Marcus Thames

With their most recent acquisition of outfielder Marcus Thames, the Los Angeles Dodgers not only achieved an addition of power to the roster, but they also balanced the bats in the process. Thames will join a solid corps of outfielders who individually feature power, speed, and reliable defense.

Back on December 22nd, I wrote a post wondering who’s going to be in left field for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011.

Here is how I ended the post:

I'm about to do something unheard of in sports journalism.  I am going to write an entire article about Marcus Thames.  Yes, that Marcus Thames, the 33-year-old outfielder who hit .288 with 12 HR for the Yankees last year.  The one the Yankees haven't re-signed.

Not repeating and no longer reigning as champions was not the game plan the New York Yankees had at the start of the 2010 season.

Losing the ALCS to the Texas Rangers was heartbreaking. The Bombers elimination seemed almost unreal, as the Yankees were the stronger ball-club all season long.

The blame-game is in full swing in New York, pointing fingers at Skipper Joe Girardi for his managerial calls and GM Brian Cashman not facing a team of over-the-hill players in time.

Going into Saturday night's Game Three, the Yankees had to be feeling very confident of their chances to sweep the Twins.

They were up 2-0 on the Twins and they had history on their side since Minnesota had not won a playoff game against the Yankees since 2004.

Are you hurting in the RBI category? Here are some reasonably available players that can help you out.

Brandon Inge, 3B, Detroit Tigers

 Inge has 10 RBIs over the past 15 days while hitting .218 with four runs, two HRs, and a SB. On the year he’s hitting .254 with 37 runs, 10 HRs, 61 RBIs, and three SBs. Brandon is owned in 20 percent of CBS and five percent of ESPN leagues. 

The Yankees won their eighth consecutive game today against the Toronto Blue Jays, and are the hottest team in baseball as the stretch run begins.

Javy Vazquez was less than stellar in his return to the starting rotation today, giving up five runs in four and two thirds innings pitched, the Blue Jays also slugged two home runs.

I'll admit that I wasn't always the biggest Marcus Thames fan.

I hated his long swing. I hated how he played the outfield like a foreign exchange student in gym class. I even hated his name—and no, not his oddly pronounced last name.

Has there ever been a likable Marcus? Really? No...no there hasn't.

Marcus Thames hit his sixth home run in as many games as the Yankees slugged their way past the Oakland A’s 11-5.

Here are some notes:

New York Yankees Marcus Thames has been the talk of the town lately—and for good reason.

Thames has come up big for the Yankees as he led the team in victory over the Texas Rangers Cliff Lee, this past Wednesday night.

The switch-hitter went 3-5 with two hits, a homer, and two RBI. Thames had the game-winning single in the top of the ninth inning that put the Yankees on top.