TUCSON, Ariz. – Frank Thomas insists he's not greedy and
acknowledges he's got some mending to do with fans following his
nearly weeklong boycott.
|  | | Frank Thomas reported to the White Sox on Tuesday. |
The Big Hurt returned to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday after
missing six workouts while he tried to clarify his complex contract
first agreed to in 1997.
He claimed throughout a 15-minute news conference that his
stance wasn't about money and that he never considered not honoring
the contract that runs through 2006.
"I did look like a poster boy for greed over the weekend, but
that is not the case," Thomas said. "I've never been greedy. I've
had a couple of opportunities to be the highest-paid player in this
game, and I didn't want to be there."
Thomas, who returned on the mandatory reporting date specified
by baseball's labor contract, is due $9,927,000 in each of the next
six seasons, but only this year is really guaranteed.
If he fails to become an All-Star, win a Silver Slugger or
finish among the top 10 in MVP voting, Chicago has the power to
change his salary to $250,000, plus $10,125,000 deferred. If that
happens – and the White Sox don't have to invoke the clause –
Thomas could terminate the contract and become a free agent.
"It was never a holdout. It was taking days off until we got
things clear," Thomas said. "I made no contract demands, I made
no trade demands. Money was never the issue. I felt a player who's
done what I've done and established a career like I have that
certain clauses just seemed unfair to me."
Thomas met Monday night with White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.
"Jerry has made no changes. He didn't promise he would make any
changes, but he said we would work on it," Thomas said. "If I
didn't clear it up, who knows where I would be two years from
now?"
Thomas also would like to rework some of the deferred money in
his contract. His current contract calls for the team to defer
$3,827,000 of each year's salary with interest. He won't get some
of that until he's in his 50s.
"Who knows if I'll be here? I've earned my money and it's
mine," Thomas said. "I'm not asking for more money. It's my
money."
Reinsdorf issued a statement that was both critical and
encouraging.
Thomas, he said, "understands the public damage caused by his
comments and realizes how hard he will have to work to begin
repairing his relationship with the fans.
"Frank Thomas has apologized publicly for his remarks about
renegotiating his contract, his delayed arrival in camp and the
effect his words and actions may have had on our team and fans."
Reinsdorf and Thomas issued a statement Wednesday denying reports
the team made an oral promise to Thomas not to invoke the
"diminished skills clause," in the contract, which would allow
the team to defer almost all of his salary.
"There is not a gentleman's agreement between us regarding the
'diminished skills' clause or any other clause in the contract,"
the statement said. "In fact, no promises have been made and no
expressed or implied agreements exist, and Frank intends to honor
his contract as written."
Before he left camp last week last Wednesday after taking a
physical, Thomas complained that he was underpaid in relation to
Alex Rodriguez's $252 million, 10-year contract with Texas.
"I said the pay scale is out of whack. We're going in at 7-8-9
million and the bar has been set at 25 million," Thomas said
Tuesday.
"Players will have gripes, and that will continue until
something is settled, something is done. I didn't say 'Look, this
is my stance today and I'm walking out of camp.' It wasn't like
that."'
Thomas, who lost his agent Robert Fraley in the Payne Stewart
plane crash, said he needed extra days to think about his contract
before beginning workouts.
When Thomas first agreed to his contract in 1997, the guaranteed
amount of the first four years averaged $7,756,750, the
10th-highest average salary in baseball at the time.
He approached Reinsdorf in December about restructuring the
deal.
Reinsdorf denied the team agreed to drop the revised payment
clause, but it's always possible he could agree to that in the
future.
Thomas acknowledged that fans, whose favor he regained by
hitting .328 last year with 43 homers and 143 RBI, probably would
turn on him.
He began his news conference by reading a statement in which he
apologized to baseball fans, sports fans and his teammates. He said
he would discuss the situation with his teammates one on one.
Manager Jerry Manuel, who got into a screaming match with Thomas
a year ago in spring training, said he's confident the six-day
walkout will not affect his DH, a two-time AL MVP.
"It's as if he never left," Manuel said. "Despite all the
distractions we've had, he seems to be in good spirits."
Third baseman Herbert Perry said Thomas won't have any trouble
with his teammates. "That will all blow over," he said.
But the fans are another story.
"There will be some backlash because we get paid a lot of money
to play a game everybody wants to play," he said.
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Frank Thomas news conference.
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 Frank Thomas has ironed out contract matters and reports to camp.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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