Do the White Sox still need Frank Thomas?
Jerry Manuel sat Thomas all weekend at Wrigley Field, keeping Paul Konerko at first base. Given that Thomas has as many RBIs as Sammy Sosa, it’s a sign of the relative strengths of Chicago’s two teams that the Big Hurt could be benched. With series at Philadelphia and Atlanta before returning to the American League schedule, Manuel makes no promises about Thomas’ playing time. “There are plans, but Paul Konerko has played first base well and he’s one of the league leaders in RBIs,” Manuel said. “He’s a big part of our offense. Hopefully we’ll find a matchup suitable to put Frank out there.” With Jerry Reinsdorf holding the right to defer all but $250,000 per season if Thomas formally falls from the ranks of elite hitters, you wonder if the weekend was a precursor to a future that finds him in another uniform. The feeling here is he’ll be with the Sox through 2006, whether they need him or not. Given the economic climate, Thomas (who can void his deal if Reinsdorf exercises the so-calle
