#42 Jim Thome

Jim Thome
1B/3B
1991-2012
5 Time All Star, 600 Home Run Club
Baseball Hall of Fame

When you're 8 and you check the box scores of a bad team every morning over a bowl of the most sugary cereal your parents will let you get away with, anything different jumps out. In late 1991 I started to notice a Thome at third base for my Indians. I assumed it was pronounced tha-ome like rhymed with Rome. It wasn't until the following year I found out the proper pronunciation and laid eyes on Jim Thome. 

The man has the 8th most home runs in baseball history...8th. He has 612 of them. He's a lifetime .278 hitter and he blossomed into a super star as the Indians were becoming relevant in the mid 90s. He's 86th all time in WAR and 17th in On Base Plus Slugging if you like new numbers. He's 7th in walks and yes 2nd in strikeouts. He is the all time leader in walk off home runs with 13. 

He played on 5 All Star teams, was snubbed a few more, and was universally beloved around the game- noted good guy Sean Casey was quoted as saying "everywhere Jimmy played felt like the only place Jimmy played". 

On a personal note, the first time I ever set foot in Jacobs Field was in 1994 a few weeks before the strike, The Indians were in a pennant race with their opponent that night the White Sox. Jim Thome hit three home runs that night and cemented himself as one of my all time favorite players. I wore my socks up my whole career because of the man, and if that bumps him up a slot or two so be it.

David Ortiz is beloved as a legendary post season figure, and he won 3 titles and I'm not discounting that, he hit 17 post season home runs, Jim Thome also hit 17 post season home runs...in 127 less plate appearances.

Then again he hit 612 dingers and was elected to Cooperstown in 2018


Anthony Leonelli is a 37 year old College Baseball Coach and amateur baseball arguer. If you wanna know how this list came together check here criteria. He thinks that George Brett winning batting titles in 3 decades is pretty awesome. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#35 Miguel Cabrera

Image
Miguel Cabrera 1B/3B 2003- 11X All Star, 2X MVP Winner of 2012 Triple Crown Miguel Cabrera appeared seemingly fully formed in 2003 and helped the Florida Marlins to a World Series title at age 20. He has been among the best hitters in the game ever since and his career numbers are entering a staggering range. He is a lifetime to date .313 hitter. His lifetime OPS to date is .931. He is knocking on the door of 500 homers and 3,000 hits and he has won 4 batting titles. He is 24th all time in RBI at the time of this writing.  He has not won a title since that magical rookie year in Florida but still has 13 career post season home runs. If you're an advanced stats guy he's 3rd among active players in WAR for position players and he's second among active players in Hits, Homers, and RBI and first in career batting average. Someday soon Miggy is going to retire and a guy that we have maybe taken for granted for the last 18 summers will be gone. - in his wake will be a career of...
Read more

#37 Nolan Ryan

Image
Nolan Ryan P 1966-1993 5000 Strikeouts/300 Wins Baseball Hall of Fame Reach back and let it rip. Nolan Ryan was a big ol farmboy from Texas and he threw like it. Although he could throw 100+ in his day he also had a devastating curveball 12-6 style. His 300 wins cement his legacy as an all time great although his 292 losses somewhat complicate his legacy. No one ever was harder to square up in major league history. He has a .204 all time opponents batting average, that's a record. So are his 5714 strikeouts and 2795 career walks.  The man was named to 8 all star teams, was a member of the 1969 World Champion Mets, and had his number retired by 3 franchises.  He also threw SEVEN no hitters, 12 one hitters and 18 two hitters.  He's 60th all time in WAR and 20th among pitchers, He completed 222 of his career starts. and his 61 shutouts are good for 7 all time. At age 47 his final pitch of his career, one that tore a ligiment ending his season and h...
Read more

#36 Eddie Mathews

Image
Eddie Mathews 3B 1952-1968 12 Time All Star/500 Home Runs Baseball Hall of Fame Eddie Matthews was the only man to play for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. A formidable power hitter that often gets lost in Hank Aaron's shadow, Mathews is an immortal in his own right.  When he retired his 512 were good for the 6th most Home Runs in history. He lead the league in home runs 2 times and walks (not nearly as valued then) 3 times.  He has 2 World Series rings and was the first person ever on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He and Henry Aaron hit 863 home runs as teammates, still the all time record. He got World Series rings with the 57 Braves and 68 Tigers. He was the best left handed power hitter in the National League for most of his career and if you're into modern stats you'll love that he's 34th all time in WAR. He was elected to Cooperstown in 1978 after an unfair 5 years on the ballot (he and the media weren't budd...
Read more