Unconventional Wisdom

Jim Thome's (possibly temporary) departure from the South Side of Chicago opens the door to many possibilities. Podsednik could be spared the embarrassment of the outfield and be placed as DH, based solely on his bat prowess. Yeah, I can't believe I typed that either, but it's true.

The Sox could also see how Tyler Flowers responds to Major League pitching, while still appeasing A.J. The outfield can get a rotating rest, which everyone but Rios seems to need. Konerko could slip in at DH and the Sox could try Dye at first base, if any such thoughts of that were in store for 2010.

Let's face it. The Sox are still technically in the race, but are in third place. They actually have to win games to win the division. Unless the mother of all miracles happens, the Sox aren't going to take the Central Division. Everything would have to go right, in order for this underachieving team to finish first.

Now that we've assumed that the Sox are effectively out of the race, let's explore one more possibility. Frank Thomas.

The pros:
- Frank and the White Sox can give the fans a great big thank you.
- Frank can finish his career in a White Sox uniform.
- The Sox have nothing else to play for, so why not a nostalgia tour.

The cons:
- Frank hasn't played in months.
- Frank could endanger his superb lifetime batting average.
- Frank was in a grumbling clubhouse that wouldn't let Minnie Minoso play.

OK, so the last con was more of a personal gripe, but all the cons don't outweigh the pros of having Frank Thomas suit up one last time. The White Sox really need a positive boost for the fan base. This could be that boost.