While Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter‘s quest to reach 3,000 hits has been well-documented, a less publicized approaching milestone may be more impressive.
Minnesota Twins slugger Jim Thome entered Thursday night’s game just five home runs shy of 600.
There are 27 players who have reached 3,000 hits but only seven with 600 homers.
So why isn’t Thome being celebrated like Jeter?
1. The steroid era » Power numbers aren’t viewed the same anymore, especially since Thome is about to join an exclusive group that includes Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Sammy Sosa. But Thome has never been linked to performance-enhancing drugs, which should make this milestone even more impressive.
2. Yankees shortstop vs. small-market slugger » Jeter has won five World Series playing the most important defensive position in baseball on the most storied franchise in all of sports. Thome is playing for his fifth different team and has spent half of his career as a designated hitter. Jeter’s social life is more publicized than Thome’s on-field accomplishments.
3. A long career » Thome has played 20 seasons and accumulated staggering stats, but he’s only a five-time All-Star. The slugger has never been viewed as one of the elite players in the game, finishing no higher than fourth in MVP voting. As he approaches 600 career home runs, Thome is being overlooked again.
