Veteran free agent Jim Thome has no intention of retiring just yet- MLB News
Jim Thome is a big guy with a big appetite for runs. The 42-year-old has been playing in the Major League for half the years in his life and intends to continue playing in 2013. Currently a free agent, he is looking to take up the role of a designated hitter
in the coming season if possible.
Jim has so far hit 612 home-runs in his career and sits at no.7 in the all time list. He is just 18 long balls away from Ken Griffey Jr. at the moment who is currently at no.6 in the list.
He is quite clear that he can be an everyday player and would not mind if a team in the National League had interest in him. The 6-foot-4 hitter also thinks that he can be useful to any dugout due to his long experience in the Majors.
"At this stage, am I an everyday player? No," Thome said in a recent interview."But I think I can still play. The best thing for me is being a designated hitter somewhere. But if an NL team calls, sure I'd consider it. I still feel like I can give a team
a veteran presence and get a big hit off the bench."
His 2012 season certainly did not go the way Thome would have liked and managed 25 RBI’s and eight home-runs in a total of 163 at-bats in 58 games for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Baltimore Orioles.
He enjoys a career batting average of .276 and a high on-base percentage of .402. Jim is a member of the 2000 plus hits club and has also batted in 1699 runs. During 2001 to 2004, he hit more than 40 home-runs each year, including 52 home-runs in 2002 season
for the Cleveland Indians.
Jim is feeling good about playing and said that he would call it quits if the feeling went away. He will be weighing his options before saying yes to anyone."I'm not retired," Thome said. "If someone wants me to play, I"d consider it for sure. I feel good.
If I didn't feel good, I wouldn't even consider it. But I feel good. I'd like to play."
Jim recently became part of a duo with Manny Machado that had an age difference of 20 or more years and hit a home-run each in the same game. This was the first occasion in the American League and only third such incident in all of Major League’s history.
Thome can be an interesting option for any team. Given his age, he will most likely be suited to a designated hitter’s role. Teams may take interest in signing him given his sheer ability to hit and the fact that he can be a mentor to the younger players.
However, it will come down to his form and fitness and how he is perceived in those two departments by the ball clubs. Whether he makes it to the 2013 season or not, he has certainly been a great entertainer.
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