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Dodgers Sign Marcus Thames

By Zachary Links | January 18, 2011 at 7:17pm CDT

The Dodgers have officially signed outfielder Marcus Thames to a one-year contract. The deal includes a $1MM base salary and another $800K in incentives.

Thames, 33, would provide the Dodgers with right-handed power and could platoon with Jay Gibbons in left field.  Last season Thames hit .288/.350/.491 with 12 homers in 237 plate appearances for the Yankees. 

MLB.com's Ken Gurnick first reported that the two sides were on the verge of agreeing to a deal while Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times confirmed the agreement. Hernandez later added the financial terms (Twitter links).

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Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions Gabe Kapler Marcus Thames

Yankees Sign Rafael Soriano
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Cubs, Marmol Discussing Multiyear Deal
View Comments (88)

Comments

  1. GeronimoJansen

    12 years ago

    meh.

    Reply
  2. bonestock94

    12 years ago

    I wonder if Ned Colletti will overpay for his unusually good 2010 season. History makes me think yes.

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      his 2010 season was ok. his 06 season was better. not his batting avg but over all numbers were better

      Reply
    • gmenfan

      12 years ago

      The deal is worth no more than $1.8M($!1M in salary and $800K in incentives). Hardly consider that a high risk deal even if he doesn’t produce a ton. I like this as a short term, stopgap pickup.

      Reply
      • bonestock94

        12 years ago

        Yea thats a good signing. I assumed the worst.

        Reply
  3. meep

    12 years ago

    i dont get how people are power bats when he avg is about 12 to 15 HRs a year and only had 2 years over 20 HRs

    Reply
    • Austin

      12 years ago

      He has never been an every day player….take a gander at his AB’s per year.

      Reply
    • The_Silver_Stacker

      12 years ago

      He’s a platoon player against lefties, so 12-15 HR’s is very good for that role

      Reply
  4. ZeroZeroZero

    12 years ago

    He is a great bat off the bench but hes such a liability once he puts that glove on.

    Reply
    • slider32

      12 years ago

      He’s got to be as good as Berkman! Good move for the Dodgers.

      Reply
      • coolstorybro222

        12 years ago

        I rather have him than Berkman in left field. It’s going to be more fun to watch Berkman slide around and field like Manny.

        Reply
        • John Stefan

          12 years ago

          Lance Berkman admitted he was at least 20lbs overweight last year, especially after he was traded to NY. This offseason, he employed a new personal trainer and has already shed that excess weight and is expecting to be in the best shape in 6 years. I hope Lance has a great year in St Louis this year.

        • slider32

          12 years ago

          They don’t call him Fat Elvis for nothing!

        • Tony

          12 years ago

          isn’t every mlb player at least 20 lbs overweight?

      • hrbomber1113

        12 years ago

        1. Thames is worse than Berkman
        2. this is a completely stupid move for the Dodgers. they must think they’ve in the AL

        Reply
        • slider32

          12 years ago

          I don’t think so I watched them both last year for the Yanks, plus Thames is a sub and Berkman is starting. Berkman hasn’t played OF in years, but he can hit.

    • SolidarityInSF

      12 years ago

      So, an upgrade over Manny?

      Reply
      • ZeroZeroZero

        12 years ago

        Watching Thames in the outfield last year was enough to make you sick at just the thought of him being out there. Hes also a huge step down from Manny’s bat. Manny is better overall compared to Thames but I would imagine he would be considerably more expensive. You get what you pay for.

        Reply
        • Motor_City_Bombshell

          12 years ago

          “You get what you pay for”

          Tell that to the Jays about Vernon Wells, the Yankees about A-rod, the Nats in a couple years about Jayson Werth, the Cubs about Zambrano and Soriano, I’m sure it’ll make them more optimistic about their performance throughout the remainder of their contracts.

  5. meep

    12 years ago

    good i can see is this singing is he can back up 1st and LF. i guess that makes Blake only a 3rd base guy and not a back up 1st baseman to. i wonder when we play a AL team will he DH

    Reply
    • thegrayrace

      12 years ago

      Hopefully Blake will sit versus tougher righties. Carroll can play 2B and Uribe shifts over to 3B.

      Reply
      • meep

        12 years ago

        didnt think about that one. that would mean blake would be needed less this year since we have more guy who can play 1st and 3rd

        Reply
    • CaseyBlakeDeWitt

      12 years ago

      Please, grammar and punctuation are your friends. That hurt to read.

      Reply
      • Brian S

        12 years ago

        I think I’d rather have him singing in the dugout then playing left….

        Reply
  6. CaseyBlakeDeWitt

    12 years ago

    I can’t imagine he’s any worse than Gibbons in left. I like it.

    Reply
  7. Big Davey

    12 years ago

    Why would they ever want him in the field? Why? WHY?

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      who else would they play. xavior Paul already in his 30s and doenst seem like a good hitter in the times he played.other then that we have a bunch of young guys.

      Reply
      • AndreTheGiantKiller

        12 years ago

        Xavier Paul will be 26 in February. He’s a good fourth outfielder/defensive replacement.

        Reply
        • meep

          12 years ago

          oh so i was wrong he be 26. but gywnn there for defense. plus dodgers need a right handed bat Xavier paul wouldnt give them that

        • Guest

          12 years ago

          Paul is a bad defender.

    • meep

      12 years ago

      who else would they play. xavior Paul already in his 30s and doenst seem like a good hitter in the times he played.other then that we have a bunch of young guys.

      Reply
  8. coolstorybro222

    12 years ago

    Unlike some people in this thread, I actually like this signing. Gives them pop off the bench.

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      only reason i like it is that they didnt get Damon instead. i would of hated if they did

      Reply
      • coolstorybro222

        12 years ago

        Damon is a DH now. He’s going to the Rays.

        Reply
      • CaseyBlakeDeWitt

        12 years ago

        Ned said earlier this week that we were out on Damon.

        Reply
  9. dusto

    12 years ago

    FAIL!!!

    Reply
  10. Nathan

    12 years ago

    Thames has really fantastic power… He hit a ton of dingers in spacious comerica park and he never hits cheap 350 foot homers… all of his are pretty long
    In terms of his defense, he has a much better arm than people give him credit for… he threw in the 90’s when he was first coming up (pitched before committing to OF) and has better speed than a lot of people realize. He is faster than Berkman, is more proven recently in the outfield than berkman and very few players who’ve served primarily in a bench roll have gone on the kind of power surges he has gone on.
    Great signing…. very little doubt in my mind that if he is given the outfield spot full time he will put together a slash line of .258/.330/.510 with 30 something homers

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      i can see that happen with two outfielders together. if he started maybe but if he there to share time with gibbon in LF then he wont even get close to 30 HRS. more like 12 to 18 is more likely. all the talks i heard was they wanted a right handed bat to share time with gibbon in LF.

      Reply
      • markjsunz

        12 years ago

        The dodgers are lucky to sign anybody. McCourt has just taken another loan from fox against future payment for broadcast rights. The whole Dodger situation is a mess. Until an owner comes in who can stabilize the finances of the team , and develop young talent instead of being last on player development and signing quality draft choices it will be a medicore orginazation.

        Reply
  11. Nathan

    12 years ago

    Thames has really fantastic power… He hit a ton of dingers in spacious comerica park and he never hits cheap 350 foot homers… all of his are pretty long
    In terms of his defense, he has a much better arm than people give him credit for… he threw in the 90’s when he was first coming up (pitched before committing to OF) and has better speed than a lot of people realize. He is faster than Berkman, is more proven recently in the outfield than berkman and very few players who’ve served primarily in a bench roll have gone on the kind of power surges he has gone on.
    Great signing…. very little doubt in my mind that if he is given the outfield spot full time he will put together a slash line of .258/.330/.510 with 30 something homers

    Reply
  12. Patrick OKennedy

    12 years ago

    Good for Marcus. Seems like a genuine, nice guy, and has as much raw power as anyone. He never had a chance to play every day, but he just might rake against NL pitching. He kills lefties. He’s not great in the field, but better than many give him credit for. He has a large frame that takes a while to get going, but a huge wingspan that sometimes makes interesting plays. Now the sign- “Marcuswood”?

    Now about that sigh:

    Reply
    • thegrayrace

      12 years ago

      NL West pitching tends to be better than most. Not sure that is a point in his favor.

      Reply
  13. Patrick OKennedy

    12 years ago

    Good for Marcus. Seems like a genuine, nice guy, and has as much raw power as anyone. He never had a chance to play every day, but he just might rake against NL pitching. He kills lefties. He’s not great in the field, but better than many give him credit for. He has a large frame that takes a while to get going, but a huge wingspan that sometimes makes interesting plays. Now the sign- “Marcuswood”?

    Now about that sigh:

    Reply
  14. bleedDODGERblue

    12 years ago

    Can he play 1st or 3rd? I like the signing but if he can I’d like it even more

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      it says he plays LF,DH, and 1st

      Reply
      • EL CABALLO 626

        12 years ago

        He doesn’t play 1st, only LF and RF and he’s really bad defensively. I left out DH because he will only be playing that in interleague play. Though he was a big help for the Yankees last year, he will be missed

        Reply
        • meep

          12 years ago

          i only said 1st because when you look him up that what it said

      • EL CABALLO 626

        12 years ago

        He doesn’t play 1st, only LF and RF and he’s really bad defensively. I left out DH because he will only be playing that in interleague play. Though he was a big help for the Yankees last year, he will be missed

        Reply
      • Patrick OKennedy

        12 years ago

        He played some first base with the Tigers, and he was okay, but never played enough to get used to it.

        Reply
      • leachim2

        12 years ago

        jeremy,

        Punctuation is your friend. It loves to be used.

        Reply
    • MikeR

      12 years ago

      Well he played 1 inning for the Yanks last yr at 3rd and boy wasn’t that fun. I’m sure if you look hard enough you can find video evidence, but it may have all been destroyed to protect the innocent.

      Reply
      • Chrisn313

        12 years ago

        That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen, Marcus plays third and makes a nice stab on a shot down the line. He gets up, no doubt brimming with pride at his shocking display of athletic prowess, and promptly unleashes a “throw” to no one in particular (save perhaps the usher in the third row). Fantastic.

        Reply
      • Chrisn313

        12 years ago

        That was one of the funniest things I have ever seen, Marcus plays third and makes a nice stab on a shot down the line. He gets up, no doubt brimming with pride at his shocking display of athletic prowess, and promptly unleashes a “throw” to no one in particular (save perhaps the usher in the third row). Fantastic.

        Reply
  15. Nathan

    12 years ago

    just consider that the cubs signed Pena to a one year 10 million dollar contract. Marcus and Pena will likely put up very similar slash lines next year and will hit around the same number of dingers.
    Pena’s one prevailing quality is his defence…. But does that really warrant 10 million???? Thames will make 25% of that in all likelyhood, and I gotta say he deserves every last cent considering the market for 5-6 in the lineup power hitters on the weaker NL teams

    Reply
  16. Nathan

    12 years ago

    just consider that the cubs signed Pena to a one year 10 million dollar contract. Marcus and Pena will likely put up very similar slash lines next year and will hit around the same number of dingers.
    Pena’s one prevailing quality is his defence…. But does that really warrant 10 million???? Thames will make 25% of that in all likelyhood, and I gotta say he deserves every last cent considering the market for 5-6 in the lineup power hitters on the weaker NL teams

    Reply
  17. roy o

    12 years ago

    i think the dodgers and the A’s have had the best offseason

    Reply
  18. Nathan

    12 years ago

    Boston… Boston owned the offseason

    Reply
    • The_Silver_Stacker

      12 years ago

      In terms of marquee names yes, but the real winners in terms of making the most gains has to be the A’s.

      Reply
    • Gumby65

      12 years ago

      Boston won the offseason? OMG! Beantown needs a case or three of Champagne!!! We’ll ask the Phillies’ front four to pick up the tab…

      Reply
      • Lunchbox45

        12 years ago

        considering 3 of the 4 were already there before the offseason began, how does your comment address nathan’s claim?

        Reply
        • Gumby65

          12 years ago

          That the one they got, for the price they paid makes for a pretty good offseason; the champagne reference is basically about still not knowing what this “best offseason trophy” looks like. Seattle seemed to have a pretty good offseason last year…

  19. Nathan

    12 years ago

    And Marcus is a great club house guy… everyone likes him….

    Reply
  20. doyers

    12 years ago

    this is a nice pick up because he has power and the dodgers were looking for right hnader power hitter to platto with Gibbons. now they sign Eric chavez back up casey Blake at third base and he could be a power threat off the bench.

    Reply
    • meep

      12 years ago

      why Eric chavez the dude is a health problem over the past 3 years

      Reply
      • CaseyBlakeDeWitt

        12 years ago

        So you sign him to a minor league deal…

        Reply
        • meep

          12 years ago

          true since the dodger do like older guys who either have health problems or cant hit above .250

        • Gumby65

          12 years ago

          OMG, Brian Sabean has succeeded in tutoring Ned Colletti. Dammit, those were OUR jokes….

        • Gumby65

          12 years ago

          OMG, Brian Sabean has succeeded in tutoring Ned Colletti. Dammit, those were OUR jokes….

  21. Gumby65

    12 years ago

    Dodgers apparent goal: Sign as many iffy players as possible (albeit, with something slightly more than a pulse) and hope SOMEBODY ELSE not named Ethier, Kemp or Loney have career years. Retired coach Kapler joining Thames today and the rest of the off-season (I’d like to include Uribe, but he didn’t come in at the price of a Ford Focus like the rest of them) at the very least should not prohibit the Dodgers from having the funds/excess players to make an all-star break trade to fill whatever gaps are still there. Of course, the biggest gap is at owner, and there aren’t too many options available yet, unless Bud Selig can place the Frank & Jamie show on irrevocable waivers for the purpose of putting them on the streets. Still, a bondo job on a 78 Olds is not befitting of a Corvette franchise, but we’ll take what we can get. Unfortunately.

    Reply
  22. BlueSkyLA

    12 years ago

    I realize it’s just a minor league deal, but what’s the point of signing Kapler? He won’t even get any bench time unless one of the other five outfielders go on the DL.

    Reply
  23. Gumby65

    12 years ago

    New poll:
    Does Steiner say THAYMES or TIMMS?

    Reply
    • BlueSkyLA

      12 years ago

      I’m going to guess “Temz.” Or whichever is the farthest from correct.

      Reply
    • Dr. Gonzo

      12 years ago

      I can hear Steiner calling his homers now: “High drive, deep to left field and caught, by the third baseman”.

      Reply
  24. Guest

    12 years ago

    I am cool with it until the salary comes out.

    Reply
  25. toomanyhatz

    12 years ago

    50+ comments and nobody’s mentioned the REAL issue yet. Thames is no worse of a fielder than Manny, and he can be substituted in late innings. The real problem is that we’ve signed yet another guy with a .310 lifetime OBP. I like what they’ve done pitching-wise a lot, but offensively get ready to lose a lot of 2-1 and 3-2 games. All the power in the world does you no good if you don’t get anyone on base. There’s only so far you can go with solo HR. And Thames seems to hit a lot of them- lots of years with 20+ HR and less than 70 RBI.

    Reply
    • bcimmet

      12 years ago

      “Lots of years” = two, actually.

      Thames has hit 60 of his 113 home runs with no one on base. 53% might seem like a lot. 54% of Albert Pujols’s home runs come with the bases empty.

      Now now now, before you jump down my throat — I know Pujols and Thames are totally different.

      But I will say this about Thames: he usually bats low in the order. The odds of the bases being active by the time he comes to bat are not great. Players who typically bat 6th, 7th and 8th don’t get those big RBI numbers you want. It just doesn’t happen.

      His career numbers with the bases loaded, by the way? 17-for-38 with 6 home runs. Not bad.

      Reply
      • toomanyhatz

        12 years ago

        Well, I’m hearing enough positives about Thames as a clubhouse guy that I’m feeling a BIT better about it- and he did manage to take some pitches in NY last year obviously as he had his highest OBP ever, so maybe this isn’t as disappointing as it looks. But I wanted Damon. *Sniff*

        Reply
  26. slider32

    12 years ago

    The Dodgers and the O’s are the most improved teams over the winter!

    Reply
    • thegrayrace

      12 years ago

      I think the Brewers additions of Greinke and Marcum qualify them. And the Red Sox and White Sox both did well.

      Reply
  27. Motor_City_Bombshell

    12 years ago

    A genuine guy and the guy has flashes of power occasionally that match or outdo most in the league. The guy is a valuable asset if you’re looking for a guy who can come off of the bench and hit a home run for you as a pinch hitter, but this guy is horrid in the field. I don’t know if he’s an upgrade over Ramirez in left field, time will tell, but I just know that Marcus can potentially be overall better than Ramirez’s last years numbers. As an everyday player though? I don’t know so much, the Tigers and Yankees were hesitant to give him a lot of playing time, buyers beware on this guy, because he also strikes out a ton too.

    Reply
  28. bleedDODGERblue

    12 years ago

    Liking the deal even more now that the figures came out

    Reply
  29. privey

    12 years ago

    He can hit lefties and I enjoyed watching him last season with the Yankees. His Mom is disabled and from some stories I read its clear he takes care of her so I’m glad he found a team in the US to play for.

    Reply
  30. Thomas Betz

    12 years ago

    Dodgers suck!

    Reply
    • doyers

      12 years ago

      forget you dog.its all about the Dodgers

      Reply
  31. SmackSaw

    12 years ago

    They got their Pat Burrell

    Reply
  32. meep

    12 years ago

    1 million is not bad for a guy who can hit about .250 30 RBIs and 12-15 hrs

    Reply
  33. Docnieto

    12 years ago

    Anybody else Catch Hot Stove last night, were Peter Gammons suggested if the Dodgers get sold by September how do you re-energize the franchise? Go out and get Pujols. I know it’s just a hypothetical but damn we can dream right?

    Reply

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