"White Sox manager Ken Williams said Friday he's still hopeful of reaching a new contract agreement with star right fielder Magglio Ordonez, currently on the disabled list with a knee injury.
Ordonez, the subject of recent trade rumors, is in the final season of a three-year, $29.5 million deal that is paying him $14 million this season.
In the off-season, he told reporters he'd like to stay in Chicago with a long-term deal similar to ones signed by Vladimir Guerrero and Miguel Tejada. Guerrero got a $70 million, five-year contract from Anaheim, and Tejada received a $72 million, six-year deal from Baltimore.
"We'll put something forth that is not too far away from what he orginally wanted," Williams said without addressing specifics. "We want to make sure we have some sort of protection in the event that he's not healthy in that fifth year, certainly not taking away any of the overall dollars. I think the framework is there for a deal to be consummated. Only time will tell and only he will be able to give us that indication."
Ordonez, a four-time All-Star, had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left knee June 5. He was not with the White Sox before Friday's game with the Cubs.
"I don't know where he is. I haven't see him for what four days," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "When you are on the DL, you can do whatever you want to do."
Trainer Herm Schneider said Ordonez was spending the time in a Chicago suburb rehabbing his knee injury.
"We backed him off and did some therapy in a more consistent environment. It's just too small here and we can't get done what we need to get done," Schneider said. "I have been in touch with him."
Ordonez, who is batting .311 with eight homers and 34 RBIs, was expected to miss four to six weeks. "