CHICAGO -- Frank Thomas used to be one of the biggest, brightest stars in baseball, but his inability to lift himself above the flagging fortunes of the declining Chicago White Sox franchise has left him looking very ordinary in an otherwise extraordinary season.

Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa and pitching phenom Kerry Wood have stolen the heart of the Second City, leaving Thomas to languish in the relative obscurity of his 1998 statistics and share in the futility of an organization that he recently dubbed "a laughingstock."

Thomas failed to make the American League All-Star team for the first time since his debut in the midseason classic in 1993. He was outpointed in the fan voting by nondescript Cleveland Indians slugger Jim Thome and low-key Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez, and rightfully so. He finished the first half with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in a season when the league's top hitters are on pace to challenge the single-season record in both categories.

Of course, he is merely a reflection of his team. The White Sox lose the fan voting every night in Chicago. The Cubs dominate the market, and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf apparently has lost his desire to compete with them. Whether Thomas is a victim of that organizational malaise or one of the contributing factors remains an open question.

The situation has gotten so bad that a high-profile Chicago columnist barely caused a ripple when he called Thursday for the White Sox to trade Thomas. They are considering trading everyone else, so why not?

Thomas isn't doing the team or himself any good going through the motions in Chicago when he could rekindle his competitive fire with a contending club and bring the rebuilding White Sox a package of young players in return.

The White Sox, however, appear more likely to deal third baseman Robin Ventura, despite public pronouncements to the contrary. They would trade high-priced outfielder Albert Belle in a minute, but nobody wants to assume his huge contract. Thomas is a relative bargain at an average annual salary of $7.9 million per year (through 2001), so he probably isn't going anywhere.

Trouble is, neither are the White Sox.

Traveling prayer

The Cubs entered the second half five games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the NL Central and facing a 37-game span of which 25 are on the road. It is a critical juncture in the season, because the Cubs have the worst road record (16-23) of any winning team.

W ill Braves upgrade bullpen?

The Atlanta Braves still are waiting to see whether struggling closer Mark Wohlers benefits from a three-week minor-league assignment. If not, look for general manager John Schuerholz to make a deal later this month to bolster the bullpen, the only trouble spot on an otherwise dominating ballclub.

"Assuming Wohlers comes back, I like our bullpen because it settles everyone down," Braves pitcher Tom Glavine said. "But even with that, I think you can tweak it to improve it by adding another left-hander. If Wohlers doesn't come back, you've got to do something. If you're going to try to tweak anything, you've got to try and tweak the bullpen because everything else is solid."

That scenario could create some interesting trade possibilities, perhaps involving the soon-to-rebuild Orioles. Earlier speculation about a possible Roberto Alomar-for-Kevin Millwood trade was ridiculous -- because of Alomar's pending free agency and Millwood's breakthrough 1998 performance -- but a deal that included both Alomar and Orioles closer Armando Benitez might be more plausible.

Just a thought.

More dirty Sox

The White Sox entered the second half with a starting rotation that consisted of veterans Jaime Navarro and James Baldwin and promising Mike Sirotka, Jim Parque and John Snyder. Not one of them has an ERA below 5.00.

My generation

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Bret Boone became the first third-generation All-Star, following grandfather Ray Boone and father Bob Boone, but he'd rather gain recognition on his own merits.

"It's just a bonus," Boone said. "When I first got called up in '92, everybody made a big deal of it [being a third-generation player], but to me, it wasn't my motivation. I wanted to be a major-league player, and I was lucky enough to be able to make a career out of it.

"It's nice for me to make my first All-Star Game and be recognized. The fact that I'm the first third-generation guy, it's special, but it pays more of a tribute to what my grandfather and father did before me."

Heat is on

Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez should have known that expectations would be inflated when he became the highest-paid player in baseball history, but he said last week that the intensity of the fans in Boston makes him uncomfortable.

"What I didn't expect was to have it in every game I stepped out there," Martinez told reporters. "That was kind of a little surprise. I thought they would understand that in some games I would have to give it up and some games would go wrong. They don't take any of that.

"They're very demanding. Believe me, the first ones to let you know will be them. I hope that I can have every game from now on [be] a nine-inning perfect game, where I can please everybody. But I know it's not going to be that way, so I'm ready for my little boos whenever I give up more than three [runs]."

Martinez hasn't given them much to boo about. He finished the first half of the season with an 11-2 record and -- by most accounts -- is a well-loved figure at Fenway Park.

"I wouldn't say that," Martinez said. "They 'love' me only until I screw it up out there. You have to go out there and give it up and see how much they love you. I think they love me when I'm doing my job. If I'm not doing my job, they don't love me nothing.

"It's the way the fans are here. Bill Buckner cannot step in Boston. He can't come back to Boston. They hate him forever."

No Belle of the ball

Believe it or not, Angry Albert had the nerve to criticize Indians manager Mike Hargrove for not putting him on the American League All-Star team, apparently forgetting that he took up a spot on the team last year and refused to play. Wouldn't even pose for the team picture.

Belle complained that Hargrove "doesn't appreciate what I've done for him," and inferred that his former manager succumbed to pressure from league officials to keep him off the team.

That's a hoot. Hargrove didn't need any outside help in deciding to avoid baseball's human headache. He knows better than anyone that Belle is far more trouble than he's worth.

"I know that he was chosen for the All-Star Game last year and that he didn't participate in anything," Hargrove said. "I assumed he didn't want to go this year. I'm not going to waste a spot on somebody who doesn't want to play."

McGwire on record chase

During Tuesday night's All-Star Game, someone asked Mark McGwire to handicap the three-man Roger Maris record chase that has developed with Sosa and Ken Griffey.

"Honestly, dead even," McGwire said. "I'd do it dead even. You just don't know what's going to happen, how they're going to pitch, what teams you're playing in the second half that are in the pennant race."

Gwynn weighs in

Which of baseball's hallowed offensive records would be the most difficult to break?

Future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn cast his vote for Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak.

"I don't know jack about hitting home runs, to be honest with you," Gwynn said, "but I've got to believe that DiMaggio's streak is the toughest. That's every day, get one hit ever day. You can go a day without getting a hit and still hit .400, but 56 straight, I've got to believe that's pretty difficult."

Who's on first

The deal last week that sent reliever Jeff Shaw to the Los Angeles Dodgers gave the Cincinnati Reds still another outstanding prospect. Now, all they have to do is find a way to fit four first basemen into the lineup.

Paul Konerko joins fellow first basemen Sean Casey and Dmitri Young at the heart of the Reds' youth movement. Casey apparently is the first baseman of the future, so Konerko probably will play third, with Young staying in left field, even though he is not a great defensive outfielder. The Reds also have to figure out what to do with 28-year-old Eduardo Perez, whose primary position is first base.

There are worse problems to have. The Reds aren't going anywhere this year, so they'll have plenty of time to evaluate all of them. If a surplus exists at first, they should have no trouble getting value for one of them this winter.

Good influence

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman said recently that working for demanding owner George Steinbrenner has changed his life -- for the better.

"My checkbook is balanced because of Mr. Steinbrenner," Cashman said. "I get my car tuned up on a regular basis. I'm sure even my underwear is folded more neatly, just because he demands perfection from everyone."

No deal, says Henderson

Oakland outfielder Rickey Henderson always seems to show up in trade speculation this time of year, but he says he isn't going anywhere this season.

"Oh, no," Henderson said. "I've got me a no-trade clause. A team would have to pay me to go somewhere. I'm not going to waive it for the hell of it. I'm not looking for [a trade]."

He's leading the league in stolen bases and enjoying his latest incarnation in Oakland, where he doesn't have to fight for playing time the way he did last year in San Diego or might with a contender this season.

"I'm so happy I'm getting the opportunity to play," he said. "Last year, I went through something I hadn't gone through since I was 8 years old."

Pub Date: 7/12/98