The Jim Thome Saga Ends

[whitesoxfan101]

It would be pretty ironic (I think i'm using that word correctly here) if after surviving all of those stretches where he'd have been fired by virtually any other organization in baseball, Walker is actually be fired in 2010 because a bad offense performs badly.

Edited January 26, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[southsideirish71]

And Thome has agreed to terms with the Twinks.

[whitesoxfan101]

There is potential for the Sox to look really stupid here. I still am not nearly as bothered by the Twins having Thome as I am at the fact that the Sox are less equipped to play with a DH than many NL teams are, let alone AL ones though.

Edited January 26, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[ThunderBolt]

And Thome has agreed to terms with the Twinks.

Worst case scenario.

[Pants Rowland]

Eh. I don't know that it did, because it wasn't confusing like "90% of the game is half mental." I thought what I said was pretty straightforward that if they're good it's because the hitters are good.

 

Shack was just trying to be a d***.

 

Looks like the honeymoon is over Ranger.

[fathom]

Worst case scenario.

 

No, it really isn't. Thome as a primary PH is going to be awful. If this means less ABs for Kubel, then good for us. Don't forget that the Twins use Mauer at DH when he's not catching. I'd rather face Thome as a PH late in the game than someone like Morales.

[YonderLaroche]

Worst case scenario: Twins get first place, Thome Hits 25+ HRs, 80+ RBIs, .400 OBP, and has better offensive numbers than any sox hitter... I say 50/50 chance.

[ThunderBolt]

No, it really isn't. Thome as a primary PH is going to be awful. If this means less ABs for Kubel, then good for us. Don't forget that the Twins use Mauer at DH when he's not catching. I'd rather face Thome as a PH late in the game than someone like Morales.

I really see this team finding a lot of AB's for Thome. If i remember correctly their chief pitch hitter last year was Jose Morales.

[whitesoxfan101]

No, it really isn't. Thome as a primary PH is going to be awful. If this means less ABs for Kubel, then good for us. Don't forget that the Twins use Mauer at DH when he's not catching. I'd rather face Thome as a PH late in the game than someone like Morales.

 

Yeah i'm not as concerned about Thome being on the Twins as a lot of people are. Like you said, he could be taking some AB's from better players, plus we don't know how that ballpark will play, plus Thome is a healthy risk in my opinion.

 

This turn in the "saga" doesn't change the problem, which is the Sox don't have a person even close to qualified to DH.

[fathom]

I can't imagine Thome's back will stay too healthy playing in that cold up there.

[whitesoxfan101]

I can't imagine Thome's back will stay too healthy playing in that cold up there.

 

People are forgetting how much work he had to do with the training staff here, and one place where the Sox are second to none is in that category. We don't know how he's going to react without the training regiment he had here, plus being a year older, plus plus playing outside up there.

[scenario]

Possible that the Twins could trade Delmon Young, put Kubel back in left, and start Thome at DH?

 

 

[Balta1701]

Possible that the Twins could trade Delmon Young, put Kubel back in left, and start Thome at DH?

That's an awfully over-run-with-LH-hitters lineup.

[whitesoxfan101]

Possible that the Twins could trade Delmon Young, put Kubel back in left, and start Thome at DH?

 

They could do that if they enjoy playing with fire. That'd be a high risk/high reward type move though.

[scenario]

That's an awfully over-run-with-LH-hitters lineup.

 

Imagine a right-handed pitcher facing Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, and Thome in the middle of the lineup... and then Cuddyer behind them.

 

Crap.

 

 

 

[whitesoxfan101]

Imagine a right-handed pitcher facing Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, and Thome in the middle of the lineup... and then Cuddyer behind them.

 

Crap.

 

I'd imagine the Sox will try and make sure Danks and Buehrle see a lot of starts against them this year. If memory serves me, Kubel in LF defensively is really bad news though.

[RockRaines]

Worst case scenario.

LOL, for them. Where is he going to get at bats? They already have a superior LH DH in Kubel and need to give Cudyer and Mauer at bats as DH to keep them healthy. Its such a non story its not even funny. I'll appreciate when Thornton blows him away with high heat however.

[RockRaines]

Imagine a right-handed pitcher facing Mauer, Morneau, Kubel, and Thome in the middle of the lineup... and then Cuddyer behind them.

 

Crap.

And where would he be playing exactly? Who is he pinch hitting for? Because it must then be the late innings and we will bring in Matty to blow him away.

 

As Walters and Smith note, the Twins "won't have an easy time finding at-bats for Thome" given the presence of left-hander Jason Kubel already filling the designated hitter role. Thome will get the occasional DH start but his primary job in Minnesota will be as a pinch-hitter.

 

With how high maintenance his back is and how little success he has had as a pinch hitter in his career, this is good news for us.

Edited January 26, 2010 by RockRaines

[scenario]

And where would he be playing exactly? Who is he pinch hitting for? Because it must then be the late innings and we will bring in Matty to blow him away.

 

That's the scenario if they trade Delmon Young's sorry no power-hitting keister to some other team willing to wait on his "potential".

 

 

[RockRaines]

That's the scenario if they trade Delmon Young's sorry no power-hitting keister to some other team willing to wait on his "potential".

Thome will be playing the OF then? Jason Kubel is the full time DH and the team confirmed that. Thome is a pinch hitter unless they trade Kubel.

 

DH duties

 

Kubel 80-120 games

Cuddyer-10-20 games

Mauer-15-20 games

Thome-10-20 games

 

Thats about it for the DH.

[PeavyTime]

YESSSSSSSSSS! The Twins just got worse!

[Springfield Soxfan]

YESSSSSSSSSS! The Twins just got worse!

This makes no sense for the Twins, Thome, I love you, but I'm glad you are not on this team.

[scenario]

Thome will be playing the OF then? Jason Kubel is the full time DH and the team confirmed that. Thome is a pinch hitter unless they trade Kubel.

 

DH duties

 

Kubel 80-120 games

Cuddyer-10-20 games

Mauer-15-20 games

Thome-10-20 games

 

Thats about it for the DH.

 

Uh-huh.

 

1. Kubel can play left. And it's not like Young is a gold-glover out there... in fact, he's a hack... so defense is not likely to be the decision-maker.

 

2. Hmmm... Delmon Young... .723 OPS in 2007, .741 in 2008, .733 in 2009... career OBP of about .322... strikes out an average of 5X for every walk.... playing every day.... with Jim Thome on the bench. Let's see how long it takes Gardenhire to figure out what lineup scores more runs.

 

[RockRaines]

Uh-huh.

 

1. Kubel can play left. And it's not like Young is a gold-glover out there... in fact, he's a hack... so defense is not likely to be the decision-maker.

 

2. Hmmm... Delmon Young... .723 OPS in 2007, .741 in 2008, .733 in 2009... career OBP of about .322... strikes out an average of 5X for every walk.... playing every day.... with Jim Thome on the bench. Let's see how long it takes Gardenhire to figure out what lineup scores more runs.

Kubel is the full time DH. He's a hack in the field and only played there because he had two hurt teammates. Thome cant play the field, cant hit lefties, and is mostly pinch hitting. Sorry if I am not scared.

[scenario]

Kubel is the full time DH. He's a hack in the field and only played there because he had two hurt teammates. Thome cant play the field, cant hit lefties, and is mostly pinch hitting. Sorry if I am not scared.

 

You keep talking about Thome playing the field. He's NOT going to play the field.

 

Delmon Young sucks. And all I'm saying is Gardenhire is likely to figure out quickly (if he's not thinking it already) that a lineup with Thome at DH and Kubel in left is going to be a better option.

 

If he keeps Young in left, Kubel at DH, and Thome on the bench, that would be much better... for us.