
Jim Thome
Perhaps no one on this list was more adored by a fanbase than Thome. Drafted by the Indians, he came up to the big leagues at a time when baseball experienced a renaissance in Cleveland.
Thome was one of the mashers, along with Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, and Eddie Murray, who led the Indians to their first playoff appearance since 1954. Thome drove in more than 100 RBI in six different seasons in his first stint with Cleveland, and perhaps had his best season in 2002, leading the American League in slugging and OPS.
As much as it hurt Cleveland fans to see, Thome left after that ‘02 season through free agency and joined the Phillies. The Thomenator bounced around the league for a bit then, with stops with the White Sox, Dodgers, and Twins. But then, in 2011, Cleveland needed DH help in a bid to make the playoffs, and acquired Thome from the Twins.
He was welcomed back to the city with open arms, though it was a brief stop, with Thome only playing in 22 games with the team that year (and unfortunately not leading them back to the playoffs). He briefly played with Philadelphia again before playing his last games with the Orioles.