bd811
07-09-2002, 12:44 AM
Frank Thomas opened the door to a trade Sunday by saying he would agree to waive his no-trade rights if White Sox management asks him.
"If they don't want me here, sure, I'd do it," Thomas said after Sunday's 9-3 loss to Cleveland ended the first half on a down note. "I don't want to be somewhere I'm not wanted."
Where would Thomas prefer to go if he were to be traded?
"Anywhere but Alaska," he said, laughing.
Thomas had chilled out by late Sunday afternoon, but he was on the defensive earlier in Day 3 of his benching, insisting he's not "sulking" over manager Jerry Manuel's decision to sit him during the Cleveland series.
Thomas stressed he doesn't expect the Sox to ask permission to trade him. As a player with 10 years in the majors and the last five with the same team, he has the right to refuse any deals.
If Thomas is traded, his contract is guaranteed through 2006, making him less enticing to other teams.
But the fact that he's open to the possibility of a trade for the first time in his 12-year Sox career suggests how upset he is with management.
Meanwhile, Manuel hinted that Thomas' benching could last longer than the three games leading into the All-Star break, suggesting he's fed up with the way Thomas is handling the situation. And teammates Paul Konerko and Jose Valentin criticized Thomas for putting his own interests ahead of the team, suggesting a rift has developed in the Sox clubhouse that may lead to more problems in the second half.
Thomas blew off stretching exercises and batting practice before Sunday's game, incurring the wrath of Konerko. Asked if he would speak to Thomas about his actions, Konerko replied:
"Yeah, when he's around. He knows we're behind him. But it's tough if he kind of secludes himself from the team. He's not out there for stretching. He's not in here [in the clubhouse] when we're in here. That's not really a knock against him. It kind of is, maybe, but that's just common sense. You can't say anything to someone if he's not around."
Thomas eventually arrived near the end of batting practice, but not before Manuel said the benching may continue after the Sox return from the break. "It's a possibility," Manuel said. "I have three days to think about that."
Thomas is slumping with a .239 average, and Manuel has no qualms about sitting his $10.3 million hitter.
"Frank is a superstar, a guy that has great stature here, not only in the team but in the city," Manuel said. "I'm just trying to put out there what I think is the best team right now. Right now, he's not what I think would [give us] the best chance to win."
Thomas was surprised to hear the benching may continue, after general manager Ken Williams assured him it was only a three-day break to clear his head.
So what if Thomas sits again Thursday in Detroit?
"We'll handle that one day at a time," Thomas said. "[Manuel] has no reason to hold me out of the lineup after the All-Star break. I saw [the Tribune] story today, and I really didn't appreciate it, to be honest. Too many people are stirring the pot, and it's not necessary."
Thomas was upset that a Tribune article on his benching pointed out he did not sit on the bench during Saturday's game, or come out and shake his teammates hands on the field after the win.
Does it matter to Thomas' teammates?
"If we lose a game, it's not because Frank wasn't sitting on the bench," Konerko said. "That kind of gets blown out of proportion sometimes. But this is a team game. I know Jim Thome didn't play the first two games of this series and he was on the bench every inning. Draw your own conclusions on that. That's just fact. I'm not trying to knock anybody.
"There are other guys out there that are supportive of him when he's in there. It's just kind of common sense that on the day you don't play, to go out and support a Jeff Liefer, a Tony Graffanino or one of those guys that are out there every day. I'm not one to jump on an older guy because I haven't been around that long. But it is a team concept. There's no question he probably failed in that area. If he gets upset at that, then he can. Go ahead."
Thomas argued that he doesn't sit on the bench the entire game whether he's in the lineup or not.
"I'm never on the bench non-stop," he said. "I'm going back to the [hitting] cage, back to the film room. Back and forth. I'm never sitting on the bench the whole game. You guys made a story out of something that was unnecessary—me being on the bench. Watch the game. You hardly ever see me there on a day-to-day basis. And me not giving high-fives? I give the guys high-fives here in the tunnel every day [after wins]—me and the four or five pitchers who were in the ballgame."
While not specifically naming Thomas, Valentin said the team has to stay away from "negative" comments if it wants to stick together.
"It's easy to say stuff and not prove it," Valentin said of Thomas' complaints about his benching. "In baseball, you're always going to get a chance. But you better keep your mouth shut until you can go out and prove it."
Manuel and Thomas have had communication problems in the past, but always talked things out before too long. Manuel said he'd be glad to speak to Thomas, but won't initiate a conversation.
"I'll say this—very seldom is my door closed," he said. "My door is always open. When you come in, we'll sit down and talk or whatever."
But Thomas didn't feel the need to talk on Sunday with his manager. "What do I need to talk to him for?" he said. "We'll talk the second half."
Manuel said he's confident he and Thomas will soon be on the "same page." But why have they seldom been able to talk honestly with each other? "I don't know," Manuel said. "Maybe it's me. Maybe it's me. But we'll be all right."
"If they don't want me here, sure, I'd do it," Thomas said after Sunday's 9-3 loss to Cleveland ended the first half on a down note. "I don't want to be somewhere I'm not wanted."
Where would Thomas prefer to go if he were to be traded?
"Anywhere but Alaska," he said, laughing.
Thomas had chilled out by late Sunday afternoon, but he was on the defensive earlier in Day 3 of his benching, insisting he's not "sulking" over manager Jerry Manuel's decision to sit him during the Cleveland series.
Thomas stressed he doesn't expect the Sox to ask permission to trade him. As a player with 10 years in the majors and the last five with the same team, he has the right to refuse any deals.
If Thomas is traded, his contract is guaranteed through 2006, making him less enticing to other teams.
But the fact that he's open to the possibility of a trade for the first time in his 12-year Sox career suggests how upset he is with management.
Meanwhile, Manuel hinted that Thomas' benching could last longer than the three games leading into the All-Star break, suggesting he's fed up with the way Thomas is handling the situation. And teammates Paul Konerko and Jose Valentin criticized Thomas for putting his own interests ahead of the team, suggesting a rift has developed in the Sox clubhouse that may lead to more problems in the second half.
Thomas blew off stretching exercises and batting practice before Sunday's game, incurring the wrath of Konerko. Asked if he would speak to Thomas about his actions, Konerko replied:
"Yeah, when he's around. He knows we're behind him. But it's tough if he kind of secludes himself from the team. He's not out there for stretching. He's not in here [in the clubhouse] when we're in here. That's not really a knock against him. It kind of is, maybe, but that's just common sense. You can't say anything to someone if he's not around."
Thomas eventually arrived near the end of batting practice, but not before Manuel said the benching may continue after the Sox return from the break. "It's a possibility," Manuel said. "I have three days to think about that."
Thomas is slumping with a .239 average, and Manuel has no qualms about sitting his $10.3 million hitter.
"Frank is a superstar, a guy that has great stature here, not only in the team but in the city," Manuel said. "I'm just trying to put out there what I think is the best team right now. Right now, he's not what I think would [give us] the best chance to win."
Thomas was surprised to hear the benching may continue, after general manager Ken Williams assured him it was only a three-day break to clear his head.
So what if Thomas sits again Thursday in Detroit?
"We'll handle that one day at a time," Thomas said. "[Manuel] has no reason to hold me out of the lineup after the All-Star break. I saw [the Tribune] story today, and I really didn't appreciate it, to be honest. Too many people are stirring the pot, and it's not necessary."
Thomas was upset that a Tribune article on his benching pointed out he did not sit on the bench during Saturday's game, or come out and shake his teammates hands on the field after the win.
Does it matter to Thomas' teammates?
"If we lose a game, it's not because Frank wasn't sitting on the bench," Konerko said. "That kind of gets blown out of proportion sometimes. But this is a team game. I know Jim Thome didn't play the first two games of this series and he was on the bench every inning. Draw your own conclusions on that. That's just fact. I'm not trying to knock anybody.
"There are other guys out there that are supportive of him when he's in there. It's just kind of common sense that on the day you don't play, to go out and support a Jeff Liefer, a Tony Graffanino or one of those guys that are out there every day. I'm not one to jump on an older guy because I haven't been around that long. But it is a team concept. There's no question he probably failed in that area. If he gets upset at that, then he can. Go ahead."
Thomas argued that he doesn't sit on the bench the entire game whether he's in the lineup or not.
"I'm never on the bench non-stop," he said. "I'm going back to the [hitting] cage, back to the film room. Back and forth. I'm never sitting on the bench the whole game. You guys made a story out of something that was unnecessary—me being on the bench. Watch the game. You hardly ever see me there on a day-to-day basis. And me not giving high-fives? I give the guys high-fives here in the tunnel every day [after wins]—me and the four or five pitchers who were in the ballgame."
While not specifically naming Thomas, Valentin said the team has to stay away from "negative" comments if it wants to stick together.
"It's easy to say stuff and not prove it," Valentin said of Thomas' complaints about his benching. "In baseball, you're always going to get a chance. But you better keep your mouth shut until you can go out and prove it."
Manuel and Thomas have had communication problems in the past, but always talked things out before too long. Manuel said he'd be glad to speak to Thomas, but won't initiate a conversation.
"I'll say this—very seldom is my door closed," he said. "My door is always open. When you come in, we'll sit down and talk or whatever."
But Thomas didn't feel the need to talk on Sunday with his manager. "What do I need to talk to him for?" he said. "We'll talk the second half."
Manuel said he's confident he and Thomas will soon be on the "same page." But why have they seldom been able to talk honestly with each other? "I don't know," Manuel said. "Maybe it's me. Maybe it's me. But we'll be all right."