When Thome finally does hit the historic round-tripper, it will put him in a very, very select group of sluggers. Only seven other major leaguers have ever hit that many home runs. The names on that very short list are historic, if nothing else. Hank Aaron. Babe Ruth. Willie Mays.
However, there are just as many names on that list that are notorious. Barry Bonds. Sammy Sosa. Alex Rodriguez. All three have been connected to steroids in one way or another.
That's one of the more unfortunate parts of the steroid era. It cheapens even some of the most sacred records and numbers in baseball history. Six-hundred used to be an automatic ticket to Cooperstown, but that is no longer the case.
Jim Thome has never been accused of using steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. He, like the other remaining member of the 600 club, Ken Griffey Jr., has a seemingly clean slate. In fact, the only bit of damning evidence against the duo of sluggers is that they played when steroids were far more common than anyone would have liked. Guilt by association in the eyes of some.
Hurting Thome's case even more, perhaps, is the fact that he never quite dominated his era like Griffey — when healthy — was able to do. Thome was a model of consistency when it came to hitting home runs, but that was about it. He struck out a ton, he didn't usually hit for great average and he wasn't a terrific defender. He was never really considered one of the game's absolute greats at any point in his career.
Yet, the point that Thome hasn't been caught at any point in his career, he hasn't even been suspected really, should help his case when his career finally does come to an end. The fact that Thome is one of the game's good guys should help him with the voters as well, although it really shouldn't.
Maybe the fact that Thome played in the steroid era will hurt him. Maybe his perceived innocence will prevail. In the end, that is likely to be the determining factor for the voters. Only time will tell.
