So far, so good.

Through 4 games with the White Sox (all against the Orioles), Jose is 5 for
18, with 3 doubles and 5 RBIs. He has exactly two bases in each of the
games he's played so far. And the really good news is it looks like Jose
will be starting for the Sox every day, as their DH. No more of that pinch
hitting nonsense he had to deal with in New York last year.

Jose will be in a live chat at 2:00 PM EST on Yahoo. Check it out if you
can: http://chat.yahoo.com/

I've added some brand new audio, video, and photos of Jose to
Canseconet.com. All the latest Jose news and reactions to him signing with
the White Sox (both good and bad) are below... Enjoy!

I don't know about you guys, but I sure think it's nice to have the big guy
back playing in the majors like he deserves.

-Mark

==========
From the Chicago Tribune:
Canseco adds dash of bash
DH added to help fill Thomas' spot in the Sox lineup
By Paul Sullivan
June 20, 2001 10:29 PM CDT

Ken Williams' chemistry experiment continued Wednesday when the White Sox
general manager added combustible slugger Jose Canseco to the mix.

Canseco, who turns 37 on July 2, agreed to a one-year deal that guarantees
him around $135,000 for the remainder of the season.

The veteran designated hitter was playing for the independent Newark Bears,
an Atlantic League team that signed him after Anaheim released him at the
end of spring training, citing his back problems. Pending a physical on
Thursday, Canseco will join the team in Baltimore and become it's primary DH.

"I just felt we were at a point where we could start to smell the wild
card, smell the division, if we allow ourselves to dream for such things,"
Williams said. "We obviously have been playing good baseball, but over the
course of the last 3-to-4 weeks, we've averaged only about four runs per
ballgame as well. If you take Magglio Ordonez out of that equation, it's
probably hovering around the three-[run] mark.

"There are few players out there whom you can even hope or dream could
replace Frank Thomas-type numbers. This is a guy who has done it before. It
remains to be seen if he can continue to put up the kind of numbers he did
in the past."

Williams said he considered signing Canseco after Thomas was sidelined with
a torn triceps at the end of May, but Newark hadn't started its season and
the Sox stuck with Harold Baines as the primary DH. Baines (.133, 0 HRs, 6
RBIs) and Jeff Liefer (.238, 4 HRs, 10 RBIs) both struggled at the DH spot.
For the year, Sox are hitting .225 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs at the
position. With Thomas as the primary DH last year, Sox designated hitters
batted .296 with 32 home runs and 117 RBIs.

Canseco has a lifetime average of .266 and ranks 23rd on the all-time home
run list with 446, third among active players behind Mark McGwire and Barry
Bonds. He was hitting .284 for Newark with seven homers, 27 RBIs and 40
walks in 41 games.

Williams said he apologized to Canseco for giving him only a pro-rated
portion of the major-league minimum of $200,000.

If the Sox had traded instead for Tampa Bay DH Fred McGriff, they would
have had to pay him about $3.8 million.

"Jose explained to me that it was not about [money]," Williams said. "He
wanted to play, he wanted to catch Cleveland and Minnesota. I think what
we're getting is a very motivated person and if all things go well, we'll
get a productive person. At this point, I think it's worth the gamble."

The Sox clubhouse changed considerably when 38-year-old David Wells was
acquired over the winter and Canseco is another larger-than-life character.

"We'll have to see how he fits into the chemistry," Ray Durham said.

"Jose is Jose, man," Wells said. "He's going to give you his home runs,
some clutch hits. He's a big presence out there. He's intimidating to some
pitchers. He's one of those type of hitters who can put a hurting on you.
His presence will make a big difference, take some pressure off some of the
other guys."

The reaction to the Canseco signing was one of surprise, though no one
uncorked any champagne bottles.

"It seemed like the same old stuff around the clubhouse," Paul Konerko
said. "Usually stuff like that happens when you're not paying attention to
it. But I think everyone is excited about it. We're not in it yet where
we're contending, but we're not out of it. We're close, but it'll take a
couple more weeks of us playing well and we'll consider ourselves in it."

==========
From the Chicago Sun Times:
Canseco, Sox agree to 1-year deal
June 21, 2001
BY CHRIS DE LUCA

Jose Canseco simply wants to reach 500 career home runs. The White Sox just
like the idea of having a player with that as a realistic goal.

It was a marriage made of convenience Wednesday when the Sox rescued
Canseco from the scrap heap known as the Newark Bears of the independent
Atlantic League and signed him to a major-league contract.

If Canseco, who turns 37 on July 2, passes a physical this morning, he will
be the designated hitter in the Sox' lineup tonight at Camden Yards, where
they open a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles.

At 33-35, the Sox hope to be at .500 when they open a three-game series
against the first-place Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome on Tuesday. Three
weeks after mulling a fire sale, the hobbling Sox are making one last gasp
in 2001, trying to replace the big bat they lost when Frank Thomas' torn
right triceps ended his season on April 27.

"We're at the point where we can smell the wild card--the division--if we
allow ourselves to dream," general manager Ken Williams said of his team
that has won 19 of its last 25 games. "What we're getting is a very
motivated person. If things go well, we'll get a productive person. At this
point, it's worth the gamble."

The Sox, reportedly the only team to spend at least two consecutive games
scouting Canseco, will pay the 15-year veteran a prorated share of the
major-league minimum $200,000. It's the same amount they were paying rookie
outfielder Aaron Rowand, who was demoted to Class AAA Charlotte to make
room for Canseco.

Canseco was traveling to Baltimore on Wednesday and couldn't be reached for
comment. But in a recent interview with the New York Daily News, Canseco
said his motivation in joining the Bears was getting another shot at the
big leagues, where he is 54 homers shy of 500.

That's the magic number, Canseco believes, to get into the Hall of Fame.

"It's so close I can just taste it," he told the Daily News. "I could get
there in one full season, and part of another."

Canseco is 23rd on the career home run list and third among active players
behind former Oakland Athletics teammate Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.

In 41 games with Newark, where the quality of pitching ranges from college
ball to Class AA, Canseco hit .284 with seven homers and 27 RBI. Canseco
opened last season with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and hit .257 with nine
home runs and 30 RBI before being put on waivers Aug. 7. In a move designed
more to keep him out of the hands of an opponent, the New York Yankees
claimed Canseco. In 37 games with New York, he hit .243 with six homers and
19 RBI.

A six-time All-Star, Canseco was the American League MVP in 1988 with the
Athletics. The career .266 hitter with 1,358 RBI spent his first seven
seasons with the A's. He also has played for the Texas Rangers, Boston Red
Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. In between, he has had brushes with the law and
dates with Madonna.

Canseco wound up in Newark, where he earned a league-high $6,000 a month,
after being released during spring training by the Anaheim Angels. It was
not a friendly parting.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia questioned Canseco's long-term health and
Angels spokesman Tim Mead told the Los Angeles Times: "It was deeper than
numbers. There were concerns about his bat speed, his ability to move in
the field. Certain holes began showing up."

Canseco was stunned and hurt.

"I'm still wondering why they handled it the way they did," he told the Los
Angeles Times in late May. "I've never had anyone question my health like
that before."

But his health will be an immediate concern for the Sox, who already have
10 players on the disabled list.

"We don't need any more bad apples, so, hopefully, he is healthy," said
veteran Jose Valentin, who expects to come off the disabled list Sunday.

Canseco has told reporters he dropped 20 pounds this season and is 6-4 and
240 pounds. He underwent surgery for a herniated disk in 1999 and has been
bothered by lower-back problems and tender hamstrings.

He also has deflected rumors of steroid use that some executives point to
as a reason for his delicate health.

The Sox agree on one thing: If Canseco is healthy, he can present a
much-needed threat in their lineup that is 12th in the AL in scoring runs.

"He can make a big difference in a lot of areas," veteran pitcher David
Wells said. "As an opposing pitcher, you have to be concerned because if he
has his game on, holy mackerel, he can carry a team on his shoulders. He's
like me, he thrives in big-game situations. He wants to be the hero, and
he's not afraid to be the goat."

==========
From the Chicago Daily Southtown:
A dash of 'Bash'
In quest for firepower, Sox deem adding Canseco a risk-free move
Thursday, June 21, 2001
By Joe Cowley

The White Sox's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday wasn't the
final straw for the South Siders. It was, though, more evidence that their
offense is running on fumes.

After the team's seventh straight win at Comiskey Park, Sox general manager
Ken Williams announced that the club agreed to terms with veteran slugger
Jose Canseco.

Canseco, 36, had been playing with the Newark (N.J.) Bears of the
independent Atlantic League after being released by the Anaheim Angels
during spring training.

The right-handed-hitting Canseco was batting .284 with seven home runs, 27
RBI, 40 walks and 10 stolen bases in 41 games for the Bears. He is expected
to join the Sox today in Baltimore, if he passes a physical.

To make room for Canseco, the Sox sent Aaron Rowand to Triple-A Charlotte.

"Over the last three weeks or so, we've only averaged about four runs per
game," Williams said. "If you take Magglio (Ordonez) out of that mix, maybe
three.

"We think a player like Jose adds a presence to our lineup, something we
feel we have been missing since losing Frank Thomas for the season."

The Sox have been without Thomas since April 27, when he tore his right
triceps. Thomas had season-ending surgery last month.

"There are very few players out there who you can even hope or dream could
replace Frank Thomas-type numbers. This is a guy (Canseco) who has done it
before," Williams said.

"It remains to be seen if he can continue and put up those type of numbers
he's put up in the past. In weighing this decision, I didn't see too many
risks."

Canseco has played in 1,811 major league games over a 15-year career with
Oakland, Texas, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees. In 37
games with the Yankees last season, he batted .243 with six homers.

A lifetime .266 hitter, Canseco ranks 23rd all-time with 446 major league
home runs, good for third among active players behind Mark McGwire and
Barry Bonds.

Canseco also has 1,358 career RBI, and a lifetime slugging percentage of .516.

"The thing I had to apologize to (Canseco) for was that I couldn't offer
him something financially of what he deserves," Williams said. "He told me
that it's not about money. He wants to catch Cleveland and Minnesota (in
the AL Central Division).

"What we're getting is a very motivated person. If things go well, we'll
get a productive person. It's worth the gamble."

Canseco has been hampered by injuries - including chronic back trouble -
for much of his career.

"He's fine,'' Williams said when asked about Canseco's health. "We'll just
have to see how much he has left."

Canseco, the AL Rookie of the Year with Oakland in 1986, became the first
player in major league history to hit 40 or more homers and steal 40 or
more bases when he accomplished the feat in 1988. That season, he was voted
the AL Most Valuable Player and helped the Athletics to the first of three
straight World Series appearances.

Canseco won a world championship with Oakland in 1989.

Canseco has hit 30 or more home runs in a season eight times, and 40 or
more three times.

"We're right in this thing, so it's good to see them go out and get a
veteran guy like Jose," Sox pitcher David Wells said. "This could make it
interesting."

Wells didn't seem concerned about Canseco's presence in the clubhouse.

"Jose is Jose," Wells said. "On the field, he's going to give you some home
runs if he's healthy. He's a big presence out there. I know that he can be
intimidating to some pitchers, because he's the type of guy who can put a
hurting on you."

Canseco will be used as a designated hitter.

"The pitching formula has been coming together," Manager Jerry Manuel said.
"What we need to do is get some more offensive productivity back together.
He'll give us a big bat and take a walk.

"My first reaction was, 'Is he healthy?' I know when he was (healthy) he
was very dangerous."

==========
From the Orange County Register:
Canseco returns

Jose Canseco claimed the Angels said he was damaged goods when they
released him in spring training. He also said they hurt his chances of
signing with another major league team. So Canseco decided to play for the
Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League.

He batted .284 with seven homers in 41 games, and Wednesday, the Chicago
White Sox signed him to a one-year deal pending a physical today.

"Jose's worked hard for it, and I hope he's successful, just not against
us,'' Scioscia said. "I don't think a lot of guys in his position would
take the route he did to get back to the big leagues.''

==========
From ESPN.com:
Sox have nothing to lose with Canseco
By Dave Campbell

Jose Canseco is still a big name, but this is not a big deal. First of all,
the White Sox probably had to pay very little for him, which is a huge
consideration. It's doubtful this greatly impacted their payroll. Secondly,
Harold Baines was having a horrible year, then he got injured. With Frank
Thomas out, they see Canseco as a chance to get another bat and have
somebody who can be the DH. One of their scouts must have seen something in
Newark that made him think Canseco still has something left to contribute.

Chicago does have a need for a DH, and rather than having to trade a young
prospect for an unknown, they went with someone their scouting department
felt comfortable with. Even though their starting pitching has improved
lately, they still need that more than they do a bat if they want to
contend for the AL Central. This fills a smaller need, and won't hurt the
payroll. If Canseco turns out to be productive, then it's a good move; if
he doesn't do much, then they are really no worse for the wear.

The White Sox have been playing better in June, but with or without
Canseco, they're still nine games out of first place right now.

==========
From the Newark Bears site:
CHICAGO WHITE SOX AGREE TO TERMS WITH JOSE CANSECO

NEWARK, NJ -- The First Place Newark Bears have announced that OF Jose
Canseco has agreed to terms with the Chicago White Sox of the American
League. Canseco, who will join the team on Thursday, becomes the first Bear
to go directly from Newark to the Major Leagues since the likes of "King
Kong" Keller and Yogi Berra roamed Ruppert Stadium.

"This is an exciting time for Jose and the Newark Bears. He now has another
legitimate chance to reach 500 homeruns and prove that he belongs in the
Major League Hall of Fame," said Owner and President Rick Cerone. "And it's
exciting for us to play a part in his return to the majors. It shows that
the Atlantic League can be a stepping stone in the road to Major League
success."

In 41 games with Newark this season, Canseco had a .284 batting average
with seven homeruns and 28 RBI. He also stole ten bases, had a .459
on-base-percentage and led Newark with 30 runs scored and 40 walks. During
his time in Newark, Canseco spent the majority of his time in leftfield,
but had been occupying centerfield over the last few days, and committed no
errors.

"Not only was he a leader on the field, but in the clubhouse as well. His
bat has helped to get us off to the tremendous start that we have, and his
Major League experience has been nothing but a positive for our younger
players," said Cerone.

He signed with Newark during their spring training in April, along with his
twin brother Ozzie, who hit 48 homeruns for the club in the 2000 season.
The Canseco's were just two of the former major leaguers to sign with
Newark prior to the season. The Bears roster also included Jim Leyritz,
Lance Johnson, Jaime Navarro, Jack Armstrong and Alonzo Powell.

==========
From the AP:
Wells stifles Orioles

...Canseco, who two nights earlier was playing in the minors with the
Newark Bears, went 1-for-5 as a designated hitter in his Chicago debut. The
16-year veteran grounded out three times, flied out and doubled to center
in the fifth inning, his first hit since last September with the New York
Yankees....

==========
From the Chicago Tribune:
Canseco welcome in lineup, clubhouse
DH could follow Ordonez in order

Jose Canseco is ready for the White Sox, but are the White Sox ready for
Jose Canseco?

"I'm going to try to grow my hair as long as I can so it won't all fall out
at one time," manager Jerry Manuel said.

Canseco, the slugger who once dated Madonna and had some legendary driving
incidents, is expected to join the Sox in Baltimore Thursday. As bad as the
Sox offense has been of late, nothing could make it any worse at this point.

"He's another guy who will take a walk," Manuel said. "We're last in
baseball in on-base percentage. You'd hope he still has that quick bat and
the ability to pop the ball any time."

Manuel said he probably would bat Canseco fifth to protect Magglio Ordonez
in the lineup. Canseco hit 34 home runs with Tampa Bay in 1999 while
playing in 113 games. Last year while fighting off injuries, he hit only 15
homers in 98 games with Tampa Bay and the Yankees.

"A guy like that needs his at-bats to feel comfortable," Paul Konerko said.
"He has been around for a long time, but that still doesn't change the fact
that as a hitter, you have to be in there every day, not in one day and off
two. If he's in there every day and healthy, he hits home runs and drives
in people. That's a given."

Whether Canseco will fit in well in the clubhouse is a question that
general manager Ken Williams asked himself before making the move.

"In weighing this decision, I didn't see too many risks," Williams said.
"Other than one of the things we always worry about, which is chemistry and
makeup of a ballclub. I know Jose and I know him well. I think he'll fit in
in this group."

Now, instead of divesting players, the Sox suddenly have added on, albeit
at a low salary of around $135,000 for the remainder of the season.

"When you go out and get some quality players, it's always a bonus," David
Wells said. "We're right in it. With a little help, before you know it,
we're three games out. We're playing all the guys in our division a bunch
more times. It'll make things interesting."

==========
From the AP:
Canseco in lineup for White Sox

BALTIMORE -- Two nights after playing center field for the Newark Bears in
the independent Atlantic League, Jose Canseco started at designated hitter
for the Chicago White Sox.

Canseco passed a physical Thursday and immediately was inserted into the
lineup against Baltimore.

"It felt like I was in a nightmare, especially when you become adjusted to
the major league level," said Canseco, 23rd on the career home-run list at
446. "You have to make the best of the situation, though. And at the time,
it became a necessity."

Canseco didn't get any offers after being released by Anaheim in spring
training. So he decided to bide his time in Newark and wait.

"I'm not trying to prove anybody wrong," said Canseco, who needs two stolen
bases to become the second player in baseball history with 400 homers and
200 steals. "I don't feel pressure. I'm just going to be myself."

White Sox manager Jerry Manuel welcomed Canseco, who hit .252 with 15 home
runs and 49 RBI in 98 games with Tampa Bay and the New York Yankees last
year. Manuel realizes that it may take some time for Canseco, who has been
on the disabled list three times in four seasons to regain his stroke.

"I couldn't put a number on that -- 10 games or 10 at-bats or whatever. I
don't think I could do that. We'll obviously have to see if the bat speed
if there and if he's not getting beat on pitches," Manuel said.

The stint in Newark -- where he played center field earlier this week
because the regular center fielders were injured and "I had the best arm"
-- showed the 16-year veteran how much some players take for granted.

"I feel sorry for those players down there, the things they have to go
through," said Canseco, who bought and stocked refrigerators for his
teammates. "The conditions are very poor down there, compared to the
major-league level, and definitely a lot of things you take for granted."

He admitted wondering whether he'd never play in the major leagues again.

"I think those thoughts go through your mind," Canseco said. "But I figured
if I could stay healthy, some team would have some kind of interest."

When White Sox slugger Frank Thomas underwent season-ending surgery May 15
to repair a torn right triceps, rumors circulated that Chicago might become
Canseco's seventh team. But it wasn't until Tuesday night that Canseco
learned that he'd join the White Sox.

"There are very few people in the game who have the type of presence Frank
Thomas does and who put up the numbers Frank Thomas has," Chicago general
manager Ken Williams said. "Anytime you have the chance to add a guy who
potentially can put up those numbers, there's reason for hope and optimism."

Canseco accepted the major league minimum $200,000, making him an
attractive and cost-effective source of right-handed power for Chicago,
12th in the AL in hitting.

"I've made a lot of money in this game already," he said. "My main concern
was getting back to this level. ... I'm only 54 home runs short of 500,
which hopefully gives me a chance to be inducted into the Hall of Fame."

==========
From ESPN.com:
Canseco's lure remains intoxicating
By Ray Ratto

A word of caution for anyone in the Chicago White Sox organization who
thinks the signing of Jose Canseco is a bad idea: Keep your complaints to
yourself.

Jose Canseco has been playing in Newark looking for a chance.

Plainly, this is a man who has the power to cloud the minds of others. He
can alter opinions telepathically. He can make people do his will. He can
mess you up with just a raised eyebrow.

Either that, or he's just irresistible.

Canseco's return to the big stage, albeit with the White Stockings, is an
odd reminder that some folks are just naturally gifted enough to convince
others that their gifts can still be mined. After all, this is the big
galoot's eighth chance, and seventh big-league team; his last stop was with
the Newark Bears of an independent league, and it wasn't as though he was
hitting .452 or anything.

But he is Jose Canseco, just as he was Jose Canseco when he came up with
the A's in 1985, and with the Rangers, Red Sox, A's again, Blue Jays, Devil
Rays and Yankees. All he needs is to get untracked, to find the swing that
launched a lot of pitchers' next careers.

At least that's the theory that the Sox are clinging to, despite the fact
that they play in a park that doesn't reward what Canseco does best -- hit
a fly ball. They need a power hitter now that Frank Thomas is done for the
year, and though they are trying their best, the illusion of Jose Canseco
apparently trumps the reality of Paul Konerko and Carlos Lee.

But how, you wonder. Canseco has been a model study of perseverance as his
once-sure Hall of Fame career has turned into a Moebius strip of false
starts and stutter steps. We cannot fault his desire to keep at it until he
either relocates his game or abandons even the last hope.

What is unusual, though, is that there is another general manager (Kenny
Williams) who sees Canseco as he was in Oakland in the late '80s, just as
Brian Cashman (well, George Steinbrenner) did before him, and Chuck LaMar
did before him, and Gord Ash did before him, and Sandy Alderson did before
him, and Dan Duquette before him, and Tom Grieve before him.

General managers aren't normally this forgiving. They usually prefer some
young buck they drafted and nurtured through the low minors to someone who
has toured the big leagues like those civilians who try to see a game in
every park every year in hopes of getting three paragraphs in USA Today
under a headline, "Another Person Blows Summer Vacation."

But Jose Canseco is plainly a different case. He has a personal charm that
is undeniable, but that usually means a broadcasting job. He has an
indomitable will to keep playing, but that usually results in a coaching
job, or at least a minor-league managing job.

Mostly, though, what he has is a four-year stretch during the first Bush
administration in which he was the most feared player in baseball, and guys
like that are hard to come by without a nine-figure contract in hand.

And the White Sox are hoping to see signs of that dominance, even though it
has been dormant for nearly a decade now. This is plainly a case of hope
springing external.

Makes you wonder how many teams will try to coax Cal Ripken out of
retirement this winter, doesn't it?

It should, anyway. Coming back from retirement has become the cheapest ploy
in sports; you almost have to read the obituary page to find men or women
who have truly given up any intention of playing again.

But Canseco has never retired. He's talked about it, thought about and even
threatened to do it, but he's kept plugging at it, through surgeries,
through dismal seasons, through even the gall of being signed (and unused)
by the Yankees in the latter half of 2000.

Not that the Yankees should necessarily have made room for him on
principle, mind you. They won a World Series with him mostly watching, so
it's hard to make the case that he was underused.

But the Yankees bought into the past potential just as the White Sox are
doing now, and that may be Jose Canseco's greatest skill ever -- to hint at
greatness even when that greatness is years behind him.

It is hard not to imagine the possibilities, though. Kenny Williams
couldn't resist, and if it doesn't work out in Chicago, someone else may
decide it can on another team. Jose Canseco is that intoxicating.

All in all, a pretty good life skill to have.

Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle is a regular contributor to ESPN.com

==========
From the AP:
Canseco contributes in Sox shutout
By Andrew Sutton, MLB Analyst

When Jose Canseco donned the seventh different major league uniform of his
17-year career Thursday night, nobody was quite sure
how the 36-year-old slugger would fare. He hadn't stepped in a major league
batter's box since October 1, and even the self-assured Cuban didn't know
what to expect in his White Sox debut.

"I'm definitely nervous," Canseco said before Thursday's game against
Baltimore. "It has been a while and obviously people are going to be
watching and anticipating to see what I do, to see if what the Angels said
about me was true and so forth."

The Angels decided to release Canseco at the end of spring training because
they felt the aging batsman was too far past his prime and they feared his
recurring back problems would prevent him from contributing throughout a
full season. But when Chicago signed him away from the Newark Bears of the
independent Atlantic League, Canseco saw it as an opportunity to silence
his critics.

He grounded out in his first two at-bats, but he was just shaking off the
rust. In the fifth inning, Canseco took hold of a Jason Johnson pitch and
dropped it near the warning track for a double. He was responsible for
chasing Johnson, and reliever Calvin Maduro came on and issued two walks to
push Canseco to third. He was prevented from scoring due to a Royce Clayton
pop up that ended the inning.

Canseco's 1-for-5 performance was enough to draw praise from manager Jerry
Manuel, who discussed the state of his club after the 6-0 win.

"We've had a long, tough trail to get back to .500," Manuel said. "It's not
important to enjoy .500, because .500 is mediocrity. Hopefully, we'll roll
right past it.

"Some things are starting to come around for us offensively. It's good to
see Jose come in and contribute."...

...As for Canseco, his goals are a little more selfish. Rather than play
.500 ball, he wants to hit 500 homers to gain a possible bid into the Hall
of Fame.

"I have no idea if I will [hit 500 homers], but it's a round number," he
said. "It's a start at least. I don't know of any other players who've hit
500 that have not been inducted. If that's the criteria, that's the
criteria. Is it 100 percent sure? I can't tell you. Is it a springboard?
It's a great chance."

Whether or not Canseco, who has 446 career round-trippers, can hang around
long enough to join the exclusive 500 club remains to be seen. For now, the
White Sox would just like him to produce enough offense to get them back in
the postseason hunt.

==========
From the Chicago Sun Times
Blank you very much: Solid Kip zips Orioles
June 22, 2001
BY CHRIS DE LUCA STAFF REPORTER

BALTIMORE--With Jose Canseco making his debut, the White Sox went about
their business Thursday night as if they didn't need a superstar power
hitter presenting a threat in their lineup....

...Playing in the big leagues for the first time this season, Canseco went
1-for-5. Batting fifth as the designated hitter, Canseco lined a double to
the gap in right-center field in the fifth inning to chase starter Jason
Johnson (6-4).

"I was glad to get that first hit out of the way," he said. "It's great to
be back. These guys can really hit."...

...Another promising sign was the play of Canseco.

"It looks like he is in very good shape and his bat looks lively," Manuel
said. "He could be a real shot in the arm for us."

Though Canseco boasted about playing center field for the independent
Newark Bears and being a threat on the bases, the Sox simply want the first
man to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases to be their DH.

On his first day, Canseco was talking big.

"I'm probably the fastest guy in baseball for my size," said the 6-4,
243-pounder. "And I'm willing to prove that day in and day out. . . . I can
still run a 4.4 40 right now, no doubt about it.

"I like to hit with the bases loaded every time up, with two outs and the
game on the line."

Manuel just wants to keep it simple with Canseco, who has had back and
hamstring problems.

"The thing for him is to remain healthy so he can get up to the plate four
times a night and not be missing at-bats," Manuel said.

No one is rooting for Canseco to hit the 54 homers needed to reach 500 more
than Manuel.

"I'd like to see him get them," Manuel said. "Then we might have a shot. We
might get some [fans] then."

==========
From the Chicago Sun Times:
Canseco: More than meets the eye
June 22, 2001
BY GREG COUCH

The White Sox signed Jose Canseco to help them in the pennant race, and you
know what that means.

Or do you?

What we know for sure about Canseco is that he hits long home runs, he's
big and he's famous. Not to mention, he once dated Madonna.

But what team do you associate his career with? What position? What level
of success? And what about off the field? Good guy? Bad guy?

"I don't think he's a Hall of Fame player, no," baseball historian Bill
James said. "If he makes it to 500 home runs, that would make him a
borderline Hall of Famer, but I still wouldn't put him there. The problem
is, there's no hold to his career. If you ask who Cal Ripken is, there is
an answer to that. Or George Brett or Nolan Ryan.

"But ask who Jose Canseco is, well, he had a good year or two, was never a
complete player. A lot of bits and pieces are brilliant, but nothing that
holds together. He bounced around a lot. And it's hard to put your finger
on what his identity is."

Years ago, when Canseco was a confounding superstar and not just one big
question mark, the answers were easier to come by. They cost $2 for the
first minute and $1 each minute after that.

"Hi, I'm Jose Canseco," he used to say on a commercial. "I want to speak to
you, so call 1-900-234-JOSE. I'll give you the latest scoop on baseball and
what's happening in my personal life.

"If you want to know if I used steroids, how fast I drive or why I was
carrying that gun, call 1-900-234-JOSE."

Steroid rumors, an arrest for having a loaded gun in his car, speeding
tickets for going 120 mph in his Porsche, a home-run ball that bounced off
his head in the outfield--they are part of the legend that turned Canseco
into a star.

Or maybe it's not a legend, but a litany.

Or a rap sheet.

It depends on what you think of him. It all seemed much easier to overlook
when he was the American League's most valuable player and not a has-been
trying to show he still has it.

Assuming that numbers don't lie, here are some facts: He is 6-4 and 240
pounds. He will turn 37 on July 2, has 446 career homers and thinks if he
gets to 500, he'll be in the Hall of Fame. That, he said, is his motivation.

"It's a nice, round number," he said. "I don't know of any player who's hit
500 who's not in. Is it 100 percent sure [that 500 will get him to
Cooperstown]? I couldn't tell you."

Every player who has hit 500 homers and is eligible for the Hall is in. And
Canseco is the founding member of the 40-40 club, becoming the first player
to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in the same year. But that was 1988.

The onetime highest-paid player in baseball now has been pulled from the
Newark Bears in an independent minor league to play for the Sox at the
major-league minimum, $200,000.

So things have changed for Canseco. He is said to have toned down his act, too.

But that just adds to the mystery. What are the Sox getting into? They were
the only team truly interested in signing him. Two years ago, Tampa Bay was
the only team to make him an offer.

"Am I missing something?" Devil Rays general manager Chuck LaMar told
Sports Illustrated at the time. "He has this shadow, if you will, that
follows him wherever he goes."

That shadow came partly from a history of injuries, which included surgery
on a herniated disc in his back. But also it included a trend of going on
the disabled list for a few weeks in the middle of summer for injuries that
critics thought weren't real, but just excuses to take vacations when he
was bored.

Most of his defining moments don't show him hurting others--except for a
charge of assaulting his wife--but as a man-child who suddenly came across
huge doses of money, muscles and mania.

He was kicked off his high school team for insubordination. He didn't make
the state all-star team in 1982, but came up with the Oakland Athletics
late in the 1985 season and started hitting home runs right away. He was a
weightlifting fanatic before that was popular in baseball and a Goliath
before that was commonplace among players.

So here he was, bigger, stronger, faster than others, and good-looking.
Fame hit immediately. He was AL Rookie of the Year in 1986 and on World
Series teams in Oakland from 1988 to '90.

But he also was identified by his Porsche and those speeding tickets. He
dated Madonna once, and the New York Post ran the headline, "Madonna's Batboy?"

Rumors of steroid use--which he denies--always have followed him. Fans at
Fenway Park once chanted to him, "Just say no." Canseco, in right field,
turned to the crowd, smiled and flexed his biceps.

Let's see. He once smashed his car into that of his first wife, Esther, in
anger. After their divorce, he says he contemplated suicide. But he met his
current wife, Jessica, at a Hooters in Cleveland, where she was a waitress.
When they were married, according to Sports Illustrated, she was pregnant
and he had thrown out his back. She put on a white dress, and they recited
their vows lying in bed.

He once called Miami police to complain that she had slapped him in the
mouth. And he once pleaded no contest to striking her in the face. From
there, enemy fans greeted him with chants of "Wife beater."

On the field, teammates complained about his aloofness. Canseco reportedly
once approached two players who were studying their books on the pitcher
they were facing that day. He asked what they were doing, and they were
surprised to find out that he didn't keep such notes at all.

"Eventually," he reportedly told them, "they have to throw strikes."

These are the things that turned Canseco into a show.

"I love playing baseball," he told SI. "But sometimes I feel like the
gorilla in the zoo. People watch the gorilla, stare at it, point at it,
trying to figure out why it's doing what it's doing. It seems as if eyes
are always on me the same way."

He said that 12 years ago. They're still watching. They watched in Oakland,
Texas, Boston, Toronto, Tampa Bay, New York and any other team he has
played for.

What will his legend finally say? Did laziness and craziness lead Canseco
to undercut his potential? Will that change if he makes the Hall?

James said he doesn't believe Canseco wasted his talent. He had back
surgery, hit more than 400 homers and accomplished more than his twin
brother, Ozzie, who has spent most of his career in the minors.

Canseco's career seemed washed up long ago. Then he hit 46 homers for
Toronto in 1998. He has done little since. Maybe he has another comeback in
him.

Even Sox manager Jerry Manuel said he was concerned about what Canseco
would be like in the clubhouse. He asked infielder Tony Graffanino, a
former Canseco teammate, who told him Canseco would be fine. Sox third
baseman Herbert Perry played with Canseco, too, in Tampa Bay.

"As a teammate, he's awesome," Perry said. "When Tampa Bay signed him,
everyone talked about what a distraction he was, but we never saw it. I
don't think he'll be a distraction here. If he's healthy, he is devastating."

==========
Canseco says he can help team
BY CHRIS DE LUCA

BALTIMORE--There was a time when no one in baseball could exude confidence
on the level of Jose Canseco. His swagger was as famous as his swing.

But as he put on a White Sox uniform for the first time Thursday afternoon,
Canseco made a surprising confession.

"I'm definitely nervous," said Canseco, who passed a physical in the
morning and went 1-for-5 while batting fifth in the lineup as the
designated hitter against the Baltimore Orioles. "It has been a while, and
people will be watching to see if the ability is still there, to see if
what the Angels said about me was true."

The Anaheim Angels were Canseco's previous major-league team, one that
broke his heart in spring training and put him in the fast lane to his
biggest nightmare in baseball: the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic
League.

There was a Class AAA contract offer from the Toronto Blue Jays in April,
but Canseco wanted the freedom to make the choice about his major-league
future.

So he went to work in Newark, where the clubhouse didn't have a
refrigerator until he bought two. That same clubhouse was called home by
six desperate teammates who couldn't afford better housing than that musty
room at a ballpark in a bad neighborhood.

Canseco makes a sour face just thinking about life with the Newark Bears.

"The food situation, the way the clothing was washed, nothing compared to
the major-league level," said Canseco, who last October was in the World
Series with the New York Yankees. "And don't even talk to me about the travel.

"I felt like I was in a nightmare, especially when you become so adjusted
to the major-league level. ... But I wasn't going to quit. I was ready to
play the whole year out at Newark."

It was a nightmare Canseco was willing to endure if it meant a ticket back
to the big leagues and his pursuit of the 54 home runs needed to reach 500.
The Sox punched the ticket when they signed him to a one-year deal
Wednesday for the major-league minimum of $200,000.

"I apologized to him for only being able to offer the minimum salary,"
general manager Ken Williams said. "And he said he just wanted to play. It
was so refreshing to hear that."

When did Williams first think of signing Canseco?

"The second Frank Thomas lifted himself off the ground at first base,"
Williams said.

That was back on April 27, when Thomas--the Sox later learned--tore his
left triceps in an injury that cost the team its most prominent power
threat for the season. Veteran Harold Baines was next in the DH spot, but
he also is on the DL.

Canseco was the only player available who could present a threat on the
level of Thomas. The biggest question is if Canseco's suspect back and
fragile hamstrings will cooperate.

"The way we are going, he could help us a lot," veteran catcher Sandy
Alomar Jr. said. "He can get on a rampage and carry the whole load. It's
not like he was retired. He worked his butt off to get back to the big
leagues, where he belongs."

Canseco thought he earned a big-league job during spring training with the
Angels. He was stunned when he was released and further shocked when the
Angels publicly questioned his long-term health. From manager Mike Scioscia
to spokesman Tim Mead, the Angels essentially told the world Canseco was
damaged goods.

Canseco, who turns 37 on July 2, figures the Angels' remarks persuaded
every other team to look elsewhere for a veteran power hitter.

Newark was the best place to prove his critics--primarily the Angels--wrong.

"I have no idea why they did that," he said of the Angels' criticism. "To
this day, to this second, I'm still trying to find out why. I thought I had
a pretty good position with the Angels. Every indication was that I made
the team."

Facing a variety of breaking balls and no fastballs over 90 mph, Canseco
created his own audition. Seems the Sox were the only ones interested. In
41 games with the Bears, Canseco hit .284 with seven homers and 27 RBI.

He trailed team leader Alonzo Powell in all three categories, but Canseco
made his point.

"If I'm healthy, being in the lineup day in and day out, once I get locked
in, I can help any team," he said. "Hopefully, I can give them a little bit
of a boost. I'm not trying to shove it in anybody's face and I'm not trying
to prove anybody wrong. I'm just trying to be me."

==========
From the Chicago Tribune:
Canseco experiment worth risk
White Sox, in desperate need of offense, could get lucky by signing ex-slugger
By Rick Morrissey
Friday, June 22, 2001

Chicago - The White Sox lineup Wednesday included McKay Christensen, Tony
Graffanino, Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede, Josh Paul and a few other guys the
team pulled out of a bar near 31st Street. They heard the word "pitcher"
and assumed it meant free beer. The Sox beat Kansas City, 2-1.

There is something almost inspiring about the way the Sox are trying to
sneak up on a thoroughly uninterested public. And there is something
compelling about a team that is so faceless that only close relatives can
identify the players - even then at about an 85 percent success rate.

The Sox did not upset the apple cart by signing slugger Jose Canseco on
Wednesday because this isn't an apple cart. This is a team in desperate
need of some offensive production. The risk is that Canseco will turn into
David Wells' just-as-evil twin, a bash brother who disrupts the clubhouse
and doesn't perform particularly well.

It's worth the risk. Or to put it another way, how much worse at the plate
can Canseco be than Harold Baines?

This is not a bold move by the Sox as much as it is a harmless experiment.

If Canseco somehow returns to the form of even two years ago, when he hit
34 homers and had 95 RBIs in 113 games for Tampa Bay, then it could be the
move that helps them catch Minnesota and Cleveland in the American League
Central.

If it doesn't work, then it's back to being a gritty team of few stars, not
such a bad thing.

Based on the Sox's recent resurgence, name recognition isn't an absolute
necessity. But it can help. On Wednesday the Sox added an implied threat
who might turn into a threat.

"He definitely intimidates people, there's no doubt about that," Konerko
said. "Just his name alone will probably count for a lot of walks. It will
mean different pitches to the guy in front of him.

"If you're a pitcher, you don't know how he's feeling. Is he up there
swinging the bat well? If he is he's a guy who has hit almost 500 home
runs."

It's said the 500 home-run mark doesn't mean as much as it used to, but
there is little inflation in Canseco's 446 career bombs. He hit most of
them when they were harder to come by.

The question is whether he is healthy. The Anaheim Angels were scared off
by what they considered a bad back and waived him during spring training.
Canseco took his bat to the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic
League. He stole 10 bases in 41 games there, so the Sox have proof he at
least can put one foot in front of the other without seizing up like a
shuddering Chevy.

"His health was the question with us too," said Bears manager Tom O'Malley.

Canseco turns 37 July 2. His better days are behind him, but on the
positive side, so are Madonna's. He no longer is the wild child who makes
the gossip columns. He says all he cares about now is the win column.

Maybe he has come to the right place.

Who would have thought that a month ago?

==========
From the Chicago Tribune:
DH is Canseco's only role
Slugger would love to show his other skills
By Paul Sullivan
June 21, 2001 10:50 PM CDT

BALTIMORE - Envision the sight of Jose Canseco playing center field between
Carlos Lee and Magglio Ordonez.

Now forget about it.

Canseco said he played some center field with the independent Newark Bears
of the Atlantic League and doesn't want to be pigeonholed as strictly a DH.
He insists he can run a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.

"No doubt about it," Canseco said. "And that's at 245 pounds-extremely
fast. I think I led the team in stolen bases with the Newark Bears, and I
played center field and didn't make an error."

The Sox are likely to hide Canseco's glove, granted he brought one with
him. General manager Ken Williams said Canseco is a DH, end of story.

Even when no one offered him a major-league job in April, Canseco never
contemplated retirement. The idea of giving it up when the 500 home run
plateau was within reach was anathema to Canseco, so he began what he
termed his "nightmare," spending seven weeks in Newark.

"I have too much to offer, too much ability [to retire]," he said. "I work
too hard for that to happen, especially when you're 54 home runs short of
500. A lot of players now play until their early 40s. Me-I'm a young 36.
(He turns 37 July 2.) I'll keep saying it, because it's a fact-I'm probably
the fastest guy in baseball for my size. No doubt about it. I'd be willing
to prove that day in and day out."

Manager Jerry Manuel isn't all that interested in seeing Canseco prove that
he's the fastest 245-pound player in the game. His message to Canseco is to
just hit the ball and don't get hurt.

"He has the freedom to be the ballplayer he feels he can be," Manuel said.
"If he likes to run, he has the freedom to run. The thing is, he has to
remain healthy to be able to bat four times a night and not miss games
because of nagging injuries."

==========
From the Chicago Sun Times:
The Sox were off to a great start Friday.

In his second game since signing with the Sox, Canseco delivered big,
lining a two-run double to the gap in right-center in the first inning off
right-hander Jose Mercedes (3-8).

"I got lucky, really," said Canseco, who went 1-for-4 and is 2-for-9 with
two doubles. "I'd like to hit the ball a little harder. I'd like to hit a
home run now and then."

Canseco did get lucky in the third inning. After Carlos Lee hit a one-out
double down the left-field and stole third, Ordonez drew his second of
three walks. Canseco then grounded to third.

Cal Ripken Jr. started what looked to be an inning-ending double play. But
Hairston made a poor throw to first, allowing Canseco to reach second and
Lee to score for a 3-0 edge....

==========
Form the Daily Southtown:

...Jose Canseco, playing in his second game with the Sox, drove in three runs.

"(Thursday), during my first at-bat, I was kind of nervous. Then everything
was back to normal," Canseco said. "I'm healthy, I'm in the lineup. I just
hope I stay healthy."

==========

...Don't look now, but the White Sox are climbing back into the AL Central
race, and signing Jose Canseco for the minimum salary can't hurt. Canseco,
54 homers shy of 500, sounds genuinely humbled by his experience with the
Newark Bears. "I feel sorry for those players down there, the things they
have to go through, Canseco told reporters. "The conditions are very poor
down there, compared to the major league level, and definitely [lack] a lot
of things you take for granted." For instance, Canseco bought and stocked
refrigerators for many of his Newark teammates. Guess it's a good thing
Rafael Medina wasn't playing down there, huh?...

==========
From the Sun Times:

CANSECO WATCH: Newly acquired designated hitter Jose Canseco went 1-for-4
with a double, giving him a double in each of his three games with the Sox.
In 13 at-bats, he has two more extra-base hits than former DH Harold
Baines, who had one double and no homers in 83 at-bats before going on the
disabled list.

==========
From the NJ Record:

A month ago, Jose Canseco was overflowing with gratitude toward the Newark
Bears, who gave him a chance to show the world he still had bat speed, and
paired him up with his brother, Ozzie Canseco.

It was a perfect story line all around. Canseco hit home runs, the Bears
found new fans, and the big man eventually got the major league contract he
longed for with the White Sox.

But somehow, that didn't stop Canseco from trashing the Bears once he got
to Comiskey Park.

"I felt like I was in a nightmare," said Canseco, who batted .284 with
seven home runs and 27 RBI in 41 games. "The conditions are very poor down
there and that made me appreciate a lot of things you'd take for granted up
here. The clubhouse situation was really poor."

Canseco could've easily done Bears owner Rick Cerone -- a former Yankee and
Met with strong ties in this area -- the courtesy of thanking the Bears for
the springboard they offered. Or else Canseco could've simply said nothing
about life in the Atlantic League.

Instead, he comes off as petty and small.

-----------
Readers who wish to communicate with Bob Klapisch should e-mail him at
klapisch@..., write to him in care of The Record Sports
Department, 150 River St., Hackensack, N.J. 07601, or fax him at (201)
646-4428.