Phillies: Carlos Santana follows in Jim Thome’s big footsteps
By Tim Boyle
For the Philadelphia Phillies, Carlos Santana represents a lot more than a threat on offense. He’s also opening up a winning attitude similar to the way Jim Thome did years ago.
What do Carlos Santana and Jim Thome have in common? Well, both began their careers with the Cleveland Indians, and now the Philadelphia Phillies.
They each hit very well and put up some strong numbers during their time with the Tribe. While Thome posted Hall of Fame statistics far surpassing Santana’s numbers, each was an essential part of the Indians’ roster at the time.
The similarities don’t end there. The second phase of their careers now run parallel.
On Friday, Santana signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies worth $60 million. Back in 2002, Thome also signed with Philadelphia after a wonderful decade in Cleveland.
Unfortunately, Thome didn’t stay with the Phillies long. Even worse for everyone involved, the team continued to miss the postseason despite having such a great power threat in the middle of its lineup.
Thome was eventually traded to the Chicago White Sox right before the Phillies started winning regularly. It wasn’t Thome’s fault that they continued to lose, though. In the two full seasons he spent with the Phillies, Thome hit 47 and 42 home runs. He was everything they could have wanted.
Instead of helping the Phillies get over the hump in the win column, Thome assisted by making Philadelphia a destination free agents might consider. Santana is doing the same by choosing to play for a franchise still rebuilding.
One could argue Santana followed the dollar signs. It’s hard to imagine anyone else paying him an average of $20 million per year.
As an aside, it’s also still odd to see the Phillies do so when considering the state of the team.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
By signing Santana, the Phillies create a logjam at first base. Santana will join fellow first basemen Rhys Hoskins and Tommy Joseph on an overcrowded 25-man roster.
Hoskins is likely to see action at one of the corner outfield positions with Joseph riding the bench. For Hoskins to even have that chance, they’ll need to move one of the starting outfielders.
Regardless of Santana’s intentions, this move does mean something: the Phillies are gearing up to win more baseball games.
They’ve already signed relievers Pat Neshek and Tommy Hunter. The roster should continue to improve with at least another surprise along the way.
Two decades ago, J.D. Drew refused to sign with the Philadelphia after they took him first overall in the draft.
Playing for the Phillies was something many wanted to avoid. With this latest signing and a crop of prospects preparing to open the 2018 season, the Phillies look like a much more promising squad. The more players who choose to sign with the Phillies, the quicker the team can get back to its glory days.
Next: New York Yankees: Who will lead the team in home runs in 2018?
Next on the Phillies’ agenda is to add to their pitching staff. Now that Santana is on the roster, free agent pitchers might think twice about passing them over.