Hit, hit with power, run, throw, and field. Jim Thome excels at one of those. He stinks at three - significantly below average for a major league ballplayer. You think that translates into first round hall of fame?
He never finished higher than 4th in MVP voting - he put together his three best seasons in 01, 02, 03, and finished 7th, 7th, and 4th; contemporaries like Bonds, ARod, Tejada, Pujols, Giambi, and Gonzalez consistently outshone him, and often unsimilar players like Suzuki, Garret Anderson, Soriano, Bret Boone, Torii Hunter, etc, took higher honors.
Hall of Famers in the 600 home run club include Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Willie Mays. Nobody in their right mind would mention Jim Thome in the same sentence with those three. Those not in the Hall include ARod, Bonds, Sosa, and Griffey. ARod, Bonds, and Griffey DWARF Thome statistically - Thome has the lowest BA, HR, RBI, 2B, 3B and SB total, the most strikeouts, and is the worst fielder by far. The only player he compares with favorably as a hitter is Sosa, and Sosa was a good fielder who stole 234 bases. It's true he is a member of an exclusive club, but he is far and away the weakest member.
I actually hate running the guy down like this because I think he is a good baseball man, and a definite HOF CANDIDATE. I just think it's outrageous to call him a 1st ballot shoo-in. And I'll bet you a nickel it doesn't happen.
(which, I don't care what anyone says is still a helluva lot of hits), always a very high OBP, and on top of it all one of the classiest men to ever put on the uniform.
There are pitchers who have made the Hall solely due to winning 300+ games. Even some who have lost nearly as many as they have won. But, they hit that milestone. Hitting 600 HR's is a much more significant milestone than 300 wins.
I agree, the first ballot thing really depends on who else is eligible for the first-year induction. Many voters will only pick one of two new guys per year and if Thome hits the ballot at the same time as other preeminent players, he may not make it the first year.
But this guy is a shoo-in for the Hall. He did something only seven others have done in baseball history. And some of those have the steroid cloud hanging over their heads. Plus, Thome is loved by the media and the guys in the Hall that do the voting. He deserves the Hall and will be there, shortly if not soon after he is eligible.
