Stroger Makes Hollywood Play
Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Sox Shuffle Continues
Jay-Z Announces 2010 Tour Dates. Chicago Not On List.
For the most part, it has not been a good season for Chicagoist's beloved South Side baseball team. Other than Mark Buehrle's no-hitter back in April, it's mostly been a season of disappointment.
At least this past Sunday, we got to experience another bright moment for this team, as Jim Thome became just the 23rd major leaguer to hit 500 home runs. His ninth-inning shot also turned a 7-7 tie into a 9-7 White Sox victory — it's believed to be the first time a 500th homer was also a walk-off game winner.
No sooner does one hit the 500 mark and the talk quickly turns to Hall of Fame worthiness. Not too long ago, hitting that plateau was an automatic ticket to Cooperstown. But today? Not so much, on account of the steroid allegations that have plagued baseball in recent years. Mark McGwire didn't get in on the first ballot, and there are many who question whether the likes of Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmiero and Barry Bonds will get in or how long they'll wait for entry.
ESPN's Rob Neyer suggests that 600 is the new 500, and that's the number Thome will need to reach in order to ensure enshrinement. Given the surge in homers over the past two decades, maybe he's right. But we've also never heard Thome's name linked with any performance-enhancing substance, so should he be punished because others' cheating diluted the aura of the home run? At 37, in relatively good health, and now playing DH, perhaps Thome has enough in him to slug another 100 and put any talk to rest.
Photo by AP Photo/Jerry Lai.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
Jim Thome is a world of difference from MaGwire, Sosa, and Bonds. I'd say he's in the Hall as is, ironically thanks to anti-doping sentiment. The voters will look at Thome and see a stand-up guy who played by the rules and was consistently a gentleman and good representative of the game, and they'll want to reward that. Thome will get in with 500 HRs simply to make a point to the dopers with 600 ... or 780 to 800, wherever Bonds finishes up.
I agree with guest #1, Thome makes the hall as is. He's an all around good guy who's beloved by his teammates, the fans, and the media, and let's not forgot who does the voting... the sportswriters. He won't make 600 homers, not at his age and with his history of back problems. I'd say maybe 550 if he plays two more seasons.
Just two highlights so far this season? Has someone been mainlining aspartame? It was just last month Bobby Jenks tied the MLB record for retiring consecutive batters.
Guest 3, you're right. Jenks does deserve inclusion on the short list of 2007 White Sox highlights. In my pre-caffeine state when posting this, I simply forgot about him...