Tribune article about Frank's attitude

[CSF]

Rick Morrissey

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the wake of the news

Big Hurt can easily become big sulker

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June 4, 2005

 

 

The big wind arrived about a half hour before game time Saturday, followed a few minutes later by a hard rain, followed, if I know Frank Thomas, by a very large man saying something to the effect of, "I can almost understand Ozzie Guillen taking the bat out of my hand, but now God is doing it too?"

 

But the rain stopped, the game started only 15 minutes late and, well, guess what? The White Sox still have a problem on their hands with Mr. Thomas. People will say that you can never have too many good hitters, especially on this team, and that Thomas and Carl Everett can coexist. But Thomas is not built to be a second thought, let alone an afterthought.

 

 

All the good chemistry the Sox have is about to be tested by a chemical known to have some unstable properties.

 

"I've got to get my at-bats," Thomas said Saturday, and he's right. He needs to play more than a few games in a row to get into a rhythm. He needs a lot of at-bats to be minty fresh.

 

He needs to play first base, too, but he can't because he's still feeling the effects of off-season ankle surgery. So he's a designated hitter who, until his muscle memory remembers how to hit .300, sorely limits what the Sox can do. And because the Sox are playing on the road against National League teams Colorado and San Diego starting Monday, there won't be any DH opportunities for Thomas in the next week.

 

Other than that, it's all pretty simple.

 

Thomas went 1-for-4 Saturday against Cleveland, and as good as it was to see him get his first hit in almost a year, it was hard to forget that the Sox find themselves in a strange situation that could go bad quickly. That's not alarmist thinking. That's the reality of what life with Frank has been like the past 15 years.

 

We're told that everything is wonderful in Soxland. And it's hard to argue it isn't when the team has the best record in baseball. But you have to say the Thomas conundrum is what Guillen was worried about when he offered this preemptive strike against his former superstar in mid-April:

 

"It is good to have him here because now he can see a winning attitude, because he was part of the bad attitude. Frank was a big part of the bad attitude. Now he can see the guys, how we handle stuff, why we're not whining every day. … Everybody is happy, and I want Frank to be part of it."

 

People jumped on Guillen for ripping into Thomas before the guy had even suited up. But if you had paid attention to Thomas and his career, then you knew that what the manager was afraid of—the Frank Thomas autographed burr under Ozzie's saddle—was inevitable.

 

For Thomas to be happy, he has to be playing. And it's causing grief for Guillen, who has been as much chemical engineer as manager this season. How can he keep everyone happy?

 

In this situation, a trade is normally a decent option. Part of the problem is that, as much as a trade might help ease any tension in the Sox's clubhouse, it's a risky move. Neither Thomas nor Everett has been the picture of health, unless that picture is an X-ray. If the Sox were to trade Thomas to the Angels and then Everett were to get hurt, where would the team be? With even less offense than it already has.

 

And you just know that, this being Chicago, Thomas would go to Los Angeles, tear it up for the Angels and somehow make life miserable for the Sox in the playoffs.

 

You're absolutely right—the Sox have to do something. They have to sit still, as hard as that might be. They have to work at making this thing work.

 

And so it looks as if Guillen will have to live with a cluster headache for the rest of the season. Can he handle it? He's a man who isn't afraid to give his opinion or bruise an ego in the name of winning.

 

The trick will be in making sure that whatever unhappiness arises doesn't spread through the clubhouse like a chemical cloud.

 

"[Thomas] has bought into the whole team concept," teammate Aaron Rowand insisted.

 

Many in the home crowd of 26,365 gave Thomas a huge welcome when he came to bat in the first inning, and he rewarded them with a single to left, his first hit since June 30, 2004. Just like the old days.

 

He struck out his next trip to the plate, a reminder that he needs time and at-bats on a team that doesn't have a whole lot of either for him.

 

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Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune

 

:headshake

[Buehrle>Wood]

Has anyone ever been blamed for absolutly nothing and than get blamed for doing nothing even after nothing has happened like Frank has?

[Jabroni]

What a garbage article. There was more speculation by Rick Morrissey than what Frank's actual quotes truly suggested. Morrissey must be a Moronatti wannabe. :headshake

[Kalapse]

I said yesterday that this s*** was going to be made into an issue by the media. It's f***ing stupid.

[Rowand44]

Horrendous journalism. Frank Thomas gets such a raw deal for doing absolutely nothing wrong, it's unreal at times.

[CSF]

5 bucks says another journalist from a rival paper in the city writes a similar article on Monday morning. This would be right up his alley.

 

Just a hunch.

[Wedge]

The entire article is based on the Thomas quote, "I've got to get more at-bats"

[Rowand44]

5 bucks says another journalist from a rival paper in the city writes a similar article on Monday morning.  This would be right up his alley.

 

Just a hunch.

...and then sports radio catches on and then the National Media and all the sudden everyone hears on ESPN that Frank is causing problems.

[CSF]

The entire article is based on the Thomas quote, "I've got to get more at-bats"

 

 

Frank could've said "I", and the media would've found a way to spin in negatively.

[Kalapse]

Frank could've said "I", and the media would've found a way to spin in negatively.

There's no "I" in team.

[sox-r-us]

5 bucks says aboz will be here telling us how the "Big Skirt" is a cancer and should be traded immediately

 

:puke

[nitetrain8601]

Wow, this was just a horrible article. I'm losing the respect I've slowly gained for Rick Morrisey.

[sox-r-us]

Yes this is a horrible article. If I was Frank, I would really wonder what have I ever done that is so bad that I have been always targetted in this city.

 

People say players do not have loyalty anymore to their team/city. I hope those people realize how players get treated these days....like freaking commodities

[Al Lopez Ghost (old)]

There's no "I" in team.

But there is a "me". The article in today's Arlington Heights Daily Herald talks about this too, and Frank does sound like he's worried about not being used this week, when he knows he won't play at Colorado or San Diego. To be fair, this is understandable - players want to play. But Frank has to be man enough not to become a distraction, because I would sooner lose Frank than to lose what this team has been able to put together.

[Texsox]

Anyone who isn't concerned how Frank will handle a platoon situation is probably not a Sox fan, certainly not a long time one. Frank is a HoF caliber player and hes being asked to platoon at best because another player is swinging the bat better. Frank has always been honest about how he feels and many times other players and management haven't been happy with that.

 

What happens this season and how Frank handles it, will go a long way in determining his HoF chances. It isn't fair, but it will.

[TLAK]

The question of playing time is in Frank's own hands. If he hits, and hits for power, he will DH everyday and Everett will spot in the outfield. If Frank doesn't show any power then Ozzie will spot him according to match ups, using Everett the rest of the time.

 

No reason for any angst, the players will decide it with their bats.

 

In the near term, from now to the 4th of July, this is a good opportunity to get Everett healthy again (hands, groin), while Frank's situation works it way out.

[Guest JimH]

The question of playing time is in Frank's own hands.  If he hits, and hits for power, he will DH everyday and Everett will spot in the outfield.  If Frank doesn't show any power then Ozzie will spot him according to match ups, using Everett the rest of the time.

 

No reason for any angst, the players will decide it with their bats.

 

In the near term, from now to the 4th of July, this is a good opportunity to get Everett healthy again (hands, groin), while Frank's situation works it way out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Completely agree.

 

A lot of this angst is being caused by the road trip to NL parks. It will be almost impossible to keep both guys in a groove over this next week. But as you suggest, it's a long season and different situations will undoubtedly evolve.

[JUGGERNAUT]

They are just looking for mud to sling. In those same quotes Thomas mentioned that Carl needs to get his AB's as well. He didn't say one word that downplayed what Carl has done for the team or that the team comes first.

 

Yet they will slice up his words & use what they want. It's shameful journalism is what it is.

 

If your looking at trade scenarios Carl has much greater value than Frank right now because Carl can play the OF. I suspect he can play 1B as well if Ozzie gave him the chance. He's that kind of an athlete & has a solid arm to make a throw to 2B or home if need be.

 

Frank's trade value is just above 0. A team trading for him has to guarantee him $12M in 2006. The fact that he can't play 1B tells you he's not 100% healthy. Who's going to trade for that risk? No one. Not even the NYY's.

 

The WSox need a solid hitting 3B & two solid RP's. Maybe Viz & Shingo will get their act together but time is growing short on both. As for Crede let me remind you of his numbers over the past 3 yrs:

Pre-AS 580AB 70R 77RBI .233A .287O .388S .675OPS

Pos-AS 646AB 93R 102RBI .277A .321O .488S .809OPS

 

June has always been good to Joe:

Jun 04 19R, 15RBI .329A .418O .600S 1.018OPS

If you're going to trade him wait until after Jun.

[EvilJester99]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-ssep05.html

 

Basically the same thing from the Suntimes....

[Pauly8509CWS]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/sox/cst-spt-ssep05.html

 

Basically the same thing from the Suntimes....

 

That's absolute bulls***, the first sentence calls Frank unhappy, nowhere in that article does he sound unhappy. He is being realistic about the situation and the media is turning it into "Frank is a crybaby."

 

:fyou Suntimes and Cubune

[sayitaintso]

Screw what the papers say. They don't know s***.

[southsider2k5]

Just to stir the pot, did anyone else notice that Carl Everett didn't say anything like "I need my ABs when asked" about this? He literally said, whatever is best for the team.

 

Now carry on.

[kev211]

Just to stir the pot, did anyone else notice that Carl Everett didn't say anything like "I need my ABs when asked" about this?  He literally said, whatever is best for the team.

 

Now carry on.

I remever him saying that in spring training he is old on the end of his career. I think he just wants to play on a contender even if it is on the bench.

[elrockinMT]

I can only echo what the others here have said. There is absolutely nothing from the Big Hurt to justify this article. He has been open and honest and comes across as a team player. Now some journalist has to stir things up with a negative take on the situation with Frank and Carl. Heck even Carl has come across as saying how he just wants to win one for the team.

[Rex Hudler]

I have no problem with this article at all. In fact, I think it is very valid. Frank's history has indicated a problem could brew here. As Texsox alluded to, anyone that didn't see a potential problem when Frank came back had their head in the sand or was just so drunk on black and silver kool aid they could not see the forest for the trees.

 

This may not be a problem. But it certainly could become one. I guarantee you Ozzie is aware of the potential. It is easy to see that from some of the things Ozzie has said.