Thome Anxious To Get Going With New Club

[ThomasTomasz]

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Jim Thome arrived early to spring training, and that's no surprise considering how eager he's been to pull on a uniform again and get back on the baseball diamond.

"Being hurt last year and having those injuries, I think it has kind of put it all in perspective for me as to how much I really appreciate the game," Thome said after a batting cage workout with his new team, the Chicago White Sox.

The 35-year-old Thome is coming off a season filled with injuries and frustration. First, a strained back, followed by season-ending surgery on his elbow in August. The left-handed power hitter with 430 career homers managed only seven last season for the Phillies.

He appeared in just 59 games during his third season in Philadelphia and was traded to the White Sox in November for outfielder Aaron Rowand.

By trading the popular Rowand, the White Sox hope they landed the powerful left-handed bat to balance out a lineup with righties Paul Konerko and World Series MVP Jermaine Dye. The concern, of course, is keeping Thome healthy.

"Obviously we've got to keep monitoring him and his playing time and how we are going to use him," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I think this will be better for him because most of the time we are going to use him as the DH. In the National League he had to play first base and that is tougher for his body."

Thome's days are long ones. Not only does he have to limber up his back and do exercises for his elbow, but after so much down time, he has knock the rust off, too.

"There is a plan every day and that's what I like," he said. "For me, it's a matter of just doing what I'm told and understanding my body and realizing that it is spring training and you also have to get ready for opening day."

Rowand was known for his gritty play, often spectacular catches in center field and his strong presence in the clubhouse on a team that won its first World Series title in 88 years.

But the addition of Thome was also a popular move. Konerko said the acquisition was a big lure in re-signing with the White Sox as a free agent.

Thome wants something that some of his new teammates will be getting in April -- a World Series ring. He played in two World Series with the Indians in 1995 and 1997, but lost both times.

"They've accomplished something I haven't," Thome said. "I've been close a couple of times, but I haven't reached that ultimate goal. At this stage of my career, it's about winning. It really is. It's all about winning that final game of the year, and they've done that."

Notes: RHP Freddy Garcia said he lost between $80,000 and $100,000 when his SUV was stolen recently from in front of a Miami restaurant. Garcia said he had jewelry in the SUV along with personal papers like his passport and visa. He said police recovered the vehicle but not the contents inside. Garcia, who worked out Sunday, will leave the White Sox early next month to pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. The staff will include the Twins' Johan Santana and the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. "Not bad," Garcia said. "I don't know if we are the favorite, but we will have a good team."

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

[Dam8610]

From what I've heard, Thome looks like a man on a mission.

[Dry1313]

I still can't see Thome adequately producing, and there's no way he's worth a player of Aaron Rowand's caliber, at least at this juncture in his career.

[Pronk48]

The first time I see him step up to the plate in a White Sox uniform,I am gonna hurl.

He was my absolute favorite player back in the day.The thought of him being on the Sox just turns my stomach.

[Dam8610]

I still can't see Thome adequately producing, and there's no way he's worth a player of Aaron Rowand's caliber, at least at this juncture in his career.

Aaron Rowand is not that great of a player. Sure, he has awesome defense in CF, but his bat was adequate at best. The White Sox needed left handed power and had a very capable young CF coming up (Brian Anderson). The combination of these two facts made Aaron Rowand expendable. I was a Rowand fan (I still think he got robbed of the Gold Glove), but when you have a talent like Anderson waiting in the wings and can acquire a hitter like Thome, sometimes you have to take a risk. If he hits .290+ with 30-40 HR and 100 RBI, the trade was more than worth it.

The first time I see him step up to the plate in a White Sox uniform,I am gonna hurl.

He was my absolute favorite player back in the day.The thought of him being on the Sox just turns my stomach.

I'll bet you'll really enjoy that ball he puts on the concourse on opening night, huh?

[Dry1313]

True Brian Anderson is highly touted, but at the same time, what do the Sox need Thome for? They were clearing a roadblock I understand but why not get something of equal value, maybe some pitching prospects? Thome is raking in the $$ and since they have Konerko, what will he do, DH? Not to mention his stats from last year, where Rowand outhomered him. I still don't like the move at all.

[Dam8610]

True Brian Anderson is highly touted, but at the same time, 1) what do the Sox need Thome for? They were clearing a roadblock I understand but 2) why not get something of equal value, maybe some pitching prospects? Thome is raking in the $$ and since they have Konerko, 3) what will he do, DH? Not to mention his stats from last year, where Rowand outhomered him. I still don't like the move at all.

I took the liberty of numbering your questions above. Here are my answers:

1) The White Sox needed a left handed power hitter.
2) They did get something of equal value. They got Thome (which was a big need) and $22 million which basically cut his salary in half.
3) Yes, he is the primary DH, a role Carl Everett filled last year. All the White Sox are really asking of him is to be a better hitter than Everett was, which he can do (when healthy) with very little effort. Last year, however, he was not healthy, and as a result, only played in 59 games, which explains why Rowand hit nearly twice (13 to 7) the HRs Thome did (Rowand played nearly 3 times as many games as Thome).

[Pronk48]

I'll bet you'll really enjoy that ball he puts on the concourse on opening night, huh?

I'll probally run to the bathroom to puke my guts out if he does that.

Just remember,Thome is starting to become a shadow of his former self.He can't seem to stay healthy.If he does stay healthy all season,then you guys have yourself one hell of a hitter.If he doesn't it'll be like having The Big Hurt back.