The Thome Pipe Dream
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The Thome Pipe Dream
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The first thing you need to understand is that the Major League Baseball commissioner's office wields a significant amount of behind-the-scenes power when it comes to the machinations of its 30 member clubs. Some clubs heed the office's wishes more than others, but there are plenty of ways in which Bud Selig can apply diplomatic pressure to team Presidents, from the scheduling of regular season games to the awarding of All-Star Games to the approving of trades that involve money changing hands.
The second thing you need to understand is that any attempt by Jim Thome and the Phillies to circumvent baseball's convoluted waiver process will be universally protested by the rest of the teams in the majors. And for good reason. The waiver process exists as it does for plenty of reasons, particularly to avoid late-season roster moves that could unfairly tip the balance of power in a postseason race.
Thome landing with the Phillies would not necessarily result in such a power shift. He would be used as a pinch-hitter and, if it gets to that point, a designated hitter in the World Series. Now, the Phillies would love to have him, and anybody who watched Thome's post-600-home-run praise of Charlie Manuel realizes that the feeling is likely mutual. Aside from the Phillies' need for a left-handed power bat on the bench, there a slew of sentimental factors in play. Thome wants a World Series ring. Thome and Manuel love each other like few player/coach tandems I have ever seen. Thome is often credited with giving the Phillies their first whiff of legitimacy by signing with them the year before Citizens Bank Park opened.
Paul Hagen did a nice job last week of detailing the steps that would have to occur for Thome to land in Philly. According to Fox Sports' tireless Ken Rosenthal, the Twins placed the slugger on trade waivers today. But the Phillies have almost no shot at claiming him, which is what they would need to do in order to work out a deal. They have the last crack at him in the National League, thanks to their best-in-the-majors record. And because Thome is owed about $600,000 for the rest of the season, he is sure to be claimed by a team in front of the Phillies. Even if that team does not need a player like Thome, they can place a claim on him in order to block the Phillies from having a shot at him.
Assuming that happens, the only way for the Phillies to sign Thome would be for the Twins to release him, which would then allow him to sign with the team of his choosing. For that to happen, both the Twins and the Phillies would risk the ire of the rest of the teams in the sport, who have already watched Ruben Amaro Jr. swing trade after trade over the last couple of years.
Can it happen? Sure. Will it? The chance is close to zero.
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Poll: Are you confident in Ryan Madson as a closer?- First of all, I know how to spell. What the heck is "actuay"? Second of all, taking the writer's word over mine every day (Should be two words in this context. Not one like you have it.) is why you will continue to be misinformed.
— tsmagnum73 - Murphy, once again, you've outdone yourself. Baseball is a game that transcends the statistical, the sabremetrical, the mere analogs of performance. The heart of this game remains in the human variables which will never be captured by your stone-cold anaylses. On so many levels, the return of JT to this club is right. Such compelling karma would be evident to anyone with a heart or a soul. Your audience deserves better, much better.— defg0003
- "Release Thome," set him free!— Doc1947
- Get immediate input from EZ and follow that road.— NewMick314
- Oh, and I'm sure Bud Selig would be totally fair and diplomatic considering his Brewers are playoff bound on a collision course with the Phils. By the way, can people please stop calling Murphy "Murph"? Only cool people get nicknames. I can't take anything he says seriously. What the heck does he know?— tsmagnum73
- Put
Put Gload on DL and bring Jim Thome to the Fightin Phils so he can get some work at first. It appears Mr. Howards defensive skills are good, but his hitting doesn't warrant the huge salary he is being paid!!!
--wizkidmike
— wizkidmike - Thome has played four games in the field since he left the Phils. When we get him, I would have him start taking grounders at first, and then when we've sewn things up, start playing him at first a few games to give Howard a rest, get Thome reacclimated with the field and get him some ABs. — tsmagnum73
- Carve it in stone: Jim Thome will become a Phillie before August 31. He is one of baseball's true class acts, and his entire career has been exemplary. MLB will want to give Thome the chance to win a world series before he retires and aeaits his call from the hall of Fame. Every other team in MLB claiming Thome off waivers is overstated. Non-contenders are not interested in paying $600,000 to rent a 41-year-old pinch hitter for two months. Most contenders already have their lineups set. The Phils are one of the few teams that have a meaningful connection to Thome, and Thome most likely wants to finish what he started in Philly. He helped point the Phils in the right direction when he played for the team, and he undoubteldy would like to receive his world series ring while standing next to his mentor, Charlie Manuel.— onthebucks
- Put Gload on the
d
Put
Put Gload on the DL and try to get Big Jim back where he would want to finish his great baseball career. He could get some playing time at firstbase and also some needed
a
Put
Put Gload on the
Bring Jim Thome back where he would want to be helping the Phils try to get to another WS. He could get some playing at time at firstbase and also some AB. This would also give Mr. Howard some time in the batting cage which he sorely needs.
— wizkidmike - If the Indians did claim Thome, I can't see him rejecting them simply for the opportunity to come to the Phils. Thome's not that kind of guy. If it were any team other than Cleveland, I could see him doing that, but not if it's Cleveland.— Bretzky
- The first thing that David needs to understand is that his debby-downeresque and counter-Pence advocation of Carlos Beltran coming to the Phillies wasn't supported by facts in the latter portion of July and is even less supported by the facts in the last week of August. The second thing that David needs to understand is that tossing Jim Thome under the bus only solidifies his record of habitual launching of turds into the Philadelphia sports punchbowl. The third thing that David needs to understand is that his hubris and sour and rancid facial body language on DAILY NEWS LIVE is counterproductive to his chances of having a long successfull career in the Delaware Valley. The fourth thing that David needs to understand is that he needs to publically admit that he was not correct in advocating Beltran over Pence coming to the Phillies. My sense is that his arrogance will prevent him from understanding of the these four things that he needs to understand.— vail43
- Thome is a much better optioned than the one the Phils have now...which is none. Gload is horrible at best...rather see Cliff Lee pinch hit...probably has more hits.— Phillyfan666
