Merkin’s mailbag:
By all accounts, Jermaine Dye seems to be gone. Is there any chance that he comes back as a designated hitter? I would love to see a more athletic right fielder but would hate to see Dye go.
– Bert, Northlake, Ill.Your opinion about losing Dye has been felt and expressed throughout the organization, Bert. Dye has stood out as a first-class individual, a steady clubhouse leader and an extremely productive middle-of-the-order hitter since 2005. Yes, Dye had what he termed as one of his worst career slumps in the second half of the 2009 season, but I still don’t believe that a healthy Dye suddenly has lost the ability to hit the ball.
With all of this deserved praise factored in, I just don’t see Dye coming back to the White Sox — especially at the $12 million that his mutual option currently dictates. He could return as the team’s designated hitter, possibly on a one-year deal, but I see that spot being filled more by a rotation of players, as opposed to having a front-line singular presence such as Jim Thome served for parts of four seasons. And Dye certainly should draw deeper attention on the open market, so he has to weigh those offers against his desire to stay in Chicago and his potential role on the South Side.
