Jim Thome must go!

I am sick and tired of watching this guy strike out.  He is killing us.  Men on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out and he cannot even manage a pop fly.  He is striking out at a .319 clip while hitting only .221.  39 strikeouts against only 27 hits.

I do not understand why he does not bunt when the shift is on.  Its a guranteed single every time.  I am through watching him strike out.  Its getting as bad as watching Uribe swing at balls in the dirt (although he is doing better the last couple of days). 

Its time for Ozzie to do something and sit Thome and let Dye DH.  We have enough outfield options to do this.

Maybe he can't bunt?

He's a guaranteed .275-35-100 every year, I agree that he should be moved, but you can't bench that for Brian/Jerry.

From today's Sun-Times...

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/943387,CST-SPT-soxnt11.article

Slumping Thome certain his age isn't the problem

SEATTLE -- Jim Thome has had bad Aprils before.

Just not as a 37-year-old

But the White Sox' designated hitter has been around long enough to know how it works. What very well might be the same type of slump he had at age 25 or 30 now is going to be blamed on the fact that his skills are diminishing because of age.

''I just think that's going to be very common,'' Thome said. ''It's always out there. You as a player have to block that out. You know yourself how you feel, you know yourself and how you work and, again, you put that time in and you hope rewards are there.''

When asked if his current .218 average, to go along with 38 strikeouts in 34 games played, had to do with an inability to perform at the same level, Thome replied, ''No, not at all, not at all.''

Manager Ozzie Guillen did give Thome a breather Saturday, sitting him against Seattle Mariners lefty Jarrod Washburn. Not only because of his struggles, however. The Sox play their first interleague game Friday in San Francisco, and Thome likely will start only one of those games because there will be no DH.

''I have to check who's pitching,'' Guillen said. ''He will play one of those days. I don't want to sit this guy for three days.''

It was a lot easier for Thome to sit Saturday, however, knowing that his solo homer Friday might be just what he needed to get jumpstarted.

''You can't go out and get four hits when you're in a slump,'' Thome said. ''You have to pick away at it. That's the part of the game that we as players have to put in perspective. You can't go from .200 to .300 overnight.

''You understand that you can't get five hits in one at-bat. You learn that over time. My big thing is put something in the basket every night. When the year is done, you look back and that basket will be there.''

I agree with you that the striking out is becoming ridiculous, especially in clutch situations.  The whole team seems to be afflicted by this inability to hit a fly ball with a man on third and less than two out.  I really think that pattern won't hold for much longer.  Everybody seems to be getting better swings on the ball. 

I'm also sick of the constant red lights on the hitters with 3-0 counts.  Some of these guys should be, at a minimum, given the option.  And if they are being given the option, then they need to be looking to launch one, like Ibanez did to Gavin today.   

It was a tough loss today, but the fact the Sox lost because the team didn't hit with men on base is more comforting than the losses before those, when there was no one on base at all.

Good start to the road trip in general though. 

It is sad to admit but Thome isn't helping us.

I would love for the sox to move him (doubt that we could get much in return since he is strictly a DH). Then shift Dye to DH. Quentin, Owens, and Anderson in the OF with Swisher serving as a reserve OF/1B

Griffdog;  Owens is hitting .246 at Charlotte, we won't be seeing him until he gets his average over .300 and stay over .300  for several weeks or so.

The only thing we can do about Thome is to  " ride the storm out" .  I keep saying this,but I'll repeat it because no one is getting it.    Thome is going no place.   No NL team would want him because, yes you guessed it, no DH in National League!

Also, Griffgog, where is Konerko in your plans?  He's another one that won't be going anywhere, he is terrible at the plate.  It seems like he has no clue  what the pitcher is going to throw him next.  No one is interested in Konerko, right now, he would have to look better at the plate and start hitting, then no one on this board would want to see him traded!   

I am very dubious about the teams chances to compete....

He's been looking better lately, but he just can't hit/hold up on a breaking ball low and away.

Also, griffdog, Jerry Owens isn't going to be replacing Nick Swisher anytime soon, KW spent 3 premier prospects, and there's no way Swisher isn't going to play, he's a MUCH better player than Owens, and Kenny's man-crush on the guy will keep him playing, no matter how badly he is hitting.

Here are Thome's stats vs LHP in 2006 and 2007 combined: .215 AVG, 334 AB, 12 HR, 47 RBI, 54 BB, and , wait for it, 113 K !!  I would love to see what his stats are vs. LH relievers over the last few years.

Ozzie did get smart on Sat and rested him vs Washburn, giving the start to Anderson, and it paid off with BA hitting a 3 run homer.  I know Thome is hitting better this year vs LHP, but almost all of that was in the first few games, including the 2 HR performance vs Sabbathia.

I think Ozzie should sit him more vs LHP.  What a great weapon to have off the bench late in games !  If he does start vs LHP, I think he should hit 5th, with JD hitting 3rd.

You can't completely bail on him now though....it's not like he's the only one not hitting.

Last thought....I didn't like the Rowand for Thome trade at the time it happened, and I don't like it now.  We could have kept Frank, or another DH, and had Rowand in CF, and overall would have been better off.  We have not had a reliable CF since he left in 2005, and team chemistry took a big shot.  Who wins 17 out their last 18 games, like the Sox did in 2005, and then says "we're not good enough to win again, we need more power in the lineup" ?  Kenny said this when making that trade....even though it was supposed to pitching and D that won for us in the first place, not power.   If we wanted power, we could have kept Mags or C Lee.  The trade never made sense to me.

"I think Ozzie should sit him more vs LHP. What a great weapon to have off the bench late in games ! If he does start vs LHP, I think he should hit 5th, with JD hitting 3rd."

They won't have a 16,000,000 dollar player coming off the bench, this is just another reason the worst GM in the league should be fired.

The slowest,worst hitting team in the majors has no minor league system and one of the highest payrolls in the majors with a boat load of no trade clauses for players no team would want. You could not do a worse job than Kenny has on a bet. Thome is just another example of a GM who is in way over his head.

Big-EG

That is one of the stupidest statements I have heard in awhile.  Were you saying the same thing last year?  Thome, Konerko, and Uribe have all had 120+ AB's and show no improvement at all.  Slumps are usually only a week or two.  This is not a slump this is a trend.

Fortunately we are in a weak division this year or perhaps we are unfortunate because we still believe that we have a chance.  Our starters have been great and except for a couple of bad games by Buehrle most of the starts have been quality starts.  Without the ability to hit a simple pop fly with men in scoring position their efforts are being wasted.

Ozzie and KW need to make some bold moves here. 

I have no problem with moving Thome down in the order, and moving Dye or Quentin into the 3 hole.  I believe we do very well when Dye bats third.