BIG FRANK SUES THE SOX

Former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas recently filed suit against the Sox, alleging that the negligence of team physicians may have cost him millions of dollars. Thomas is alleging that in 2004, doctors at Midwest Orthopedics at Rush University Medical Center misdiagnosed his left foot injury as a bruise, when in fact, there was a fractured bone in his foot. Thomas further alleges that White Sox docs improperly cleared him to play and that he later broke a second bone in the foot. Vaughn McClure's article in the July 14, 2006 Chicago Sun-Times discusses the lawsuit. It appears from the article that Thomas will be taking the position that the negligence of the doctors cost him millions in salary. Big Frank's argument is that the fractures were the reason he didn't have great seasons in 2004 and 2005. And, those performances were why the Sox didn't pick up Frank's $10 million dollar option in 2006. Instead, the Sox bought him out for $3.5 million. The Oakland Athletics picked him up for a mere $500,000 for 2006, although his contract is heavily laden with incentives and he could make $3 million if he has a good season. And, at present, Frank is batting .260, with 24 Home Runs and 67 RBI's, so he is having a pretty decent year. Frank hired the premier Chicago personal injury law firm in the City of Chicago to prosecute the case, so the White Sox had better bring their A game to the Courtroom.