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White Sox Buy Out Contract of Former MVP Thomas
The Chicago White Sox would like Frank Thomas to return. But not at $10 million.
The World Series champions exercised their $3.5 million buyout of Thomas' contract for the 2006 season on Friday. The move comes four days after Thomas exercised his $10 million player option for 2006.
"There should be no question about the respect this organization has for Frank and all that he has helped us accomplish, including a World Series championship," White Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "He is the greatest hitter in White Sox history. At the same time, it is my responsibility to make the best decisions I can on behalf of the organization.
"Our plan now is to continue to speak with Frank and his representatives over the coming months as more information is known about his health."
Nicknamed the "Big Hurt" for his propensity for punishing opposing pitchers, Thomas has been hurt himself for most of the last two seasons.
A two-time American League Most Valuable Player, Thomas was limited to just 34 games this past season as a designated hitter due to a broken left foot and hit .219 with 26 RBI in 34 games but 12 of his 23 hits were home runs.
Without Thomas for most of the season, the White Sox went 99-63 and won their first World Series title in 88 years, compiling an 11-1 record in the postseason.
A left ankle injury which required surgery limited Thomas to 74 games in 2004, when he hit .271 with 18 homers and 49 RBI.
Thomas, 37, played in just 20 games before tearing his right triceps in 2001. He hit a full-season career-low .252 with 28 homers in 2002 but enjoyed a renaissance in 2003 with 42 home runs and 105 RBI.
The franchise's all-time leader in virtually every offensive category, Thomas is a career .307 hitter with 448 homers, 1,465 RBI, 1,327 runs scored and 1,466 walks in 1,959 games with the White Sox.
Thomas is one of 10 players in major league history with at least a .300 average, 400 home runs, 1,000 RBI, 1,000 runs scored and 1,000 walks.
The White Sox also re-signed backup catcher Chris Widger to a one-year contract worth $650,000 on Friday.
Widger, 34, batted .241 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 2005, his first season with the White Sox.
A nine-year veteran, Widger has played for Seattle (1995-96, 2000), Montreal (1997-2000), the New York Yankees (2002), St. Louis (2003) and the White Sox.
Source: AP
The World Series champions exercised their $3.5 million buyout of Thomas' contract for the 2006 season on Friday. The move comes four days after Thomas exercised his $10 million player option for 2006.
"There should be no question about the respect this organization has for Frank and all that he has helped us accomplish, including a World Series championship," White Sox general manager Ken Williams said. "He is the greatest hitter in White Sox history. At the same time, it is my responsibility to make the best decisions I can on behalf of the organization.
"Our plan now is to continue to speak with Frank and his representatives over the coming months as more information is known about his health."
Nicknamed the "Big Hurt" for his propensity for punishing opposing pitchers, Thomas has been hurt himself for most of the last two seasons.
A two-time American League Most Valuable Player, Thomas was limited to just 34 games this past season as a designated hitter due to a broken left foot and hit .219 with 26 RBI in 34 games but 12 of his 23 hits were home runs.
Without Thomas for most of the season, the White Sox went 99-63 and won their first World Series title in 88 years, compiling an 11-1 record in the postseason.
A left ankle injury which required surgery limited Thomas to 74 games in 2004, when he hit .271 with 18 homers and 49 RBI.
Thomas, 37, played in just 20 games before tearing his right triceps in 2001. He hit a full-season career-low .252 with 28 homers in 2002 but enjoyed a renaissance in 2003 with 42 home runs and 105 RBI.
The franchise's all-time leader in virtually every offensive category, Thomas is a career .307 hitter with 448 homers, 1,465 RBI, 1,327 runs scored and 1,466 walks in 1,959 games with the White Sox.
Thomas is one of 10 players in major league history with at least a .300 average, 400 home runs, 1,000 RBI, 1,000 runs scored and 1,000 walks.
The White Sox also re-signed backup catcher Chris Widger to a one-year contract worth $650,000 on Friday.
Widger, 34, batted .241 with four home runs and 11 RBI in 2005, his first season with the White Sox.
A nine-year veteran, Widger has played for Seattle (1995-96, 2000), Montreal (1997-2000), the New York Yankees (2002), St. Louis (2003) and the White Sox.
Source: AP
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