Jim Thome

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The experiment began Monday afternoon on Richie Ashburn Field at the Carpenter Complex when shortstop Tyler Greene, 19, fielded a grounder and tossed it to Jim Thome, 41, standing on first base. The future Hall of Famer could have quit long ago and he'd still be headed to Cooperstown. Seven players in baseball history have mashed more home runs than Thome. He is a legend, and dozens of Phillies minor-leaguers treated him as such. Yet here was Thome, 1,734 days removed from his last appearance at first base, manning the position in an intrasquad minor-league game.

Jim Thome got a hefty pay raise, hit two home runs and led the Cleveland Indians to their fourth straight win. "I guess you could say it turned out to be a pretty nice day," he said. Thome, who learned yesterday he'll be with the Indians for at least another year, hit his American League-leading 41st and 42nd homers as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep with a 6-1 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins. Thome's $7.5 million contract option was picked up earlier in the day by the Indians.

With Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez gone from Cleveland, Jim Thome became the Indians' career leader in home runs. Thome hit his 243rd career homer and Roberto Alomar hit a tiebreaking, two-run shot in the seventh inning to lead the visiting Indians to a 6-4 victory over Detroit last night. "It feels great - it is a great honor," Thome said after passing Belle. "There's a lot of good guys on that list - Albert, Manny, on down the line. It means more that I did it with the Indians and was here that long.

ON THE shores of Lake Erie, the fans are bereft - and they are grumbling. Unhappy Cleveland Indians fans are speculating that it was pressure from the players union, interested in keeping the upward pressure on salaries, that helped push their beloved Jim Thome to choose Philadelphia. What other reason would the power-hitting community favorite, long rumored to walk the waves of that Great Lake, have for abandoning the city that loved him back? If, as claimed, the money wasn't the determining factor, why would Thome take $85 million over six years to move from the only team for which he's ever played?

Paul Konerko decided to stay with the World Series champion Chicago White Sox, agreeing yesterday to a $60 million, five-year contract. The first baseman led the White Sox with 40 home runs and 100 RBIs last season, hitting .283. He was named MVP of the American League Championship Series win over the Los Angeles Angels after hitting two homers and seven RBIs. He hit a go-ahead grand slam in Game 2 of the World Series sweep of Houston, the first Series title for the White Sox since 1917.

Jim Thome homered in his final at-bat of extended spring training Friday in Clearwater, Fla. His teammates handed him the ball as a souvenir. "Your first extended home run," they wrote. "I kept it," he said, smiling. Thome hopes he has more homers in him this season. He returned to the Phillies' lineup last night against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards for the first time since April 30. Thome, who went on the disabled list May 3 with a lower back strain, hit fifth as the designated hitter behind Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell.

The Cleveland Indians are planning ahead. David Justice, Marquis Grissom and Jim Thome agreed yesterday to contract extensions with the Indians, who committed at least $81.1 million to lock up a new core of talent into the next century. Exercising all options could cost the Tribe $9.8 million more. Justice and Grissom, outfielders acquired in the spring trade that sent Kenny Lofton to the Atlanta Braves, both signed extensions through 2002. Thome, a 26-year-old first baseman who has spent his whole career in the Indians' organization, signed through 2001.

Jim Thome never has trouble getting up for the New York Yankees. Having idols such as Bob Feller and Al Rosen in the house seemed to get "Jim Dandy" even more pumped than usual. Thome homered twice and the Cleveland Indians handed David Cone his first loss in 12 starts last night with a 7-4 victory over the visiting New York Yankees. Scott Brosius homered and drove in three runs for the American League East-leading Yankees (49-17), who still have the best record in baseball and the third-best start in franchise history behind the 1928 and '39 teams.

Standing in the batter's box, Jim Thome could almost hear stricken hitting coach Charlie Manuel's Southern drawl and homespun advice. "Don't jump, Jimmy. Stay back. Drive the ball. " He did. After a bedside study session with Manuel at the hospital, Thome hit his 24th homer, tripled and scored two runs as the Cleveland Indians ended the visiting Yankees' 10-game winning streak with a 4-1 victory last night. Manuel, who had successful quadruple bypass surgery yesterday, is Thome's biggest mentor besides his father.

Jim Thome can't remember when he's had a bigger night. Thome's solo home run in the 13th inning last night lifted the Cleveland Indians over the Toronto Blue Jays, 4-3, and gave the Tribe its 14th straight win at Jacobs Field. The streak matches the second-longest at home in Cleveland history, behind only a 16-game streak at Cleveland Stadium in 1951. The Indians also won 14 consecutive home games in 1954 - the year of their last pennant. "I won a game at Charlotte last year with a home run in the 10th inning, but this is the first time in the majors," Thome said.