Congrats Jim Thome

[Big Ben]

Just wanted to send out congratulations to Jim Thome for hitting home run #600 last night. I knew Thome briefly during the time he was a minor leaguer in the Indians organization. He is a great guy and has done a lot of charity work in the Peoria, Illinois area.


http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...1&c_id=min&v=2

[xdrx]

Originally Posted by Big Ben

Just wanted to send out congratulations to Jim Thome for hitting home run #600 last night. I knew Thome briefly during the time he was a minor leaguer in the Indians organization. He is a great guy and has done a lot of charity work in the Peoria, Illinois area.


http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...1&c_id=min&v=2

+1 on congrats to Big Jim. It's really a shame how the HR numbers have been tarnished. 600 natural HRs should be a huge deal. Seems less special than it should.

[Big Ben]

Originally Posted by xdrx

+1 on congrats to Big Jim. It's really a shame how the HR numbers have been tarnished. 600 natural HRs should be a huge deal. Seems less special than it should.

I very much agree. Due to the era, we will truly never know who was clean. That is one of the reasons I stated the charity work that I know he has done for his hometown since he has been a MLB player.

[rainier2004]

Conrats to Thome, even against my Tigers. Agreed, the era is tarnished. I though KG jr got hosed as well...these may be the 2 greatest clean players of this era...but who knows?

[terjung]

Great accomplishment for a great guy. I'd like to see him get 610 to pass Sosa.

[barrysloate]

I suspect he will retire at the end of this season, since he will be 41 and has reached his goal. Might finish with 605, but probably won't catch Sosa.

[xdrx]

What has baffled me is hearing some sports Talking Heads question whether Thome is HOF worthy. While it is true that he was not a defensive star in his career, and will likely retire without a ring, that 600 Club is pretty serious business. Up until recently only three guys had a membership. Their names are Babe, Hank and Willie. You may have heard of them.

Unless someone can offer up some sort of reason to think that Thome is not clean I don't see how he isn't a first ballot selection. I think it would be wrong to hold him back because he played during the "steroid era". We've had plenty of mud slung. None has landed on Thome. Not from Canseco, or Caminiti, or the Mitchell Report.

[t206hound]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "I have Jim Thome's rookie card." Strange, huh?

[Bosox Blair]

Originally Posted by t206hound

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "I have Jim Thome's rookie card." Strange, huh?

That's because they are only sold in lots of 10,000.

Cheers,
Blair

[rainier2004]

Dean:
Couldnt agree more. If no muds has landed on this man then he should definitely by 1st ballot...the talk should be more of where does he rank as an all-time slugger not HOF or not....this era needs to end and Griffer Jr and Thome will help.

Originally Posted by t206hound

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "I have Jim Thome's rookie card." Strange, huh?

[novakjr]

Congrats to Jim....Anyways, there should be ZERO debate about HOF status. Sure thing at this point..Even if he'd retired two years ago, I'd say he was a sure thing, without debate..

[Big Ben]

Originally Posted by xdrx

What has baffled me is hearing some sports Talking Heads question whether Thome is HOF worthy. While it is true that he was not a defensive star in his career, and will likely retire without a ring, that 600 Club is pretty serious business. Up until recently only three guys had a membership. Their names are Babe, Hank and Willie. You may have heard of them.

Unless someone can offer up some sort of reason to think that Thome is not clean I don't see how he isn't a first ballot selection. I think it would be wrong to hold him back because he played during the "steroid era". We've had plenty of mud slung. None has landed on Thome. Not from Canseco, or Caminiti, or the Mitchell Report.

Being from the Peoria, IL area, we have had this debate all day in the office. I think that Thome is a certain Hall of Famer, but not on the first ballot. I think that the first ballot should be reserved for the all-time greats of an era such as a Willie Mays, or a Ted Williams.

Fwiw, there have been strong rumors here, and I have seen some on the internet, that Thome may be traded to Phillies to reunite with Charlie Manuel for their playoff run. It makes sense on some levels, but you never know.

[joeadcock]

Congratulations on 600. HOF for sure

[Fred]

I had him on my roto team when he hit #600! 3/4, 2R, 2HR and 5 wonderful RBIs on that beautiful day. Then I dropped him off my team... even though I dropped him off my roster, I'm still a Thome fan!

[scmavl]

Originally Posted by t206hound

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say, "I have Jim Thome's rookie card." Strange, huh?

I'd had it on my ebay watch list forever and finally bought one the other day, a PSA 10 '91 Bowman. Overproduced? Sure.

I also bought a wax box of '91 Bowman in my last order from BBCE so maybe I can pull another one or two. I love junk wax, you can't beat ten bucks for a box.

[refz]

being a yankee fan i always loved thome for his power, he has my vote for the hall..