Jim Thome Sits Down with B/R to Talk 600 Home-Run Club, Future Plans

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This past week, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Jim Thome, the newest member of the 600 Home Run Club.

It's well documented that Thome is one of the "good guys" in baseball, and during our time, I found every bit of it to be true. He was very willing to talk about topics ranging from the support of his family to playing during the steroid era in baseball.

With the uncertainty of his future in Minnesota and baseball as a whole, I felt very lucky to spend some time picking the brain of one of the all-time greats.

Click here for more on who Thome thinks might be the next to join the 600 Home Run Club.

Emotions Felt as He Reached No. 600...

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"It’s been a great week—very, very special. You know what, it’s been very good. I mean as the 500th was, the build up, the excitement, the anxiety to get there, it’s something you wish upon any player. It makes you want to keep going; I think it does."

"It makes you appreciate the work, appreciate the journey and understand that that journey is going to have some failure. That failure is part of reality and to accomplish it was special for sure."

Pressure to Hit No. 600 with Family by His Side...

"My family had been traveling with the team for about a week before the 600th, a little over a week. They were in Minnesota, went to Cleveland and then obviously Detroit.

"It’s nice because my kids are getting ready to start school so it’s great to get it done while they could still get a chance to be there and see it —in all reality, I think that I may have been pushing myself excessively in an effort to get it done as the pressure built when I got closer to the number."

On Hitting No. 600 in Detroit...

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"It felt great. it would have really been great to do it anywhere. I think there’s a part of every player that would like to do it with the fans that you play for. But that’s part of baseball and part of our schedule, and it was just a treat. And I have to say that the fans in Detroit were great. They were very, very classy. I think they represented the name of Detroit very well."

Feelings About Past Two Seasons in Minnesota...

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"You know what? I have enjoyed my time, and I have to say I think the fans play a big part in that. I mean, every player that plays for any organization, having great fans on your side every night is a great thing. Our fans are loyal, they come out and root for us, and as players, we want to give that back in return. And for me, being here for the last two years has been a real joy."

"My family has loved Minnesota and that was one of the big reasons we decided to come back. For me, family decisions were a big part to coming back to the Twins, and that made it all that much more special to reach the milestone in a Twins jersey."

Where No. 600 Ranks in Most Memorable Home Runs of Career...

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"600 was definitely a big one, just like 500 was. I really enjoyed the walkoff against Chicago. But I’d have to say the one in Chicago when we beat the Twins in game 163 was the biggest. I mean, it got us in the playoffs; that was very, very big."

"That’s why you play the game, as we talked about winning and getting the opportunity to win, and then you hit a home run that puts your team in the playoffs. That’s as big as it gets."

On the Pride Associated with Not Being Implicated in PED Usage...

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"I absolutely take a great deal of pride in it—no question about it. I think unfortunately during our time and this era, that was something that had happened. Not everybody during that time did it, and I certainly don’t think everybody deserves to be punished."

"Everybody makes their own decisions, and I think baseball has moved ahead, and I certainly do feel proud about it. I feel like I can look in the mirror at the end of the way and truly say that I’ve done it the right way."

On Whether or Not This Is His Last Season...

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"You know what, I don’t know; I’ll probably process it with the family. Right now, we’ve still got a ways to go this season and can hopefully play competitive baseball. Once the season ends and I have time to unwind and reflect on everything, I’m sure we’ll sit down as a family and discuss the future."