Indians Acquire Thome for PTBNL.

[timdav]

Info per Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

[TonyIBI]

Indians fans should celebrate his return.

That said, he really dissed Cleveland 9 years ago when he left. Trip down memory lane:

http://www.indiansprospectinsider.com/2 ... -boos.html

[criznit2009]

Going to be intersting to see who the player ends up being... With the date being Oct. 15th to complete it I assume making the play-offs is a factor on who it ends up being.

[ironmike]

Tony, not sure the information reported in that article was 100% correct. I won't post the details here but I can tell you there was more to the situation that was not reported.

[GhostofTedCox]

Congrats to the Indians for re-acquiring Jim Thome. I'm sure over time people will say the price wound up being too high for only 1 month of the season. But that's OK with me in this case.

Life is too short to worry about what was done or not done 9 years ago. Lots of Indians fans have died and been born since then. The fact is he is one of the greatest Indians of all-time. A HOFer. It will be great to see him with that big swing send one out one more time. I hope I'm there. I hope you are too.

[daingean]

Congrats to the Indians for re-acquiring Jim Thome. I'm sure over time people will say the price wound up being too high for only 1 month of the season. But that's OK with me in this case.

Life is too short to worry about what was done or not done 9 years ago. Lots of Indians fans have died and been born since then. The fact is he is one of the greatest Indians of all-time. A HOFer. It will be great to see him with that big swing send one out one more time. I hope I'm there. I hope you are too.

I too applaud the move. Thome was always one of my favorites. I will reserve judgement on the trade based on who the ptbnl is. The fans cannot say the FO is not trying to get back in this race. He is a veteran that can help the youngins in a playoff run. Even if this team falls short of the division title, this is a good move because of the message it sends as well as the leadership it will provide.

[Lloyd Christmas]

The fans cannot say the FO is not trying to get back in this race

Well its too late for that. Still glad they got him though. I would try and sign him for next year. Hafner will obviously not be healthy all year and Thome is more productive anyway

[daingean]

The fans cannot say the FO is not trying to get back in this race

Well its too late for that. Still glad they got him though. I would try and sign him for next year. Hafner will obviously not be healthy all year and Thome is more productive anyway

well it always takes 2 to tango and after Hafner went down they got him in just a few days. I certainly think the FO did try to acquire others and were successful with Fukudome and Jimenez. IMHO, they have tried and still are trying.

As far as signing him for next year, can you have to DH only's on a roster of 25 for a full season? He has only played 4 games at 1B since 2005 (none since 2007). He may not even remember which hand the glove goes on.

[Prosecutor]

Too little, too late. They're talking about putting both Brantley and Tomlin on the DL, and Choo is still being evaluated for that pain in his side. We've already lost Sizemore, Kipnis, and Carrasco. No way the Tribe can make up 6 1/2 games on Detroit with all those guys out, especially the way Jimenez is pitching. And Thome is nowhere near the hitter he was in his prime. I'd just as soon he went somewhere else.

[Hermie13]

Tony, not sure the information reported in that article was 100% correct. I won't post the details here but I can tell you there was more to the situation that was not reported.

Let me guess, you believe in the conspiracy theory that the Tribe never intended to offer Thome the 5 year deal and that Thome actually agreed to it, but it was pulled?

[ACrank]

Too little, too late. They're talking about putting both Brantley and Tomlin on the DL, and Choo is still being evaluated for that pain in his side. We've already lost Sizemore, Kipnis, and Carrasco. No way the Tribe can make up 6 1/2 games on Detroit with all those guys out, especially the way Jimenez is pitching. And Thome is nowhere near the hitter he was in his prime. I'd just as soon he went somewhere else.

Agree. At this point all it is is a feel good move. i doubt it will do much more than that.

[Chiefroy]

Too little, too late. They're talking about putting both Brantley and Tomlin on the DL, and Choo is still being evaluated for that pain in his side. We've already lost Sizemore, Kipnis, and Carrasco. No way the Tribe can make up 6 1/2 games on Detroit with all those guys out, especially the way Jimenez is pitching. And Thome is nowhere near the hitter he was in his prime. I'd just as soon he went somewhere else.

Agree. At this point all it is is a feel good move. i doubt it will do much more than that.

As far as feel good moves go, this one feels pretty damn good.

[ACrank]

Right now it doesn't feel good to me. Thome is just a hired gun on a team that needs a missle.

[ironmike]

No Hermie, you are giving yourself way to much credit regarding.

[Pork Chop Pough]

Let me start by saying that even at the height of his popularity, I wasn't as big a fan of Jim Thome as most... and I think it's hilarious that after all his quotes claiming that it was all about winning and not money, it took the Indians five years to get back to the playoffs, and it took Thome six (and with another organization). Now with that out of the way...

I can't comprehend why anyone would try to find anything negative in this deal. It's not going to cost Cleveland a player or financial sum of any significance... it might not even cost them a player at all. It's an excellent PR move -- Thome wants to be here, and most of the fan base is ecstatic to have him back. He's 1,000,000x the veteran leader and professional role model that Orlando F. Cabrera ever was. He's a useful bat in a lineup that has half of its starters on the DL, and has no one else of any value to put in the DH slot. Even aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy. Whether he's an improvement to a team battling for first place or second place doesn't matter, as he's not a cost prohibitive addition -- this is a move that should have been made regardless of team record, as the team isn't giving up anything important, and he's blocking no one who will have an impact on Cleveland's future.

Anyone who tries to argue that this is a bad strategic move is being irrational based on their inability to get past the decision of one baseball player over 8 years ago.

[Prosecutor]

We needed a DH and Thome was available, plus he has the second highest OPS of any DH in the American League according to Pluto's column this morning. I still think it's too little, too late to overcome the amazing run of injuries, but I give the front office kudos for trying.

[GeronimoSon]

......aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy......

-1

Perhaps you just aren't a fan of power hitting lefty DH's without a valid basis for the dislike.... <shrugs>

[Pork Chop Pough]

......aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy......

-1

Perhaps you just aren't a fan of power hitting lefty DH's without a valid basis for the dislike.... <shrugs>

I'm really not sure what point you're trying to make, but if you think that my criticism of Hafner has to do with anything other than his very valid struggles since his first DL trip (50 games - .238/.333/.381) then it says more about your inability to see through your own bias of a player than it does mine.

[GeronimoSon]

..Even aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy...

Improvement: The act or process of improving or the state of being improved or a change or addition that improves

Travis Hafner .281/.364/.488 (.812 OPS)..11 HR's 49 RBI's <=== what Travis Hafner has contributed in 2011

In other words..

The bias exists in your own statement.. "if PRONK was healthy." ..selectively changing the statement to only include post DL stats is BIASED..

YOUR BIAS

The Indians did get very good results from Travis during his 281 AB's in 2011. The improvement you allude to is a myth. To kick a player when he's down (on the DL) is crapola. That's also the point.

[Hermie13]

......aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy......

-1

Perhaps you just aren't a fan of power hitting lefty DH's without a valid basis for the dislike.... <shrugs>

Hafner hasn't been a power hitter for a while now. Nearly 70% of his hits this year have been singles.

[GeronimoSon]

......aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy......

-1

Perhaps you just aren't a fan of power hitting lefty DH's without a valid basis for the dislike.... <shrugs>

Hafner hasn't been a power hitter for a while now. Nearly 70% of his hits this year have been singles.

What an odd response.. aren't most hits by any hitter from power or slap, consistently around 70 % singles?.. uh huh..

[Hermie13]

......aside from that desperate situation, he'd be an improvement over what Cleveland has gotten from Travis Hafner over the past several months, even if Pronk was healthy......

-1

Perhaps you just aren't a fan of power hitting lefty DH's without a valid basis for the dislike.... <shrugs>

Hafner hasn't been a power hitter for a while now. Nearly 70% of his hits this year have been singles.

What an odd response.. aren't most hits by any hitter from power or slap, consistently around 70 % singles?.. uh huh..

ha....not even close.

Top 12 HR hitters in the AL this year (with percentage of hits going for singles):

T1: Bautista - 52%
T1: Grandy - 50%
3: Texi- 53%
4: Reynolds - 46%
T5: Cruz - 52%
T5: Konerko - 67%
7: Ortiz - 53%
8: Hardy - 58%
T9:Miggy - 62%
T9:Quentin - 49%
T9:Longoria - 51%
T9:Trubmo - 55%


Only 2 guys over 55%. Only 1 truely close to Pronk and that's Konerko....he and his .228 ISO vs Pronk's .167 ISO. Pronk is not a power hitter anymore. Can be a decent bat when healthy, but not a power hitter.

Thome is around 50% as well.

[3ProspectsAndaPTBNL]

Any chance we would see Thome brought back next year? I know, i know, a platoon at DH sounds lame (probably even take up too much roster space). But since Hafner and Thome can't play everyday, Thome can hit against lefties (.945 OPS in 2011) and Hafner against righties (.881 OPS in 2011).

[TonyIBI]

Any chance we would see Thome brought back next year? I know, i know, a platoon at DH sounds lame (probably even take up too much roster space). But since Hafner and Thome can't play everyday, Thome can hit against lefties (.945 OPS in 2011) and Hafner against righties (.881 OPS in 2011).

No chance. First off, Thome is probably retiring. But even if he does not the ONLY way he is brought back is if Hafner has to have surgery on his foot and is expected to miss a chunk of the start of next season.

[Hermie13]

Any chance we would see Thome brought back next year? I know, i know, a platoon at DH sounds lame (probably even take up too much roster space). But since Hafner and Thome can't play everyday, Thome can hit against lefties (.945 OPS in 2011) and Hafner against righties (.881 OPS in 2011).

No chance. First off, Thome is probably retiring. But even if he does not the ONLY way he is brought back is if Hafner has to have surgery on his foot and is expected to miss a chunk of the start of next season.

Or keep your fingers crossed that the Angels lose their mind again this winter and trade for Hafner like he did Wells