MLB: April 2008 Archives

Of course not silly, but everyone's favorite minor league baseball team in Joliet did offer Frank Thomas a contract on Monday. The Jackhammers have a "story" on the team website that details the "offer" the team made to the future Hall of Famer.

Playing off Big Hurt getting ditched over Toronto's fear that he would reach a certain number of at-bats and trigger a $10 million bonus, the Jackhammers have gone all out. If a free palatial imitation apartment in Joliet doesn't get the South Side home run king to return to Chicagoland, what will?

The JackHammers are making Thomas a generous offer. In addition to receiving his Major League (eight million dollars in 2008) salary and Northern League salary and a free apartment, the JackHammers will offer incentives in his contract similar to what he had in Toronto. Thomas will receive a bonus for each power category that he leads the Northern League in: (batting average, home runs and RBI). If Thomas wins the Northern League Triple Crown, he will receive an additional bonus.

So any minute now, I would expect this deal to go down. I mean, the Jackhammers sent contract over a fax machine for heaven's sakes.

This afternoon the JackHammers faxed a contract to Thomas's agent Jeff Borris of the Beverly Hills Sports Council. Thomas and his agent have not responded to the JackHammers. Financial terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Albeit clever, this is nothing but a publicity stunt. Which I just fell for big time.

The Red Line is a weekly feature about Chicago baseball, talking about what is going on both at the Addison stop in Wrigleyville and at the 35th Street station on the South Side.

So now that the Toronto Blue Jays have cut Frank Thomas, one has to wonder how the future Hall of Famer will end his career. The career home run leader in White Sox history was given his leave a day after complaining that he was being benched because Toronto didn't want him to get enough at-bats to trigger a $10 million bonus.

Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi said it was more about him hitting .167 through his first 60 ABs this year.

"I told Frank our decision is based on performance," Ricciardi said, "and his decision is based on not being able to be in the lineup.

The Jays are still on the hook for roughly US$8-million of Thomas's 2008 salary, whether or not he signs with another team.

Either way, Frank Thomas is available. The Big Hurt has a bat (and $8 mildo of Blue Jay dollars) and he certainly could be an asset for a playoff team despite being nearly 40 years old.

CHICAGO - Standing near the edge of U.S. Cellular Field's foul territory, on the first-base side, Mick Doyle didn't want to sound like an ungrateful guest on Wednesday night.

"Don't get me wrong," the Notre Dame freshman reserve infielder said, "this is awesome to be out here, but I'm a Cubs fan."

The Benet graduate admits he's lost count, but Notre Dame's Web site lists 11 eleven relatives who graduated from the school, though Doyle pointed out that several others went to nearby St. Mary's.

"It's my dream school," Doyle said. "Just wake up, see the Dome, get to go play baseball. It's been great so far."

Doyle didn't play in Notre Dame's 5-4 victory over Northern Illinois on Wednesday night. The game, one that unfolded exactly one year after the shootings at Virginia Tech, was a benefit for a Northern Illinois scholarship fund.

Doyle has started seven games for the Fighting Irish (23-9-1) and is hitting .276 as mostly a bench player. The biggest adjustment Doyle has noticed is the velocity of the college game.

"I would just say that the speed of the game is definitely quicker, especially moving over to third base," Doyle said. "They call it the hot corner for a reason. Ball's on you a lot quicker."

Notre Dame expects Doyle to handle the learning curve, perhaps sooner than later.

"He's been a pleasant surprise," Notre Dame assistant coach Scott Lawler said of Doyle. "He's farther ahead of what I thought he'd be. I think he'll be our shortstop or starting third baseman (in) the future.

"He's an outstanding kid. He's gonna be one of our leaders."

Bad Kermit over at hirejimessian.com is betting that the Cubs will undearchieve in the run-scoring department this season and asks the question, "Will the Cubs score fewer runs than the Naperville Central Redhawks?" So far, the Redhawks are trailing 63 percent to 37 percent in the poll. What do you think? To vote, click here.

CHICAGO - While piecing together Team USA, general manager Bob Watson must negotiate competing interests, those of the Olympic movement and the Major League Baseball franchises willing to loan out prospects this August.

The roster for the Beijing Games is expected to be revealed in July, and will exclude players who are on an active 25-man big-league roster. That would leave mid-to-high-level minor league prospects -- at least the ones who won't be needed or saved for a pennant race -- and perhaps a college pitcher with a power arm. One player who probably doesn't need to locate his passport: Roger Clemens.

"He's not on my radar screen," Watson, the former general manager of the Houston Astros and New York Yankees, said Tuesday during the U.S. Olympic Committee's media summit at the Palmer House Hilton. "Not because of his off-field issues (but) his last four or five outings in the big-league level - it was a real struggle for him physically.

"He took shots in his elbow and he had hamstring and groin issues...I would rather take (a) 28-year-old who's throwin' well and he's in good physical shape, even though he doesn't have the numbers and the credentials that Roger would have but I could depend on him. See once we go...there's no replacin' him and I don't want to play a man short."

CHICAGO - The crowd at U.S. Cellular Field chanted "Ozzie! Ozzie!" on Monday afternoon. The White Sox manger had jumped from the dugout in the third inning to argue balls and strikes with home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi and was promptly ejected.

"I'm here for my players," Ozzie Guillen said. "That's my job -- to protect them."

After a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins, and feeling good overall about the club's 5-2 start, Guillen was notably restrained, opting to keep quiet and not criticize Cuzzi.

"One thing about this business," Guillen said, "if I say what I have on my mind, I might lose a couple days."

At this point Guillen's players still appreciate his willingness to cover them, and his ability to create a certain atmosphere around the organization.

"Ozzie's our leader," third baseman Joe Crede said. "He's a guy that really makes us feel loose out there, especially in the clubhouse and in the dugout. That's one of the biggest things that everybody, you know, rallies around."

How do you see the next six months playing out for Guillen and his players? How will the 2008 season end for the White Sox and their combustible manager?