The Jim Thome Poll...

[Alex]

Ok, how would you spend Dolan's money to keep Thome in Cleveland? [img]graemlins/star.gif[/img]

[Alex]

I can't make a decision which way to vote.

[DizzyDean]

I'd vote but I am banned from this forum.

[ckotyk]

Thome is worth at least $10 mil/year. He's not worth $15 mil/year and certainly not for 5 years. I would start with $10 mil/year for 4 years and see what other teams do. I don't think we should go much higher than $12 mil/year for 5 years though ($65 mil for 5 years max). Putting too much money in one player for so long is a big gamble that can have repercussions for years to come.

[Alex]

How about Jason Giambi of the Yankees, who had a more productive year between Giambi and Thome. If you see them as a tie, then just how much lower than Giambi should Thome be paid?

18 million versus 10 million is an awful big gap.

Why was Thome out this summer for over a week, was it to ensure he was not traded (you can't trade a player on the DL, did he even go on the DL?) Was it so he could have more time with his pregnant wife?

That back could act up in the next few years and make Thome a gamble the same way Manny Ramirez and his hamstring and sliding abilities are.

[Alex]

By the way, thanks for posting, AK Tribe fan and Dizzy Dean.

I like the polling options this forum offers. It will allow for a group of posters to give an equal opinion (each ID can only vote once) on many issues.

[DizzyDean]

Your welcome Alex! Can we bury the hatchet? I really do not think it is in your best interest to ban me from this forum. I promise to stop with the Dave Roberts thing on Cleveland Live. I do still want to know how he could play 2nd when he throws left handed? I don't think it is possible at the major league level.

[UK Tribe]

Giambi was signed at the last of the boom. If Giambi was a FA this year he would get less. You therefore cant copmpare Thome to Giambi.

$12m, 5 years max. He has claimed to be "Mr Cleveland" and nopw he should prove it. The difference between 14 and 12 should not matter if he really is the franchise player that he says.

Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones and Mark McGwire all proved it can be done. Now its Jimmys turn.

Conversely - if Doland doesn't offer him at least $12m per then he deserves an empty stadium.

[ckotyk]

I did say start at $10 and go as high as $13. $13 to $18 IS still a big gap, you're right. However, I think that the Yankees overpaid for Giambi (like they do for a lot of players). I do agree that they are at least in the same ballpark (forgive the pun) as far as "real" value is concerned. Here's my question to you, which team do you see offering Thome $18 mil/year for 5 years?

P.S. I've been just reading for a while and finally decided to register. I'm kind of disappointed at how the board system seems to be slower after you login.

[The RotoTribe]

Interesting how this worked out. The AKTRIBEFAN just about got it right as far as the Tribe's offer went.

I figure Shapiro read his comments and agreed.