2009 Chicago White Sox: Designated Hitter

Veteran player and member of the 500 home run club Jim Thome will once again be the DH for the White Sox this season.

Jim Thome's numbers have declined, but he is still valuable to the club.

Since Thome has joined the White Sox, his numbers have been declining yearly. Much of this goes to his age, as the 38 year-old will try to get back in the groove this year. However, he still managed to jack 34 homers in 2008, one being in Game 163 that came as the sole run in the do-or-die clincher against the Twins. And Thome is still a large part of the White Sox. I can’t stress this enoguh (as you may have noticed), veteran leadership is a key for the White Sox this year, as the younger players will need to adapt to playing in the majors quickly, or it could be a long season for the South Siders. Thome is still an incredibly valuable asset to this team, despite his declining numbers. In 2005, through a survey by Tribune Co., Thome was rated as the best teammate in Major League Baseball, getting almost three times the number of votes as second place. That speaks a lot.

Thome should contribute in many aspects of the game through his play on and off the field for the White Sox.

Other news……..The White Sox faced the Arizona Diabondbacks in Spring Training action, winning 10-1. Dayun Viciedo, Paul Konerko, Chris Stewart, and Ben Broussard all hit home runs. John Danks and John Van Benschoten both pitched scoreless innings, contributing to the win. Tomorrow, Jeff Marquez will start for the South Siders as they face the North Siders in a good ‘ol, meaningless Spring Training rivalry.

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