Thome will visit the Phillies

General manager Ed Wade's main priority is signing the Indians' slugger.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Free agent slugger Jim Thome will visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.
Thome, who hit a club record 52 homers this season for the Cleveland Indians, is the most coveted hitter in this winter's free agent market. Phillies general manager Ed Wade said signing the 32-year-old first baseman is his top priority.
Thome would fill the void created by the departure of third baseman Scott Rolen, traded to St. Louis in July. Thome hit .304 with 118 RBIs, 122 walks and had a .445 on-base percentage this season. He has hit at least 30 homers seven straight years and has driven in more than 100 runs in six of the last seven seasons.
The Indians, who have won six division titles and been to the World Series twice during Thome's tenure, met with him and agent Pat Rooney last Thursday. They are prepared to make Thome the highest-paid player in club history, but it's not likely they'll be able to match an offer from the Phillies that could be in the range of $15 million per season.
Cleveland, however, is the only team that can talk money with Thome until Nov. 13.
Pirates hire Gerald Perry
Gerald Perry was hired Monday as the Pittsburgh Pirates' hitting coach, the same job he held the last three seasons with the Seattle Mariners.
Perry's hiring fills out a Pirates staff that has been reshaped by general manager Dave Littlefield since the season ended. Previously, the Pirates hired former Twins minor league manager John Russell as third-base coach, Rusty Kuntz as first-base coach, Pete Mackanin as bench coach and Alvaro Espinoza as an off-field coach.
Only two holdovers from manager Lloyd McClendon's staff will return in 2003, pitching coach Spin Williams and bullpen coach Bruce Tanner.
Five file for free agency
Arizona's Mike Morgan, the 43-year-old right-hander who has played for a record 12 major league teams, was among five players who filed for free agency Monday.
Cleveland right-hander Dave Burba, Oakland outfielder John Mabry, Seattle catcher Pat Borders and Atlanta left-hander Darren Holmes also filed, raising the total to 147 since the end of the World Series.
Up to 27 additional players are eligible to file by the Nov. 11 deadline, with many awaiting decisions on team options. Free agents can start discussing money with all teams the following day.