Guillen sings praises of Thomas

The player who put up so many big numbers for the White Sox will have the favor returned today when the Sox officially retire Frank Thomas' uniform No. 35 and add it to the outfield wall in a pregame ceremony at U.S. Cellular Field.

"You want to talk about the White Sox - with all due respect to the people who played here in the past - Frank Thomas has to be No.1 in my opinion," said White sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "A lot of great players went through this organization. I think Frank Thomas, I don't want to say best player, but he was the best hitter in this organization. The least they can do is what they are going to do (today).

"That's a very, very great honor. When you have something like this done when you're still alive, it's one of the best things that can happen in your career. I think the next picture Frank is going to have is in Cooperstown."

Thomas is the franchise leader in home runs, RBI, total bases and on-base percentage, to name just a few.

"The numbers are there," Guillen said. "Of course he deserves to be there, there's no doubt. I think he's first-ballot player. I don't think Frank Thomas is going to wait that long to be Hall of Famer."

As for when Guillen's No. 13 might join Thomas on the outfield wall?

"I hope before I die," he said with a laugh. "I don't want my wife and kids sitting there and they put a picture of me on the scoreboard of what I looked like."

But when he finally gets his mug and number on the wall, Guillen doesn't want it to be for his prowess as a shortstop.

"I want to be up there as a manager, I don't want to be up there as a player," he said. "I want to spend more years with White Sox managing then I did as player, that's my goal. I know I still have long way to go, but that's the goal."

No Dye job: Though he looked like he could slip on his uniform right now and start playing again, former White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye admitted that this "season is over," but said he still hopes to get back in the game next year.

"I just talked to him and he looked good; he's in great shape," Ozzie Guillen said. "We miss him as a person and as a player."

Manny mania: If Manny Ramirez does eventually make it to the South Side in the next couple of days, he'll arrive just in time to join the White Sox on the road where the first two stops will be his former haunts of Cleveland and Boston. Could be interesting.