Big news day: Jim Thome, Delmon Young, draftees signed

Jim Thome's 600th career homer was his 11th of the
season, and his fourth off a left-handed pitcher.

News item: Jim Thome hit his 600th home run Monday night.

Comment: The milestone feels devalued in the wake of the Steroids Era, but 600 taters is a lot of mashing.

This may sound a bit cynical, but now that Thome's gotten No. 600, I expect the Twins to move him in a waiver deal. 

Thome would, I'm sure, like another chance to win a World Series, and that clearly isn't happening in Minnesota this year. There are probably contenders willing to take on the rest of his salary. Heck, somebody was willing to take on Delmon Young's ... but that's another item.

I doubt Thome will slide through waivers all the way to the Phillies, but that's a team that might be particularly interested in adding a left-handed pinch-hitter who could DH in the World Series.

Delmon Young in the Olde English D. His brother
Dmitri starred for the Tigers about a decade ago.

News item: The Twins traded Delmon Young to Detroit for Cole Nelson and a player to be named.

Comment: I expect to say more about this trade and its ramifications in a separate post. For now, this point: As disappointing as Young was in Minnesota, he's going to be a regular for the Tigers.

Jim Leyland said he's already told Magglio Ordonez that the regular outfield the rest of the way will be Young, Austin Jackson and Brendan Boesch.

Levi Michael is officially part of the Twins system.

News item: The Twins signed their Big Three draftees — first rounder Levi Michael and sandwich picks Travis Harrison and Hudson Boyd — for a total of $3.18 million, which is about $730,000 above the "slots" recommended by the commissioner's office.

Comment: Baseball America reported that almost half the first-rounders were officially unsigned 10 minutes before the deadline. When all was said and done, only one first-rounder went unsigned, that being the Blue Jays pick. 

This last-minute scramble is silly.