Go...... Dodgers?

by JMG1984 on Oct 20, 2009 4:17 PM CDT

Sitting here a little over a year since the Cubs were swept out of the playoffs by the Dodgers I never thought I'd be rooting for them to win it all. That is, until Jim Thome was traded from the White Sox to LA. For those of you who don't know, Thome is from Peoria, IL (home of the Cubs A affiliate Peoria Chiefs) which also happens to be my hometown. Before Thome embarked upon his successful career, Peoria was probably best known as the home of Richard Pryor and more recently, the heavy metal band Mudvayne. Jim Thome grew up as a Cub fan and is a god here in Peoria. He and his wife are very involved in local charities, pledging $1000 to the Children's Hospital of Illinois for each home run he hits every year. This year that totals $23,000.

Thome is ranked 12th in the all time homerun list and 3rd among active major leaguers. He is also ranked 6th all time in postseason homers with 17. A four time all star "The Pride of Peoria" is also the only player in history to have his 500th homer be a walk off and if it weren't for his bat, the White Sox might not have beat the Twins last year in Game 163.

I'm pulling for the Dodgers not just because Thome and I are both native Peorians but because he is one of the greatest sluggers of our time and at 39 has never won a world series, despite two appearances with the Tribe in 95 and 97. He has avoided public scandals and steroid accusations and I can personally attest that he is one of the nicest, most down to earth guys you'll ever meet.

So, if you find yourself without a team you can get behind this post season root for Jim. In my opinion he deserves it way more than the likes of A-Rod, the Angels, and especially the Phillies. Also, did I mention, HE'S A CUB FAN!

Here's to hoping Big Jim Thome is the first World Series Champion born and raised in Peoria.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Big fan of his.

Couldn’t root for the guy while he played in the South Side. Now that he’s free from that cloak of darkness, I’m back on his side and hoping he continues to succeed.

But rooting for the Dodgers? I wouldn’t go quite that far.

by chilango2 on Oct 20, 2009 4:27 PM CDT reply actions

I must agree with you here

If they do win it all, he can be one reason why it was not such a bad thing.

"When you're going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill

by vonde6 on Oct 20, 2009 4:34 PM CDT up reply actions

True.

I’m not rooting for the Dodgers. But if they do wind up coming back and winning, it will be nice to know that Thome got a ring.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Oct 20, 2009 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Agreed.

"Pain don't hurt you none" - Sparky Anderson (1987)

Obviously Sparky was never a Cubs fan...

by Zeke on Oct 20, 2009 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions

Phillies for me

Do not like Dodgers. Had to "root’ for them when Maddux played for them ( again NOT when they played against the Cubs) otherwise I root for Eyre, Stairs Moyer , Bako ( yes he is on the DL but he will get another ring if they win) Pedro and the grumpy but VERY dedicated Phillie fans who unlike Dodger fans take their baseball VERY seriously. Thome is a nice guy but I will not root for the Dodgers for him. I don’t care if the Phillies won last year, they are the remaining team I would most like to win.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Oct 20, 2009 4:40 PM CDT reply actions

Nope

Sorry, but I can’t root for a team with Manny Ramirez on it. I realize there are lots of steroid users out there but his whole ordeal and ability to come out and blatantly lie to the public makes me want to puke.

by dmlichte on Oct 20, 2009 4:40 PM CDT reply actions

Agree....

by cooliogirl47 on Oct 20, 2009 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Also, sorry to tell you that...

… Thome would NOT be the first player with a WS ring who was born in Peoria.

There are two others. One is Mike Donlin, who played for the 1905 NY Giants. Donlin was born in Peoria, but grew up in Erie, PA.

The other guy, I think you might have heard of. He’s got three rings.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Oct 20, 2009 4:45 PM CDT reply actions

Whoops

forgot about Girardi….. didnt know abot Donlin though

"I hate to sound like a broken record, but I guess it's better than sounding like a broken mp3 player because then you would'nt hear anything." - Len Kasper

by JMG1984 on Oct 20, 2009 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Does it matter?

As long as whoever wins this series beats the Yankees, I think we’re all happy.

I am rooting for the Phillies though because I don’t want the media zoo of Torre returning to NYC, Yankees, etc.

"If I were playing third base and my mother were rounding third with the run that was going to beat us, I'd trip her. Oh, I'd pick her up and brush her off and say, 'Sorry, Mom,' but nobody beats me." ~ Leo Durocher

by Musicdude10 on Oct 20, 2009 4:52 PM CDT reply actions

Don't give up on the Angels quite yet.

If they win tonight, it’s tied.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Oct 20, 2009 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't understand Yankee hate.

As I have said before, I yearn for the Cubs, with their resources — become the Yankees of the NL. I don’t see why this isn’t doable.

I admire the Yankees. I guess if I was an AL fan, I’d probably dislike them.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 21, 2009 6:31 PM CDT up reply actions

My favorite teams are the Cubs and

whoever is playing the Yankees. My dislike of the Yankees goes back to my youth when the Yankees always seemed to be in the Series.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 22, 2009 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions

But the Yankees aren't in the World Series every year any more

So what’s the problem now? My irrational hatred is directed toward teams that can actually impact the Cubs.

As I have just stated, there is no reason the Cubs, in the future shouldn’t be as successful as the Yankees. They have the assets. They just need the smarts.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 24, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions

they just need the smarts.

and a humongous payroll

"hey

by jesus christos on Oct 24, 2009 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Ok then compare them to the Red Sox

They have a similar payroll. I think the point is there is no reason the Cubs should not be competitive nearly every year.

by rlpete on Oct 25, 2009 7:49 AM CDT up reply actions

The Cubs have a large payroll already

And the rest of MLB lumps the Yanks, Red Sox, Angels, Mets, Dodgers and Angels into the same payroll ‘boat’ as the Cubs.

The “smarts” needed spends the money wisely.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 27, 2009 12:56 PM CDT up reply actions

No one is in the boat with the Yankees

when it comes to payroll … no one.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 27, 2009 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

The Red Sox are.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Oct 27, 2009 4:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Don't think so...

…aren’t the Red Sox about 50 mil per year shy of the Yanks?

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 27, 2009 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions

According to Cot's, here are the Opening Day payrolls for the last 10 years

for the Yankees and Red Sox (rounded to nearest million)

year – NYY – BOS
2009 $201m $122m
2008 $209m $133m
2007 $190m $143m
2006 $195m $120m
2005 $208m $124m
2004 $184m $127m
2003 $153m $100m
2002 $126m $108m
2001 $112m $110m
2000 $108m $_81m

apologies for the column tightness – anyone know how to get fixed font and multiple spaces in comments?

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Oct 27, 2009 10:18 PM CDT up reply actions

Fixed font & multiple spaces...

… use the <pre> and </pre> tags.

I didn’t realize that the Red Sox payroll actually went DOWN in 2009. I’m guessing the absence of Manny from Opening Day 2008 to Opening Day 2009 made most of that difference.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Oct 28, 2009 7:51 AM CDT up reply actions

Not even close.

They may be in the same division but their respective payrolls are not. Look it up.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 28, 2009 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions

I believe...

…the Cubs have the highest payroll in the NL, so clearly they aren’t getting the return on investment.

The issue has been “baseball smarts” and a flawed philosophy on how to build a consistant winner. The Cub’s baseball operations has a long long way to go to compare to teams like the Angels, Red Sox or Twins (to name a few).

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 27, 2009 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions

How old are you?

Maybe this is a generational thing?

As a kid I learned to hate the Yankees, and to this day, they are still the evil empire. However, I would be happy if the Cubs supplanted the stinkin yankees as baseball’s most hated team.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 25, 2009 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Old enough to see

Mickey Mantle play. I didn’t hate the Yankees then, didn’t hate them now. They never affected the play of the Cubs. I hated the Mets with red-hot passion — they affected my young fandom, not the Yankees.

I’d rather see the Mets fail every year for the rest of my life.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 27, 2009 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Same generation it appears

Never saw Mantle play live, but did see him many times on the tube, especially during the Yankees’ seemingly annual appearances in the WS.

I acquired my hatred of them during the Mantle years, when I first became aware of baseball. My father had no animus towards the Yankees, in fact he kind of admired them. Me? I could not stand them because they always won the AL, and that feeling has never left me. Steinbrenner and the fawning over all things Yankee in the media feeds my dislike of them, too.

As for the Mets, the only world series I did not watch a single moment of was the Mets-Yankees series a while back.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 27, 2009 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Me too...

…the two best teams in each league are in the WS and sometimes it’s nice to see that happen. Over the last 10-12 years, it hasn’t happened often.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 27, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Wait a minute!

…Peoria was probably best known as the home of Richard Pryor and more recently, the heavy metal band Mudvayne.

You forgot REO Speedwagon. They got famous at U of I/Champaign-Urbana but I have it on good authority (a friend who grew up there) that they were originally from Peoria.

by MN exile on Oct 20, 2009 4:57 PM CDT reply actions

Man! THAT takes me back. REO Speedwagon was practically the HOUSE band at the old "Brewery" bar and concert hall in East Lansing.

Literally staggering distance from my dorm in the early 70s.

And before anyone gets huffy, the drinking age was 18 then, the draft had just ended and pot possession (for personal use- less than a pound) was a $5 misdemeanor fine. Oh and beer was $2.29 for a 12 pack with no can deposit.

Ah. THOSE were the days! God I miss them (sort of….)

And the band was named for REO Oldsmobile; home in Lansing, MI. So there!

"Pain don't hurt you none" - Sparky Anderson (1987)

Obviously Sparky was never a Cubs fan...

by Zeke on Oct 20, 2009 5:21 PM CDT up reply actions

And I still remember REO playing at my

West Suburban HS……

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 21, 2009 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions

Jim Thome is a true old-school baseball player.

He’d fit right in back in the 20s or 40s. What a lumberjack he is.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Oct 20, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions

Don't mind Thome but....

I’m going to root for Springfield local boy, Jayson Werth, to get his second ring.

by LetsMakeADeal on Oct 20, 2009 6:26 PM CDT reply actions

I'm rooting for the Dodgers to get to the World Series...

primarily because they were my mother’s second favorite team after the Cubs. I will root which ever National League team goes to the series if they play the Yankees. I will never root for the Yankees. If the Angels get in, I’ll probably still go National League but won’t mind if the Angels win.

"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"--The Brain

by brook on Oct 20, 2009 8:24 PM CDT reply actions

Thome

I heard from a very reliable source that he wanted to sign with Chicago when he signed with Philly, however the Cubs were set on Hee Sop Choi.

by MerigoldBowling on Oct 20, 2009 9:48 PM CDT reply actions

I don't know the time sequence

but has said he had wanted to sign with the Cubs.

"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim

by Doggie Stalker on Oct 20, 2009 9:57 PM CDT up reply actions

The Adenhart events...

have me pulling strong for the Angels.

by Kansas25 on Oct 21, 2009 1:09 AM CDT reply actions

not to be insensitive but

that’s kind of like a dead actor winning an oscar just because he died.

by nathew on Oct 21, 2009 7:50 AM CDT up reply actions

How?

That’s an idiotic analogy. Idiotic. A team rallying around a horrific event to win the WS for Adenhart and his family has ZERO similarity to an actor’s performance being overvalued because they died. Geez that was stupid of you to say.

by Kansas25 on Oct 22, 2009 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions

i'm not saying that

the team rallying is a bad thing, i’m just saying that it’s wrong to say they deserve a title just because of a tragedy.

maybe a better analogy would be the 2001 yankees. that keeps it in baseball.

by nathew on Oct 22, 2009 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I said "I'm pulling for them."

Words fail me.

by Kansas25 on Oct 23, 2009 12:15 AM CDT up reply actions

I have enormous respect for Jim Thome, too...

…and I’d love to see him get a ring. But I can’t quite bring myself to root for the Dodgers. I’ve thought the Phillies and Yankees have been on a World Series collision course for months now anyway.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Oct 21, 2009 8:57 AM CDT reply actions

Manny a teammate of Jim?

Sorry I want anyone including the Yankees over the Dodgers. No championship for the game thrower.

by rlpete on Oct 21, 2009 12:47 PM CDT reply actions

Refresh my memory… game thrower?

by LetsMakeADeal on Oct 21, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Sandbagging and intentionally playing bad to force Boston to trade him

If you aren’t trying to win, it is throwing the game to me.

by rlpete on Oct 22, 2009 9:02 AM CDT up reply actions

Go Dodgers??? Dodgers gone.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Oct 22, 2009 12:21 PM CDT reply actions