The White Sox have declined Darin Erstad ($3.5 million) and Mike Myers ($1.1 million) options for the 2008 season. Erstad just couldn’t stay healthy last year and he didn’t play well when he was. Erstad played in 87 games last season and he was 77 for 310 (.248 avg, .645 OPS) with 33 runs scored, 4 homers and 32 RBIs. The White Sox added Mike Myers during the season and he was simply awful for the White Sox. Myers pitched in 17 games with the White Sox and he was 1-0 with a 11.20 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP. In 13.2 innings he allowed 21 hits, walked 7 batters and whiffed 6.

The White Sox have lost righty reliever Ryan Bukvich to free agency after he refused his outright assignment to AAA Charlotte. Bukvich worked in 45 games for the White Sox last season and he was 1-0 with a 5.05 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. In 35.2 innings, he allowed 36 hits, walked 24 and whiffed 18. The White Sox won’t miss Bukvich next season.

The White Sox hope Jim Thome stays healthy enough to pad his career stats in 2008. He has now played in 2,011 career games and he’s 1,925 for 6,841 (.281 avg, .974 OPS) with 1,338 runs scored, 507 homers, 1,398 RBIs and 1,459 walks. He also has whiffed 2,043 times in his career but that doesn’t matter when you can hit like Thome can. Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko missed Thome’s protection in the lineup whenever he was out.