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His big league career began with a bang for the New York Yankees in 2002. So maybe Marcus Thames can recharge the batteries with his original club this spring. The Yankees have signed the former East Central Community College star to a minor league contract, which will give Thames an opportunity to win a major league spot in spring training. The right-handed slugger fell off to 13 homers for Detroit in 2009, when he missed almost two months of the season with a rib cage injury. The Tigers released Thames, who hit 26 homers for their World Series club in 2006, following the season. Thames has 101 career homers, including one in his first big league at-bat, against Randy Johnson at Yankee Stadium on June 10, 2002. No matter what else happens in his career, Thames will always have that story to tell.