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Thome Returns to Philly

By Aaron Goldstein on 11.5.11 @ 12:27AM

Jim Thome will be returning to the Philadelphia Phillies having agreed to a one-year, $1.25 million contract in 2012.

Thome split the 2011 season with the Minnesota Twins and the Cleveland Indians. The highlight of Thome's season was when he belted his 600th career homerun in August.

This will be Thome's second stint with the Phillies. Thome played with Philadelphia from 2003 through 2005. A back injury in '05 opened the door for a young first baseman named Ryan Howard and Thome was dealt to the Chicago White Sox the following season. In an interesting twist of fate, it is an injury to Howard that has opened this door for Thome. Howard, of course, severed his Achilles tendon while making the final out of the 2011 NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Howard is unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2012 season so don't be surprised to see Thome playing a lot of first base at the beginning of the year. But should Howard recover (or if the Phillies sign someone like Michael Cuddyer), Thome will be relegated to pinch hitting duty although he could be a useful weapon off the bench. Even if Thome doesn't get a lot of playing time his presence in the clubhouse will be a welcome sight.

Thome will also be reunited with manager Charlie Manuel. In addition to his previous stint in Philadelphia, Thome had a long standing working relationship with Manuel in the Cleveland Indians first as a minor league manager before becoming the Indians hitting coach and eventually succeeding Mike Hargrove as the Tribe's manager in 2000.

Thome has accomplished almost everything there is to accomplish in Major League Baseball except winning a World Series ring. Thome did play with the AL champion Indians in 1995 and 1997 but has never experienced a ticker tape parade in career that has spanned two decades. The Phillies represent his last best shot at attaining that goal.

View all comments (13) | Leave a comment

Occam's Tool| 11.5.11 @ 10:43AM

The man is a class act.

Occam's Tool| 11.7.11 @ 2:15AM

From class to classless...Penn State.

albert constantine jr.| 11.5.11 @ 11:32AM

Welcome back to Gentleman Jim Thome.

beebop2| 11.5.11 @ 6:29PM

As a Clevelander I am happy to say: Don't come back. You are an opportunist only too happy to dip your quil where the ink is the blackest. Pull your socks up some where else.

Clint| 11.5.11 @ 7:30PM

We welcome Jim Thome back with The Phillies.

He still has plenty of hits in him & can push runs.

Bob K.| 11.6.11 @ 12:08AM

The Phillies should have picked him up in August.

All American American| 11.6.11 @ 1:32PM

As a Philly fan I hope they go one better---trade Howard and make a huge push for Pujols. Ryan Howard has single-handidly been responsible for the last 2 disappointing post-season early exits for the Phillies. The Phils could sure use a 4-hitter who can drive a run in or not finish a series on an 0-fer-15 nosedive.

Bob K.| 11.6.11 @ 6:44PM

The problem wasn't Howard. The rest of the Phillies hitters were getting good pitches and not hitting.

Howard ain't Pujols but they pitched around him just like everybody pitched around Pujols. Neither if them saw decent pitches to hit except in one game or two. If the people coming up to bat in front of Howard and behind him had been hitting he would have seen more decent pitches to hit.

All American American| 11.7.11 @ 10:08AM

Bob K, this was two years in a row Howard choked. He's getting $25M a year to hit HRs and drive in runs for Philadelphia, regardless of who is or isn't hitting. Against teh Giants last year he did not hit onr HR or drive in one lousy run, and the Phillies lost a close, low-scoring series.

This year they lost game 5, 1-0. If not for Ben Francisco they prolly lose in 4. Yeah it wasn't all on Howard, but he's the #4 hitter, getting paid $25M. Going hitless the final 3+ games of the series is unforgivable.

(As an aside I did notice the Phillies take too many good pitches IMHO. Teeing off on a first pitch meatball down the middle isn't a bad thing. It seemed they would watch two strikes go by and then swing at garbage/borderline pitches. Swing the damn bat fellas!!!)