Thome Back With New Team and Contract
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January 28, 2010
Amy Yakubowski
On Tuesday, former Cleveland Indian Jim Thome signed a one-year contract with defending Central Division Champs the Minnesota Twins.
Thome spent the first 12 seasons of his career in Cleveland, three seasons in Philadelphia and the past four seasons with the Chicago White Sox.
Signing the one-year contract gives Thome $1.5 million and includes $750,000 in incentives.
The Twins have wanted to improve their lineup since last season and signing the 39 year-old is just what they were looking for.
“We just signed a guy that’s going to be in the Hall of Fame and it doesn’t get much better than that,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said during a conference call to announce the deal on Tuesday night.
The slugger, with a total of 564 career home runs, will join the team on the bench as a designated hitter or pinch-hitter
“We play ‘em all and everybody is going to get at-bats,” Gardenhire said at the conference. “A guy like Jim, he’s not going to just come off the bench. He’s going to get his time playing and mix in at DH. … That’s the way you keep the guys going and keep everybody a part of it. We’ll get plenty of at-bats for him.”
Thome is excited to play with the Twins saying how he’s ready to help out the team and ready to help the team win. The future all-star is also excited to work with new teammates, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
“Those guys, they are what the game is all about right now,” Thome told reporters. “To be their teammate is an honor.”
Thome and the Twins will take on his former team and team’s rival, the Cleveland Indians, April 20-22 at Target Stadium.
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