Over the weekend, it was announced that Jim Thome signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies worth $1.25 million. The deal brings Thome back to Philadelphia for his second, and almost definitely final, stint with the Phillies. Thome was originally with the team from 2003-2005, in which he was the starting first baseman and a top home run hitter in the league. Now, at age 41, Thome is simply excited to contribute to his old team in any role necessary.
His role will most likely be a pinch-hitter. This will be an unfamiliar position for Thome who has been used to playing almost everyday throughout his career. During his time with Cleveland and even Philadelphia, Thome was a rising star, hitting home runs and primarily playing first base. Then, when he made the move to the American League with the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins, Thome was a designated hitter, which meant he was still able to get at-bats in every game for the majority of the season. As a pinch-hitter, Thome will be called upon to hit in the late innings and may only get to bat once every three or four days. It is hard to say exactly how well Thome will do in this new role, but he does provide the Phillies with a home run threat off the bench that wasn’t consistently available last season. Furthermore, he will have the advantage of hitting in Citizens Bank Park for half of the season.
With Ryan Howard expected to miss significant time at the start of the upcoming season, many fans may be expecting Thome to play first base. However, I wouldn’t expect Thome to be the opening day replacement for Howard. Since Thome has been a designated hitter for years, he has very little recent experience fielding the position. In fact, Thome has not played in the field since 2007. Furthermore, he is older and not in the same shape as he was when he was a starter in the field. While I am sure Thome will be taking ground balls in the off-season in preparation for a few possible starts at first base, I would expect to see John Mayberry, Jr. (or even a minor league player who joins the roster this upcoming season) get the start more often.
Jim Thome will also be reunited with his former manager, and old friend, Charlie Manuel. In Cleveland, Manuel was Thome’s hitting coach during the late 1990s and then manager in the early 2000s. The two were briefly reunited in Philadelphia when Manuel became the manager in 2005, but Thome was traded after that season. Thome has always spoken highly of Manuel and has been appreciative of all Manuel’s guidance during his career. After Thome hit his 600th home run this past season, he compared his bond with Manuel to that of a father and son. In my opinion, there is currently no better manager to guide Thome to a productive offensive year than Charlie Manuel.
Most importantly, as mentioned above, Jim Thome is happy to be a part of the team. Throughout his career, he has been a hard-working player who handled almost every situation with class. Rather than dwell on the fact that the Phillies traded him in 2005, Thome seems to understand the reasons that trade was made, including, but not limited to, the lack of a designated hitter position in the National League and the fact that Ryan Howard was emerging as a star in this league. He appreciates the commitment the organization has made to winning over the past five years. In what could be his last season, Thome is looking to add the only thing missing from his tremendous career, a World Series ring.
Not only will Thome be accepted easily by the team, but the fans of Philadelphia will be excited to cheer Thome on in his first at bat. Thome was a fan favorite in the past and will continue to win hearts in Philadelphia with his lovable personality. My only concern is that a few of the people who are frustrated with Ryan Howard will campaign for Jim Thome to be the first baseman if Thome starts out the season hot. With all due respect to Jim Thome, just remember he is 41 years old and hit 15 home runs with 50 RBIs last season in 93 games without playing the field. Ryan Howard will be 32 years old and hit 33 home runs with 116 RBIs last season in 152 games while playing the field. Ryan Howard is the starting first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. With that being said, Jim Thome is a welcome addition to the Philadelphia Phillies and could be an important asset to the team down the stretch of the season.
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