Thome cashes in when Phillies walk off
Youkilis deal continues Boston’s long makeover, 4C
OAKLAND — Bets and bounties are frowned upon in pro sports. Cash rewards? Those are welcome and apparently can serve as incentives even for players earning millions of dollars.
Steamed over his first blown save of the season, Philadelphia Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon offered $5,000 to any teammate who would hit a game-ending homer against Tampa Bay Rays reliever Jake McGee on Saturday.
Jim Thome delivered, sending McGee’s 97-mph fastball over the left-field fence at Citizens Bank Park to give the Phillies a 7-6 vic- tory and make Papelbon a winner.
“I came in the clubhouse, and I said, ‘Whoever walks this guy off, I’ll give ’em five grand,’ ” Papelbon told news reporters. “I didn’t think Jim would do it right off the bat. … I just wrote him a check for $5,000.”
There are questions as to whether Thome received the check or would accept it, but he’s free to do so without fear of penalty. In jest or not, it was easy to read his lips on the replay as he crossed home: “I want that check!”
MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said he knows of no rules against players offering teammates monetary incentives.
Thome, who has made more than $140 million in his career, seemed more enthused giving manager Charlie Manuel his 900th victory.
Still, having money dangled can be alluring.
“You’re not betting,” San Francisco Giants outfielder Angel Pagan says, “just motivating your teammate to help the team.”
The Giants left the Coliseum 4-2 losers Sunday when Oakland Athletics catcher Derek Norris, playing in his third career game, hit a walk-off three-run homer. That allowed A.J. Griffin to avoid taking the loss in his major league debut.
“Oh, man, I’ll give him a pat on the back,” Griffin said when asked what reward Norris could expect. “Maybe if I have a career like Papelbon, I’ll be able to give some sort of present like that.”