Thome, Griffey not just happy to be back
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - By major-league baseball standards, Jim Thome and Ken Griffey Jr. are tired, old men.
Thome turned 38 on Aug. 27 and Griffey will be 39 on Nov. 21.
"These young guys here just stretch before batting practice," Griffey said with a grin. "I have to stretch when I get out of bed."
They're not getting any younger, but the White Sox' veteran duo couldn't have been better in Tuesday night's thrilling 1-0 win over the Twins in the AL Central tiebreaker.
Thome's prodigious home run to center field was the extent of the offense, and Griffey's strong throw from center field to home plate prevented Michael Cuddyer from scoring.
Showing they can still thrive in a younger man's game, Thome and Griffey are now trying to fill the one gaping hole on their Hall of Fame resumes - a World Series ring.
"They're like little kids in a candy store right now," said Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye. "These guys have one goal. They have a passion to win the World Series. When you've got that chance, you're going to drive yourself to win."
Today, Thome plays in his first playoff game since 2001. Griffey hasn't been to the postseason since 1997.
"You always want it," Griffey said of the elusive ring. "That's one of the reasons why you play this game. If you play long enough, individual accomplishments will come.
"But you're always talking about hitting that home run to win the World Series. The Joe Carter walk-off, that's the dream and I still have that."
Griffey ranks fifth in baseball history with 611 home runs, and Thome is 14th with 541.
Both left-handed sluggers are going to Cooperstown on the first ballot, but the experience won't be quite the same without a championship.
"They are both such great guys, and we want to help them get there," said Dye, the MVP of the 2005 World Series.
Thome and Griffey sit next to each other on the White Sox' plane, and they usually talk about hitting. But on the trip down to Florida early Wednesday morning, they discussed the ultimate goal.
"I think he feels it as well as I do," Thome said. "When you get a little older, you see the door closing a little bit so you appreciate the celebrations and the champagne, because you never know how long it's going to last."
Thome went to the playoffs five years in a row (1995-99) when he played on the powerhouse Indians, and Cleveland went again in 2001.
In 1997, the Indians were one out away from winning it all before the Florida Marlins rallied to tie in the bottom of the ninth inning and went on to win in the 11th.
"In '97, we had that trophy in our clubhouse and that trophy never stayed," Thome said. "It went to the Marlins, so that eats at you. It eats at you."
Thome is hoping this is finally the year he can curb the appetite.
"It's almost surreal to be back," Thome said. "I was very fortunate for a lot of years that we were going to the postseason every year. Not that you ever take it for granted, but when you go like that it almost takes away the special-ness of when you've been gone and you come back.
"To watch the crowd (Tuesday) night, to look at the fans all in black waving those black towels and to celebrate not only with your teammates but with them, that might have been one of the best celebrations I've personally had. It was that special."
As far as home runs, Thome said the 461-foot blast he hit to dead center off Minnesota's Nick Blackburn was the most memorable of his career.
"How could it not be?" Thome said. "Hitting the 500th was great, but that one (Tuesday) got us here. That's something you'll never forget."
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