"Last July as the Phillies were putting the finishing touches on the deal to bring Hunter Pence to on board, there was a little rumbling about whether general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. could wrangle together a trade for Jim Thome. Obviously, it didn’t work out in July, nor was the GM able to get the stars aligned just right in order to make the waiver trade in August.

Instead, Thome ended up back in Cleveland where he started his career as a lean and mean 20-year-old kid in 1991. Oh, word is if everything were equal, he’d just as well rather be in Philadelphia… again.

For Thome, Amaro and the Phillies, let’s just say it’s better late than never. Thome, according to a CSNPhilly.com source, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Phillies.

When Thome signed that first contract with the Phillies in December of 2002, we thought he’d finish his career in South Philly. Who would have thought that very well could be the case after Big Jim was traded to the White Sox for Aaron Rowand in November of 2005?"