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This Day in Phillies History: December 3
The offseason is a key time for teams to make moves to help tie loose ends from the previous season, whether it's trading for another player or signing a free agent. On this day in 2002, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Jim Thome to a six-year, $85 million contract which was a record for the Phillies at the time.
Thome came to Philadelphia after spending 12 seasons with the Cleveland Indians where he made a name for himself, earning three All-Star appearances and a Silver Slugger award in 1996.
It didn't take long for the All-Star to make himself at home in Veterans Stadium. During his first year with the Phillies, Thome hammered an MLB leading 47 home runs, a number which he shared with Texas Rangers infielder Alex Rodriguez.
The following season was a very slight downgrade from Thome as he launched 42 home runs while maintaining a slugging percentage of .581.
The 2005 season would be Thome's last year as a Phillie before coming back in 2012 as a veteran figure before retiring that season. In 2005, Thome was sidelined for a considerable amount of the season after suffering an elbow injury.
In the following offseason, the Phillies traded Thome to the Chicago White Sox for three players, the most notable being Aaron Rowand.
Although Thome was only with Philadelphia for a short period of time, he was efficient in getting the job done and making a name for himself. Thome is currently ranked third all-time in Phillies history for slugging percentage with .541, trailing Chuck Klein and Bryce Harper.
More From SI's Inside The Phillies:
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- Report: Phillies Among Teams Interested in All-Star Utilityman
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