2012 MLB Free Agents: Phillies Agree to Deal with Jim Thome
By Editorial Staff
The Philadelphia Phillies are reported to have a one-year contract agreement in place with veteran slugger Jim Thome. Thome, who will officially join the Phillies after passing a physical, spent parts of three seasons in Philadelphia from 2003-05.
Both the Phillies and Thome seemed to want this reunion to happen a little sooner. This August, it was rumored that Philadelphia was interested in bringing Thome back as a pinch-hitter for their playoff run, but the Twins instead shipped their designated hitter to the Cleveland Indians.
Now a free agent, Thome has the choice of which team he will join in 2012. Though he is certainly more suited for a designated hitter’s role, Thome’s fondness for Philly and manager Charlie Manuel and his desire to play late into the postseason have won out.
Though he’ll turn 42 next season, Thome showed that he still had something left in the tank in 2011. Over his 93 games played with the Twins and Indians, Thome hit 15 home runs and maintained an OPS of .838.
It’s TBD what type of impact Thome can have coming off the bench late in contests to take his hacks. He’s only played the field in one game since 2007, so you’d have to figure a majority, if not all, of Thome’s opportunities will be of the pinch-hit variety.
Some in Philly are saying that Thome can fill in for the player the club originally traded him to make room for. It’s questionable if Ryan Howard will be able to start the 2012 season with the Phillies, but there is no way Thome, at this point in his career, can suit up every day at first base.
The Phillies must be convinced that they can use the slugger in the same way they have used Matt Stairs and Mike Sweeney in the past. It will be neat to see Thome back with the Phillies, but it will be even more interesting to see what he can provide the club in 2012.
For more on the Phillies, be sure to check out That Balls Outta Here.
You can check out all of the available free agents by position below.