Three young Indians say 600 homers should continue to be recognized as a five-star achievement, regardless of circumstance.
Jim Thome is now eighth on the all-time home run list in baseball, and will likely reach 600 homers early in the 2011 season. That's an accomplishment deserving of respect, say three admiring Indians.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jim Thome has hit 587 career homers, eighth-most in big-league history. No. 587, which broke a tie with Frank Robinson, beat the Indians, 1-0, in the 12th inning Saturday night at Progressive Field. Barring injury or the unforeseen, Thome will be the next player to reach 600.
More than a few followers of baseball think home-run milestones, in general, have lost their luster because of the steroid era, which is widely accepted as encompassing the majority of the past two decades. Major League Baseball would submit the era is no longer, but who really knows for certain?
Fan and media anticipation for the most recent player to reach 600, Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, was lukewarm at best. Rodriguez, who admitted using performance-enhancing drugs while with Texas, reached the milestone earlier this year.
At least three Indians -- Trevor Crowe, Chris Gimenez and Jason Donald -- said 600 homers should continue to be recognized as a five-star achievement, regardless of circumstance.
"To see that type of number is pretty amazing," Crowe said. "Two years in, I'm sitting here with three. So steroid era or not, 600 is special."
Gimenez said hitting one homer in the majors is difficult. He has four.
"I have a ton of appreciation for 600, no matter when a guy did it," he said. "To hit that many, it means you've had to stay healthy and productive for a long, long time against the best pitchers in the world. And so much has to go right for a ball to go out. Whether you're using something or not, you still have to get the barrel on the ball and hit it a certain way."
Gimenez, Crowe and Donald praised Thome for being a high-character player and role model. They talked about him doing it the right way; Thome has never been linked to PEDs. At the same time, they stayed consistent with their original position by saying they do not feel it necessary to create classes of "clean" and "dirty" players.
"People might view Thome's 600 in a better light because he's never been implicated, but to me, 600 homers in the majors are 600 homers in the majors," Crowe said. "The number is 600, no matter how you splice it."
Gimenez's stance was influenced by the fact that his favorite player growing up in the Bay Area of California was Mark McGwire, then a slugger with Oakland. McGwire, currently the St. Louis Cardinals' hitting coach, admitted earlier this year that he used PEDs as a player.
"If I ever get the chance to see him on the field, I would make sure to go over right away and thank him for being my idol," Gimenez said.
Gimenez is convinced the steroid era is over based on the number of random drug tests players must take.
"You've got to be pretty bold, or pretty stupid, if you think you're going to get away with it nowadays," he said.
Testing, testing: Donald (right fingers) was scheduled for X-rays and an exam by hand specialist Dr. Thomas Graham at some point before Tuesday's game. Results from a scheduled Monday MRI for Mitch Talbot (shoulder) are not yet available.