Category / Baseball

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#109 – Edwin Jackson

ejax

Name: Edwin Jackson

Rank: 109

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2010-2011

Edwin Jackson came to the White Sox on July 30, 2010 in a trade with the Diamondbacks for David Holmberg and Daniel Hudson.  Word on the street was that the White Sox acquired Jackson in order to flip him to the Nationals for Adam Dunn, but another move was not in the cards.  With Jake Peavy out for the remainder of the season, Jackson moved in to the starting rotation, going 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts as the White Sox finished in second place, 6 games behind the Twins.

Jackson returned for the 2011 season.  As the White Sox hovered around .500, Jackson put up a 7-7 record, with a slightly inflated 3.92 ERA.  With the team failing to make a run and with Jake Peavy back from his injury the year before, the White Sox moved Jackson, along with Mark Teahen, to the Blue Jays in exchange for Jason Frasor and Zack Stewart, ending Jackson’s White Sox career almost a year to the day after it began.

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

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Royals All Time Leaders – Through 2015

royalsWith 2 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 defending World Series champion Kansas City Royals.

The Royals began life in 1969, joining the American League following the abandonment of the Kansas City market by the A’s following the 1967 season.  I’ve seen them play 40 times, first in 1985 at old Comiskey Park where Willie Wilson took a throw to second base of the noggin, to this past July, where I saw them sweep a series at US Cellular Field.

Home Runs

Name Total
John Buck 4
Billy Butler 4
Alex Gordon 3
Salvador Perez 3

Hits

Name Total
Billy Butler 30
Alex Gordon 18
Eric Hosmer 18
Alcides Escobar 18

Runs

Name Total
Billy Butler 13
Alex Gordon 12
Alcides Escobar 7
John Buck 7

RBI

Name Total
Billy Butler 16
John Buck 9
3 tied with 8

Doubles

Name Total
Billy Butler 6
Alex Gordon 5
Mark Teahen 5
Alcides Escobar 5

Triples Continue reading →

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#110 – Kevin Hickey

Hickey2004

Name: Kevin Hickey

Rank: 110

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1981-1983

Chicago native Kevin Hickey joined the White Sox organization following an open tryout in August of 1978 after a team staffer saw him playing softball.  After 3 seasons in the minor leagues, Hickey broke camp with the White Sox in 1981 and made his major league debut in the home opener, throwing a hitless inning of relief in the Sox 9-3 victory over the Brewers.  Hickey finished the year with 41 appearances out of the bullpen, with 3 saves, and put up a respectable 3.65 ERA.

Hickey again was a main cog in the bullpen for the 1982 White Sox.  He set career highs in wins, appearances, innings pitched, strikeouts, and saves.

While 1983 was a successful year for the White Sox, ending in their first divisional title, things did not work out as well for Hickey.  A shoulder injury sidelined him after only 23 games, and his ERA at the time of his injury was 5.23.

Hickey returned to the minor leagues to rehab in 1984, and, in August, he, along with future star Doug Drabek, were sent to the Yankees as the players to be named later for Roy Smalley.  Hickey signed again with the White Sox as a free agent in March of 1987, but did not make it back to the majors and was released on August 21.

In 2003, Hickey was hired by the White Sox to be their batting practice pitcher.  He would serve in that role until April 2012, when he was found unresponsive in a Texas hotel room before the White Sox opened the season against the Rangers.  He passed away a month later at the age of 56.

Hickey’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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All Time Batting Leaders – Through 2015

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersLast week, we took our annual look at the all time leaders in pitching stats for the 794 games I’ve attended (and identified) between 1984 and 2015. With the full White Sox roster due in camp today, it’s time to move over to the other side of the ball and take a look at the offensive stat leaders for those games, starting with our first category:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 93
Sammy Sosa 42
Aramis Ramirez 41
Derrek Lee 40
Jermaine Dye 40

Hits

Name Total
Paul Konerko 366
Alexei Ramirez 299
Derrek Lee 255
AJ Pierzynski 237
Aramis Ramirez 234

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 200
Derrek Lee 140
Alexei Ramirez 133
Aramis Ramirez 120
AJ Pierzynski 106

RBI

Name Total
Paul Konerko 235
Aramis Ramirez 158
Alexei Ramirez 138
Derrek Lee 134
Jermaine Dye 108

Doubles Continue reading →

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Astros All Time Leaders – Through 2015

astros-primaryWith 2 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 Houston Astros.

The Astros began life in 1962, joining the National League, along with the Mets, as the Colt 45’s and becoming the Astros 3 years later.  In 2013, they moved to the American League, becoming just the second team to switch leagues.  I’ve seen them play 40 times, including game 2 of the 2005 World Series.

Home Runs

Name Total
Lance Berkman 7
Carlos Lee 4
Morgan Ensberg 3
Mike Lamb 3

Hits

Name Total
Lance Berkman 30
Morgan Ensberg 19
Brad Ausmus 17

Runs

Name Total
Lance Berkman 15
Craig Biggio 11
Chris Burke 11

RBI

Name Total
Lance Berkman 26
Morgan Ensberg 12
Mike Lamb 10

Doubles

Name Total
Lance Berkman 7
Mike Lamb 6
Hunter Pence 5
Chris Carter 5

Triples Continue reading →

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#111 – Josh Paul

jpaul

Name: Josh Paul

Rank: 111

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 1999-2003

Evanston native Josh Paul was the second round draft pick of the White Sox in 1996.  He earned a September call-up in 1999, making his major league debut on September 7 in the White Sox 14-1 loss to the Angels.

Paul broke camp in 2000 with the White Sox, starting the season as their back-up catcher.  When Paul struggled to hit in May, he was sent back down to the minor leagues.  He returned to the White Sox in September and did well enough to earn a spot on the post-season roster.  He appeared in one game in the White Sox loss to the Mariners in the ALDS.

In 2001, Paul again started the year as the backup catcher.  He again ended up splitting the year between Chicago and Charlotte, finishing the year with a .266 average and a career high 3 home runs and 18 RBIs.  Paul began 2002 back in Charlotte, but eventually found his way back to Chicago, hitting .240 in 33 games.

Paul saw some success in 2003, though in very limited playing time, but got caught up in a numbers game behind veteran Sandy Alomar Jr. and rookie Miguel Olivo.  On June 25, he was released, ending his White Sox career.

Paul’s greatest contribution to the White Sox came in 2005, when he was a member of the Angels.  He was behind the plate in the 9th inning of game 2 of the ALCS when A.J. Pierzynski struck out and “stole” first base after Paul rolled the ball back to the mound.  Home plate umpire Doug Eddings ruled that the pitch hit the ground and, since he wasn’t tagged out, Pierzynski was entitled to first base.  A pinch runner, a stolen base, and a double later, the White Sox tied up the series at one game a piece and went on to win their next 7, leading to their first World Series title since 1917.

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

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All Time Pitching Leaders – Through 2015

baseballs3White Sox pitchers and catchers report to spring training tomorrow, so it is time for our annual look at the pitching leaders in the now 704 games I’ve attended, and identified, between 1984 and 2015. Not a whole lot of difference from last year, but a few categories have seen new faces join the leader board.  So, without further ado, let’s get things started with our first category, the always popular:

Wins

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 31
Gavin Floyd 24
Carlos Zambrano 21
John Danks 19
Chris Sale 15

Losses

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 16
Carlos Zambrano 15
Gavin Floyd 15
John Danks 15
Jon Garland 14

ERA (>= 35 IP)

Name Total
Nate Jones 2.11
DJ Carrasco 2.20
Matt Thornton Continue reading →
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#112 – Orlando Hernandez

elduqueName: Orlando Hernandez

Rank: 112

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2005

Orlando Hernandez first became a member of the White Sox organization on January 15, 2003, when he was acquired from the Yankees for Antonio Osuna.  Mere moments later, he was shipped to the Expos, along with Rocky Biddle, Jeff Liefer, and cash, in exchange for Bartolo Colon.  Nearly 2 years later, he signed with the White Sox as a free agent.  As the 5th starter, he put up a decent 9-9 record, but with a high 5.12 ERA.

Hernandez moved to the bullpen for the 2005 post-season, where he permanently etched his name in White Sox lore.  With the White Sox looking to win their first post-season series since the 1917 World Series and clinging to a 4-3 lead in the 6th inning of game 3 of the ALDS against the Red Sox, Hernandez entered in relief of Damaso Marte with the bases loaded and nobody out.  He managed to induce pop-outs from both pinch hitter Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino before getting Johnny Damon to chase a ball out of the strike zone on a 3-2 count to escape unscathed.  2 rounds later, he pitched a scoreless inning in the 14-inning game 3 of the World Series.

Nearly two months later, Hernandez was traded, along with Luis Vizcaino and Chris Young, to the Diamondbacks for Javier Vazquez.

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

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Indians All Time Leaders – Through 2015

indians-alternateWith 2 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 Cleveland Indians.

The Indians, then known as the Bluebirds, were one of the charter members of the American League in 1901.  After a few name changes, they settled on the Indians name in 1915.  I’ve seen them play 39 times, including at least once every season from 2005 through 2015.

Home Runs

Name Total
Victor Martinez 6
Jason Kipnis 4
Travis Hafner 4

Hits

Name Total
Victor Martinez 24
Grady Sizemore 19
Shin-Soo Choo 19
Jhonny Peralta 19

Runs

Name Total
Grady Sizemore 14
Shin-Soo Choo 13
Jhonny Peralta 13

RBI

Name Total
Victor Martinez 16
Jhonny Peralta 12
Grady Sizemore 11
Travis Hafner 11

Doubles

Name Total
Victor Martinez 4
Jhonny Peralta 4
Jamey Carroll 4

Triples Continue reading →