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#117 – Dustin Hermanson

dustinhermName: Dustin Hermanson

Rank: 117

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2005-2006

Dustin Hermanson signed with the White Sox as a free agent in December of 2004.  He started the 2005 season as the set-up man, but moved into the closer role when the incumbent, Shingo Takatsu, failed to perform.  As the White Sox cruised to a big lead in the AL Central, Hermanson put together the best season of his career, with a stellar 2.04 ERA and 34 saves.

Hermanson lost his closer position due to a back injury in September, when he was replaced by Bobby Jenks as the White Sox tried to keep their tenuous grasp on the AL Central lead.  As the White Sox cruised through the playoffs on their way to their first World Championship in 88 years, Hermanson sat on the sidelines.  He made his only post-season appearance in Game 3 of the World Series, throwing 1/3 of scoreless relief in the south sider’s 14 inning victory over the Astros.

When 2006 got underway, Hermanson’s back was still causing him issues.  He only appeared in 6 games for the White Sox, before spending most of the year on the disabled list.  Following the season, he became a free agent and never pitched in the major leagues again.

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

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Fitbit Week 50

Week50_FBMy best week of 2016 (so far) got off to a good start thanks to a trip down to Champaign to take in a disappointing Purdue loss to the Illini on Sunday.  Monday approached 7000 steps despite temperatures that didn’t break 10 degrees, and the remainder of the work week all managed to surpass that lofty goal.  Saturday was a disappointment, despite going to a skating event for Angelina.

Total steps: 47,772

Daily average: 6824.6

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iTunes Top 200: #167 continued

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

Today, we continue with the second grouping of 10 songs tied for 167th place with 17 plays apiece since late 2007, 2 more than what would have qualified for the top 100 3 years ago.

#167: Garfunkel and Oates – I Would Never (Dissect a Ewe)
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 11/17/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

A parody of another song on this album brings the comedy stylings of Garfunkel and Oates to this list for the first time.

#167: Goops – Build Me Up Buttercup
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 4/3/2014
Previous ranking: #76

A cover of the Foundations hit, the song was included on the Mallrats soundtrack in 1995.

#167: Green Day – American Idiot
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 9/28/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The title track from Green Day’s 7th studio album.

#167: Hole – Malibu
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 8/3/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The final hit from Hole peaked at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100.

#167: Ice Cube – It Was A Good Day
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 8/26/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

Ice Cube’s ode to a random day in the hood, considered one of the top hip hop songs of all time, was the second single from his third solo release.

#167: James – Laid
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Rangers All Time Leaders – Through 2015

rangersWith 3 months until baseball in Chicago returns, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers began life in 1961, joining the American League as the second incarnation of the Washington Senators after the original franchise moved to Minnesota to become the Twins.  Following the 1971 season, the team moved to Arlington, Texas and became the Rangers.  I’ve seen them play 31 times, across 2 states and 4 different stadiums.

Home Runs

Name Total
Hank Blalock 3
Ian Kinsler 3
5 tied with 2

Hits

Name Total
Michael Young 19
Ian Kinsler 12
Mark Teixeira 12

Runs

Name Total
Michael Young 12
Hank Blalock 6
Gary Matthews Jr. 6

RBI

Name Total
Mark Teixeira 13
Michael Young 11
Hank Blalock 8
Ian Kinsler 8

Doubles

Name Total
Michael Young 7
5 tied with 3

Triples Continue reading →

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#118 – Jim Parque

parque

Name: Jim Parque

Rank: 118

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1998-2002

Jim Parque was selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 1997 draft, signing less than a week later.  He spent less than a year in the minor leagues, making his big league debut on May 26, 1998 against the Yankees.  Parque spent the rest of the season in the White Sox rotation, finishing with a winning record but with an inflated 5.10 ERA.

Parque spent the entire 1999 season in the big leagues, starting 30 games, but finding little success.  He finished with a 9-15 record and saw his ERA rise to 5.13.

2000 was Parque’s best year in the big leagues.  His most infamous moment in a White Sox uniform came in early April, when the White Sox and Tigers were involved in 2 brawls during the Sox’s 14-6 victory.  Parque hit Dean Palmer with the first pitch of the 7th inning, igniting the first 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.  Parque finished the year with a 13-6 record and lowered his ERA to 4.28.  He started game one of the ALDS against the Mariners, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings and getting a no decision in the White Sox loss.

Parque’s career began to fall apart in 2001, as a torn labrum limited him to 13 games for the White Sox over the 2001 and 2002 seasons, with ERAs of 8.04 and 9.95 respectively.  With his recovery in doubt, he was non-tendered in December of 2002, making him a free agent.

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

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Book 2 (of 52) – Deep Thoughts From A Hollywood Blonde

Deep Thoughts From A Hollywood Blonde - Jennie Garth

Deep Thoughts From A Hollywood Blonde – Jennie Garth with Emily Heckman

After Christmas, I splurged on a group of used memoirs that I had no intention of paying full price for, but didn’t want to wait for them to show up cheaply on Kindle.  The first of those that I chose to read is Deep Thoughts From A Hollywood Blonde from former 90210 star Jennie Garth.  All I can say is that I’m glad it came cheap.

When I was in high school, 90210 premiered and I was instantly enamored with Garth’s Kelly Taylor.  All these years later, I was looking forward to reading all of the inside scoop.  Sadly, Garth was not interested in spilling that dirt.  Instead, she spent most of the book talking about her ailing father, her great then suddenly failing marriage, and the links between the two.  While I can certainly say I know her better having read the book, I can’t say I like her better.

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He (Nearly) Gone

Ken-HarrelsonBack in October, the White Sox announced that Ken Harrelson, the play by play man for White Sox television broadcasts since 1990, will be cutting back his role this year, working road games, the home opener, and the Cubs series.  The 74 year old Harrelson, who has a 100 mile commute each way from his home in Indiana to US Cellular Field, had hinted at reducing his schedule prior to last season, but changed his mind after the team’s off-season moves offered the promise of an exciting summer.

Yesterday, the White Sox made the move official and announced the hiring of Jason Benetti, a 32-year old Homewood native who cut his professional broadcasting teeth with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Triple A affiliate of the Nationals.  Benetti becomes the first actual broadcaster hired by the White Sox since John Rooney in 1988.  The White Sox also announced that Harrelson and Steve Stone have signed multi-year extensions, settling the television booth for years to come.

I’ve never heard Benetti’s work (he also does college basketball on ESPN), but am looking forward to a younger and competent voice joining the broadcast booth.  An improved team and an improved broadcast booth should lead to an enjoyable summer.

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Fitbit Week 49

Week49_FBMy 3 week Christmas vacation came to a disappointing end on Sunday, as I barely passed 3000 steps while staying inside all day.  Monday was back to work, with all the usual steps that entails.  The high point of the workweek was Thursday, which included me walking back to South from Willow.  Things went south again on Saturday, as I once again failed to hit my goal.

Total steps: 45,372

Daily average: 6481.7

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Book 1 (of 52) – Pudge: The Biography Of Carlton Fisk

Pudge: The Biography of Carlton Fisk - Doug Wilson

Pudge: The Biography of Carlton Fisk – Doug Wilson

Doug Wilson traces the life of Carlton Fisk, from his upbringing in New Hampshire, to his time in Boston as a leader for the Red Sox, and, finally, to his tenure as the under-appreciated All Star on the south side of Chicago.  Along the way, Fisk overcame injuries and slights, both perceived and real, to become one of the greatest catchers ever to take the field.

Wilson manages to get great insight into Fisk, even if he didn’t get much input from Fisk himself, thanks to those around him.  For the most part, his time in Boston was mostly a mystery to me, besides his home run in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series.  I was mostly looking forward to reading about his time in Chicago, where he signed as a free agent in 1981 after the Red Sox were late in offering him a contact.

New White Sox ownership was looking to make a splash, and the signing of Fisk certainly gave them what they were looking for.  Despite putting up good numbers, Fisk’s advancing age seemed to always put him at odds with White Sox leadership, who either tried to replace him with unready rookies like Joel Skinner and Ron Karkovice, or move him to a new position, such as the ill-fated attempt to play left field during the 1986 season.  Finally, six days after breaking Bob Boone’s record for games caught, he was released by the White Sox in 1993, leading to years of resentment that continued into the 21st century.

I enjoyed the look back at Fisk’s time with the White Sox, despite dreading the later years when the team was not particularly good.  Reading about the seasons I had lived through as a child, I was able to gain greater insight in to why his career ended the way it did and the rift that existed between him and the White Sox, seemingly until former teammate Ozzie Guillen became manager in 2004.

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iTunes Top 200: #167

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs in my iTunes library.  Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact.  So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

We kick things off today with the first 13 songs tied for 167th place with 17 plays apiece since late 2007, 2 more than what would have qualified for the top 100 3 years ago.

#167: The McCoys – Hang On Sloopy
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 9/30/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

A #1 hit in October of 1965, this, for some reason, is the official rock song of Ohio.

#167: Mexican Cheerleader – Do The Stanley
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 5/30/2014
Previous ranking: Unranked

An impressive showing for the local punk band’s ode to Paul Stanley.

#167: The Monkees – I’m A Believer
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 12/11/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

The song, composed by Neil Diamond, spent 7 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts between 1966 and 1967

#167: The Moopets – Rainbow Collection
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 9/9/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

This version of the Muppets classic, featured in the film The Muppets, features Fozzie Bear pushing the virtues of a casino.

#167: Neil Diamond – Cherry, Cherry
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 7/10/2015
Previous ranking: Unranked

Neil Diamond’s first big hit, peaking at #6 on the charts in October of 1966.

#167: Neil Sedaka – Calendar Girl
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