"Standing around as a spectator at the Phoenix Open was not how Jermaine Dye was supposed to be spending his Thursday afternoon.

He was supposed to be somewhere with a wooden bat in his hand. He was supposed to be somewhere joking with teammates, getting ready for the monotony of spring camp. Shagging fly balls, one more sprint. Somewhere, anywhere.

Instead, he's waiting.

''I'm shocked,'' Dye told the Sun-Times. ''I really am in disbelief, but what can I do?''

Nothing.

And that's the hardest part for the free agent to accept.

Over the last five seasons with the White Sox, Dye was first among American League outfielders in home runs and second in RBI. He has a World Series ring from 2005 and an MVP trophy from that Fall Classic. Then there was an All-Star appearance in 2006, and Dye even was a .302 hitter with 20 home runs in the first half of 2009.

Now, having just turned 36, Dye is being told by Major League Baseball that his services are no longer needed -- or at least not enough to where Dye feels it's ''really worth it.''

So he waits."