The Dodgers are on the verge of signing free agent outfielder Marcus Thames, baseball sources tell MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. However, the club declined to confirm that a signing of the 33-year-old is close. Thames would provide the Dodgers with right-handed power and could platoon with Jay Gibbons in left field.
Sources say that the Dodgers are also looking at veterans Eric Chavez and Gabe Kapler as they search for a power bat. The front office also is thinking about moving Matt Kemp from center field to right, Andre Ethier right field to left, and Tony Gwynn starting in center field. That alignment would help fortify the Dodgers' defense but Gwynn must perform well at the plate in Spring Training in order to make that a possibility.
bobraines
couldn’t be much worse defense than we had in left last year. I’m thinking that a Thames signing would keep the Gwynn in centerfield talk alive long enough to make spring training interesting. Chavez or Kapler would not be good investments.
Pool Messi
Eek. Worst OF defense in the majors.
Gumby65
Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday wholeheartedly agree.
vonhayesdays
would have like to seen him in philly they way he has handled lefties, and i think the hitter friendly ball park might even help his defense if thats possible.
Gumby65
Would have preferred Lastings Milledge, versus a lasting impression of another lead (like, led) glove. But, Tony Jr can go pick him up in the last frames of the game.
MikeR
“couldn’t be much worse defense than we had in left last year.” As Bill Cosby says you don’t mess with worse, because it will always get you back in the end. I say this as a Yankee fan who had to suffer watching Marcus “I can drop a pop up” Thames last year, yes he really is as brutal as advertised (but boy can he hit).
YanksFanSince78
Yes good hitter but doesn’t belong anywhere near the NL unless he can play some 1B.
carlos
“Sources say that the Dodgers are also looking at veterans Eric Chavez and Gabe Kapler as they search for a power bat” wtf? thats like saying i am looking to paris hilton for a virgin.
Hits & Gigs
I don’t get it…he’s never played for the Giants, why would the Dodgers go after him?
lukein707
Is that supposed to be funny? it goes both ways (Mota, Fp Santgelo,Orel,Cody Ross etc….)
meep
i dont see the power bat there talking about i only see in his stats a few years over 20 HRS. i didnt know a player who avg 12-15 HRs a year is a power bat.
lukein707
Next time you look at players stats check his games played. In 2006 and 2008 he played just over 100 games and those years he hit 26 and 25 homeruns. The last couple seasons he has only played 80+ games and hit between 12-15 homeruns. He ins’t some allstar player but he does have a lot of pop and would be nice to have hime platoon with Gibbons strictly against lefties and Gibbs against righties.
meep
i know that but he does have some power but i wouldnt call him a power bat. when i hear a power bat i think about 20 to like idk 50 hrs a hr
Mark S
if the Dodgers sign Thames, where does Scotty Pods go?
meep
maybe angels who i heard are looking at him
meep
maybe angels who i heard are looking at him
Mark S
if the Dodgers sign Thames, where does Scotty Pods go?