Kenny Fires Back At Frank

[aboz56]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2345972

 

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Angry and disgusted with the latest comments from former slugger Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams fired back Sunday, calling the two-time MVP "an idiot."

 

"He's an idiot. He's selfish. That's why we don't miss him," Williams said, responding to a Thomas interview that appeared in The Daily Southtown, a newspaper in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Ill.

 

Since signing with the Oakland Athletics last month, Thomas has made it clear that he didn't appreciate the way his 16-year run with the White Sox ended, saying that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf didn't call him to tell him he wasn't coming back.

 

The greatest hitter in White Sox history reiterated that point in his latest interview, touching on several subjects and adding that he and Williams didn't see eye-to-eye after Williams became GM following the 2000 season.

 

At the time, Thomas was unhappy that his next-to-last deal with the White Sox contained a "diminished skills" clause. He said the White Sox should have traded him after the playoffs that season.

 

He also repeated that had he known last fall the team wasn't going to bring him back -- they later gave him a $3.5 million buyout -- he wouldn't have participated in a couple ceremonial functions during the postseason. Unable to play because of an injury, he threw out a first pitch during the playoffs. Later he was given the opportunity to address the crowd at the end of the White Sox's victory parade.

 

Williams said he was most irate over Thomas' comments about Reinsdorf.

 

"I've got a lot of respect for Jerry Reinsdorf, I do. But I really thought, the relationship we had over the last 16 years, he would have picked up the phone to say, 'Big guy, we're moving forward. We're going somewhere different. We don't know your situation or what's going to happen.' I can live with that, I really can," Thomas said.

 

"But treating me like some passing-by-player. I've got no respect for that," he said.

 

Thomas said he wasn't bitter or angry and had joined the A's with an open mind.

 

But Williams was fed up that Thomas was still making remarks about his former team and the way he was treated.

 

"Jerry has done everything over the course of 16 years to protect that man, to make accommodations for him, concessions for him. He loaned him money, at times, when he needed money," Williams said.

 

"If he was any kind of a man, he would quit talking about things in the paper and return a phone call or come knock on someone's door. If I had the kind of problems evidently he had with me, I would go knock on his door," he said.

 

Thomas has been bothered by foot and ankle problems the last two seasons. He hit .219 with 12 homers in 105 at-bats last season. He missed the first two months while recovering from surgery on his left ankle and then broke the ankle in July, ending his season.

 

When the White Sox re-signed Paul Konerko and traded for Jim Thome, Thomas' days with his only team were over. He apparently didn't see it that way -- at least not at first, saying he thought he would get a restructured deal to return. He is 52 homers shy of 500 and a lifetime .307 hitter.

 

"We don't miss him, by the way," Williams said. "If you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members, we don't miss him.

 

"We don't miss his attitude. We don't miss the whining. We don't miss it. Good riddance. See you later," he said.

 

Williams said he planned to express his feelings in person to Thomas when the opportunity presented itself, perhaps this spring.

 

"I'm a general manager and I'm supposed to be above these things. But again, when is enough enough?" he said. "He brought us to this point. So, OK, you want to play this game? You've got it. You got it. He's the Oakland A's problem right now. ... He better stay out of our business. He better stay out of White Sox's business."

 

Manager Ozzie Guillen, a former teammate of Thomas', didn't want to get involved.

 

"I won't put my nose in something above me," Guillen said. "He never mentioned my name and if you don't mention my name, I try to stay away from every part of the conversation."

 

Konerko, who has been with the White Sox longer than any player on the roster after Thomas' departure, said he understood the ties that Thomas had to his former team after such a long career.

 

"There are a lot of emotional things involved there," Konerko said. "Frank is his own man and can do what he wants."

 

Thank you Kenny. I couldn't agree more with the Good Riddance quote.

Edited February 26, 2006 by aboz56

[jphat007]

LOL. KW is awesome. He went nuts. Good for him!

[SSH2005]

"We don't miss him, by the way," Williams said. "If you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members, we don't miss him.

 

"We don't miss his attitude. We don't miss the whining. We don't miss it. Good riddance. See you later," he said.

Wow.

[aboz56]

Wow.

Well Frank does like to whine and have an attitude.

 

I'm actually glad he is gone and is never coming back.

 

He is an arrogant and out of touch with reality and his latest interview showed it.

[KevHead0881]

While I don't disagree with anything Kenny is saying, he just made this a much bigger deal than it had to be. My guess is that we'll be reading and hearing about this all week.

[SnB]

I completely understand where KW is coming from with all of this, but man, I really didn't want to see this situation get this ugly.....and so fast.

 

I really hope this stuff cools down, but with the media probably already on it, this thing is going to get even uglier.

 

Not exactly what we need going into ST.

[Milkman delivers]

:slow clap:

[TheBigHurt]

*Slowly hears volcano erupting in the distance*

[KevHead0881]

The funny thing is that Ozzie is the guy who took the high road in all this. Good for him.

[jphat007]

While I don't disagree with anything Kenny is saying, he just made this a much bigger deal than it had to be.  My guess is that we'll be reading and hearing about this all week.

 

LOL. Try the next couple of weeks. I think it's hilarious. Helps move along a slow spring training.

 

Plus I'm right with KW. Usually he's like whatever, but he was tired of Frank talking s*** about him and the organization.

[Buehrle>Wood]

:headshake

[aboz56]

I completely understand where KW is coming from with all of this, but man, I really didn't want to see this situation get this ugly.....and so fast.

 

I really hope this stuff cools down, but with the media probably already on it, this thing is going to get even uglier.

 

Not exactly what we need going into ST.

All will be fine in the world of the White Sox.

 

This NEEDED to be done.

 

KW took the high road for so long, including Soxfest which was right after Frank took shots at the Sox.

 

Then Frank just doesn't give up so KW stands up and pretty much tells it like it is.

 

FRANK, not KW or the White Sox, started this. So now someone had to stand up and say pretty much how everyone on the team and in the organization feels.

 

Good for Kenny.

 

[greasywheels121]

So much for being the NE Patriots.

 

I was just praising the Sox for saying all the right things about everything since October the other day. Frank wasn't right to be saying anything; he's done with us. However, KW should've kept this out of the media. We don't need this; we're better than that.

[SnB]

So much for being the NE Patriots. 

 

I was just praising the Sox for saying all the right things about everything since October the other day.  Frank wasn't right to be saying anything; he's done with us.  However, KW should've kept this out of the media.  We don't need this; we're better than that.

I honestly can't blame him, like 'boz said.

KW took the absolute highest road possible at soxfest when asked about Frank.

This situation could have been over after that, but Frank brought it up again.

 

While yes, I really hate to see all of this happen, I can't blame KW too much. There's only so much a person can take.

[KevHead0881]

LOL. Try the next couple of weeks. I think it's hilarious. Helps move along a slow spring training.

 

Plus I'm right with KW. Usually he's like whatever, but he was tired of Frank talking s*** about him and the organization.

 

Like I said, I don't disagree with Kenny. It has to get tiresome listening to somebody question you motives and loyalty. I just think this whole thing could have blown over as nothing more than "Frank Thomas is whining again." Now its gonna turn into an all-out fued between the Sox organization and Frank...something that we could probably do without.

 

Once again, I don't blame KW for being pissed and frustrated. I just don't think this is a necessary course of action.

[greasywheels121]

Well the Sox are definitely going to be getting that media attention the next few days that you all yearn so much for.

[greasywheels121]

Like I said, I don't disagree with Kenny.  It has to get tiresome listening to somebody question you motives and loyalty.  I just think this whole thing could have blown over as nothing more than "Frank Thomas is whining again."  Now its gonna turn into an all-out fued between the Sox organization and Frank...something that we could probably do without.

 

Once again, I don't blame KW for being pissed and frustrated.  I just don't think this is a necessary course of action.

 

Exactly.

[WHarris1]

While it would have been nice for this to be a non-story, KW has been quiet the entire time about Frank. He never said anything about Frank, then for no reason Frank takes a dump on the organization. KW obviously got sick of Franks bulls*** and for the first time really spoke out against him. Good for KW.

 

Frank never returned KW's phone calls, etc. This whole thing kind of snowballed into what KW said today.

Edited February 26, 2006 by WHarris1

[aboz56]

Maybe once Frank changes his tampon he will come to his senses.

[SoxFan1]

Maybe once Frank changes his tampon he will come to his senses.

[TheHammer]

I might just be going crazy, but aren't Frank's comments a couple weeks old? And besides that it seemed like Frank being Frank. I thought what Kenny said was completely unprofessional. I'm not defending Frank's comments, but there is no issue here at all if Kenny just keeps his mouth shut.

[GreatScott82]

Frank will be back here in 3 years to get his jersey retired, his statue envaled, and his face to be put on the outfield wall. He is Mr. White Sox. Its just really unfortanate of him to take shots at the White Sox organization- the organization that stuck by him for 16 years through thick and thin. Taking shots hasn't helped Magglio, so why does Frank think its going to help him?? Frank, you have 3 years to make amends with KW and the White Sox organization, I would start now.

[KevHead0881]

Apparently, Kenny had much more to say on the topic. Here's some quotes from the Trib article...

 

Sox GM: Thomas an idiot

 

"He's an idiot," Williams said in a 6 1/2-minute, profanity-laced interview. "He's selfish. That's why we don't miss him. And we've held it in for far too long. And if you go out there and look long and hard enough, you'll find particulars. But I've got something to say directly to him. And I'm holding back as much as I can because, unlike him, I'll say it man-to-man, face-to-face."

 

"More upsetting to me than his comments directed at me are the comments at the organization and at (Chairman) Jerry Reinsdorf," Williams said.

 

"Jerry doesn't deserve that, especially in regards to Frank. Jerry has done everything over the course of 16 years to protect that man, to make accommodations for him, concessions for him, loaned him money at times when he needed money. And for him to forget that, for him to turn his back on that, is a crying shame.

 

"Believe me, it's not easy to deal with an idiot. And this man, over the course of the years, has tried my patience and tried it and tried it, and if he were any kind of a man, would quit talking about things in the paper and return a phone call or come knock on somebody's door. If I had the kind of problems he has evidently with me, I'd go knock on his [expletive] door."

 

"Let me tell you something-there are a lot of guys around here who have been with the White Sox organization," Williams said. "I'm one, all my coaches, for 20-some-odd years. And Jerry's almost, well he is, like a second father to a lot of us. For these backhanded comments … I guess they're not even backhanded any more; they're full frontal smashes right in our face. For these to keep coming, and again, for him to turn his back on all the things that Jerry has done and this guy-this guy-of all people.…"

 

"He's not going to do that, and we don't miss him, by the way," Williams said. "And if you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members, we don't miss him. We don't miss the attitude; we don't miss the whining. We don't miss it. Good riddance. See you later."

 

"And again, the most [disheartening] thing about this is that he's turned his back on some people that really, I can't tell you how many times me and Ozzie [Guillen], over the last couple of years … have covered his [rear].

 

"He wasn't scheduled to talk at the [World Series] parade. I gave him the trophy out of respect so he can address his fans and the crowd. We gave him the first pitch during the playoffs. Again, that was another acknowledgment. How many times do you have to kiss somebody's [rear]?"

 

"He'd better stay out of our business," Williams said. "He'd better stay out of White Sox business. As a matter of fact … I'll say what I have to say to him direct."

 

"Maybe sooner rather than later," Williams said of a possible face-to-face meeting. "It's a difficult thing. I'm a general manager. I'm supposed to be above things. But when is enough enough? How long are you going to sit here and be above it? He's brought us to this point. OK, you want to play this game? You got it.

 

"He's an Oakland A's problem. He needs to be concern about Oakland. I don't even know why I'm talking about [the] guy. Play two or three games in a row first before you start popping off."

 

And the best quote of all comes from Ozzie:

 

"I got to tell Kenny what he's always told me-'no comment,'." Guillen laughed. "I don't put my nose in something that doesn't involve me."

 

[Chisoxfn]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2345972

Thank you Kenny.  I couldn't agree more with the Good Riddance quote.

ROFL. Its kind of how I started to feel about Frank later in his career. It stinks too cause he was such an amazing player.

[Chisoxfn]

I completely understand where KW is coming from with all of this, but man, I really didn't want to see this situation get this ugly.....and so fast.

 

I really hope this stuff cools down, but with the media probably already on it, this thing is going to get even uglier.

 

Not exactly what we need going into ST.

Last year it was Maggs and the team somehow won a World Series, now Frank. Hopefully we can win one again, lol.