Thome is my Homie

Happy Sunday Bunters! Good news! April is almost over and the Phillies are hanging near The Wriz's magic number of .500. Who knows how long Jim Thome will be out with his back issues. I know he got hurt on a routine play but I for one will miss him while he is out. He has started off the season slow, 2 for 18, 10 strikeouts. Many Phillies fans are ready to push Thome into the grave and kick dirt on him. Is he possibly shot? Sure. But if any player deserves to go out on his own terms, it's Thome. How soon we forget, Big Jim brought baseball back to Philadelphia. For those of you who started following the Phillies in 2007, let me lay some knowledge on ya.

Jim Thome was the biggest free agent signing for the Phillies since Pete Rose when he signed here in 2003. Jim chose Philadelphia over a bunch of other towns. This happened a few short years after Scott Rolen ran out of town for 'Baseball Heaven'. Free agents used the Phillies to drive their price up, then signed with the team they really wanted to play for. Everyone loves Cliff Lee, as do I, for flipping the bird at New York and signing here. Thome did that long before the Phillies were competitive. He brought energy back to the ballpark, and that was a tall order at the Vet. Whenever Thome was at the plate you had to watch. Plus, when he left he only talked about his time in Philadelphia in glowing terms. Some recent former Phillies can't wait to dis this town when they leave, Jayson Werth, Brad Lidge, etc. And those ingrates won a championship here.

Forget the fact that Thome has 604 career Home Runs as a 'clean' player. Forget the fact that he is a 1st ballot Hall of Famer. He was the shot in the arm that this franchise sorely needed. He opened the door and sold this city to future free agents. So next time you're at the ballpark, instead of booing, let's show Big Jim some love. All together now...THOME! THOME! THOME!

Keep It Classy Philly!
DB29