imgreat95
07-24-2001, 10:36 PM
You might as well give out the plaques right now. Your players of the month are Thome in the American League and the Astros' Jeff Bagwell in the National League. Between them, they've already driven in 65 runs. But only one has delivered on a Ruthian request.
Before last Thursday's game at Comiskey Park, 15-year-old Brandon Thome asked his uncle to hit two homers. He was attending the game only a little more than a month after having been paralyzed from the waist down in a swimming pool accident.
Thome delivered a solo homer off Sean Lowe in the third inning. Then he hit a two-run shot off Bob Howry in the eighth. He's hit 10 homers in 20 games this month, raising his total to 31, but he might never again hit one that will mean more than the one off Howry.
"He told me before the game, 'I don't mean to put any pressure on you, but why don't you hit two home runs for me tonight?' " Thome said. "I got both balls for him."
Despite Thome's monster month (.397-10-34), the Indians have managed only a 12-12 record since June 27. But they are 8-4 since the All-Star break and took a percentage-points lead over fading Minnesota on Monday.
It's been a big year for Thome. He broke Albert Belle's club record for career homers and has a shot at setting career highs for homers (40 in 1997) and RBI (116 in '96). But Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel has another mark in mind.
"Jimmy Thome should hit .300," Manuel said. "If he hits .300, we're going to be more than happy with the number of homers he hits."
Thome was hitting .297 through Monday.
Before last Thursday's game at Comiskey Park, 15-year-old Brandon Thome asked his uncle to hit two homers. He was attending the game only a little more than a month after having been paralyzed from the waist down in a swimming pool accident.
Thome delivered a solo homer off Sean Lowe in the third inning. Then he hit a two-run shot off Bob Howry in the eighth. He's hit 10 homers in 20 games this month, raising his total to 31, but he might never again hit one that will mean more than the one off Howry.
"He told me before the game, 'I don't mean to put any pressure on you, but why don't you hit two home runs for me tonight?' " Thome said. "I got both balls for him."
Despite Thome's monster month (.397-10-34), the Indians have managed only a 12-12 record since June 27. But they are 8-4 since the All-Star break and took a percentage-points lead over fading Minnesota on Monday.
It's been a big year for Thome. He broke Albert Belle's club record for career homers and has a shot at setting career highs for homers (40 in 1997) and RBI (116 in '96). But Cleveland manager Charlie Manuel has another mark in mind.
"Jimmy Thome should hit .300," Manuel said. "If he hits .300, we're going to be more than happy with the number of homers he hits."
Thome was hitting .297 through Monday.