Iwritecode
10-21-2002, 01:47 PM
From the trib:
Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle believes the Sox are taking a big risk in giving Thomas the opportunity to become a free agent.
"Look at what he did the last month or two," Buehrle said. "He was hitting like he'd done his whole career. If the Sox felt they had to part ways with him and let him try and go elsewhere, I don't think anyone in the clubhouse would be happy about it. Especially if he comes back and hits .320 with 30 [homers] and 100 RBIs."
So much for that "clubhouse cancer" label... Isn't this what a lot of us have been saying around here?
Buehrle is supposed to be one of the beneficiaries of the decision to invoke Thomas' diminished skills clause. He was paid only $225,000 while winning 19 games and figures to get a sizeable raise. The Sox plan to talk to Buehrle about a multiyear deal after he returns from a November trip to Japan, where he'll pitch against Japanese teams with a team of major-league players.
Buehrle said he hopes Thomas returns, and said most of his teammates want him back as well.
"It has been written a lot of times that he's not on the bench during games," Buehrle said. "He wasn't out there a lot, but he was out there enough and when we needed him out there. There are other guys who are sitting out of a game who sit in the clubhouse for a while, to take a break. The only one it seemed they ever talked about was Frank ."
Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle believes the Sox are taking a big risk in giving Thomas the opportunity to become a free agent.
"Look at what he did the last month or two," Buehrle said. "He was hitting like he'd done his whole career. If the Sox felt they had to part ways with him and let him try and go elsewhere, I don't think anyone in the clubhouse would be happy about it. Especially if he comes back and hits .320 with 30 [homers] and 100 RBIs."
So much for that "clubhouse cancer" label... Isn't this what a lot of us have been saying around here?
Buehrle is supposed to be one of the beneficiaries of the decision to invoke Thomas' diminished skills clause. He was paid only $225,000 while winning 19 games and figures to get a sizeable raise. The Sox plan to talk to Buehrle about a multiyear deal after he returns from a November trip to Japan, where he'll pitch against Japanese teams with a team of major-league players.
Buehrle said he hopes Thomas returns, and said most of his teammates want him back as well.
"It has been written a lot of times that he's not on the bench during games," Buehrle said. "He wasn't out there a lot, but he was out there enough and when we needed him out there. There are other guys who are sitting out of a game who sit in the clubhouse for a while, to take a break. The only one it seemed they ever talked about was Frank ."