Bay team, but that division should have been locked up far before the Twins ever had a chance at winning it. Thank God for Jim Thome.

 

Speaking of Thome...nevermind, I've said my part on Thome. Thome needs to be a White Sox. Honestly, it would be worth $3 million to sign Thome and put him on the 60-day DL immediately, just to keep him away from the Twins.

[bschmaranz]

According to MLB Network, he's also a bit ADHD; so, sitting on the bench would be bad for him mentally.

 

Well think he is a good hitter that will help ou.... OOOOOH PUPPIES!

[PeavyTime]

Except this guy is saying "pitching all, HR zero", which is not the same thing.

 

Wow dude, I never said that. But you can look at what I did say a few hours before you replied.

 

Obviously you need an offense people, come on.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Am I the only one that's bothered that this entire board is obsessed with adding a 40-year old DH? I mean I'd like Thome back as well. But you would think we were talking about a combination of Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr.

[WHarris1]

Am I the only one that's bothered that this entire board is obsessed with adding a 40-year old DH? I mean I'd like Thome back as well. But you would think we were talking about a combination of Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr.

Well when the alternative is the miserable combo that Ozzie intends to throw out there it's pretty clear why

[fathom]

Am I the only one that's bothered that this entire board is obsessed with adding a 40-year old DH? I mean I'd like Thome back as well. But you would think we were talking about a combination of Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr.

 

I couldn't agree more with you. It's pathetic it's even gotten to this point. I have no idea what KW and Ozzie's plan was this offseason, but if we get Thome, at least there's some hope that we might get some production from the DH spot.

[iamshack]

It's slow, there isn't much else to complain about...

[Jordan4life_2007]

Well when the alternative is the miserable combo that Ozzie intends to throw out there it's pretty clear why

 

I agree. But god damn. I'm not going to forfeit the season if we don't bring back Jim Thome. Our offense is not THAT much better with him. Assuming he can even match what he did last year. We still need our three best players, Rios, CQ and Ramirez, to perform at their 2007/2008 levels before we can even begin to say this is a league average offense.

[ThunderBolt]

I agree. But god damn. I'm not going to forfeit the season if we don't bring back Jim Thome. Our offense is not THAT much better with him.

Replacing Nix with Thome on the 25 man, and putting Thome as the DH improves our projected run total by 40 runs. Define better.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Replacing Nix with Thome on the 25 man, and putting Thome as the DH improves our projected run total by 40 runs. Define better.

 

Wait, what? lol. Let me guess. Bill James, right? That's fine. We don't even know if Nix is going to make the team. Like I said, without CQ, Rios and Ramirez improving, and in Rios' case drastically improving, their production from 2009, this offense is still going to be below average. Jim Thome be damned.

[iamshack]

Wait, what? lol. Let me guess. Bill James, right? That's fine. We don't even know if Nix is going to make the team. Like I said, without CQ, Rios and Ramirez improving, and in Rios' case drastically improving, their production from 2009, this offense is still going to be below average. Jim Thome be damned.

How dare you!

[Jordan4life_2007]

How dare you!

 

Don't get it twisted. I want JT back. I guess I don't like as a fan feeling like we're at the mercy of a 40-year old DH.

[greg775]

Bring back Jimmy, the shift be damned.

[iamshack]

Don't get it twisted. I want JT back. I guess I don't like as a fan feeling like we're at the mercy of a 40-year old DH.

Ahh, I was just playing...

[The Ginger Kid]

I liked JT, but I'm going to miss JD more.

[greg775]

I agree. But god damn. I'm not going to forfeit the season if we don't bring back Jim Thome. Our offense is not THAT much better with him. Assuming he can even match what he did last year. We still need our three best players, Rios, CQ and Ramirez, to perform at their 2007/2008 levels before we can even begin to say this is a league average offense.

 

You need a threat of a big bomb in there.

Helps everybody in the lineup, or so they say.

[ThunderBolt]

Wait, what? lol. Let me guess. Bill James, right?

I've got more if you want.

 

[Dick Allen]

Am I the only one that's bothered that this entire board is obsessed with adding a 40-year old DH? I mean I'd like Thome back as well. But you would think we were talking about a combination of Barry Bonds, Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr.

I don't think anyone is pinning the White Sox World Series chances on bringing back Thome, in fact, I've always been one of his biggest fans and there are a couple of guys I would prefer, but it does appear the current scheme is pretty flawed. This guy costs you no players and apparently little money (relatively speaking, as $1 million for 6 months of work would be significant money to me.) If the current plan does indeed fail for whatever reason, and there are several to choose from, the Sox will have to find an alternative. That could cost them more cash or talent for similar production. The Thome figure, if accurate, is peanuts. This is money they paid Bartolo Colon last year. A third of what they paid Mike MacDougal. What they paid JD to go away. Maybe they think he can't hit anymore and want to be classy and not come out and say it. That would be one thing. Maybe they are in on someone else they think is a better fit than Thome, that's another OK thing, but if they think he can still contribute and can fit him in financially and the only excuse not to sign him is because Jones and Kotsay are on the roster , that is ridiculous.

Edited January 24, 2010 by Dick Allen

[Pants Rowland]

Maybe I am a fool (very possible), but the Sox rhetoric is so over the top silly that I smell a trap. KW/OG are both gushing over how awesome Thome is but won't sign him to a peanuts deal. They are also acting like a DH by committee (particularly this specific committee) is the way of the future but fail to acknowledge there is one more roster spot to fill and no real prospects to fill it on the current 40 man. They have one of the best rotations in baseball but want to carry another arm in the bullpen (doesn't make sense even if linebrink is a stiff). Meanwhile, the Twins are hinting they will sign Thome. When someone asks about Johnny Damon, KW bristles like they said Frank Thomas.

 

I am not saying they will sign Damon, but this has all the earmarks of the Twins trying to bait the Sox into signing Thome and the Sox trying to kick that can down the street another week while they try to work something out with a more versatile, healthier player (Damon, Hudson, trade for higher impact player, etc.).

 

If Damon ends up getting his double figure salary, good luck to him. If it ends up closer to the middle single digits, then you might have something to work with. Meanwhile, keep stroking Thome publicly, giving him hope that he can spend 2010 near his family rather than up in the Twin cities. That might be enough to buy you an extra week of negotiating with other players and still have the ability to come back to JT with a respectable offer for all sides.

[Springfield Soxfan]

Maybe I am a fool (very possible), but the Sox rhetoric is so over the top silly that I smell a trap. KW/OG are both gushing over how awesome Thome is but won't sign him to a peanuts deal. They are also acting like a DH by committee (particularly this specific committee) is the way of the future but fail to acknowledge there is one more roster spot to fill and no real prospects to fill it on the current 40 man. They have one of the best rotations in baseball but want to carry another arm in the bullpen (doesn't make sense even if linebrink is a stiff). Meanwhile, the Twins are hinting they will sign Thome. When someone asks about Johnny Damon, KW bristles like they said Frank Thomas.

 

I am not saying they will sign Damon, but this has all the earmarks of the Twins trying to bait the Sox into signing Thome and the Sox trying to kick that can down the street another week while they try to work something out with a more versatile, healthier player (Damon, Hudson, trade for higher impact player, etc.).

 

If Damon ends up getting his double figure salary, good luck to him. If it ends up closer to the middle single digits, then you might have something to work with. Meanwhile, keep stroking Thome publicly, giving him hope that he can spend 2010 near his family rather than up in the Twin cities. That might be enough to buy you an extra week of negotiating with other players and still have the ability to come back to JT with a respectable offer for all sides.

 

I could not have said it any better, great post. Again, KW is not saying that there will not be anymore signings, just not Thome. Early in November he said that there will be tremendous bargains two weeks before spring training and it sure looks like that could be the case with so many players that could be had.

[southsider2k5]

NO decesion yet on Thome, Guillens flight has been pushed back a day.

[Springfield Soxfan]

NO decesion yet on Thome, Guillens flight has been pushed back a day.

KW and the Sox are facing a major PR dilemma for letting this fester so long.

[southsider2k5]

Ozzie: "Well, if I want one guy out there, I want (Thome). I already talk to Kenny about that."