That Ball's Going & It Ain't Coming Back ...

Jim Thome stands tall both on the field, as well as off it. Many of us have been blessed to watch his career unfold, hitting 604 home runs along the way; many of them prodigious w/home runs #'s 500 & 600 especially exciting. Thome's lifetime stats include  a .277 ba, .403 obp, .558 slg, 1674 rbi, & more walks than all but seven other players in the history of the game. His 604 home runs rank him 8th all time. He has the 5th lowest career AB/HR ratio in Major League history. As well, before injuries caught up w/him, he was considered a fine fielder, his lifetime fielding% sitting at .994.

Two trademarks that evolved during Jim Thome's playing career are his ''high socks'' and his batting stance wherein he holds his bat out w/his right hand pointing it at right field. This is a gesture he picked up from the movie The Natural.

That Jim Thome is a mountain of a man, is proven out in the way he has lived his life off the field, as well as on. For example, Thome is putting all 10 of his niece's & nephew's through college. He is highly thought of by his peers - often times called the friendliest man in baseball. He is a two time Marvin Miller Man of the Year  winner. Additionally, he has won the Roberto Clemente Award & theLou Gehrig Memorial Award .

Jim Thome will be stepping into the batters box for the Phillies this year. I, for one will be sure to take it in, as this may be his final year. Thank you Mr. Thome for all that you have brought to the sport of baseball, both on the field and off.

That ball's going & it ain't coming back ...

Until next time, so long everybody ...

Lee [ Cowboy ]