#158 – Bob Howry

howry

Name: Bob Howry

Rank: 158

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1998-2002

Acquired in the infamous White Flag trade, Bob Howry joined the White Sox organization on July 31, 1997, along with Keith Foulke, Lorenzo Barcelo, Mike Caruso, Ken Vining, and Brian Manning, from the Giants in exchange for Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez.  Howry made his major league debut on June 21, 1998, pitching 2 innings of scoreless relief in the White Sox loss to the Twins.

Howry stuck with the big league club and eventually became the closer, saving 9 games down the stretch.  He finished the year 0-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 44 appearances.

Howry remained as the closer for most of 1999, until he was replaced by Keith Foulke.  He finished the year with a winning record, at 5-3, and saw his ERA rise slightly to 3.59.  His 28 saves led the team and was 9th best in the AL.

His most infamous moment in a White Sox uniform came in early 2000, when the White Sox and Tigers were involved in 2 brawls during their April 23 game, which the Sox won 14-6.  Howry was ejected in the 9th inning after hitting Shane Halter, igniting the second brawl of the day and earning himself a 3 game suspension.  Many claim that the brawl united the young White Sox team, spurring them on to winning the AL Central title.  Howry finished the year with a 2-4 record and a 3.17 ERA, picking up 7 saves.  He appeared in 2 of the 3 games against the Mariners in the ALDS, giving up 1 run in 2 2/3 innings.

The White Sox faltered in their bid to repeat as division champs in 2001, and Howry was part of the problem.  His ERA ballooned to 4.69 and he blew more saves than he converted.  He finished the year with a 4-5 record and only 5 saves, giving up more hits than innings pitched for the first time in his career.

Howry bounced back somewhat in 2002, but was still above his career norms for runs and hits allowed.  As the White Sox were floundering at the trade deadline, Howry, despite still being under contract for 2003, was shipped to the Red Sox for Frank Francisco and another minor league pitcher.  “The opportunity presented itself and we told Bobby it was an offer we felt too good to pass up,” GM Kenny Williams said.

Howry’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

Wins Losses ERA Saves IP Hits Runs ER Walks Strike Outs HR HBP Appearances
0 0 4.70 1 15.333 12 8 8 10 17 2 0 15
13 17 3.74 49 322.333 279 143 134 133 286 39 16 294

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