From the Daily Herald’s Mike McGraw :
eneral manager Kenny Williams has mixed feelings about the future presence of Frank Thomas in the White Sox™ dugout.
Even though Thomas is out for the year with a foot injury, Williams would welcome Thomas on the bench if the Sox make the playoffs.
œI think the guys like having him around, Williams said before Thursday™s game. œHe has a lot of insight on how to attack pitchers. We could use him as an asset.
But looking beyond this season, Williams isn™t sure if it makes sense to keep Thomas. The White Sox can bring Thomas back in 2006 for $10 million or buy him out for $3.5 million.
œToo early to tell, Williams said. œIn this particular case, with the dollars you™re talking about ¦ it™s a tough line to walk because you have to separate your personal, emotional and nostalgic interests ” which again, I™d like to see him hit that 500th (home run) in a White Sox uniform.
œBut at the same time, you have to be mindful of what your business responsibilities are. Whatever it is that you have to pay on a contract might cause you to suffer in other areas of the ballclub. It™s been a couple of years since we™ve had his services and what could you have done with that payroll if, in fact, you had it available in the off-season to better your team?
Translation : goodbye, Frank. In other exciting White Sox news, Ozzie Guillen has promised to arrange his playoff pitching rotation “with my brains, not my heart”, which will surely impress all health care professionals reading the Tribune today.