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#208 – Toby Hall

TobyHallWhiteSox

Name: Toby Hall

Rank: 208

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 2007-2008

Following the 2006 season, Toby Hall signed with the White Sox as a free agent to be the backup to A.J. Pierzynski.  His first season on the south side got off to a late start after he dislocated his shoulder during spring training.  He was activated off the DL on May 16, which, after finishing the season with a .207 average and a whopping 3 RBI, he admitted was a month too soon.

Given a full offseason to continue healing, Hall bounced back in 2008.  As the White Sox battled the Twins for the AL Central crown, Hall put up a .260 average.  He did run into some controversy in August, when he nearly re-injured his shoulder while trying to hit Jermaine Dye with a shaving cream pie.

Following the season, the White Sox declined his option for 2009 and allowed him to leave as a free agent, but his shoulder could no longer hold up to the rigors of catching and he never appeared in the major leagues again.

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

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#209 – Bill Simas

SoxName: Bill Simas

Rank: 209

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1995-2000

Bill Simas joined the White Sox organization near the trading deadline in 1995 along with McKay Christensen, Andrew Lorraine, and John Snyder in the deal that sent Jim Abbott and Tim Fortugno to the Angels.  He made his major league debut on August 15, pitching a scoreless inning of relief against those same Angels.  He finished the season with a 2.57 ERA in 14 appearances for a disappointing White Sox squad that finished 8 games under .500.

Simas became a mainstay of the White Sox bullpen starting in 1996, when he appeared in 64 games.  His ERA, however, jumped up to a career high 4.58 in 72.2 inning pitched, also a career high.  He improved in 1997, lowering his to 4.14 in 40 games before minor shoulder surgery ended his season early in August.

Much to his chagrin, Simas started the 1998 season in Triple A to build up his arm strength.  “If spring training had been another week to 10 days, he’d be with us,” general manager Ron Schueler said.  “He’s just not quite ready yet.”  Simas did not see things the same way.  “They say my velocity’s not the same, but does that mean I can’t pitch?” Simas asked.  “I asked that question and they didn’t give me an answer. That’s the way it goes.”  He was back in the big leagues by the end of April, finishing the year with a 3.57 ERA and 18 saves.

1999 was another decent year for the bullpen workhorse.  He appeared in a career high 70 games and put up a 6-3 record with 2 saves.  As the White Sox ran away with the 2000 AL Central title, Simas again was a key part of the bullpen, appearing in 60 games and putting up a 3.46 ERA before being shut down for the final month of the season after suffering elbow pain.  He returned for the ALDS against the Mariners, appearing in 2 of the 3 games.

Following the 2000 season, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2001 season.  After that season, he was granted free agency, but returned to the White Sox organization on a minor league deal in May of 2002.  After the 2002 season, he again was granted free agency, but he never appeared in the major leagues again.

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

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More Looking Forward To Next Year

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersMajor League Baseball released their tentative 2015 schedule earlier this week and, with little more to be concerned with for this season, let’s take a look at what’s on tap for next summer for the North Siders.

The Cubs open the season at home against the Cardinals on Monday, April 6.  If one were to try and determine when super-phenom Kris Bryant is likely to be called up, the early May road trip to visit the Cardinals and Brewers would seem like a good bet.

This year’s inter-league slate is against the AL Central, with the Royals, Indians, White Sox, and Tigers making trips to Wrigley Field, while the Cubs hit the road to visit the Tigers, Indians, Twins, and White Sox.

The Cubs finish the season on the road against the Reds and Brewers, which would make for a great pennant race should the team be in contention.

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Looking Forward To Next Year

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersMajor League Baseball released their tentative 2015 schedule earlier this week and, with little more to be concerned with for this season, let’s take a look at what’s on tap for next summer for the South Siders.

The White Sox open the season on the road against the Royals on Monday, April 6.  The home season begins that Friday, when the Twins come to town for a 3 game set.

This year’s inter-league slate is against the NL Central, with the Reds, Pirates, Cubs, and Cardinals making trips to US Cellular Field, while the Sox hit the road to visit the Brewers, Pirates, Cardinals, and Cubs.

The White Sox finish the season at home against the Royals and Tigers, which would make for a great pennant race should the team be in contention.

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GF4 – Week 9

Y4Week9The week got off to a horrid start, thanks to the Labor Day holiday and my allergies, which kept me inside all day and limited me to under 1000 steps.  The rest of the week rebounded fairly well, with every day surpassing the 5000 step mark, if just barely.  Saturday helped to pick up the slack for the rest of the week, thanks to a trip in to the city for shenanigans and a Garfunkel and Oates show at the House of Blues.  Sunday rounded out the week with my final visit to Wrigley Field for the year.

Total steps: 46,988

Daily average: 6712.6

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You Ought To Be In (30) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of May 30th.

Today, we finish things off with the actor that has starred in the most movies, 30, that I have seen.

Bruce Willis

The actor that I have seen in the most films is Bruce Willis, who has a four picture lead over his closest competitors.  I first saw him in 1985’s Moonlighting, the pilot to the television show that introduced him to America.  His first screen work that I saw was 1988’s Die Hard.  The 5 Die Hard entries make up 1/6 of his overall total, including the most recent one, A Good Day To Die Hard, from earlier this year.  His greatest streak was 4 years from 1995 through 1998.  I saw 3 of his films in the same year 3 different times, in 2000, 2007, and 2008.

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#210 – Jerry Owens

Jerry Owens

Name: Jerry Owens

Rank: 210

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 2006-2009

Jerry Owens joined the White Sox organization in a February 2005 trade that sent Alex Escobar to the Nationals.  Owens earned a September call-up in 2006, making his major league debut on September 11 as a pinch runner in the White Sox victory over the Angels.

With the White Sox floundering in 2007, Owens got an extended look in the big leagues, and he did reasonably well, hitting .267 with 32 stolen bases.  A tear to his abductor muscle forced him to start the 2008 season on the disabled list, and he subsequently spent most of the season back in Triple A, appearing in only 12 games for the big league club.

In 2009, Owens again appeared in only 12 games for the White Sox, this time at the beginning of the season.  However, he only got 1 hit in his 12 at bats and, on May 2, he was released and, to date, he has never returned to the major leagues.

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

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#211 – Ken Patterson

kpattersonName: Ken Patterson

Rank: 211

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1988-1991

Ken Patterson was acquired by the White Sox in the August 1987 trade that sent Jerry Royster to the Yankees.  He made his major league debut on July 8, 1988, his 24th birthday, in a 10-7 White Sox loss to the Red Sox.  He spent 5 days with the White Sox before returning to Vancouver.  When Ricky Horton was traded to the Dodgers in late August, Patterson was recalled to take his place in the bullpen.  All told, he appeared in 9 games for the 88 White Sox, finishing with a 4.79 ERA.

Patterson made the team out of spring training in 1989 when Jack McDowell was sent back to Triple A for more seasoning.  Patterson would join him on May 21st, when he was sent back down after early struggles with the White Sox.  He returned in early June and stuck with the club for the remainder of the year, appearing in 50 games despite an uncanny inability to get left handers out.  Through August 20, the left handed hurler had “limited” left handed hitters to a .303 average.

Patterson returned to the White Sox bullpen in 1990, where he became the long man, a role he did not particularly care for.  “I don’t like it,” he said in the middle of a stretch that saw him pitch once in 16 days.  “I accept it.  But I don`t like it.”  He eventually moved to a left handed specialist role and, as the White Sox closed down Comiskey Park with a surprising 94 win season, he finished the year with a 3.39 ERA in 43 games.

In 1991, Patterson got off to an auspicious start, getting the first mock standing ovation during  the first game at New Comiskey Park after striking out Pete Incaviglia in the fourth inning.  The previous 7 batters he had faced had all reached base safely in a 16-0 thumping at the hands of the Tigers.  Patterson rebounded, however, and put together arguably his best season as a pro.  He went 3-0 with a career low 2.83 ERA in 43 games.

Despite coming off of his best season, Patterson was in a competition to earn a bullpen spot in 1992.  It was not to be, however.  With spring training winding down, Patterson was packaged along with Sammy Sosa and sent across town to the Cubs in exchange for George Bell.

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

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GF4 – Week 8

Y4Week8Overall, a pretty good week, though somewhat disappointing days on Wednesday and Thursday and a downright disappointing day on Saturday.  Nothing out of the ordinary during the work week, with Friday’s total helped out by some after work strolling around the neighborhood.  Saturday and Sunday included trips to US Cellular Field, although Sunday’s trip worked out much better both game wise and step wise.

Total steps: 44,312

Daily average: 6330.3

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Book 14 (of 52) – Soul Trade

Soul_Trade_(Angel_Novel)

Soul Trade – Thomas E. Sniegoski

Returning to the seedy streets of Los Angeles, we find Angel and company trying to save a young girl who’s soul has been stolen to be sold on an underground black market.  Standing in their way is an ancient wizard and a soul-sucking demon, who have been working together for centuries.

The original lineup for Angel lasted all of 9 episodes before Doyle was written out and replaced by Wesley, but the majority (if not all) of the novels take place during that time period.  Author Thomas Sniegoski shows a good grasp of the characters and their mindsets during the early parts of season 1.