Thome Cubs in discussions?

[Neuby]

http://www.chicagosportsaddict.com/?p=861

 

I thought he was after a ring?

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Not going to happen.... Not enough playing time for him on this team.

[Post Count Padder]

Is this just a random blog? There's no source or attribution. I call BS.

[CubsWin]

Is this just a random blog? There's no source or attribution. I call BS.

I'm right there with you. However, I just Googled "Jim Thome Cubs", and there was a very interesting article from the Sun-Times about the Cubs and Thome being an unlikely pairing. Of course, it was from 2002, but...

[TruffleShuffle]

the cubs are in the american league now?

[UMFan83]

The last time Thome was in the NL was with the Dodgers in 09, who traded for him knowing that he could not play in the field. He was nothing but a pinch hitter. Based on his year last year, I doubt he'll accept a similar role for a team not overly likely to contend. I call BS.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I wonder what they're discussing. Perhaps the latest Bears game, because really, theres 0 reason for him to be a 2012 Cub.

[Backtobanks]

Maybe they're discussing Santo's old job.

[TruffleShuffle]

I wonder what they're discussing. Perhaps the latest Bears game, because really, theres 0 reason for him to be a 2012 Cub.

 

yeah next season is 2011.

[David]

Only even remotely relevant thing I can think of is that Thome grew up a Cubs fan and always wanted to play here. I remember this from all the talk when he first went into free agency however many years ago.

 

But yea, makes no sense.

[jersey cubs fan]

Only even remotely relevant thing I can think of is that Thome grew up a Cubs fan and always wanted to play here. I remember this from all the talk when he first went into free agency however many years ago.

 

But yea, makes no sense.

 

Makes no sense unless he's pulling a Wood. The Cubs do seem to have a need for LH power on the bench. They have Fukudome and Colvin who can each play all three OF spots. Baker can handle most backup IF duties, with Barney filling in at MI. But if they do go with the wasteful 12 man pitching staff and only 5 bench spots, you can't really justify a bat that can't play in the field.

[erik316wttn]

If it's a 1 yr/ 1 m deal in which he's strictly a pinch hitter off the bench, then yes. Anything other than that, pass.

[Backtobanks]

If it's a 1 yr/ 1 m deal in which he's strictly a pinch hitter off the bench, then yes. Anything other than that, pass.

 

 

It's a pass on $1 million/1year deal. The Cubs don't have room for a hitter who can't play the field.

[jersey cubs fan]

If it's a 1 yr/ 1 m deal in which he's strictly a pinch hitter off the bench, then yes. Anything other than that, pass.

 

 

It's a pass on $1 million/1year deal. The Cubs don't have room for a hitter who can't play the field.

 

They do if they don't waste space on a 7th reliever.

[erik316wttn]

If it's a 1 yr/ 1 m deal in which he's strictly a pinch hitter off the bench, then yes. Anything other than that, pass.

 

 

It's a pass on $1 million/1year deal. The Cubs don't have room for a hitter who can't play the field.

 

I'd be ok with him giving Pena very occasional off-days as well.

[SouthSideRyan]

If it's a 1 yr/ 1 m deal in which he's strictly a pinch hitter off the bench, then yes. Anything other than that, pass.

 

 

It's a pass on $1 million/1year deal. The Cubs don't have room for a hitter who can't play the field.

 

Why not?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

it would solve that pesky DH problem when interleague games roll around.

[Guest]

Isn't Thome after some home run or such plateau that is even keeping him playing the league at this point?

 

Is it 600 HR's or something similar?

[sweetpeteman]

Isn't Thome after some home run or such plateau that is even keeping him playing the league at this point?

 

Is it 600 HR's or something similar?

 

 

He's 11 away from 600.

[Guest]

Isn't Thome after some home run or such plateau that is even keeping him playing the league at this point?

 

Is it 600 HR's or something similar?

 

 

He's 11 away from 600.

 

Yeah, that's what I thought. He isn't hitting 11 HR's pinch hitting in the NL. Some AL team can give him a much better opportunity to reach that plateau.

[SouthSideRyan]

Isn't Thome after some home run or such plateau that is even keeping him playing the league at this point?

 

Is it 600 HR's or something similar?

 

 

He's 11 away from 600.

 

Yeah, that's what I thought. He isn't hitting 11 HR's pinch hitting in the NL. Some AL team can give him a much better opportunity to reach that plateau.

 

Depends how well he'd do pinch hitting. If he hit HRs at the same rate he did last year, he'd only need 149 PAs to get to 600.

 

It's possible he'd be even more highly leveraged platoon-wise than he was last year when he faced 2.5-1 ratio of righties-lefties.

[BCVM22]

Jim Thome, (hoping to play two more years) is currently in town having just wrapped up initial discussions with the Cubs regarding a possible singing of the slugger.

 

That solves that: he's just going to do the 7th inning stretch a few times.

[Guest]

Jim Thome, (hoping to play two more years) is currently in town having just wrapped up initial discussions with the Cubs regarding a possible singing of the slugger.

 

That solves that: he's just going to do the 7th inning stretch a few times.

 

2 years? I suppose he can more easily reach 600 over 2 years. Probably still wants to reach his milestone whether it takes one or two years to do it while staying as close to home as possible.

[VicCub]

Thome would be an interesting choice for the radio booth. I am not enamored with the current choices so he would be ok with me. Maybe he could do color on the radio, then wander down to the dugout and pinch hit occasionally. Gotta get value for your money these days.

[CubsWin]

Has anyone heard anything about this Thome meeting other than this blog site? Anything on the radio? This site almost exclusively just reprints stories from other sites, but with this story they are the only site reporting this meeting with Cubs brass.