This is NOT to dismiss Thome or to doubt his value to the team. BTW, does anybody recall a few weeks back (before NYC) when the Sun-Times had a spot where they were asking Sox players what the key to the second half would be? And they all said: Thome.

 

Hmmm. I wonder if that put some pressure on him.

 

My point: am I the only one to whom Thome seems feast-or-famine right now? He, of late, is starting to remind me of Jurassic Carl (gasp!). In that he either crushes the ball into the upper tank or whiffs. Call it Sosa on the Brain.

 

I realize he's a big guy with a big bat but geez, a single, maybe?

 

Here's what I notice (tell me if I'm crazy, as I'm sure you will): pitchers eat him up when they go with breaking balls inside and low. I swear I've seen him fan on this pitch like five times in the past week.

 

I'm not piling on, just making an observation. But, to the point about the article, if the reality is "As Thome Goes, So Go the Sox," then no wonder we've been sucking lately.

It is Feast or Famine with him. Its funny, because the SOX are not built on SLUGGER/ALL OR NOTHING type guys. Were allegedly built with Grinder/ball-in-play/make contact guys who play smart. The first couple of weeks with him, he was on pace to Beat The World, the way he wasnt swinging at everything, taking his walks, going the other way. Not seen that from him since then. There is no doubt, his mere presence has helped Dye/Crede/Konerko, and his presence as a good clubhouse guy is also great, but man Jimmy, theres nothing wrong with what you were doing earlier in the year

It is Feast or Famine with him. Its funny, because the SOX are not built on SLUGGER/ALL OR NOTHING type guys. Were allegedly built with Grinder/ball-in-play/make contact guys who play smart. The first couple of weeks with him, he was on pace to Beat The World, the way he wasnt swinging at everything, taking his walks, going the other way. Not seen that from him since then. There is no doubt, his mere presence has helped Dye/Crede/Konerko, and his presence as a good clubhouse guy is also great, but man Jimmy, theres nothing wrong with what you were doing earlier in the year

 

 

Yeah, you're right about that. What impressed me about him early was if he didn't belt one, he walked. He had a Frank Thomas-like OBP, or at least that type of approach.

 

Now he's going the Sosa route.

 

You're also right about the all-or-nothing status of the offense/team. I've seen that movie before.

 

It's called "2004."

I think it's a slump and that's all. Or at least I hope so. All hitters go through it. He still pokes one out and he has taken a walk once in awhile too. Hopefully he will satrt cranking them out again on a regular basis. He and Konerko and Dye too for that matter can carry a team when they are hot.

You just compared Crazy Carl and his .650 OPS to Paul Konerko and his .1000 OPS?

 

Booooo stupid comparisons.

 

Hurray Jim Thome and his 31 HR.

i love thome but hes the last guy i want to see up with a runner on third with less than two outs. too many strikeouts

You just compared Crazy Carl and his .650 OPS to Paul Konerko and his .1000 OPS?

 

Booooo stupid comparisons.

 

Hurray Jim Thome and his 31 HR.

How do you confuse Jim Thome with Paul Konerko? Shame on you.

 

i love thome but hes the last guy i want to see up with a runner on third with less than two outs. too many strikeouts

That is just ridiculous. This season with a runner on 3rd and less than 2 outs Jim Thome is batting .450 that's right .450! + a .448 OBP, 4 HR, 24 RBI and a 1.548 OPS! He should be the first guy you want out there in such a situation.

You just compared Crazy Carl and his .650 OPS to Paul Konerko and his .1000 OPS?

 

Booooo stupid comparisons.

 

Hurray Jim Thome and his 31 HR.

 

Um, Crazy Carl's .650 OPS would destroy Konerko and his .1000 OPS

 

It's a typo, I know

 

From what I've seen, Thome's gotten pull happy and is trying to yank everything over the wall. That's cool when the pitcher doesn't know you're trying to do that, but when he does, than it's stupid. I want to see him hit 2 balls into the left field bleachers when the Sox play Texas.

 

 

BTW, what would be wrong with having Sosa numbers? The guy had respectable numbers until last year. He was a dick, but he was a good hitter.

Edited July 20, 200619 yr by witesoxfan

QUOTE(lord chas @ Jul 20, 2006 -> 06:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i love thome but hes the last guy i want to see up with a runner on third with less than two outs. too many strikeouts

.450 batting average

.448 OBP (yes, it's lower)

1.100 SLG%

1.548 OPS

4 HR

24 RBI's

20 at bats

 

oh, but those pesky 8 strikeouts

 

Ridiculous.

.450 batting average

.448 OBP (yes, it's lower)

1.100 SLG%

1.548 OPS

4 HR

24 RBI's

20 at bats

 

oh, but those pesky 8 strikeouts

 

Ridiculous.

 

Jesus, he is awful, I can understand why no one would want him up with a runner on 3rd and less then 2 outs. THOME YOU SUCK

Thome also has a 1.150 OPS this month alone, his best so far this year.

 

Thing is, only a .747 OPS against lefties, which was always going to be the problem with him.

Thome has a bad few games, maybe a bad few weeks, and follows it up with a few games/weeks that are equally good. I'll lay you decent odds he destroys the Rangers this weekend.

Thome has a bad few games, maybe a bad few weeks, and follows it up with a few games/weeks that are equally good. I'll lay you decent odds he destroys the Rangers this weekend.

He absolutely rakes the ball at home.

 

Rally a series we need to sweep or at least win 2 out of 3, and with us facing Koronka and Wasdin, no excuses if we can't do that.

He's really had problems with LOOGYs (or is the plural LOOGIES?), especially those with a sidearm and below delivery (Lopez, Myers, Walker). He's been easily neutralized by them of late. But really, he's about the last guy on the team to complain about. We knew coming in that he has a reputation as one of the streakiest sluggers in the game, and he's lived up to that reputation.

He's really had problems with LOOGYs (or is the plural LOOGIES?), especially those with a sidearm and below delivery (Lopez, Myers, Walker). He's been easily neutralized by them of late. But really, he's about the last guy on the team to complain about. We knew coming in that he has a reputation as one of the streakiest sluggers in the game, and he's lived up to that reputation.

The last time he faced Lopez, he doubled to the opposite field off of him in the 11th inning of that 19 inning marathon when we were coming back to tie it at 5.

I wouldn't worry about Thome, the Tigers threw ALOT of left handers at him, most teams can't/won't be doing that.

stats can be thrown out all day long, but everytime there's a man in scoring position and he comes up to bat in a critical situation, I find myself wishing we had Dye at the plate instead. plain and simple....

 

there's just been too many times when we need to climb back in a game, not when we're up by 5 runs, that we need just a hit from him and he whiffs at the low and away slider from a left handed pitcher, it's basically automatic.....

stats can be thrown out all day long, but everytime there's a man in scoring position and he comes up to bat in a critical situation, I find myself wishing we had Dye at the plate instead. plain and simple....

 

there's just been too many times when we need to climb back in a game, not when we're up by 5 runs, that we need just a hit from him and he whiffs at the low and away slider from a left handed pitcher, it's basically automatic.....

Thome has a .370 BA/RISP with a clutch rating of 8.5

 

Dye has a .346 BA/RISP with a clutch rating of 1.7.

 

Both great yes, but why the hate on Thome after what he's done this season?

stats can be thrown out all day long, but everytime there's a man in scoring position and he comes up to bat in a critical situation, I find myself wishing we had Dye at the plate instead. plain and simple....

 

there's just been too many times when we need to climb back in a game, not when we're up by 5 runs, that we need just a hit from him and he whiffs at the low and away slider from a left handed pitcher, it's basically automatic.....

agree

Thome has a .370 BA/RISP with a clutch rating of 8.5

 

Dye has a .346 BA/RISP with a clutch rating of 1.7.

 

Both great yes, but why the hate on Thome after what he's done this season?

 

Probably because Thome strikes out a lot more. I guess it all depends on what's more annoying to you.

 

Thome's strikeouts.

Paulie's knack for grounding into double plays.

Dye...well, he doesn't have a consistent out like they do.

Thome also has a 1.150 OPS this month alone, his best so far this year.

 

Thing is, only a .747 OPS against lefties, which was always going to be the problem with him.

 

Thank you for pointing out that very fair critique of Thome. Ozzie loves him damn lefty/righty matchups so much, you'd think he might realize this once and awile and ask KW to go get him a decent platoon partner for Thome, or at least a guy that can pitch hit.

 

This team has no righty bench threats right now.

I used a bad word choice. I said my "beef" with Thome and really all it was was an observation. Hey, I was emotional after yesterday.

 

I love Thome and I wouldn't want him anywhere else.

 

But yes, I think some other people have seconded the idea that it seems like he's trying to kill the ball every time and maybe he should just go for the hit. Hell, he even hit an opposite field single last week!

 

!!!!

 

But no diss on Thome. He's a rock.

This thread is just awful and wrong for reasons probably stated. Wasn't it like 3 games ago he hit like 4 balls opposite way for basehits? ridiculous.