clare_and_ben, Frank Thomas 1997, CC BY-SA 2.0
Keith Allison, Jim Thome 2, CC BY-SA 2.0
First base has historically been a position for sluggers, from Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx in the early 20th century to Harmon Killebrew and Willie McCovey mid-century to Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera in the 21st century. During the 1990s and into the early 2000s, the AL Central was home to some of the most feared power hitters in baseball, namely Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox and Jim Thome of the Cleveland Indians. Over the course of their careers, both players would join the exclusive 500-home run club and set a standard of consistency and excellence that remains a benchmark for first basemen today. In comparing these two sluggers, the question is:
Who was better – Frank Thomas or Jim Thome?
Continue reading
