Baseballhead:
The Saddest Man in Chicago

Michael Cox

Go figure. Just two days ago I had no idea what I'd have to talk about. In a sum total of two days, blocks have been busted, moves made, and even Ozzie Guillen found a home. In short, all hell has broken loose, so there's no time to waste...

The start to the flurry of deals and moves was the Randy Johnson signing, but we'll get to that in a minute, because I'd like to talk about poor Frank Thomas.

The gutting of the White Sox continues as Albert Belle does just what Jerry Reinsdorf hoped he'd do and opt out of his hefty deal, finding an even heftier one in Bal'mer, where winning is everything. Robin Ventura may be joining Stocky Albert at Camden Yards as well, and even if he doesn't he won't be returning to New Comiskey. Soon, the ChiSox will be a team consisting of prospects sure and dubious...and Frank Thomas.

This has not got to be what the Big Hurt signed on for. Consigned to a "rebuilding" cycle, GM Ron Schueler has promised to talk with Thomas and tell him, and I quote, "He may have to bite the bullet for a year or two." The problem is that Thomas isn't getting any younger, and if he's got any competitive fire at all he wants to know his team is going somewhere.

The White Sox haven't showed much direction lately, and I wouldn't be surprised if Thomas asks for a trade. Will Reinsdorf give it to him? Not bloody likely, and that's sad.

Item: Randy Johnson's a Diamondback. That shouldn't be much of a surprise, because he has always leaned towards playing near his Arizona home, and because Jerry Colangelo pulled out all the financial stops.

There are a couple of surprises, however, the foremost being the revelation by Mariner prez Chuck Armstrong that Colangelo may have tampered with Johnson in 1997 by suggesting to Johnson's agents that a trade could be arranged, if only the M's would cooperate. That's a pretty serious charge, aside from the fact that MLB doesn't do anything about tampering unless the team tampered with gets fighting mad.

How seriously to take the charge, however, is another story. The Mariners have made every attempt to paint Johnson in the most unflattering light possible, and Armstrong may have been stretching the truth somewhat. Barry Meister, one of Johnson's agents, says there are definitely "two versions of what happened." You be the judge.

The other bombshell: skipper Buck "Cut That Damn Hair, Mattingly!" Showalter is sparing Johnson's famous mullet. Too bad, because I know several folks who were looking forward to a clean-shaven Unit with a brushcut. My thought is that there's a contract clause for everything these days...

Item: This just in -- the Mets finally managed to unload Todd Hundley in a deal, and curiously enough, the O's are again involved. the Dodgers get Hundley and a prospect, the Orioles get Charles Johnson, and the Mets get Armando Benitez. This deal leaves me with one question: Is Benitez in the O's doghouse, or is Pat Gillick still advising the team on its deals? Either way, Angelos' Kids are now the ones with the mediocre catcher glut, and the Mets pull off one more great deal.

Item: Even before his brief weekend health setback, the papers are still treating Joe DiMaggio's hospital stay like a deathwatch. Mind you, the guy is elderly, but interviewing fans for their recollections of Joltin' Joe is more like a memorial than anything else.

Item: We can't seem to get away from Baltimore today. The Birds can afford several more Albert Belles if they want, because Peter Angelos has reached a new level of rich: As chief counsel for Maryland's suit against the tobacco companies, Angelos gets $600M of the $4.2 billion settlement. Cha-ching!

You know, there's sooo much more we could talk about: Palmiero returns to Texas (whither Will Clark?), Otis Nixon returns to Atlanta, who then feel so spunky they decide to ink Ozzie Guillen as well (whither brains?), and it's Hall of Fame ballot time for the biggest bumper crop of retired stars in ages. If you've been reading our news, you know about all of these, however, and there's still two and a half months 'til spring training.

We'll talk more. Trust me.

about the author

Michael Cox is really, really trying to return all his recent e-mail, which unfortunately arrived in the middle of his annual "stress frenzy." He really, really will eventually get back to you if you write him at mc@strikethree.com. Honest.