Jermaine Dye News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

February 3

Foxsports.com

"Jermaine Dye appears headed for retirement. The free-agent outfielder sat out last season rather than accept a contract that he deemed unsuitable. Dye, 37, made public his desire to return for the 2011 season, but has yet to receive a guaranteed major-league offer. "I would still like to play, but I think my choices have passed and teams have gone with other people," Dye said Wednesday. "I will continue to stay in shape and hopefully someone will call. If nothing gets done by the end of the spring, I may call it a career." Dye said he spoke with the Dodgers in December about setting up a workout, but never heard back from the club. The hang-up, according to both Dye and Dodgers officials,"

Due or Dye: If Konerko doesn't get a deal he finds suitable, he could pull a Jermaine

September 25

Chicago Sun-Times

columnist Joe Cowley

"If it was up to hitting coach Greg Walker, Paul Konerko would get a new deal to stay with the White Sox, finish his career on the South Side, then have a bronze statue on that outfield concourse at U.S. Cellular Field. Actually, the only part Walker left out was the idea of Konerko riding off into the sunset. A free agent-to-be, Konerko, 34, sees himself playing three more years, but if he's not given the type of deal he wants this offseason, he has no problem thanking everyone and calling it a career. He said throughout the season that he had a ton of respect for former teammate Jermaine Dye, who insisted he would only sign with a team under the right conditions. Those conditions never"

Jermaine Dye would love to be a ...

April 14

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"According to his agent, Jermaine Dye would love to be a Seattle Mariner. This is not exactly news, because Dye is unemployed and, if he was asked by any of the other 29 big-league teams, he would love to be with them, too. The problem here is that Dye was available all winter. He was willing to become a first baseman, and teams passed. He could be a designated hitter, teams passed. When his price came down to $3.5 million or so, teams passed. Including Seattle. There was a reason. Dye is a good guy, but his skills were unquestionably in decline - 30 teams took a look and moved on. Could he hit better than, say, Jack Wilson? Yes, but he can't play shortstop. Is he better than Mike Sweeney?"

Anyone For Jermaine Dye?

March 13

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Jermaine Dye hit 27 HR last season. That's tied for 37th most home runs among players in either league last year, one less than Joe Mauer and one more than Justin Upton. And he has no job. Joe Pawlikowski did a good job breaking down why Dye doesn't have a job on FanGraphs . To recap for the lazy, he had a terrible second half and his defense is utter excrement. Basically, Dye's a DH or nothing. Problem is, AL teams have generally sorted out their DH slots. It seems like everyone has some version of the big dude with bad knees and a boppin' bat. Dye's on his last legs, so he's probably best used on a one-year contract for a team that needs just a little more offense to contend. Sure, he'd"

Former Sox slugger Dye 'shocked' he's unemployed

February 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"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"

Sox GM Williams thought about bringing Dye back

February 22

Chicago Tribune

"General manager Ken Williams admitted Sunday he thought about bringing back veteran right fielder Jermaine Dye. "But our biggest need would be a left-handed bat, in my opinion,'' Williams said. "That doesn't fit or is consistent with what Ozzie (Guillen) wants to do. I did think about it, and Ozzie would be in a position where he would have to play him." The Sox are banking that the production of Alex Rios over a full season, along with a rotating cast of designated hitters that includes Mark Kotsay and Andruw Jones, can offset the departure of Dye, who was given a $950,000 buyout instead of having his $12 million option picked up and remains a free agent."

Dye says he's willing to play first or left field

February 11

Chicago Tribune

"FOXSports.com reports: 36-year-old Jermaine Dye, who hit 31 home runs and 87 RBIs for the White Sox last season, says he can still play the game. "A lot of guys out there have had pretty good careers -- not only good careers, but decent years last year -- and they haven't gotten jobs. It's very surprising," he said in an interview with Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. "At the same time, you've still got to prepare like you're going to play ... It has only been (4½) years since I was the World Series MVP. I'm a winner. Hopefully some teams out there can see that.""

Dye could be headed for AL club

February 6

Foxsports.com

"Several baseball executives said Friday that they expect Jermaine Dye to sign with an American League club. That way, his at-bats could be spread among the maximum number of positions: left field, right field, designated hitter and perhaps first base. But that begs the question: Which AL team? As of Friday, it didn't appear that anyone had taken the lead in the pursuit for Dye. Perhaps teams will wait for Johnny Damon to sign before moving on Dye. That's how it happened with the second base market. Orlando Hudson signed with the Twins, then Adam Kennedy paired up with the Nationals."

Dye, Nady drawing interest from Cubs

January 19

MLB.com

"The Cubs are looking at free agents Jermaine Dye and Xavier Nady as possible fourth outfielders. A high-placed team official confirmed that both Dye and Nady are on the team's radar. Dye, who turns 36 on Jan. 28, is coming off a season in which he belted 27 homers and 19 doubles for the Chicago White Sox while driving in 81. His average, however, dipped to .251. A career .274 hitter, Dye could play both corner-outfield spots as well as first base if needed. Nady, 31, missed most of last season after undergoing Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in July. A career .280 hitter, he has played for San Diego, Pittsburgh and both New York teams, most recently with the Yankees. He was"

Cubs are looking into adding OF Jermaine Dye

January 14

Chicago Tribune

(scroll down)

"To Dye for? The Cubs are looking into former White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye, sources confirmed Wednesday, but they can't promise Dye as much playing time as he's accustomed to getting. If Dye were to sign, he would platoon with Kosuke Fukudome in right field and back up Alfonso Soriano in left and Derrek Lee at first. He also could DH for interleague road games in Texas and Seattle and at U.S. Cellular Field. Dye, the 2005 World Series MVP with the White Sox, still has his home in Chicago but is seeking a starting job."

Dye drawing interest

December 2

SI.com

"Jermaine Dye has drawn interest from the Rangers, Giants, Cardinals, Braves and Yankees -- though the Yankees' interest is dependent on other options falling through. The Red Sox, Angels and Cubs are seen as other, somewhat-less-likely possibilities for Dye. Dye's 164 home runs are the most by an AL outfielder over the last five years (and the third-most by any AL player, behind only Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz)."

There's a lot of interest in Dye, just not from South Side

December 2

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jermaine Dye ditched the idea of extending his stay with the White Sox in late September, so it was no shock that the paperwork for the breakup continued when the team announced Tuesday it wouldn't offer salary arbitration to Dye, outfielder Scott Podsednik, reliever Octavio Dotel or backup catcher Ramon Castro by the midnight deadline. This means the Sox won't get any drafts picks as compensation should Dye or Dotel -- both Type A free agents -- sign with another team. Podsednik and Castro didn't fall into that category. As for Dye, he told the Sun-Times last month that he already had been receiving calls from at least eight major-league teams and wasn't ruling anyone out. The New York"

Sox decline arbitration to four players

December 1

MLB.com

"The White Sox have decided against offering salary arbitration to their free agents, outfielder Jermaine Dye, right-handed reliever Octavio Dotel, outfielder Scott Podsednik and backup catcher Ramon Castro, a decision needing to be made by 11 p.m. CT on Tuesday. And in the process of coming to this financial conclusion, they might have helped Dotel's value on the open market. Both Dotel and Dye were classified as Type-A free agents, meaning if salary arbitration was offered and declined by either player, the White Sox could receive two Draft picks in return from the team eventually coming to terms with either one. Attaching that compensation to an individual such as Dotel, a talented"

Dye open to shifting to first base

November 24

MLB.com

"The highly successful run for Jermaine Dye with the White Sox apparently has come to a close after five years, with the South Siders using their November $950,000 contractual buyout on the 35-year-old veteran. But Dye looks as if he's not limiting his free-agent options by not limiting his possible defensive positions. Although Dye has said he's not ready to take on a full-time designated hitter role, a Monday report on FoxSports.com claimed Dye is open to playing first base. During his 14-year career, Dye has played 1,671 games in right field. He has 27 starts in left and nine in center, although at this point of his career, Dye would be considered a corner outfielder. There also was one"

Teams eyeing Dye at first base

November 23

Foxsports.com

"Free-agent right fielder Jermaine Dye has made only one career appearance at first base, in 2005. Yet teams are asking his agent, Robert Bry, if he is willing to play first, and Dye is open to the idea. Dye, 35, could be a right-handed hitting alternative at first for several clubs, including the Braves, Mets, Giants and Orioles. His willingness to play first alone should only increase his marketability. If Dye is not going to be a DH, he might be better at first than in right at this stage of his career. "It wouldn't surprise me at all if he had some success over there," one executive says. The negative on Dye is that he slumped after the All-Star break last season, batting .179 with a"

Dye has been cast

November 11

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jermaine Dye isn't ruling anything out. After all, at 35 years old and with 14 major-league seasons under his belt, the free-agent outfielder has seen crazier things happen. 'First of all, I could come back to the Sox,'' Dye said in a phone interview Tuesday. ''I talked to [White Sox general manager] Kenny [Williams], and negotiations could still go on. Kenny talked to me about the fact that his hands are tied as far as spending money, but ... I could sign for less.'' That's classic Dye, being the good businessman and keeping all doors open. Even one as slammed shut as the situation with the Sox actually is. The Sox announced last week that they would pay Dye a $950,000 buyout rather than"

Dye now a free agent as the JD Era closes

November 6

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Jermaine Dye Era has all but come to an end on the South Side. The White Sox announced on Friday morning that that they bought out the 2010 mutual option on the right fielder, paying him $950,000 rather than picking up the $12 million for the upcoming season. The move makes it so that Dye will now become a free agent. Dye's hope throughout the season was that the club would offer him an extension, but a dismal second half in which he hit .179 with just seven homers seemed to seal his fate. Acquiring Alex Rios at the end of August also put the writing on the wall for the 35-year-old Dye that his five-year stay was just about over."

Dye may have played last game in White Sox uniform

October 5

Chicago Tribune

"The White Sox packed their bags for the final time this season, shook hands and hugged following a 5-3 loss to the Tigers to end a 79-83 season. Jermaine Dye faces an uncertain future, with the Sox likely to give him a $1 million buyout instead of both sides agreeing to a $12 million mutual option for 2010. He struggled miserably in the second half, hitting .181 with seven homers in 210 at-bats after hitting .302 with 20 long balls in 291 at-bats before the break. "I don't really have a feeling right now," Dye said calmly after finishing with a .250 batting average, 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. "I just want to go home, get away from baseball like I always do and take two weeks off and"

Several Chicago White Sox playing final series with club

October 2

Chicago Tribune

"Jermaine Dye is at peace, regardless of what decision the White Sox make on his future. Octavio Dotel still cherishes John Danks' masterpiece in the 2008 tiebreaker game over the Twins that vaulted the Sox into the postseason. And Josh Fields has no regrets about a once-promising stint with the Sox that has evaporated. The threesome is part of a group that faces the probability the weekend series against the Tigers will be their last in a Sox uniform. The Sox have six potential free agents and six arbitration-eligible players entering the offseason. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf told his players last weekend to work hard and aim high in 2010. The Sox are trying to stabilize a shrinking"

Struggling Dye knows his Sox days are over

September 23

Chicago Sun-Times

"There was a time this season when Jermaine Dye was willing to rip up his contract, forget the mutual option awaiting him this winter and sign a new deal at a hometown discount to keep him with the White Sox. But life was different then. He had a .302 average to go along with 20 home runs and 55 RBI heading into the All-Star break. Now Dye is trying to survive and show he's not washed up at 35. And, realistically, he knows this is his last homestand on the team with which he won a World Series. ''I'm not concerned about that,'' Dye said about his fate being all but sealed. ''Whatever happens is going to happen. At this point, you just want to get into a groove before the season is over, go"

Dye: My slide has nothing to do with Rios

August 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"Jermaine Dye knows how this might look. He admittedly struggled through the middle of the 2007 season -- coincidentally the same time pitcher Mark Buehrle was negotiating a contract extension with the White Sox. Buehrle and Dye were both headed for free agency that offseason. The Sox had insisted that contracts wouldn't be discussed during the regular season that year, and while Dye's wasn't, Buehrle's was. For a few weeks, Dye looked distant and upset. As it ended up, he eventually got his extension after Buehrle got his, with all team edicts tossed out the window that season. Now, questions have surfaced about the effect on Dye after the Sox added high-priced outfielder Alex Rios. On"

Rios gives weary Dye much-needed rest

August 13

Chicago Sun-Times

"Wednesday was a perfect example why the Sox acquired Alex Rios. With Paul Konerko bruised and sore and Jermaine Dye looking physically and mentally spent, Rios replaced Dye in right field against the Seattle Mariners, still giving the Sox a formidable middle of the order with Rios, designated hitter Jim Thome and left fielder Carlos Quentin batting 3-4-5. ''Hopefully when we get to Oakland, [Dye will] get back together,'' manager Ozzie Guillen said. ''This game is more mentally and physically tougher. When you struggle, you try to figure out what you're doing wrong, what you can do to get it right, you try to rush more than what you're supposed to do. And you should sit back and relax"

Jermaine Dye could sit Friday night

June 19

Chicago Tribune

"Right fielder Jermaine Dye hasn't finished his last three games to protect a sore left calf and manager Ozzie Guillen is considering giving Dye a rest Friday night when the White Sox play in Cincinnati. "Hopefully, with a day off, he'll feel better, but we're going by ear," Guillen said. "We gave him back-to-back days off [Sunday and Monday], and that didn't help him. I have to be careful with him. If Dye goes down, [Carlos] Quentin is already down, and it will be tough on us." Guillen still plans to start backup Ramon Castro to catch Jose Contreras. Fans' spirit lives on: The spirit of the White Sox-Cubs rivalry made up for the fact that there were a few noticeable empty seats at the"

Dye loses appeal, serves 2-game ban

June 6

Chicago Tribune

"Jermaine Dye began a two-game suspension Friday night in the opener of a weekend series against the Indians. Dye's appeal of a May 13 incident in Cleveland was turned down. Dye said he was not surprised and that "you have to respect the decision of the people who make the decisions and I'll serve the two games and then move on. "There was no intent. They understand that. The helmet just happened to hit the umpire. They still have to protect the umpires and I respect that. It's something I never intended to happen that way. I just got caught up in the emotion of the game and a big situation. I have to pay for it." After plate umpire Mike DiMuro called him out on strikes with the bases"

White Sox slam Twins, Liriano

May 21

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Twins' losing streak has grown so long, they got excited Wednesday night when they simply took a lead. Of course, that's the quickest way to make it disappear. Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano responded to the gift of two unearned runs in the fourth inning by putting so much pressure on himself to snap the skid, he admitted afterward, that "I tried to overthrow every pitch." The result was a seven-run disaster, capped by Jermaine Dye's grand slam, and a 7-4 White Sox victory at U.S. Cellular Field. That's six consecutive losses, nine straight road losses, and 16 losses in 20 games at Chicago. And the Twins, at 4-14, have the worst road record in the American League. "We're"

Dye surprised by penalty, will appeal

May 15

Chicago Tribune

"White Sox right fielder Jermaine Dye appealed his two-game suspension and fine and will be in the lineup tonight against the Blue Jays. Major League Baseball suspended Dye on Friday and fined him an undisclosed amount stemming from an ejection Wednesday in Cleveland. Dye was called out on strikes by home plate umpire Mike DiMuro. Upset with the call, Dye flicked his bat away and, as he walked away from home plate, slammed his helmet to the ground. Television camera caught the helmet bouncing behind Dye and hitting DiMuro. Dye said he never intended to hit DiMuro with his helmet. "I've never dealt with something like this, so I don't know what's severe and what's not severe," Dye said. "I"