Jim Thome: Forever Known As 'The Man Traded For Aaron Rowand'

I can't stand Jim Thome.  Ugh.  Blech.  Ptooey.  Okay, 98% of my disdain is directly attributable to what he did against me in the World Series when I played Triple Play 97 (from EA Sports, which I totally won from KNBR!).  I used Mark Gardner, Shawn Estes, Rod Beck, and even the great William VanLandingham, but I just could not get him out.  I mean, what a jerk, right?  That game was also where I first noticed his not-quite-calling-his-shot way that he holds his bat way out in front of him while the pitcher gets set.  All arrogant and confident.  I hate that.  I'm pretty sure I woke my wife up at least once by yelling something like "Yeah, that's right, Jim Thome!  You do that thing with your bat, and we're going to be coming inside like that all day long!"

Although now that I'm thinking about it, that bat pointing thing might only bug me in that game, as I don't think I even notice it when I actually watch him hit.  So I might have adjusted my Thome-hate to being 100% from that game, except for this horror:

Disgruntled, Drunken GM's And The Owners Who Love Them

Adam:  Boy that Pujols is awful this year, eh?

Gabe:  Keep talking like that.  Try to get some writers to say it.  Maybe his price will drop enough that the Giants can afford him after the season.

Adam:  Does Rowand's contract end this season?  Zito?  Are you freeing up some cash?

Gabe:  Neither.  Not Huff, either.  DeRosa yes.  Ross, probably.  Tejada, yes.  Although pretty much all of that money is going to go to pitchers getting raises.

Adam:  Are you possibly expanding AT&T Park?

Gabe:  No, but I'm sure they'll raise ticket prices again.  Maybe we can get a cheaper GM.

Adam:  Maybe.

Gabe:  And they're going to be putting the Copenhagen logo on the butts of all the uniforms.

Posey, sponsored

Adam:  Nice.  Posey's ass will certainly sell chew.

Gabe:  That's tweetable.

Adam:  Any chance Zito clears waivers so you can deal him to the Yankees?

Gabe:  I'm sure they'll put him on waivers and hope someone claims him like Alex Rios.

Adam:  Like some drunk GM thinking he is being funny.

Gabe:  Exactly like that.  Neal Huntington is going to wake up all hung over and see Barry Zito warming in the pen.

Adam:  My money is on Ed Wade, just three sheets to the wind one night ... wanting to screw the new ownership that he knows is going to fire him ... drunkenly leaves them with Zito as their ace.

Gabe:  That sounds altogether too plausible.  Think we can get a couple of those Phillies prospects they just got for Pence?  Maybe Wandy Rodriguez?  We can throw in Astros' fan favorite Migue Tejada.

Adam:  And maybe you could purchase the rights to Brad Ausmus from the Newark Bears (or dodgers) and throw him in too.

Gabe:  Good call.  Any way we can get Berkman in the deal?

Adam:  Maybe the corpse of Bagwell?

Gabe:  And Larry Anderson.

Adam:  Undoubtedly.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: August 12, 2011

Look at the following career total stat line, and guess which player has those numbers.  Then leave your guess as a comment to this post.  First one with the right answer wins a custom desktop wallpaper featuring your favorite (non-dodger, non-o. smith) player, from any sport, built to the size of your screen.  Obviously, the "honor system" is at work here as far as not researching the answer.  You can submit more than one answer, but please make each guess a separate comment.  Come back every Friday for another game and chance to win!


Today's player had a 22 year career with 5 different teams.  He spent 21 years in the National League, and 1 in the American League.  So ... whose line is this? (click to view larger image)

Hints: 

• He was an All Star 10 times.
• He finished in the top 10 of MVP voting 5 times.
• His 22 seasons took place sometime between 1960 and 1995.

Last week's answer after the jump.