Could Thome come back to the White Sox?
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jim Thome has reportedly been placed on waivers by the Minnesota Twins. The Cleveland Indians and the Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly interested in picking him up. Thome played for both teams. The Tribune speculates that the White Sox might also be interested…
Although they haven’t publicly said anything, the White Sox could be another team with interest in Thome.
Manager Ozzie Guillen has said he regretted letting Thome go late in the 2009 season. Thome went to the Dodgers, then signed with the Twins before the 2010 season.
Because he’s a fully vested veteran, Thome has a no-trade clause, which means he has the right to approve a potential trade and can reject claims from any teams that might seek to claim him off waivers.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Monday that if any major league team claims Thome on waivers, the Twins have until Wednesday to seek a trade instead. If the Twins don’t receive a trade offer they deem worthy enough, they can pull Thome off waivers and reinstate him to the team.
Thome, who hails from the Peoria area, hit his 600th home run last week. Gov. Pat Quinn is reportedly considering declaring a “Jim Thome Day” soon.
What do you think? Should the Sox try to get him back?
…Adding… Considering how shabbily the Cleveland fans treated Thome after he came to Chicago, I really hope they don’t get him back. Those bums don’t deserve him.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:25 am:
If you are a SOX fan; why would you want to strenghten the future of the Twins, for a year; or maybe two at the most of twilight years for Jim Thome?
Thome is a class act, but I don’t think it is likely he will end up here.
- overcooked - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:27 am:
The Sox should claim Thome on waivers although I doubt that the Twins will let him go to Chicago. In a week, rosters will be expanded and leave plenty of room for extra DH’s. Giving up Thome to the Sox will signal a white flag by the Twins.
- The Cardinal - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:28 am:
He would be twice as good as Dunn has been for the sad sack Sox. Hey playing .500 ball and climbing into 2nd. With Thome the Sox would be in first if he was there all season. Dunn is pathetic. Welcome Back Jim!
- TwoFeetThick - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:28 am:
With Lillibridge doing a fine job filling in at first (or wherever else they need him) AND hitting the ball, if the Sox could somehow work a deal where they dump Adam “Mr. .169″ Dunn and pick Thome back up, I think it’d be a great move. If they have to keep whifftastic Dunn on the roster, I don’t see how they can fit Thome. Dunn’s bloated salary doesn’t leave much room.
On a side note, anybody else think Dunn looks like Will Ferrell playing a baseball player?
- Stones - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:32 am:
While Thome was 200% better than Dunn, they are still the same player and we don’t need two left handed DH. Time has proven that we never should have let Thome go in the first place. Now we are stuck with what we have.
- Jaded - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:32 am:
Nope. He should go to Philly where he will have the chance to win the World Series ring he deserves.
- downstate hack - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:32 am:
Definitely take him if you still believe the Sox can make a move this year. (I believe they can). He’s a class guy who can still easily out hit Rios or Dunn as DH.
- dave - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:33 am:
Giving up Thome to the Sox will signal a white flag by the Twins.
Pretty sure that the Twins are well beyond the white flag stage at this point.
With Thome the Sox would be in first if he was there all season.
LOL. That is a pretty high value you place on Jim Thome.
- foster brooks - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:41 am:
No trade with twinkies, anything is an upgrade from adam dunce
- Because I say so - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:55 am:
I would LOVE to see Thome back as a White Sox player. I think it was a huge mistake to let him go. He’s good at bad and I think a valuable player in the club house.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 9:56 am:
No one will take Dunn’s contract unless you pay half of the dough on the remaining three years. He should’ve stayed in D.C. and teamed with Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and the soon-to-be superstar Bryce Harper. I understand the Sox interest but they are still on the hook for another $42 million. He is to the Sox what Zambrano and Soriano are to the Cubs. In the offseason, the only DH who will attract attenion is Big Papi, and he will resign with the BoSox.
That being said - bringing Thome in would definitely ease Sox fans’ pains and alleviate Dunn’s mistakes. Thome can still rake and he is a great clubhouse presence. I’m surprised that a team like Texas or Anaheim doesn’t want him. Or maybe they do. I forgot this isn’t a sports site.
- prairiestatedem - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:15 am:
Agree with some of the previous comments….lets bring him back home to the Sox! Would be one of the best moves out of one of the most horrible front office operations in baseball.
- anon - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:18 am:
Would make the most sense for him to go with the Phillies, since he’s likely to see some post season action with them, possibly even getting as far as another World Series. No way he’ll be doing that with the Sox.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:19 am:
I’d love Thome to come back and show Adam Dunn what a professional ballplayer looks like. Also, AJ would have to look over his shoulder before he puts those Manson lamps on in the clubhouse.
One of my all-time favorites, along with Paulie and Dawson. They do their business, they do it well, they don’t complain and they leave nothing in the bag. Splendid behavior.
- Wumpus - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:35 am:
I am sure the Twins would let him go to the Sox because the Twins know the Sox are DUNN too. Plus, it would be cool to see the Sox get slower. The fact that they have managed to compete with this team is amazing.
- Spring - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:36 am:
let him go to the nl, their pitching is much weaker, he’ll have success and a shot at a ring,bench dunn for the rest of the season, besides with konerko’s leg he’s our dh
- Shore - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 10:43 am:
Thome is a class act and it’s really too bad he’s flown under the radar all these years. 600 HR’s is an unreal number, hopefully he doesn’t end up like sandberg and retires without a title.
- corvax - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 11:16 am:
As a Tigers fan, I’d like him out of the division!
We’re all behind our baseball team, go get ‘em Tigers!…There’ll be joy in Tigertown, we’ll sing you this song, when the Tigers bring the penant home, where it belongs…(join in)…
- Bill - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 11:39 am:
I got real sick of watching Big Jim ground into the shift 8 out of every 10 times he made contact.
It doesn’t matter anyway. The Sox are done.
- Team Sleep - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 11:43 am:
I don’t know what NL team would want Thome. All he could really do at this point in his great career is DH. He can’t play the field and would be nothing more than a glorified pinch hitter for a team like the Phils, Braves or Brewers. Of course, I’m sure the Giants or D-Backs would love a guy like Thome in their clubhouse - and Thome couldn’t be a worse first baseman than Aubrey Huff has been for the Giants. He would also be a good mentor to Brandon Belt.
- southsider - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 12:52 pm:
I hope we don’t get Slugger Jim back…i think the beloved are done-no matter what Ozzie says. Having seen how the Tribe fans treated Thome 1st hand a couple years ago-i hope they get him back and he plays out of his head and they come a 1/2 short of the Tigers!!!
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 1:40 pm:
Sorry Rich, Thome said he really wants to go to a team with a chance to win the World Series, which pretty much rules out the Sox this year. Too bad, he’s a class act and had he stayed, he might wear a Sox uniform in the hall, where he’ll be elected on the first ballot.
- Stones - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 1:55 pm:
Thome is a geniune nice guy but I could care less if he wins a ring or not. The question was “Should the Sox try to get him back”. The fact is he is a left handed DH which (like him or not) we already have. How much $$$$ can you commit to a position that doesn’t even play the field?
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 4:53 pm:
Love to have him back, but can we afford him? We have a high priced Adam Dunn we can’t trade anywhere.
Also White Sox Illinois Plates go on sale Chicago White Sox Plates
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 23, 11 @ 7:24 pm:
It won’t cost the White Sox anything more a fringe class A prospect. Thome is making a million so either the Twins eat it or the Sox pick up $150,000 (however, there is no room in the Sox budget). I guess the Sox could put Q on the DL to make space for Thome. But with Paul Korenko hurt (limited to DH) where would Thome play unless Dunn is playing RF?
All AL teams from worst to first can claim him before the NL teams can, he can’t play for a NL team unless it’s to pinch hit. I think he goes to Cleveland (shame on them for their poor treatment of him), LA Angels or NY Yankees.
As a Cubs fan but follower of the Sox, I consider putting Keeny (relief pitcher) down and calling up Vicedo while Q is banged up. The Sox have been very healthy the entire year notwithstanding the known injuries Peavy would experience coming back from a very serious injury. Danks missed a month. Outside of that (Teahan doesn’t really count), they’ve been a very healthy team until two weeks ago with AJ going down, Konerko getting banged up, and now Q. Still, don’t think there’s room for Thome on the South Side.
Of course, tonight the Sox return to the West Coast which ended their poor play of April when they went out there in early May.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Aug 30, 11 @ 11:12 pm:
Bring him back!He added character to the team!!!