http://mouthpieceblog.disqus.com/enThu, 07 Jan 2010 22:38:20 -0000http://www.mouthpiecesports.com/blog/?p=12750#comment-28856057<p>HE only proved that such bad critiques about the decision he made on his career are so wrong, Jim Thome’s shows how it is important to set aside such bad critiques and pursue his career as a player in the way it should be done</p>UAE JobsThu, 07 Jan 2010 22:38:20 -0000http://www.mouthpiecesports.com/blog/?p=12750#comment-15887583<p>Here they come...another site looking to bash the "Jim Thome isn't a first ballot guy" argument I've been making. Let me ask you this, WHY is he a first ballot guy?</p><p>His home run total?</p><p>His OPS+ numbers?</p><p>His "goofy ear-to-ear grin"?</p><p>Mark McGwire, who wore more of a scowl than a grin, eclipses Thome is both home runs AND OPS+ and he's waiting for Cooperstown to call. Sure, there is the suspicion of steroids (nothing proved, mind you...just suspicion), so I get the debate.</p><p>Harmon Killebrew who, when he retired, was the all-time leader in home runs hit by a right handed hitter...that's huge. Unlike Thome, he had an MVP award (1969) and was in the top five five other times. He was selected to 11 All-Star games...13 if you include both 1959 and 1961 games, whereas Thome was selected to five. All that added up...he was elected on his fourth try.</p><p>Sox favorite Harold Baines can get more than 10% of the vote and compare HIM to Thome and you've got another travesty. His 2866 career base hits (700 more than Thome) means that he has the most hits of ANY player that is Hall eligible. And odds are that had Baines not had two work stoppages during his career, he would have eclipsed 3000 hits. Baines also has the most RBI of all Hall eligible players. Not too shabby.</p><p>I guess what I am saying is...don't look at one or two numbers and assume he's a lock on that first ballot. Thome's home run total, while incredible, will not be as eye popping five years after his retirement. Basically, we’ve got a guy who smacked the Hell out of the ball, but was never the most dominant, much less feared, player of his era. And because of that, he'll get lost in the mix.</p><p>And hmmm...when I Googled "jim thome sucks" I got 5360 results. I'm just sayin'.</p>hallofverygoodThu, 03 Sep 2009 12:16:57 -0000