WEDNESDAY, 9:14am: The White Sox were one of several teams putting in a claim for Thome, reports Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that "there is a high expectation among executives that the White Sox will be awarded the claim." For that to happen, Thome would have to get past the Orioles, Royals, Mariners, and Athletics. That seems feasible, though it's possible one of the four would put in a claim with an eye on a potential draft pick.
MONDAY, 2:15pm: The Twins placed designated hitter Jim Thome on trade waivers today, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal says the Phillies want Thome back in their organization, but there's almost no chance the slugger gets to them. Since the Phillies have the best record in the National League, the 28 other teams would have to pass on Thome first.
Thome, 40, is hitting .256/.365/.503 with 12 home runs in 230 plate appearances this year. He cranked his 600th home run a week ago. Now that Thome has reached the milestone, the Twins might be more inclined to trade him if he would like to join a playoff race. Rosenthal notes that Thome has a full no-trade clause.
Thome's salary should not pose a problem, as he has about $610K remaining plus incentives. As of a week ago Thome wasn't too far from Type B status, so if he continues producing there could be a shot at a draft pick. So there is the possibility that American League non-contenders could place claims. If the Twins want to give Thome freedom to play for any team but don't mind getting nothing in return, they could release him, notes Rosenthal.
Indians make some sense with Hafner (presumably) out.
+1 I do not see making it past the Indians to the Phillies with the Hafner situation and IMO Hafner has played and looked to be hurt for about a month now and with the additional injury yesterday that should have opened the door to bring Thome back with him getting everyday AB’s.
This would be a hugh power upgrade IMO at the DH slot. If they did claim Thome and the Indians and Thome were able to work out a very team friendly contract you could see the Indians cut ties with the banjo hitting Hafner.
The Angels are a team that comes to mind. They might have a use.
I’m pretty sure there are ways around the waiver order for the Phillies. Correct me if I’m wrong, Tim, but I believe if Thome were claimed by another team, he could refuse the assignment, forfeit salary and become a free agent.
Not on revocable waivers. Were it an outright assignment, yes, he could refuse assignment. But it’s Twins or claiming team for Thome once a team lays claim.
He can be pulled back and put on waivers a second time, technically. But it’s the same process and same pecking order except the second time, he can’t be pulled back. There are also unconditional release waivers.
Red Sox? Is Thome right-handed?
Pls leave this website
take off joe.
Does somebody take themselves a little too seriously?
jesus god your a disgrace to the game and if you cant remember them shame on you
Wow. That’s mighty clever Billy Bob. Another baseball snob who thinks he knows it all.
Dude, youre a fool
No
Thanks. But you’re all correct. I should have put a little more thought into my posting before I blurted it out…like you are all so good at, right?
How about instead of asking such a silly question that anybody with half a brain would know was going to get ridiculed on this site you could have used good old Wikipedia or countless other sites to answer your question in about 3 seconds.
so hes not right handed?
Come on man. You really are an idiot for not knowing that. It’s the equivalent to asking “Are the Red Sox in the AL or NL?…couldn’t remember”
I’m sorry that some commenters hurt your feelings, but homie, it’s the internet, you gotta let it go.
Tom, I believe you are correct.
Thome also has a full no trade which he could use to deny any trade on the waiver trades until he reaches a team he is interested in joining to include the Phillies.
it does not work that way.
There is only one shot to make the deal if Thome uses his no trade then the Twins will have to pull him back and maybe put him on full waiver just to get him off the team.
Then Thome would be screwed he would then except the team claiming him or set the rest of the season at home.
Not neccesarily. Phillies really want him and would almost certainly sign him off the Free Agent market. Looking like it could become Phillies or bust for him.
If a team puts in a claim on a player on full waivers and the player refuses the claim then the Team claiming him could decide to be a real ARSE and report the player to the league and the player is that teams and goes to the suspended list.
The only way Thome become a free agent is if he goes through full waivers without a claim being place on him and we both know that will not happen he would get claimed prior to reaching the Phillies.
So Charlie Manual will just have to keep his man crush for Thome in check until he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.
You are incorrect. Because Thomas has a no trade clause, he can reject the claim made by any team. If he does that, he can forfeit his remaining salary ($500,000 in his case) and become a free agent.
No he can’t, because it’s not a trade. It’s a waiver claim. This assumes, of course, that he is claimed through revocable waivers, no deal is made (or he vetoes the trade). He goes back to the Twins, and gets put on waivers again. In such a case, it’s not a trade, Minnesota can’t pull him back, and the team that claims him gets him.
The Twins aren’t stupid enough to put him on irrevocable waivers because they’ll get nothing for him, instead of potential Type B compensation. But even if they do, he goes wherever he’s claimed. It’s not a trade in that situation.
-C
articles.philly.com/2011-08-19/sports/29905446_1_p…
No he can’t, because it’s not a trade. It’s a waiver claim. This assumes, of course, that he is claimed through revocable waivers, no deal is made (or he vetoes the trade). He goes back to the Twins, and gets put on waivers again. In such a case, it’s not a trade, Minnesota can’t pull him back, and the team that claims him gets him.
The Twins aren’t stupid enough to put him on irrevocable waivers because they’ll get nothing for him, instead of potential Type B compensation. But even if they do, he goes wherever he’s claimed. It’s not a trade in that situation.
-C
Sheesh, Tim ” As of a week ago
Thome wasn’t too far from Type B status, so if he continues producing
there could be a shot at a draft pick. So there is the possibility that
American League non-contenders could place claims.” .. awful harsh words for Toronto!
he would definitely turn down salary to be back with charlie
I think he’d love to end his career in Philadelphia with Charlie Manuel. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.
I’d love to have him back. Jim Thome was my favorite player when I was a kid going to Citizens Bank Park and the last year of the Vet.
Delete, disqus messed up my reply :/
If you don’t know (something that all baseball fans really should know), just click on his name. It’ll send you to his B-R page. You can find out there, genius.
supposed to be a reply to oilcanidiot
I wouldn’t be suprised if the White Sox claim him. With Quentin injured, if the claim were to go through, they wouldn’t have a problem acquiring him, and if they don’t, they’d block him from going to a team they’re chasing.
Don’t overlook the injury decimated SF Giants, they may well be the lowest contender in the standings to be able to use him. The Braves and Phillies would no doubt want him too, but he wouldn’t get past Sabean’s penchant for vets. He actually would be an excellent fit with the Giants who really only have Pat Burrell questionably available in Sept off the bench as a power threat, Rowand has been a good PH but both are RH. A big boost down the stretch came from Ishikawa providing some LH power off the bench. Indians will have 1st dibs but look for the Giants to be right behind them.
Rangers/Rays also.
He won’t make it to the Rangers and the Rays wouldn’t take him (nor would he accept that trade likely) they’re not going to catch anyone in that division to make PS.
the tribe should pick him up…..with hafner out, its a no-brainer….cut valbuena and bring up cord phelps
It was nice to see Jim Thome hit his 600th HR in a Twins uni, but I wish the Twins hadn’t been so damn sentimental and had traded him to the Phillies when they had the chance. That would have been the smart business move, since every Twins game is pretty much sold out for the rest of the season and their farm system is so lacking in talent.
The Twins got major national publicity from his 600 homerun chase. That is probably all that they wanted. Now that they are out of the race, they can try and get something for him and move on.
Well, wouldn’t say “major” since the buzz was only for two days, but I do believe that the intention was to allow Thome hit his 600th with the Twins and then allow him to go to a team that can win a World Series.
Well, wouldn’t say “major” since the buzz was only for two days, but I do believe that the intention was to allow Thome hit his 600th with the Twins and then allow him to go to a team that can win a World Series.
Rays still have a Chance and Rangers need a Outfielder not a DH.
the white sox are a joke and have no business wasting thome’s time. the only team that deserves him is the phillies but it won’t happen
Do the White Sox really think they are a contender still?? Thome won’t go to the Sox, he wants to play in the postseason and the White Sox aren’t going there!
The sox are claiming him for a few reasons. The most reasonable is to block him from going to a team like the tigers Yankees rangers phillies etc. 2 he would be an instant upgrade over Dunn. 3 thome and the sox have a great relationship and he is loved in the city why wouldn’t he want to come back?
Yeah, Thome loves Chicago and the White Sox clubhouse. Judging from the likes of clowns like Holloputz, can see why Gentleman Jim from Peoria might prefer ending his career in the midwest rather than putting up with the obnoxious environment in Philly
I find the Whitesox an unlikely fit. Not only are they a very fringe contender at this point, being 6.5 behind the Tigers (though clearly not eliminated). But where would they intend to stick Thome? It seems they would have to move Dunn to LF, and given the way that he plays defense, that is not a great move. And with Dunn not hitting, you sure don’t want to be exposed to his defense.
If he’s not a fit in Chicago, why would he be such a great fit in Philly? He typically doesn’t respond well to being a 2AB a wk guy. Anyone follow what he did in LA when the Sox did him by a favor by letting him go to a contender then? Besides the Sox can always bench Dunn. They would only have to juggle the guys for a week before rosters open up Sept 1
Poor Jim. After such a meaningful and rewarding year (last two years really) to wind up not with the Indians or Phillies (as the Twins were trying to accommodate him) but in the circus of horrors run by double-trouble ringmasters Ozzie and Ken will be one heck of an unpleasant way to go out. For Thome’s sake, I hope it doesn’t happen.
Circus of horrors? You do realize that Thome thrived under such gruesome conditions. Poor man, being hours from his family, in a city and clubhouse that loves him unconditionally. I can see another AL contender, for sure. But recall that Philly dumped him initially, some 5 seasons ago, feeling he was washed up, and the classless Cleveland fans have been positively brutal whenever he’s returned there. Given that the Sox and Tribe are essentially even, don’t see much of a comparison there
Well, Jimmy landed back where it all began….in Cleveland. It might be too late to save the Tribe’s season, but it’s a great move in terms of public relations. I wish he had never left Cleveland, but at least he’s back…..