Luvofthegame
09-13-2006, 08:47 PM
Contra Costa Times
Sep. 13, 2006
By Joe Roderick
Is Frank Thomas pricing himself out of the Oakland market? Even A's managing partner Lew Wolff joked with Thomas before Tuesday night's game against Minnesota, telling him he was giving his agent "too much fodder for negotiations."
Thomas, who had homered in six straight games before going hitless Tuesday, got a laugh out of the comment.
With a .280 batting average, 36 homers and 98 RBI this season, Thomas has become a steal with his $500,000 base salary, though he'll earn all of his $2.6 million in bonuses and incentives.
General manager Billy Beane is handling negotiations with agent Arn Tellem, and Wolff is confident of re-signing Thomas.
"It will work out. I need to make Ken's job easier," said Wolff, pointing to manager Ken Macha in the dugout before the game. "We want to do what's fair. We're confident that he'll sign with us."
Crosby update
Macha sounded pessimistic about injured shortstop Bobby Crosby returning this season. Crosby, out with a back injury, is in Phoenix working with a rehabilitation specialist. He is expected to rejoin the A's on Friday for the start of a homestand but is a ways from playing.
When asked if it appeared Crosby might be out the rest of the season, Macha replied, "It's getting to look that way."
Trainer Larry Davis said Crosby had his first pain-free day since returning to the disabled list Aug. 22. "You don't even count a player out until it's set in stone that he can't make it," Davis said. "These guys are competitive. Sometimes when you count them out they make fools of you."
Marco Scutaro has been Crosby's replacement this season, and when Macha was asked if he'd ponder pinch hitting for Scutaro late in a game with no true backup shortstop on the roster, he pointed out the team's 4-for-45 pinch-hit mark. "I'll take Marco's .240 average," Macha said.
Sep. 13, 2006
By Joe Roderick
Is Frank Thomas pricing himself out of the Oakland market? Even A's managing partner Lew Wolff joked with Thomas before Tuesday night's game against Minnesota, telling him he was giving his agent "too much fodder for negotiations."
Thomas, who had homered in six straight games before going hitless Tuesday, got a laugh out of the comment.
With a .280 batting average, 36 homers and 98 RBI this season, Thomas has become a steal with his $500,000 base salary, though he'll earn all of his $2.6 million in bonuses and incentives.
General manager Billy Beane is handling negotiations with agent Arn Tellem, and Wolff is confident of re-signing Thomas.
"It will work out. I need to make Ken's job easier," said Wolff, pointing to manager Ken Macha in the dugout before the game. "We want to do what's fair. We're confident that he'll sign with us."
Crosby update
Macha sounded pessimistic about injured shortstop Bobby Crosby returning this season. Crosby, out with a back injury, is in Phoenix working with a rehabilitation specialist. He is expected to rejoin the A's on Friday for the start of a homestand but is a ways from playing.
When asked if it appeared Crosby might be out the rest of the season, Macha replied, "It's getting to look that way."
Trainer Larry Davis said Crosby had his first pain-free day since returning to the disabled list Aug. 22. "You don't even count a player out until it's set in stone that he can't make it," Davis said. "These guys are competitive. Sometimes when you count them out they make fools of you."
Marco Scutaro has been Crosby's replacement this season, and when Macha was asked if he'd ponder pinch hitting for Scutaro late in a game with no true backup shortstop on the roster, he pointed out the team's 4-for-45 pinch-hit mark. "I'll take Marco's .240 average," Macha said.