Guillen: 500 HR should make Hall of Fame automatic
There's the argument that hitting 500 homers no longer automatically punches a player's ticket to the Hall of Fame.
When it comes to White Sox designated hitter Jim Thome, who is just 1 shy of that magic number, manager Ozzie Guillen isn't buying it.
At all.
"They say he's a DH … 500 home runs, no matter where you do it, how you do it, that is 500 home runs," Guillen said. "Before, people were begging for 500 home runs. If you had 500 home runs you didn't need to do anything else.
"Now they say you need to hit 600. No matter what, (if you hit) 500 home runs, you should be an automatic Hall of Famer."
Details, please: Friday was supposed to be the day that Sox DH Jim Thome unveiled what he is calling his "prize package" for the fan who catches -- and returns -- his next home run, which will be the 500th of his career.
Never happened.
Evidently the big guy didn't want to jinx himself.
"Let's hit it first, then we'll deal with it," Thome said before the Sox' game against the L.A. Angels.
For historical reference, when Frank Thomas hit No. 500 in late June at the Metrodome in Minnesota, he reportedly got the ball back in exchange for an autographed baseball, a bat and a jersey. Thome sounded like his prize package was a little more extravagant.
"Yeah, we had some fun with it," Thome said. "I think the fan is really going to like it. It's something that we thought a lot about."
Gone Ryan express: The announcement Thursday that Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan planned to step down at the end of the season caught Ozzie Guillen off guard.
"Wow. Yes I was (surprised)," Guillen said. "He's a guy who did a tremendous job for that organization. It's sad when you see guys like that leave the game, but hopefully he'll stay around and do something."
He said it: Ozzie Guillen on looking ahead to 2008: "Hopefully, next year, with the bunch we put together, we have a chance for me to at least earn my money. This year, all I do is talk to you guys (media) and take out pitchers. That's all I do."