Jim Thome: Speed Racer

There never has been a need to clock Jim Thome's speed going from first to second base, since the 6-foot-3, 255-pound veteran had managed just 18 stolen bases in his first 15 seasons in the big leagues.

That's still the case, because Thome didn't need to exert himself much when he picked up career steal No. 19 on Thursday afternoon (his first since September 2002, which was before he joined the Phillies). With Chicago White Sox runners on first and second, Paul Konerko tried to check his swing on a 3-1 pitch, and home plate umpire Doug Eddins ruled ball four. While the Minnesota Twins screamed for an appeal that initially went unheard, Thome, who was on first, sauntered into second, with Carlos Quentin taking third.

But first-base umpire Ted Barrett said it was a swing, after the runners had moved up. More comedy ensued when Twins pitcher Matt Guerrier ran to second and tagged Thome, then shuffled basketball-style to third and tagged Quentin. Both were safely on base.

"It was funny," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire didn't think so. He was ejected from the game after arguing with Eddins.

Fish out of water

Maybe we've figured out the reason for the Detroit Tigers' poor start. Too many ex-Florida Marlins.

There's nothing wrong with their credentials. Edgar Renteria and Gary Sheffield were mainstays on the Marlins' 1997 World Series champions, with Renteria knocking in the winning run in Game 7. Pudge Rodriguez, Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis have 2003 World Series championship rings.

But they're having problems recapturing the glory and transferring it to Detroit. Cabrera, after a slow start, is batting .252 with six homers and 22 RBIs. Sheffield is struggling at .202 with just two home runs. Willis sports a 7.20 ERA in two starts and is on the disabled list.

It's sure a change for Cabrera, who signed an eight-year, $152 million contract.

"You know I got booed here?" he told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. ". . . That was the first time [a home crowd] has booed me in my life, I think."

DiMaggio, Mantle . . . Costanza?

Wednesday marks the 10th anniversary of the final episode of Seinfeld, a show you can still watch in reruns four times each weekday.

And we are reminded by Orlando Sentinel TV writer Dave Darling that roughly 37 of the 176 original episodes contained a strong sports theme, most of which had to do with baseball, particularly when George Costanza worked for the New York Yankees as assistant to the traveling secretary.

The voice of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was really executive producer Larry David, who came up with such gems as, "Babe Ruth was nothing more than a fat old man with little-girl legs."

Bosox bits

Attention, Red Sox Nation:

After hitting four home runs in a four-game series against Detroit, Kevin Youkilis has eight career homers in spacious Comerica Park. He doesn't have more than two at any other park away from Boston.

The Red Sox are 29 of 33 on stolen-base attempts through Thursday's games, an 87.9 percent success rate. They were 98 of 123 (79.7 percent) last season.

Notable

Texas sent outfielder Kevin Mench to Toronto for cash considerations. . . . Oakland reliever Keith Foulke came off the disabled list. . . . Seattle's Richie Sexson was suspended for six games and fined by Major League Baseball after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at a Texas pitcher on Thursday night.

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Contact staff writer Joe Juliano at 215-854-4494

or jjuliano@phillynews.com.