Jim Thome, The 39 year old former first baseman and current DH is a free agent. This man hits home runs, plain and simple. It doesn't matter what park he's in, it doesn't matter if he's in the American League or National League. Jim Thome is a home run machine. Get up there and hit it as hard has he can. That's his job and he knows it. Jim Thome is a throwback. Loose fitting uniform, always dirty, eye black and walks up to the plate and holds his bat out as if to say "I'm about to hit this out." There is no way around it, even at 39, Jim Thome is larger than life. In 2010 with the Twins, Thome hit 25 home runs. In the year before where he was in his final year with the Chicago White Sox making $13 million, he moved onto the Twins to make $1.5 million.
So why am I saying all this to you? I'm telling you because in my heart of hearts, I believe Jim Thome, a veteran home run hitter, should end his career in pinstripes. Why not? Yankee Stadium, which, for a brief time had a rightfield stands titled "Damon's Deck", should be called "Thome Town". The town where balls are deposited regularly by Jim Thome. Can you imagine how many home runs Thome can give us at Yankee Stadium? 30, 35? Yes, Thome is older, but he still knows his role and when you concentrate on something long enough, you get into a rhythm and just keep rolling. You don't believe me? Ask Josh Hamilton when he put on a clinic at the old Yankee Stadium during the Home Run Derby in 2008.
Thome would be an incredible option for the New York Yankees. Yes, we've all been told Jorge Posada is our DH, but is he really? You don't think Posada and Martin will be platooning behind the plate with Jesus Montero joining them and filling in on occasion and eventually getting his sea legs? I believe that. I expect Martin to be our number 1, Posada and Montero platooning the 2 and 3 slots and with a guy like Thome as the DH platooning with Posada? I don't see how we can lose? Plus, what could Thome possibly want to get paid? $1 million, $2? Maybe $2.5 million? It makes sense to me. Anyone disagree?
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No doubt about it, Thome can still hit the long ball. (And chicks still dig it!) But I'm just not sure he's a fit for the Yankees. Going by the information the Yankees have given us, Jorge Posada will have the DH role all too himself except for the occasional half day off for A-Rod and Jeter. Posada will be an emergency backup catcher and maybe see 30 innings behind the plate all season.
ReplyDeleteWhere does this leave Thome? On the bench. He may be cheap, but he's kind of a waste of a roster spot for the Yankees since he wouldn't see any time in the field with Teixeira gloving everything in reach. Like you said, I think Thome still has some pop, and although he'd love the short porch in right at Yankee Stadium, I see him taking a full-time DH/1B role somewhere else.