Jim Thome must go!

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.''

The weather has been inconsistent, just like our bats as a whole.  its unfair to single anybody out cause of thier age. When the weather breaks for good and the warmth starts to run through the vains, the bats will come alive and the balls will fly!!!!

Big-EG,

That is one of the stupidest things I have heard on this board in a long time.  Were you saying the same thing last year when the White Sox did not hit all year?  This season players like Konerko, Thome, Uribe have all had 120+ AB's and are not getting any better.  This is not a slump.  Slumps last a week or two.  Counting last year this is a trend and Ozzie and KW need to act quickly or this season will be lost.

We are fortunate to be in a division that is as bad as it is.  Or perhaps we are unfortunate because we believe that there is still hope.  We are getting fantastic starts from our starting 5 and are unable to take full advantage of it because we refuse to move players who are not producing and are creating a history of non-production.

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....