Phillies Offseason Talk

[PhillyPhreak54]

Jim Thome is going home.

The Phillies confirmed today that they have agreed on a deal with the White Sox that would send the slugging first baseman back to his home state of Illinois. The Phillies would receive centerfielder Aaron Rowand and two prospects from the White Sox, who have agreed to pay slightly more than half the remaining $46 million on Thome's contract.

Thome has agreed to waive his no-trade clause to join the White Sox, but the deal is contingent on Thome passing a physical Friday in Chicago.

Phillies general manager Pat Gillick declined comment.

Thome grew up in Peoria, Ill. His family still lives in the area, and he spends time there in the off-season at his hunting lodge outside town. Thome, who has 430 career home runs, spent 12 seasons with the Cleveland Indians before signing a six-year, $85 million contract with the Phillies in Dec. 2002.

The signing was an exciting moment for the Phillies. Some called it the return of baseball to a city that hadn't enjoyed a playoff berth since 1993, and hadn't won a championship since 1980.

Thome hit 89 homers in his first two seasons with the Phillies, and fans loved him. But he suffered through an injury-plagued season this year, and hit just .207 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 59 games. He had back problems early, then needed season-ending surgery on his right elbow in July. First baseman Ryan Howard stepped in and hit 22 homers in 88 games and eventually won the National League rookie of the year.

It created an interesting dilemma for Gillick, who said at his introductory news conference earlier this month that he doubted the two could co-exist next season.

So with Thome moving to Chicago, the first base job has officially been handed over to Howard.

Rowand, who made $2 million this year, hit .270 with 13 homers and 69 RBIs for the world champion White Sox.

He will receive $3.25 million next year, with a club option in 2007 for $5 million. Rowand has a player option of $3.25 million for 2007.

It's uncertain who the two prospects are, but the fact the Sox have agreed to take on slightly more than half of Thome's remaining contract is huge. The Phillies had almost $78 million committed to just 11 players next season, and they're still trying to re-sign closer Billy Wagner.

It's not believed they could have afforded Wagner without moving some significant salary, so this might allow the Phillies to sweeten the pot for him. It also could allow the Phillies to improve elsewhere on the pitching staff, which Wagner has said he would like to see in order to return.

The New York Mets already have offered Wagner a three-year, $30 million-plus contract with an option for a fourth season. The Phillies will have to come relatively close to that to have a shot. They were expected to make another offer yesterday.

Thome will make $15 million next season, which includes the final $2.5 million of a $10 million signing bonus. He will make $14 million in both 2007 and 2008, and has an option that automatically vests based on plate appearances in 2009. If that option kicks in, Thome will be paid $13 million in 2009.

If not, he is paid $3 million.

The Phillies also had been talking with the Cleveland Indians about Thome. One potential deal had the Indians shipping outfielder Coco Crisp (.300, 16 homers, 69 RBIs) and relief pitcher David Riske (3-4, 3.10 ERA in 58 appearances) to the Phillies for Thome and outfielder Jason Michaels.

Those who know say Gillick has been working the phones hard since he started his job. He has several irons in the fire, but none have been as big as Thome and Wagner. Still, keep an eye on free agent third baseman Abraham Nunez, who filled in nicely for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen this season. Nunez, a switch-hitter, hit .285 with five homers and 44 RBIs last season. If the Phillies bring him to their bench, he could take some at-bats from David Bell.

Bell, who hits righthanded, hit .248 with 10 homers and 61 RBIs. He hit just .199 against righthanders, but .400 against lefthanders.

The Phillies also could be close to signing some bullpen help. Wagner has said he wants to see who will be his set-up man with Ugueth Urbina facing serious legal problems in Venezuela and righthander Ryan Madson possibly moving into the rotation.

Those things will sort themselves out.

Right now, Howard is in. Thome is out.

Three years ago, that would have been impossible to imagine. The Phillies expected Thome to help deliver the franchise a trip to the playoffs. He did his part his first two seasons, but injuries helped bring his Phillies career to an unceremonious end. There are some with the Phillies who think Thome, who has been said to be in incredible shape, will be a force next season - a man with something to prove, and still the hitter who hit 89 homers in 2003 and 2004.

He just might be.

It just won't be for the Phillies.

[SD_Eagle5]

Why would anyone hate Jim Thome in Philly?

Seriously.

Because our fans are iceholes

[PhillyPhreak54]

By Mike Downey
Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — I don't know about you, but I admire guts.

And guts is what it took for the White Sox to part ways Wednesday with one of their most valuable players, Aaron Rowand, 28 days after the World Series.

Just as it took guts for the Florida Marlins to trade Derrek Lee to the Cubs on Nov. 25, 2003, exactly a month after that year's World Series.

And just as it took guts for the Boston Red Sox to let Pedro Martinez walk away, less than two months after they finally won a World Series.

Sometimes these things don't work out. And, OK, some teams do have no place to go but down. But executives need to execute. And I know Sox general manager Ken Williams goes by the book as well as by his gut, following a few general rules of thumb:

Don't be afraid to take risks.
Don't be swayed by sentiment.
And don't go by what a guy did last year.

Williams told me during the season: "I wouldn't have been able to get a Scott Podsednik or a Juan Uribe if they were coming off their best seasons. Their teams would have been a lot more desperate to keep them."

So when a Jim Thome suddenly becomes expendable in Philadelphia, sidetracked by a bad back and elbow after 430 home runs, you use your best judgment, calculate the risks, weigh the Phillies' asking price and then—in a kind of flesh-and-blood eBay—you place your bid.

Second-guess Williams if you must, but guess what? You don't get something for nothing.
And this city has a World Series winner today because to get Podsednik, the GM was willing to sacrifice Carlos Lee, a proven slugger. And to get Uribe, he parted with Aaron Miles, a top prospect.

And to get Freddy Garcia, he parted with Miguel Olivo and Jeremy Reed, his starting catcher and best minor-league outfielder. And to get Jose Contreras, he gave up Esteban Loaiza, a pitcher who had just made back-to-back All-Star teams.

Anybody sorry he did?

I appreciate how awkward it is shaking up a championship team this way. A third of the Sox's nine-man batting order could be gone for good.

The Houston Astros and the parade confetti on LaSalle Street barely had been swept when the Sox cut ties with their World Series designated hitter, Carl Everett, and saw their first baseman, Paul Konerko, leave town, possibly to return in a different uniform.
No one embodied the "Win or Die Trying" battle cry of the 2005 season more than the center fielder.

Rowand crashed into a fence Aug. 7 to catch a Richie Sexson fly and save a game for Jon Garland.

In New York a day later, he made a spectacular diving catch at the wall to cost Derek Jeter extra bases, then followed it immediately with an over-the-shoulder grab that robbed Robinson Cano.

No wonder manager Ozzie Guillen raved that Rowand was "better than anyone I've ever seen, and I've seen some good ones."

And no wonder the Yankees were rumored to be in hot pursuit of Rowand ever since the World Series came to an end.

It was just Sunday that Rowand had come to a game of his second-favorite team, the Bears, and had been treated like royalty by Soldier Field fans. And then came Monday night, when Rowand came to the Esquire Theater to help promote a new 2005 World Series DVD.

Asked about rampant trade rumors, Rowand said life was perfect and "I want to spend the rest of my life here."

He lasted less than two more days.

I don't know who are the 10 men I like best in baseball, but I believe Aaron Rowand would make the cut. What's interesting to me about this trade is that Jim Thome is a guy who might make the top 10 as well.

He is a great fit for the Sox, not only as an Illinois boy but as a left-handed power hitter who can play first base (if Konerko doesn't) or be the DH (if Frank Thomas isn't).

Philly fans do get a little mean. In a crash involving Rowand and a fence, they probably will root for the fence. But this is a guy who plays the game with everything he has, so much so that even in a college alumni game with old teammates, Rowand went after a ball so hard that he, yes, crashed into a fence.

Pain comes with this game. And he must be feeling some today, as are many of his fans seeing him leave.  Just remember that the Sox got a very good man in return and that a lot of fans felt they would rue the day they traded Lee for Podsednik too.

They did not.

Nice obligatory shot at the Phils fans, pal.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I'm glad that there are rumors that would take at-bats away from David Bell vs. RHP's.

[Rome]

And just as it took guts for the Boston Red Sox to let Pedro Martinez walk away, less than two months after they finally won a World Series.

Uhhhh... yeah.

[BigEd76]

Rowand's reaction (audio only)


Howard and Johnny Marz! give their thoughts


Wagner phone interview with Yallof (audio only)

"The alpaca says 'hi'." 

[MDS]

rowand sounds pissed. oh well. youll get even more pissed when the sox make it back to the playoffs and the phillies win 88 games and miss them by 1 game again. 

apparantley wagner wasnt too happy about thome being traded.

[SD_Eagle5]

Thome on the trade and his future:

"When I leave the game of baseball someday, I want people to recognize that I always put my teams first," Thome, 35, said in a telephone interview tonight. "That's what I love about the game - being part of the team. I see in Ryan Howard what someone saw in me when I broke into the big leagues. And now it's time for both of us to seize the opportunity ahead of us. It's a win-win situation.

"I really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia, and I want to thank my teammates and the fans for a heck of a ride."

For crying out loud Jim, call us morons, say we're a bunch of idiots in South Philly who sleep with our Sisters...something!

[MDS]

i hate that classy, likeable man. so much.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

rowand sounds pissed.

Not really.  He sounds like a jilted lover.  He'll play this year to try to show the Whiteys that they made a mistake.

[PhillyGirl]

apparantley wagner wasnt too happy about thome being traded.

From where did you "hear" that? They freed up money to spend on SP and whatnot. If anything, he should be happy.


And Rowland is a die hard Bears fan. Eats, sleeps and breathes them. When he was drafted by the Sox, he didn't even think about the team he was going to....he thought, "I'm going to be in Chicago! The Bears!"

[PhillyPhreak54]

I heard that the Phils are now shopping Cop Killa to the Yanks.

I like what Gillick is doing.

[Wingspan]

apparantley wagner wasnt too happy about thome being traded.

From where did you "hear" that?

probably in the link above the post, where i heard it.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Cop Killa

Who dat?

[Dillen]

Urbina, im assuming.