AaronGleeman.com

(Okay, on to today's column):

Random thoughts while wondering why Heidi Klum hasn't emailed me yet...

Jim Thome has apparently signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.

I wrote about this is some detail a little while ago.

If you missed it, click here.

I don't want to repeat everything I already said, but, basically, I think this is bad decision for all involved.

For Thome...

He has had great success in Cleveland for many years and had a chance to play his entire career for one team.

In addition to that (and perhaps more importantly) his hitting in Cleveland has been significantly better than his hitting on the road throughout his career.

Now, normally a hitter does better at home, but Thome's "splits" are even further apart than normal.

For the Phillies...

In the short term, this is a great deal.

They get one of the best hitters in all of baseball and they fill a position they desperately needed to fill.

In the long term, this is a bad deal.

They signed a guy who is already 32 years old to a 6 year contract.

There is almost no way that Jim Thome is going to be worth anything close to what they are going to be paying him at the age of 37 and 38 (and probably even 35 and 36).

Another factor that makes this a bad decision is the fact that the Phillies already have a very good hitter that they could play at 1B.

His name is Jeremy Giambi and he hit .259/.414/.505 last year and .283/.391/.450 in 2001.

Plus, he would be about $12 million dollars per season less than Thome AND he is 4 years younger!

On the bright side, this signing gets Jim Thome out of the AL Central Division and away from my beloved Twins!

For more information regarding my thoughts on Jim Thome demolishing the Twins throughout his career, please check out my entry from September 25th, entitled: "Jim F-ing Thome (aka The Twin Killer)".

Jim Thome is one of my 3 favorite players (along with Bonds and Kielty) and I really would love to see him do extraordinarily well in Philadelphia.

I would like to see him hit 50 homers a season and lead the Phillies to a few playoff appearances.

But, realistically, I just don't think Jim Thome is a good bet to produce at the level he is right now for another 6 seasons.

However, like I said, this is a good short term signing and the Phillies will be a much improved team in 2003 (especially if they sign Glavine too).

The 2003 Hall-of-Fame nominees list came out.

Here is the complete list:

Bert Blyleven - Brett Butler - Gary Carter - Vince Coleman - Dave Concepcion - Darren Daulton - Mark Davis - Andre Dawson - Sid Fernandez - Steve Garvey - Rich Gossage - Keith Hernandez - Rick Honeycutt - Danny Jackson - Tommy John - Jim Kaat - Darryl Kile - Don Mattingly - Jack Morris - Dale Murphy - Eddie Murray - Dave Parker - Tony Pena - Jim Rice - Ryne Sandberg - Lee Smith - Bruce Sutter - Danny Tartabull - Mickey Tettleton - Alan Trammell - Fernando Valenzuela - Mitch Williams - Todd Worrell

Hopefully, later this week (when I don't have a huge "Major Project" due) I will get a chance to look at the candidates and give my thoughts on them in some detail.

A couple of quick thoughts for now...

Why does Darry Kile need to be on the list so soon?

Why can't he wait 5 years like everyone else?

I understand it is a rule and everything, but what does it solve?

The man is dead and whether or not he is on the ballot this year or in 2007 isn't going to change that.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but what does it matter to him if he is on the ballot this year?

It isn't like he is going to be more dead in 5 years.

And if the argument is that it is done for his family, well, I just don't buy that.

I am sure his family has other things to worry about besides Darryl Kile getting a few votes this year, as opposed to in 5 years.

Anyway, it isn't a big deal and I really don't care that much either way.

I suppose it is a nice gesture, but I just don't see why it is neccessary.

Bert Blyleven deserves to get in - no ifs ands or buts about it.

I'll go into more detail later in the week on that.

Overall, this really is an interesting group of players, although one without a real "superstar."

Again, I will go into that in more detail later in the week.

Michael Vick is an absolute freak of nature.



He torched my poor Vikings for 173 RUSHING yards and added in a few passes too.

In case you were wondering, 173 rushing yards for a QB is a modern day NFL record!

On the year, Vick is currently 5th in the NFC in QB Rating (87.1), 10th in passing yards (1,994), 3rd in yards/attempt (7.12), 1st in least interceptions thrown (3)...and 14th in rushing yards (648) and 1st in rushing yards/attempt (an amazing 8.1).

Vick is the fastest guy on the field, he isn't afraid to pull the ball down and run AND he has an cannon for an arm.

I truly believe that Michael Vick is the prototype for the quarterback position for the next decade or two.

I just don't know if there is anyone else out there that will grow up to be like him.

A side note: Michael Vick in Madden 2003 for Playstation 2 is the greatest video game QB of all time - he should be illegal in that game and he only has a 78 rating! (Kurt Warner and Brett Favre each have 97s).

I can only imagine next year (Madden 2004) when they give him a 99 rating...

Apparently most of my readers are also big fans of Ms. Heidi Klum (big shock, I know).

One picture of the German supermodel generated more email feedback than anything I have ever done on this site!

It is nice to know that while I try to come up with interesting baseball-related topics every single day, a simple picture of a beautiful woman is worth more reader response.

Speaking of my readers...

Last week one of my most loyal followers sent me some links to some of his favorite non-baseball blogs across the internet.

I spend so much time reading baseball stuff everyday that I hadn't even ventured into the "other" blogs section of the universe.

There were a few interesting ones, but I don't think I will be checking them daily or anything.

Oh, except for one.

I seem to have developed a "blog crush" (is there such a thing?) on the lovely and talented Lauren from MadPony.com.