1989 season, Thome was assigned to the Gulf Coast League Indians, a minor league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. He finished the year with a .237 batting average, no home runs, and 22 runs batted in (RBIs)in 55 games. After his rookie season, he met "hitting guru" Charlie Manuel, who later became his manager and mentor. Unlike most Indians staff, Manuel saw potential in Thome and worked hard with him, particularly on his hip motion while swinging the bat. Thome later said, "[Manuel] saw something in me I didn't." During this work, Manuel suggested to Thome that he point his bat out to center field before the pitch to relax himself like Roy Hobbs did when batting in the baseball film The Natural. The work paid off; in 1990, Thome hit .340 and totaled 16 home runs and 50 RBI in 67 games playing at both the Rookie and Class A levels of the minor leagues. Thome spent most of the 1991 season splitting time between Double-A and Triple-A where, in combination, he hit .319 with seven home runs and 73 RBI in 125 games. Cleveland Indians (1991–2002) 1991–1997 Thome made his MLB debut on September 4, 1991, as a third baseman against the Minnesota Twins. In the game, he recorded two hits in four at bats (2-for-4). He hit his first career home run on October 4. Injuries shortened his 1992 campaign, during which he played for both the Indians and their Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Across the minor and major leagues that year, he combined to hit .236 with four home runs and 26 RBI in 52 games. In 1993, playing mostly for the Charlotte Knights, the Indians' new Triple-A affiliate, he led the International League with a .332 batting average and 102 RBI, complemented by 25 home runs in 115 games. This performance earned him a late season promotion to the major league, where he hit .266 with seven home runs and 22 RBI in 47 games. After seven consecutive seasons with a losing record, "a new ballpark and a few offseason acquisitions coupled with rising young stars have made the Indians legitimate contenders" for the division title during their 1994 season. The Indians' core of offensive players included Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez,Carlos Baerga, Kenny Lofton, Sandy Alomar Jr., Thome, and Eddie Murray. A "promising youngster", for the first time in his career, Thome