Jim Thome passes Sosa* on all-time MLB HR list

[Auggie]

Number 610. Against his old team, Cleveland.

CLEVELAND -- To Jim Thome, helping Baltimore win its third straight game meant more than hitting his 610th home run.

Thome move past Sammy Sosa into seventh place on the career homers list and the Orioles beat Cleveland 10-2 on Friday night.

The 41-year-old Thome got his historic home run with a towering 418-foot shot off Derek Lowe (8-8) to open the fourth inning.

LINK: http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320720105

The Top Ten

1. Barry Bonds 762*
2. Hank Aaron 755
3. Babe Ruth 714
4. Willie Mays 660
5. Alex Rodriguez 643* (active)
6. Ken Griffey 630
7. Jim Thome 610 (active)
8. Sammy Sosa 609*
9. Frank Robinson 586
10. Mark McGwire 583*

[JonLP24]

1. I expect flames

I understand mental asterisks like I do for belly putters but can't support an official asterisk for Rodriguez. He is still playing and they are letting him still play so putting an official asterisk for Rodriguez strikes me as wrong.

Sorry to distract from Thome's achievements, regarding Rodriguez it is something I thought about for quite awhile. I guess I'd would support official asterisks for those that violated the performance enhancing policies the 3 times which doesn't apply to most of those on the list since they came before drug testing.

[Auggie]

3. "I did take a banned substance" — Rodriguez

For three years while with the Texas Rangers.

"Can I have an edge just to get out there and play every day?" he said to himself.

Stats (as of 2009):

'01-03 / Other 10 Seasons
Games/season / 161.7 / 148.4
Batting avg. / .305 / .309
Homers/season / 52.0 / 39.2
Slugging / .615 / .574

LINK: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3894847

Distinct difference in stats plus the guilty plea. IMO it's not fair to place him above Griffey, Frank Robinson and Harmon Killebrew without an asterisk, active or not.

No flames.

[JonLP24]

5. I didn't dispute that he took a banned substance

It's just that they are still letting him play. This is all hypothetical but I'm speaking on anything officially in regards to him. We're free to place asterisks in our mind like I do for the Belly Putt or the 1925 Chicago Cardinals Championship.

Plus I'm under the impression the drug tests were for research purposes and were promised no punishments and no appeal process. He did admit to it but for that to happen officially.

[joeybee12]

2. All 4 deserve asteriks...

Congrats to Thome.

[bluedigger]

4. Thome hung around a lot longer than I ever expected.

[Ter]

6. Any chance Thome ever juiced?

Not accusing, but is it possible/probable?

[bluedigger]

7. It's possible with most anyone who played through that era.

If you look at his stats though, they seem to rise and fall appropriately with his age. I don't think so.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomeji01.shtml

[Capt. America]

8. I think he did. Look at his rookie pictures and what he became.

[Auggie]

9. He's never tested positive. Not even a hint.

I went through this with Upton a few years ago.

Ruth, Aaron, Mays, Killebrew, Griffey -- all had ups and down in numbers through their career due to injury. If Ruth and Mays could hit over 600 home runs without using steroids (in fewer games, too), why can't Jim Thome?

Some guys can just play.

[Ter]

10. They didn't test before 2004

Those were his best years. Unlike the others you mentioned, Thome was never in their class.

[Auggie]

11. "Never in their class"

So says the expert

[Ter]

12. So says anyone

You seriously think Thome is in the same class as Ruth, Mays, Aaron, and Griffey?

Edit: Kilibrew I'll give you.

[Auggie]

13. As a home run hitter, sure ...

He's seventh on the all-time list, fifth if not counting known steroid users. If you don't think that achievement earns him mention in the same company I'd like to hear your reasons.

Two things I'll give you: he never played on a championship team and many years were spent in small market Cleveland. Had he played for the Yankees he'd be a fucking god.

[Ter]

14. I don't think he's as good as the others in the clean 600+ club

Take the known clean ones. Griffey, Mays, Ruth, Aaron. Do you think he belongs in that group? All around, he's the worst of the 5, followed by Jr., Aaron, Mays, and Ruth, in my opinion. He was so quiet compared to rest, almost like he was under the radar. He's good but just not like those four.