That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies: Power ranking players in the Hall of Famers

By George Stockburger

PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 10: (L-R) Phillies Alumni and Hall of Famers Jim Bunning, Steve Carlton, and Mike Schmidt stand on the field during a pre game ceremony before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 10, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-6. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 10: (L-R) Phillies Alumni and Hall of Famers Jim Bunning, Steve Carlton, and Mike Schmidt stand on the field during a pre game ceremony before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park on August 10, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-6. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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COOPERSTOWN, NY – JULY 29: Inductee Jim Thome speaks during the 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday July 29, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images)
COOPERSTOWN, NY – JULY 29: Inductee Jim Thome speaks during the 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday July 29, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images) /

Jim Thome

Few players in the history of baseball, let alone those who donned a Phillies uniform, is better liked than Jim Thome.

“Gentleman Jim” is as great a person as he was a home run hitter, a lot to say considering he’s eighth on the all-time long ball list.

Thome signed in Philadelphia after the team’s 80-81 2002 season where they barely drew in 1.6 million fans at Veterans Stadium. In the Vets final season, the team drew in the most fans (2.259 million) since the 1993 team. The inaugural season at Citizens Bank Park brought in a franchise-record 3.25 million fans, partially thanks to the life and star-power Thome brought.

In his first season with the Phillies Thome hit a league-high 47 home runs and finished fourth in the MVP race. After hitting 42 the following year and making the All-Star team in 2004 Thome dealt with injuries and lost playing time to Ryan Howard.

Philadelphia would trade the 35-year-old to Chicago for Aaron Rowand, Gio Gonzalez, and Daniel Haigwood prior to the 2006 season, which ushered in Howard’s rookie year and the beginning of Philadelphia’s World Championship core.

Thome would return to Philadelphia as a bench player in 2012, his final season, before being traded to Baltimore for prospects  Gabriel Lino and Kyle Simon, neither of whom are still with the organization.

While playing just 391 of his 2,543 career games in Philadelphia, Thome left a lasting impact on the Phillies organization as a player and person. His induction into the Hall of Fame was met with overwhelming support from Phillies fans, and the team honored him with a Wall of Fame induction in 2016.

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