By Mark GonzalesManager Ozzie Guillen said he informed free agent slugger Jim Thome Sunday night that he wouldn't be returning to the White Sox.
''It's all about at-bats, and it was going to be hard to get him at-bats,'' Guillen said Monday night after returning to Miami.
Jim Thome hits a three-run homer against the Orioles in July. (Chris Sweda/Tribune)
Guillen said he explained to Thome that he could only promise that he
would start only one or two games a week and that the decision had
nothing to do with roster numbers.
''To me, it was about at-bats,'' Guillen said. ''I don't want to go through a situation where Jim is not playing two or three days and then the media comes to him and asks him how he's feeling.
''It can be a soap opera.''
Guillen said Thome was ''cool to me'' during their conversation, reiterating that Thome is 'a special guy.''
Thome was told that when his playing career ends, he has an open invitation to join the Sox in a capacity to be determined later.
Guillen said the Sox haven't ruled out bringing back Thome if they have a need for a left-hander power hitter later this season if he's available.
''To me, it was about at-bats,'' Guillen said. ''I don't want to go through a situation where Jim is not playing two or three days and then the media comes to him and asks him how he's feeling.
''It can be a soap opera.''
Guillen said Thome was ''cool to me'' during their conversation, reiterating that Thome is 'a special guy.''
Thome was told that when his playing career ends, he has an open invitation to join the Sox in a capacity to be determined later.
Guillen said the Sox haven't ruled out bringing back Thome if they have a need for a left-hander power hitter later this season if he's available.
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Of course you won't have to swap farm systems and you do have some good prospects. But if you are ranked 28th as that one poster said, then teams 1-27 either have more good prospects or better quality prospects and if they wanted to trade for any of the three they could probably put together a better package than the Sox. Of course the question is would they? We know the Red Sox are interested in Gonzalez and I'm pretty sure they have a strong farm system.
Milwaukee will want a lot for Fielder and it wouldn't surprise me if they want a major league pitcher too. Would you be willing to part with a Gavin Floyd or a Jon Danks as well as a few top prospects?
And also keep in mind that Gonzalez and Fielder will be looking for $100 million contracts when they become free agents. Can the Sox afford that? And if not would they be willing to part with their top prospects (and possibly some major league talent too) just for the window to win the World Series in the next year or two?
Amen, Doug.
Please, can we have a moratorium on the phrase "clogging up the bases"? It is a really, really stupid thing to say. We didn't win in 2005 because of scrap and hit and runs and stealing- we won because of amazing pitching and guys hitting dingers. We didn't become bad in 2006 because we were less grindy- we lost because the pitching fell back to earth. We scored a lot more runs in 2006 than 2005 (that is a good thing, remember?), thanks in a large way to Jimmy. Now we have amazing pitching again, but I am struggling to see the offense other than a series of "if...than". Thome hits dingers and gets on-base, a lot. That is good. It is the opposite of Omar Vizquel, a man who should never be mentioned in the same sentence as "DH", a position where you are required to hit. Which he can't.
If Jones comes back strong, and if CQ and Rios are healthy and good, we might be able to make up for losing JD and Thome. A lot of "ifs".
Charles on January 25, 2010 8:59 PM
Cubsfansarefool are you being serious? Where do you see me saying I'm a Cubs fan, I wouldn't be anywhere near this article if I wasn't a White Sox fan. Guess I shouldn't expect much from a guy with posting gems such as "He blew playoff".
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Do you see what us Cubs fans have to put up with? As a Cubs fan, I don't mind a Sox fan bashing the Cubs as long as they can string together a complete sentence at higher than a 3rd grade reading level and not just repeat the same old "Bartman, 1908, billy goat" crap that we've all heard for years and years. I welcome smart and fun discussion between Cubs and Sox fans, but it's guys like that one who make it difficult. Here's to the smart fans on both side of town and let's keep the morons from taking over the discussion!
One person says the Sox have the talent in the farm system to trade for Adam Dunn, Adrian Gonzalez, or Prince Fielder. Another person says they have the 28th ranked farm system in MLB, which probably means they have no shot at any of the three. So, which one is it?
Personally, it seems like the Sox are trying to be a National League team. NL teams don't have DHs, but instead just pick someone off the bench to DH during interleague games. Some people believe that puts the NL at a disadvantage in interleague play and in the World Series. If the Sox do go with this strategy in 2010, it will be interesting to see if they underperform, much like the NL does against the AL in interleague play.
He'll be back this season
Yes we will be so much better with Anruw Jones and Kotsay and Pods..Oh thay=ts right we crapped on him too
Good luck Jim! Sorry, but we can't have you cloggin' up the bases over here. We really appreciate you going to The Twins aka the team who take all of our cast-offs: Crede, Cabrera and now Thome. Nice!
Sox will rule in 2010!
Thome had a great career and I hate to see him go, but I have to agree with the coaching staff on this one. Let's see what we got with a rotating DH, which will also allow the team to keep another pitcher. As for the way the Sox handled this--they contacted Thome and let him know their plans. Despite all he did for the Sox, the team owes him nothing. This is a tough decision, but the team handled it with class. You can't compare this with the way the Sox handled Fisk or even Thomas, but as much as I like those two, Thome is an all-around great guy and the Sox showed him nothing but respect.
Hockey Board please
Hawks51. Gay? Last night I had more women than your gay ass had in your life. But thats right being a major league player isnt good enough for you to have an opinion..Go back to your Hockey board
Hawks51. Gay? Last night I had more women than your gay ass had in your life. But thats right being a major league player isnt good enough for you to have an opinion..Go back to your Hockey board
Hawks51...Maybe you could hold my jock strap next season. Thanks for some fun.
Hawks51 Your a class act..Thanks for making me laugh
Again..Unless you stepped a foot on a major league field. Just keep your mouth shut, or i guess call people idiots. White Sox treat their best players like crap. And people on this board should jump aboard. Morons! Did I spell everything right for you scholars?
Idiot? Hawk51 you have no freakin clue. So the will give him a welcome mat like Fisk? Sorry Jim..We are so much better with Andruw Jones and Kotsay? Have a clue Hawk51 you cant even carry my equipment bag. Unless you play in the majors think before you talk!!
Idiot? Hawk51 you have no freakin clue. So the will give him a welcome mat like Fisk? Sorry Jim..We are so much better with Andruw Jones and Kotsay? Have a clue Hawk51 you cant even carry my equipment bag. Unless you play in the majors think before you talk!!
Cubsfansarefool are you being serious? Where do you see me saying I'm a Cubs fan, I wouldn't be anywhere near this article if I wasn't a White Sox fan. Guess I shouldn't expect much from a guy with posting gems such as "He blew playoff".
Thome may be incredibly slow and near the end of his career but he still brings power and the ability to get one base. Looking at our lineup do you see many guys that will hit 30 hrs and get on base at Jim's .366 clip? How about his .865 OPS with the White Sox which was higher than any other player on the roster.
Anyone that watched more than 5 games last season could figure our inconsistent and downright awful offense was our biggest problem. Hopefully a healthy Quentin and bounce back by Rios will help fix it, but with garbage will Jones/Kotsay getting the majority of ABs in a purely offensive position I'm not too optimistic were in the best position to retake the AL Central position from a Minnesota team with guys like Mauer, Monreau, Kubel and Cuddyer.
I don't understand why you guys are so negative on the direction this team is going there is not one team in this division that has more talent on it than the Sox they have the best pitching and good pitching beats good hitting anyday the 05' team proved that now Ozzie has more options when it comes to the DH position he has more contact hitters now instead of homerun or strikeout guys Thome is a good guy no doubt but all he can do is DH we need guys who can play a position every now and then and with Vizquel,Kotsay and Jones we have that as far as the farm system they have some talent down there that is maybe a year away from making an impact so i'm excited to see how it all comes together
Hey Craig your an Idiot. They have offered Jimmy another position when he retires. What... You think that every team keeps their older players around their rosters because they like them?? Now that would be screwed.
Jim Thome is a Class act. The Sox will give him A Great Welcome Home, you can bet on that. And Us Fans will be standing and applauding him unlike those morons in Cleveland.
Who cares its white sox baseball one step above calf roping! Maybe theyll bring him back for date your sister saturday at the cell!
Another Class act screwed by the White Sox organization. First Carlton Fisk now Thome..Hope they can get enough HRs from others ...But i doubt it
This is the right decision.
Do NOT hang em up Jim!! No Way!
Tommy it has nothing to do with the "worst hitting team" because they wont be close to that but what it has to do with is room and AB`s. Jimmy would not be Happy with a few AB`s here and there and it would not be smart move to take a roster spot for that. It is very easy to figure out.
I think it's the right decision. Thome is a fan favorite and clearly Sox management likes him, but strategically, the rotating DH will give Ozzie multiple options and an extra position player. All the best to Thome.
I mean its all about the lineup being flexible, not just the DH position. I see Vizquel and/or Jones playing a decent amount like 60 or 70 games so someone will need to be spelled in the field without losing the bat in the lineup. Also this gives us the flexibility to trade for a big bat during the season. Big Jim was my favorite player so its hard to see him go, but I also want to see the White Sox win it all again. I don't think this will be the reason we lose the division, so all those overreacting need to take it easy. Go Sox
If Ozzie believes a elephant size hole at DH is the way to approach a run at the division title he's a fool. Filling a offensive position with a carousel bench-caliber players is ridiculous and if this really is their plan for the DH spot going into the season the Twins have to be considered the favorites going into the 2010 season.