Aug 25, 2011

Indians claim slugger Jim Thome off waivers

 

By Scott Boeck, USA TODAY

Updated 3h 49m ago

 

Jim Thome, one week removed from hitting his 600th career home run, was claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal is reporting.

 

The Minnesota Twins and Indians have until 1 p.m. ET Friday to agree on a deal.

 

Rumors swirled that the Chicago White Sox may be interested in the left-handed slugger, if not just to block the Indians, but general manager Ken Williams didn't make a move.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/08/indians-claim-jim-thome-off-waivers/1

Thome has agreed to the Indians trade (No-trade clause in his contract)

 

http://twitter.com/#!/Buster_ESPN/status/106893902149193728

Even for his age, he is immediately the best slugger on the roster, at .476, only Kipnis has him beat, and he's hurt. As long as the 'player to be named' is absolutely nobody of consequence, it's a good, if desperate, move.

I am cool with it. If this was another player not named Thome with the same numbers and same cost to the team, it would make sense because Hafner is out. The fact that it is Thome and he can now possibly retire as an indian is just icing on the cake.

 

BTW This been the most depressing 7 days of Cleveland Baseball in Cleveland that I can remember in a long time. Maybe the 2005 collapse? But I think that was just the series against the chisox, who at least went on to win it all that year. Seattle? Really?

BRING BACK PAUL SORRENTO TOO!

I'm going to an Indians game tonight, driving in from Canton.  Has anyone ever used the Great Lakes Fatty Wagon?  It sounds like a killer deal for $1.00 round trip.  Then afterwards, maybe we can stay and eat.

The one time I tried to use it there was a long line to get on it so we just walked.  Of course there were 35,000 people at that game and we waited until about 6:45 to try to ride over.  If you do go that route, your best bet is to probably find a free on-street parking spot around Bridge and W. 28th.

 

I love Great Lakes beer, but if you want to eat after the game, there's a bunch of places right around there with much better food.

Well... Fat Heads is my favorite... maybe I can talk my wife into making the trip west.  I've never had the food at Great Lakes, but I also like the beer.  I'm not sure if we will be early, or late getting to the game... so that could really be a factor.  How early does the highway start to back up?

The Flat Iron also has a free shuttle on Game nights. It's just down the hill on the east bank. I use it all the time. Parking is better down there too.

Edit:  Our tickets came with parking passes... so E 9th garage it is.  I did not realize that Jim Thome would might be back for tonights game... holy cow, that is exciting.  I might need to leave earlier than I thought... maybe 5:00?

Oh man, I'm jealous!  As I look at the calendar this might be my first year in a long time I don't make it to a single game!

Looking at the injury/DL list is depressing. Half the starting lineup is out: Brantley, Sizemore, Hafner, Kipnis, Choo. Fukudome is a decent outfielder, but our ENTIRE starting outfield is out, along with our DH and our best young hitter. Even with Thome, I'd be shocked if we made the playoffs.

I'll be at Sunday's game -- in the Indians' suite! :) It helps to have a relative working for the Indians....

Great win tonight. This team doesn't quit. 

Brantley now done for the year, Jared Head called up..  Mind boggling how so many OF's could be injured in one season; Brantley, Crowe, Choo, Grady.

Is too much to ask for Detroit to actually lose a few games, just to make it a little more interesting?

Well, they lost one. That's a start!

^Yeah, unfortunately, so did we.

 

I got to go to the game yesterday. It was pretty exciting when, with a runner on base, they brought up Thome to PH, and my 6yo had a chance to see Cleveland's returning hero give them the lead in the 8th. There was kind of an electricity as he went to the plate, until he went 3 and out.

 

'Well, son...he did a lot of that when he was here the last time too'

Indians on pace for 1.84 Million in attendance, 32% higher than last year, says Crain's. They are currently ranked 25/30 but I'd guess they'll finish 24th since Toronto is out of the race at this point. Not great, but enough, along with the stronger performance than expected, that the owners may grudgingly make a decent offseason acquisition. (http://espn.go.com/mlb/attendance)

 

Not bad, given the bad (even for here) weather in the early season and the very low expectations.

While an improvement, last year's attendance was the worst in Jacobs/Progressive Field history.  So keep that in mind.

 

Sadly, I wonder if Cleveland can really support 3 sports teams.  At least support 3 teams that are good at the same time.  When the Indians were selling out every game and drawing 3 million fans, they also had a couple things going for them.  1) New park 2)  They hadn't been a contending team in 40 years 3) Cavs were terrible 4) Browns were gone for 3 of those years

 

In 2005 and 2007 - when they were really good - they barely broke 2 million fans.  But by then, the Cavs were good and the Browns always draw well.  It seems the Browns bring people in regardless and who ever is more trendy between the Cavs and Indians gets the attendance.

Well, I know a guy that makes the trip to watch the Indians play Pittsburgh for some reason.  He thinks the Pirates have a nicer stadium, i've been there and I disagree.  It is nice being by the river though.  Anyway, I guess it's not much of a point but perhaps some other NE Ohio baseball fans do view Pittsburgh as an option

Tribe MUST get this win tonight.  Detroit is down big.  If there is any hope left this year...it starts tonight.

Cool. We just gained a game on the Tigers! If we can gain at least one more before next week's series against them, then we can at least tie them in the standings.

 

Hey, how did the ChiSox gain a half game up on us??

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings

because half our roster is on the DL and we've been playing with a lineup of little leaguers. :)

 

It's truly amazing this team is hanging around given the injury situation.

It's sad when you could put together a better hitting lineup from players on the DL than you can with your active players.

because half our roster is on the DL and we've been playing with a lineup of little leaguers. :)

 

It's truly amazing this team is hanging around given the injury situation.

 

That's what good pitching does for you.

 

EDIT: Unfortunately Masterson pitches Sunday producing a game ERA below his already stellar season ERA -- AND LOSES!

Happily Detroit and Chicago play each other later this week, so worst case is that Chicago drops back a bit.

 

Tonight's pitching matchup is not promising, but with these two offenses, who knows what to expect.

I'm betting the under even if it's 4. 

Ugh, what an annoying night of scoreboard watching, with KC blowing it's lead to Detroit in the 8th and Minn blowing a lead to Chicago.  A little help guys!

Yes, that was tantalizing yet frustrating....

Argh, KC's bullpen just now blew it in the 8th AGAIN.

 

Go tribe!

Between Peralta and Victor's offensive seasons....

 

I mean, this is getting ridiculous.

 

Go tribe!

 

Detroit's on a roll. No one from the Central Division is going to stop them now.

 

EDIT: go Browns!  :-D

It all comes down to head to head competition.

Detroit is too stacked and almost 100% healthy. There's no beating them. I'm glad the management made an effort down the stretch, but short of a miracle, it's over.

 

Also, Grady Sizemore getting hit in the hand by a pitch in his first game back? Come on!

Just not going to happen this year.

That should about do it....  but you've gotta like the way this team fought all year.  Their window is 2012-13... until Jimenez's contract is up.  Now let's see if they can get a few bats this offseason.

Did Jimenez really just give up 2 god d#mn hits?  And we lost? ...wtf

Speaking of WTF...did Fausto really just give up 7 runs while only managing to retire 4 batters?

OK, so now we're hitting? Against Verlander?? This team is really weird....

OK, so now we're hitting? Against Verlander?? This team is really weird....

 

"We" aren't hitting, Shelley Duncan is hitting. :)

OK, but at least there were people on base.

 

EDIT: just as there was when Victor Martinez hit another dinger -- again. Oy...

Well, I guess Shelley Duncan can't beat the Tigers.

Actually, it seems NOBODY can beat the Tigers right now! 12 wins in a row! I can taste the Central Division Title!

 

GO TIGERS!

They are not that great really.... certainly cannot be judged as good playing a beat up and young Cleveland team. The real tests with be the Rangers type teams and above.  Won't get past the first series round, I predict.  Did the thread change to "Tigers Discussion?"

^ i respectfully disagree.  THis team is clicking.  THey are getting timely hitting, pitching, etc. much like the tribe  in the spring.  They will have the best pitching in the AL in the playoffs, that goes without saying. 

 

I predict they make a run to the world series, but lose to philly.

Not that the Tribe was going to get him in a million years, but Pujols is going to the Angels for 10 years at 250-260 million.

 

What a selfish piece of sh!t. Not much better than LBJ.

 

 

Big ALbert is cashing it in.  He has two rings.  All he wants to now is live in the warm weather near water and earn his big bucks.  That deal will be a complete bust, as he wont be producing in 3-4 years.  Plus his motivation is probably low since he has won it all.  He is kind of a punk, too.

I really don't have a huge problem with players going to other teams, as it's not like teams are loyal to players in turn. And fans will boo an underperforming player in a heartbeat - look how Clevelanders behave with Grady. Ridiculous.

 

But this whole delaying the inevitable, not being a man about wanting to leave, being the center of bidding wars and attention, and then the lame statements about doing this for one's family.....all of that conduct bothers me a lot. LBJ took it to an inane level with that ESPN program, but Pujols isn't much better. At least guys like Reyes and Fielder are open about not wanting to stay on their teams; at least they're honest to themselves, their teams, and their fans rather than the crap you see with Pujols here. 

 

Also, while this shouldn't matter, it does bother me a little that Pujols -- who by all accounts is a good family man, someone who gets off elevators when it's just him and a lady (to avoid even the hint of inapprorpiate behavior), gives a$$loads in cash to charities, and is overall likeable -- pulled this. Him in particular. Athletes aren't heroes, not really, and quite a few of them aren't the most pleasant outside the game. But Pujols always semeed better than that, and now we see a different side. Just another athlete sullying his reputation and goodwill for an extra fraction of a percent of salary, and I don't want to see St. Louis fans going through the hurt we Clevelanders did. It just makes us even more cynical and bitter overall, and who needs that.