Funny Article

[greasywheels121]

Ozzie goes to bat for Thomas, rips Cub mania

BY CHRIS DE LUCA Staff Reporter Advertisement

 

It began as a discussion about designated hitter Frank Thomas and his tender right hamstring returning to the White Sox' lineup Friday.

 

But before manager Ozzie Guillen stopped to take a breath, he had fired away at the Cubs, their fans and the newspaper that owns the team.

 

Guillen also put in a pitch for Thomas as a Hall of Famer and addressed the best way to motivate the two-time MVP.

 

On a day Thomas told reporters he wasn't talking, Guillen said plenty.

 

''Frank got hurt and there was no 'Frank Thomas Watch,''' Guillen said of a daily feature following Cubs pitcher Mark Prior's progress in one city paper. ''Frank Thomas is way better than Prior, and he has done a lot more than Mark Prior. 'Prior Watch'? Wow. I mean, wow.''

 

The difference between how the Cubs and Sox are treated in Chicago is a favorite topic for Guillen.

 

''A lot of people talk about [Cubs left fielder] Moises Alou,'' Guillen said. ''They talk about Mark Prior, Kerry Wood. They don't talk about Frank Thomas. I look in the paper this morning and I see 'Prior Watch' and I'm like, 'Come on.'''

 

Not that all of the Cubs hysteria bothers Guillen.

 

''They have the pressure, they have to win,'' Guillen said. ''They lose a game, and everybody is panicking. We lose a game, and nobody knows about it. I like that.''

 

Thomas' sometimes brooding nature is the biggest reason the slugger hasn't been given favored-son status in Chicago.

 

''He deserves more in this town,'' Guillen said. ''Nothing against Kerry Wood or Prior, but it's a shame the way they treat Frank here. Maybe it's his own fault.''

 

Guillen says an attitude adjustment -- likely too late for Thomas -- could have elevated the five-time All-Star into the ranks of Michael Jordan or Mike Ditka.

 

''If Frank were Ozzie Guillen, he would own this town,'' Guillen said of Thomas' talent and his own charisma. ''It's a different type of person. He reads too many papers, listens to too many people, too many talk shows.''

 

The beating Thomas took from critics after complaining recently about his $6 million salary is behind the Big Hurt's latest media boycott.

 

''I think that's part of the job,'' Guillen said of players talking to reporters. ''As long as you tell the truth and the media tells the truth. But it's none of my business. Everybody has a different way.

 

''I don't want anybody with a bad attitude in my clubhouse. Frank has been great and he will [continue to] be good. He is here cheering for the team. In the past, when he was hurt, he was in the clubhouse. But the last few games, he has been here in the dugout cheering the club on.''

 

Guillen insists Thomas, who entered this season with a .310 career batting average with 418 home runs, 1,390 RBI and 2,048 hits, is a lock for the Hall of Fame.

 

And he thinks any pressure Thomas is getting now for his recent contract gripes will only make the veteran better.

 

''Frank likes to be pushed,'' Guillen said. ''When I was his teammate, everybody thought we hated each other. But that's the way we pushed each other.''

 

Though he often was the target of sharp barbs from Guillen, Thomas says he took it in stride.

 

''Hey, I played with him forever,'' Thomas said last weekend. ''I didn't take any of it seriously.''

[BobDylan]

I love Guillen.

 

I said the same thing to people when I didn't see a 'Frank Thomas watch'.