Ken Williams on the Big Hurt: "He's an idiot and a whiner. See you later, alligator!"

[DirtyKash]

Big Hurtful: GM Calls Thomas 'an Idiot'

By RICK GANO, AP Sports Writer
15 minutes ago

TUCSON, Ariz. - Angry and disgusted with the latest comments from former slugger Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams fired back Sunday, calling the two-time MVP "an idiot."

"He's an idiot. He's selfish. That's why we don't miss him," Williams said, responding to a Thomas interview that appeared in The Daily Southtown, a newspaper in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Ill.

Since signing with the Oakland A's last month, Thomas has made it clear that he didn't appreciate the way his 16-year run with the White Sox ended, saying that chairman Jerry Reinsdorf didn't call him to tell him he wasn't coming back.

The greatest hitter in White Sox history reiterated that point in his latest interview, touching on several subjects and adding that he and Williams didn't see eye-to-eye after Williams became GM following the 2000 season.

At the time, Thomas was unhappy that his next-to-last deal with the White Sox contained a "diminished skills" clause. He said the White Sox should have traded him after the playoffs that season.

He also repeated that had he known last fall the team wasn't going to bring him back — they later gave him a $3.5 million buyout — he wouldn't have participated in a couple of ceremonial functions during the postseason. Unable to play because of an injury, he threw out a first pitch during the playoffs. Later he was given the opportunity to address the crowd at the end of the White Sox's victory parade.

Williams said he was most irate over Thomas' comments about Reinsdorf.

"I've got a lot of respect for Jerry Reinsdorf, I do. But I really thought, the relationship we had over the last 16 years, he would have picked up the phone to say, `Big guy, we're moving forward. We're going somewhere different. We don't know your situation or what's going to happen.' I can live with that, I really can," Thomas said.

"But treating me like some passing-by-player. I've got no respect for that."

Thomas said he wasn't bitter or angry and had joined the A's with an open mind.

But Williams was fed up that Thomas was still making remarks about his former team and the way he was treated.

"Jerry has done everything over the course of 16 years to protect that man, to make accommodations for him, concessions for him. He loaned him money, at times, when he needed money," Williams said.

"If he was any kind of a man, he would quit talking about things in the paper and return a phone call or come knock on someone's door. If I had the kind of problems evidently he had with me, I would go knock on his door."

Thomas has been bothered by foot and ankle problems the last two seasons. He hit .219 with 12 homers in 105 at-bats last season. He missed the first two months while recovering from surgery on his left ankle, then broke the ankle in July, ending his season.

When the White Sox re-signed Paul Konerko and traded for Jim Thome, Thomas' days with his only team were over. He apparently didn't see it that way. At least not at first, saying he thought he would get a restructured deal to return. He is 52 homers shy of 500 and a lifetime .307 hitter.

"We don't miss him, by the way," Williams said. "If you go out there and ask any one of my players or staff members, we don't miss him.

"We don't miss his attitude. We don't miss the whining. We don't miss it. Good riddance. See you later."

Williams said he planned to express his feelings in person to Thomas when the opportunity presented itself, perhaps this spring.

"I'm a general manager and I'm supposed to be above these things. But again, when is enough enough?" he said.

"He brought us to this point. So, OK, you want to play this game? You've got it. You got it. He's the Oakland A's problem right now. ... He better stay out of our business. He better stay out of White Sox business."

Manager Ozzie Guillen, a former teammate of Thomas', didn't want to get involved.

"I won't put my nose in something above me," Guillen said. "He never mentioned my name and if you don't mention my name, I try to stay away from every part of the conversation."

Konerko, who has been with the White Sox longer than any player on the roster after Thomas' departure, said he understood the ties that Thomas had to his former team after such a long career.

"There are a lot of emotional things involved there," Konerko said. "Frank is his own man and can do what he wants."

[rockin500]

kenny williams is an idiot too.

[Fishercat]

Way to throw one of the best White Sox ever under the bus.

[McKain]

I hope in Frank Thomas's Hall of Fame induction speech, he says "Kenny Williams loves the ****. Thank you and goodnight."

[Kingdom]

Ken Williams has a little Ozzie Guillen in him.


Ooooh oh double entendre.

[Providence A's]

I'm sure Williams felt the need to say something a little more since Thomas signed with the A's with what Beane said about Williams in Moneyball

[A'sDiehard]

Way to throw one of the best White Sox ever under the bus.

Pretty much.

[redsfan28]

Let's finish the whole feud with a Frank Thomas v. Kenny Williams "Hell in a Cell" match at WrestleMania (for those who don't watch wrestling, then you won't understand).

[McKain]

Frank Thomas, in spite of having the head of a 6 month old baby, would win.

[Kingdom]

At least until Ken Williams brings in the foreign object, in this case Joey Cora, and gives the Big Hurt a low blow..

[Fishercat]

After reading the Thomas interview and Williams response, I stand by my opinion. Thomas may have some outlandish baseball business ideas and be bitter, but at least he wasn't a whiny ***** like Ken Williams.

[Dam8610]

I'm shocked at the support for Frank Thomas here. Don't get me wrong, he's one of my favorite players on the field, and I appreciate everything he's done for the White Sox, but his off the field antics and attitude were not likeable at all. This is a guy who complained about a nearly $10 million salary to the media. He was basically a whiny ***** his last 5 years in Chicago, and when he left, he kept taking shots at the White Sox organization all winter long. That's why I wasn't surprised or upset by Kenny Williams's comments, because I felt they were deserved after everything Frank has said.

[rockin500]

He's a GM. he should act like one. not be a jackass.

[BoSox34]

Well, I agree that Williams shouldn't have said things the way he did about the Big Dirt. But, I remember back when Thomas signed his new deal with the White Sox several seasons back and then after the following season was saying he wanted more money. The Big Dirt has always been known as a whiner and I am sincerely positive that the White Sox are glad they no longer have to listen to him whine and complain (which I do believe is true). But again, I just don't agree with some of the things Williams said and the way he went about it. The whole part about Thomas borrowing money from the Sox owner was a totally uncalled for comment.

[Providence A's]

Ozzie Guillen pretty much did the same thing when he left as a player. The White Sox just let him go and he *****ed about it, too. Owners and teams (and fans) complain about players not having any loyalty, but then they treat players that were loyal like this. And then they wonder why the players aren't loyal...because the other side is just as unloyal