Sox cap their worst season since 1989
Jim Thome received a standing ovation at U.S. Cellular Field on Sunday.
After singling in the first inning, Thome was lifted for pinch runner Luis Terrero.
Personally, it was a solid season for Thome. The 37-year-old designated hitter led the White Sox in batting (.275), home runs (35), RBI (96) and on-base percentage (.410).
Thome also hit the 500th home run of his career on Sept. 16. He will return in 2008, and maybe the Sox will come back as playoff contenders.
Playing their final game of the season Sunday, the White Sox ended on a down note, falling to the Tigers 13-3 at U.S. Cellular Field.
Only two years removed from winning the World Series, the Sox (72-90) finished with their worst record since 1989 (69-92).
"Thank God we're done with this nightmare,'' said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "It was a bad dream. Hopefully, when I wake up, some good things happen. It was a bad season. We finished off the season the way we started, real bad.''
The question now is: Who is coming back?
Thome certainly is, and so is a core of players that includes Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye, A.J. Pierzynski and Mark Buehrle.
But Sunday was undoubtedly the last with the Sox for left fielder Scott Podsednik, one of the spark plugs of the 2005 World Series champions.
Limited to 62 games by a series of injuries, Podsednik is expected to be nontendered. He is eligible for salary arbitration, as are injured third baseman Joe Crede and utility infielder Alex Cintron.
Podsednik, who batted .243 and stole 12 bases this season, politely declined to discuss his future Sunday.
But he will soon be talking with White Sox general manger Kenny Williams.
"The one thing that Scotty will hear if it has come to that (leaving), being our leadoff hitter and the respect that I have for him, first as a person, second as a baseball player, Scotty will hear that from us first,'' Williams said Saturday. "I'm going to sit down with our coaches. In his case, I'm going to have to sit down with some of our medical people as well because it's not a matter of Scotty Podsednik's ability.
"He's a first-class leadoff guy, he's gotten a lot better in left field this year, that's not the issue. He's proven he can play on a championship team. The issue is, can we afford to go into next year not knowing how health is going to play into it?''
The Sox also have decisions to make on shortstop Juan Uribe, outfielder Darin Erstad and relief pitcher Mike Myers. They all have club options for 2008.
Farewell address: Manager Ozzie Guillen talked to his players before Sunday's season-ending loss to Detroit.
His parting message was much more positive than negative.
"I feel proud of my players,'' Guillen said. "They respected my rules and respected baseball. They played real bad, but they showed up with the same attitude every day. Unfortunately, we didn't get it done.''
The quote: Before heading back home to Phoenix after Sunday's loss to the Tigers, White Sox captain Paul Konerko tried putting the disappointing season into perspective.
"It's been a drag for a while,'' Konerko said. "You don't want to end this way, but there are a bunch of other teams that are going to be going home today that aren't going to playoffs either. They aren't going to have a chance at winning the World Series and neither are we. You've just got to take some time off, get up, dust ourselves off and have at it again.''
Tigers 13, White Sox 3
On the mound: Starter Jose Contreras allowed 5 runs on 9 hits over 61/3 innings while becoming the first Sox pitcher to lose 17 games in a season since Richard Dotson dropped 17 in 1986. Mike MacDougal (6.80 ERA) allowed 2 runs on 3 hits while retiring just one batter.
At the plate: Josh Fields hit his 23rd home run, tying Bill Melton for third-most by a White Sox rookie.
-- Scot Gregor