Move to St. Pete? Sox are unmoved

Bobby Thigpen is one White Sox player who apparently wouldbenefit if the team moved to St. Petersburg, Fla.

The relief ace, a Florida native, has lived in St. Petersburg thelast three winters and recently bought a home there. During springtraining, he commuted to camp in Sarasota, less than an hour'sdrive.

Yet, like most Sox, Thigpen doesn't think much about moving.He's too superstitious.

"I joke that the year the Sox move there, I'll get traded justbefore the opener," Thigpen said. "It'll never work out."

Most Sox say they can't afford to worry about whether the teamwill be here next year. Many suspect they won't wear Sox uniforms nomatter where the team is.

"There are no guarantees for any of us," first baseman GregWalker said. "Look at the turnover since last year."

Only 10 current Sox were on last year's Opening Day roster.Moreover, most players have one-year contracts, which makes it hardto look ahead.

Walker is in the first year of a two-year deal, but his nameoften is mentioned in trade rumors.

"Whether the team stays here is not a players' decision," Walkersaid. "You control what you can, and that's playing."

Which is not to say Walker, who played on the Sox' 1983 divisionchamps, isn't among those concerned about the franchise's future.

"Deep down, everybody feels something will be worked out inChicago," Walker said. "It's hard to believe that if everyone sitsdown with common sense, something can't happen. I can see where ourowners are coming from, though. They can't let people here keepdragging their feet."

Thigpen agreed the threat of moving is the only leverage theSox have in their quest for a new Chicago stadium with a satisfactorylease. "I don't think the owners want to move," he said. "But I guessif they have to, they will."

Though he isn't pulling for a move, Thigpen said the Soxwould be embraced throughout Florida.

"They'd probably call the team something like `Suncoast Sox,' "he said. "The people there know they're being used, but they stillbelieve there's a chance of getting the team."

The players wouldn't exactly be uprooted if the Sox moved. OnlyCarlton Fisk has a year-round Chi cago area residence. At 40, he is on a one-year contract, and hisfuture will depend on his performance this year.

Shortstop Ozzie Guillen is among many Sox who would hate toleave Chicago - and not just because he recently bought an in-seasoncondo downtown.

"This is a great town," he said.

Will the uncertainty of the franchise affect the team'sperformance?

"Players have too much at stake to let it affect their play,"Walker said.

"Our concern is winning ballgames."