White Sox GM: Thomas is an 'idiot'

Baseball

Angry with the latest comments from former slugger Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams fired back yesterday. ''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, a two-time MVP, has made it clear that he didn't appreciate the way his 16-year run with the White Sox ended, complaining 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, adding that he and Williams didn't see eye-to-eye after Williams became GM following the 2000 season. Williams said he was fed up that Thomas was still making remarks about his former team and the way he was treated. ''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."

Roger Clemens will pitch a simulated game against minor leaguers at the Houston Astros' spring training camp in Kissimmee, Fla., today. The 43-year-old Clemens wants to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, then decide whether to retire or play a 23d season, said Koby Clemens, his oldest son and a third baseman in the Astros' farm system. Houston general manager Tim Purpura said the Astros got permission from Major League Baseball to allow Clements to pitch at their spring training complex. Clemens, a free agent, wasn't offered salary arbitration by the Astros and cannot re-sign with them until May 1.

Orioles All-Star Melvin Mora has pulled out of the World Baseball Classic after being asked to play center field for Venezuela, rather than third base. Mora, who hasn't played in the outfield since the 2003 season, said he would have deferred the third base position to veteran teammate Edgardo Alfonzo, 32, but he didn't think he should have to play the outfield in favor of 22-year-old Miguel Cabrera of the Marlins . . . The Orioles signed outfielder Richard Hidalgo to a minor league contract. Hidalgo, 30, batted .221 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs in 88 games for Texas last season . . . Yankees starter Carl Pavano's sore back could land him on the disabled list to start the season. Pavano missed the second half of last season because of a shoulder injury and finished 4-6 with a 4.77 ERA in 17 starts. His back has bothered him since spring training last year . . . Pirates pitcher Kip Wells has a blood clot close to his right arm, and his season is in jeopardy. General manager Dave Littlefield described the clot as a ''100 percent blockage" of an artery under the clavicle, the primary vessel that carries blood from the chest to the arms. The 28-year-old Wells, who went 8-18 with a 5.08 ERA last season, told the team he still must determine whether he wants to get a second opinion before having surgery. If Wells has surgery, he would likely miss five to eight months . . . Pitcher Zack Greinke left the Royals' camp, and there are no indications when he might return. Club officials said Greinke had gone back to his home in Orlando, Fla., for ''personal matters." The 22-year-old righthander was 5-17 with a 5.80 ERA last season . . . The Cape Cod Baseball League announced it has received a grant of $300,000 from the Yawkey Foundation to support improvements of baseball fields in Barnstable and Falmouth.

Tennis

Tommy Haas won his second tournament in a row and the ninth of his career, beating Robin Soderling, 6-3, 6-2, in the Regions Morgan Keegan championships in Memphis. Haas improved to 17-3 in match play this year, tied with Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia for best on the ATP Tour. The German's only losses have been to world No. 1 Roger Federer -- twice -- and a five-setter to Richard Gasquet in a Davis Cup tie with France earlier this month . . . Radek Stepanek beat Christophe Rochus, 6-0, 6-3, to win his first ATP Tour title at the ABN Amro tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Stepanek needed only 45 minutes to take home the first trophy of his 10-year professional career. Stepanek got through the first set in 18 minutes. The second set stayed level until the eighth game, when Stepanek broke the Belgian at love. Stepanek won the match with a serve and volley on his second match point.

Miscellany

Hall of Famer Carl Eller was arrested for driving under the influence early yesterday morning, according to state police. A trooper stopped the former Minnesota Vikings star in suburban Golden Valley, Minn., after clocking Eller going 97 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone on Interstate 394 around 3:30 a.m., said Lt. Chuck Walerius. The trooper also saw Eller making a lane change and taking an exit ramp without signaling. Field sobriety tests indicated that the 64-year-old Eller was driving while impaired, so he was taken to Minneapolis police's chemical testing facility, Walerius said. Eller refused blood alcohol tests there and was held in the Hennepin County jail until he was bailed out in the afternoon . . . Texans general manager Charley Casserly said that he is open to trading the No. 1 pick in the draft. ''There's clearly players at the top of this draft that are marquee players," Casserly said. ''We're going to get offers for this pick. We've already had discussions with teams." . . . Atlando came from near the back of an eight-horse field to beat T.H. Approval by three-quarters of a length and win the $150,000 San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden by Martin Pedroza, Atlando was sixth in the early going, took the lead at the top of the stretch, and held off a rally from T.H. Approval to win, covering 1 1/2 miles on the turf in 2:23 4/5. The five-year-old gelding has won six times in 16 starts . . . American Floyd Landis maintained his 29-second lead to win the inaugural Tour of California in Redondo Beach.