in 2002 Jim Thome was making $8 million. The Indians offered him 5 years, $60 million and apparently Philly ripped his jersey off by offering him $95 million over 6 years.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/20...me-offers_x.htm

 

$60 million over 5 years for a guy coming off of 49 and 52 HR seasons, who served as a cornerstone for a franchise that won two pennants, and was still in his prime was well below market value back then. (Manny made $20 million in 2003, and Sosa made $16 million.) I wouldn't call it a slap in the face, but it seems obvious to me that the Indians intentionally low-balled him to get him off the books (and to insult him slightly, so that he would definitely not re-sign)... but offered him just enough to make him look like the bad guy when another team inevitably swept in with a better offer.

 

It's a 50% pay raise and he would have possibly been the 11th highest (Bernie williams is 10th at $12.7 million) paid AL player behind 4 Yankees and 2 Red Sox and notable flops Juan Gonzalez and Albert Belle.

 

for a guy that seemed so committed to his hometown team, that seems to be plenty of money to live off of.

he'll go in as an Indian unless the Sox have a miracle turnaround and win the WS this year or he sticks around next year and they win it next year... then he may still go in as an Indian, but then the Sox enter the conversation

$60 million over 5 years for a guy coming off of 49 and 52 HR seasons, who served as a cornerstone for a franchise that won two pennants, and was still in his prime was well below market value back then. (Manny made $20 million in 2003, and Sosa made $16 million.) I wouldn't call it a slap in the face, but it seems obvious to me that the Indians intentionally low-balled him to get him off the books (and to insult him slightly, so that he would definitely not re-sign)... but offered him just enough to make him look like the bad guy when another team inevitably swept in with a better offer.

yeah, they probably figured they were rebuilding with younger guys again and wouldn't of mind if he stuck around, but they could point to their fans and say "we tried", like Milwaukee's offer to CC last year.

It's a 50% pay raise and he would have possibly been the 11th highest (Bernie williams is 10th at $12.7 million) paid AL player behind 4 Yankees and 2 Red Sox and notable flops Juan Gonzalez and Albert Belle.

 

Percent pay raises are dependent on when the previous contract was given, so they're meaningless when negotiating sports contracts. Plus, Thome had obviously picked up his game a notch in 2001 and 2002, as evidenced by his HR numbers. He was hitting at the level of Manny and not far from the level of Bonds at that point, so why should he accept $8 million a year less than those guys?

 

for a guy that seemed so committed to his hometown team, that seems to be plenty of money to live off of.

 

Following that logic, Thome should've just stayed for the league minimum for a veteran, right? It's not like he didn't already have millions in the bank. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. When players have market values in the $90 million range, you're talking about generational money. I can't fault a guy for taking an extra $30 million, because I sure as hell would've... for my children and grandchildren's sake. But I'm sure that Thome got the hint that he was no longer wanted in Cleveland when he was offered $20-30 million below his market value. Commitment is a two-way street, and Mark Shapiro's bulls*** offer clearly shows that he wasn't committed to Thome.

Edited June 10, 200916 yr by WCSox

Following that logic, Thome should've just stayed for the league minimum for a veteran, right? It's not like he didn't already have millions in the bank. Sorry, it doesn't work that way. When players have market values in the $90 million range, you're talking about generational money. I can't fault a guy for taking an extra $30 million, because I sure as hell would've... for my children and grandchildren's sake. But I'm sure that Thome got the hint that he was no longer wanted in Cleveland when he was offered $20-30 million below his market value. Commitment is a two-way street, and Mark Shapiro's bulls*** offer clearly shows that he wasn't committed to Thome.

Good point. I think it's great when guys go for hometown discounts, like MB not even hitting FA and just resigning with the Sox, but the team has to give a little too. These numbers look insane to us, well me at least, but these guys are one in more than a million talent and they are the players that people come to see, they shouldn't have to take a ridiculous low ball offer just because it's millions

I think if Jim got to choose, hed pick the sox since he gets booed everytime he goes back to cleveland. after 5 years you'd thing they would get over him leaving for more money and just acknowledge how great of a player he was

For some reason I keep thinking this thread says "When Thome goes to Hell."

For some reason I keep thinking this thread says "When Thome goes to Hell."

Behind the scenes, Thome is a big player in the Chinese sex trade.

Behind the scenes, Thome is a big player in the Chinese sex trade.

I'm sure Thome would be like the nicest pimp ever though.

his pimp name is Senor Incredible