Category / Baseball

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#151 – Albert Belle

albertbelleName: Albert Belle

Rank: 151

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 1997-1998

Mere weeks after owner Jerry Reinsdorf argued against a labor deal that did not include salary restraints, the White Sox shocked the baseball world on November 19, 1996 by signing free agent outfielder Albert Belle to a 5 year, $55 million deal, making him the highest paid player in baseball.  Belle, joining returning stars Frank Thomas and Robin Ventura, was expected to lead the White Sox back to the post-season.

While Belle certainly lived up to his end of the bargain, things did not go as planned for the White Sox.  Ventura broke his ankle during spring training and missed nearly the first 4 months of the season.  Belle, meanwhile, tried to keep the team afloat, going on a career-high 27 game hitting streak in May.  When Ventura returned in late July, the White Sox had their intended sluggers together for the first time all season and looked like they were ready to make a run.  A week later, at the trading deadline, they were only 3.5 games behind the Indians when Reinsdorf decided to pull the plug and signed off on what has become known as the White Flag trade.

The team finished the season 1 game under .500 and in 2nd place, 6 games behind the Indians.  Belle finished the year with .274 average, 30 home runs, and 116 RBI.

The White Sox struggled again in 1998, but, once again, Albert Belle was not part of the problem.  He became the franchise’s single season leader in home runs (49) and RBIs (152), the later of which surpassed Zeke Bonura’s record from 1936.  On the last day of the season, when Cal Ripken sat out to end his record consecutive games streak, Belle became the active leader.

Following the season, Belle invoked a unique clause in his contract which entitled him to remain as one of the 3 highest paid players in baseball.  Looking at a rebuilding effort, the White Sox decided against renegotiating, which allowed Belle to become a free agent, ending his tenure on the south side.

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

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Franchise Four – NL East

Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise.  The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati.  Today, I will give my Franchise Four picks for the National League East.

F4BravesWell, this is a nice collection of players selected to represent the Braves.  6 of the 8 have been elected to the Hall of Fame with a 7th sure to make it once he is eligible.  Hank Aaron and Warren Spahn rise above their Hall brethren, so they take the first two slots.  The last two slots come down to Eddie Mathews, with his 512 career home runs, and the 3 aces of the 90s, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz.  I’m going to go with Mathews and Maddux.

F4Marlins

A much different scenario for the Marlins, who have only been in existence since 1993 and have a history of ownership who ships out any player that may be any good and, thus, command a decent salary.  The 8 players in the running have averaged less than 7 years in a Marlin uniform.  That said, I will pick Josh Beckett, Gary Sheffield, Mike Lowell, and current star Giancarlo Stanton.

F4Mets

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#152 – Ken Griffey Jr.

griffeyName: Ken Griffey Jr.

Rank: 152

Position: CF

Year With White Sox: 2008

As the White Sox made their run towards the World Series title in 2005, general manager Kenny Williams attempted to acquire Ken Griffey Jr. from the Reds, but was rebuked when Reds ownership decided to veto the deal.  3 years later, with the White Sox again looking to make a run at a division title, he was able to get the aging superstar, acquiring Griffey at the trade deadline in exchange for pitcher Nick Masset and second baseman Danny Richar.  At the time of the trade, the White Sox held a tenuous 1.5 game lead over the Twins.

Griffey, who had spent most of the previous few seasons in right field to lessen the strain on his body, moved back to center field for the White Sox, displacing the disappointing Nick Swisher.  Griffey appeared in 41 games for the White Sox, hitting a decent .260 with only 3 home runs and 18 RBI.  His most important contribution came defensively, during the tie-breaking game 163 between the White Sox and the Twins, when he gunned down Michael Cuddyer, who was trying to score on a fly out to center, preserving the shutout and helping the White Sox win the division and advance the playoffs.

In the ALDS, Griffey appeared in 3 games against the Rays, garnering only 2 hits as the White Sox fell 3 games to 1.  Following the season, the White Sox declined Griffey’s $16 million option for 2009, making him a free agent.

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

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by jim

6 In A Row

SoxWin-smallThanks to a stellar pitching performance from Chris Sale and a clutch 10th inning game winning hit by Carlos Sanchez, the White Sox won their 6th game in a row tonight, their longest winning streak since August of 2013.  The victory also pulled the team above .500 for the first time since June 4, 2014.

As Hawk Harrelson is known to say, don’t stop now boys.

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Franchise Four – AL West

Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise.  The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati.  Today, I will give my Franchise Four picks for the American League West.

F4Astros

The Astros, around since 1962, have 2 obvious options, and both are from their World Series team in 2005: Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.  After that, there is a bit of a drop off.  Nolan Ryan would seem to be a good pick for the third slot, having spent more years with the Astros than with any other team.  For the last slot, I’ll go with J. R. Richard, whose career was cut short due to a stroke, but still came to represent the franchise in the late 70s.

F4Angels

Despite existing since the 1961 season, the Angels have a complete lack of star power in their 8 nominees.  Garret Anderson?  Tim Salmon?  Brian Downing?  While fine players, none of them would be confused with an all time great.  Of the remaining 5, I will dump Jim Fregosi and take Chuck Finley, Nolan Ryan (again!), Vladamir Guerrero, and, despite being in only his 4th season, Mike Trout.

F4As

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#153 – Bobby Bonilla

$_35Name: Bobby Bonilla

Rank: 153

Position: LF/1B

Year With White Sox: 1986

After breaking his leg and missing most of the 1985 season, Bobby Bonilla was left off the Pirates 40 man roster and was selected by the White Sox in the Rule 5 draft in December.  He opened the 1986 season with the White Sox, making his major league debut on April 9, going 0-1 as a pinch hitter in the Sox loss to the Brewers.

With the chaos of Hawk Harrelson’s lone season as GM swirling around him, Bonilla put together a pretty decent rookie campaign, especially since he was making the jump from A ball.  He was hitting .269 with 2 home runs in 75 games when, with the trade deadline approaching, Harrelson decided to blow up the team and sent Bonilla back to the Pirates, in exchange for pitcher Jose DeLeon.

Bonilla’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

Franchise Four – NL West

Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise.  The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati.  Today, I will give my Franchise Four picks for the National League West.

F4Dbacks

The Diamondbacks have only been around since 1998, so there isn’t a ton of history to choose from.  6 of the 8 nominees played on their 2001 World Championship team.  My selections would be Randy Johnson, Luis Gonzalez, Matt Williams, and Steve Finley.

F4Rockies

The Rockies franchise dates all the way back to 1993, so they are in a similar boat as the Diamondbacks, but without the championship to boost their roster.  Not surprisingly, no pitchers made their list of 8 nominees.  I would go with Todd Helton, Larry Walker, Dante Bichette, and Troy Tulowitzki.

F4Dodgers

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by admin

#154 – John Kruk

John KrukName: John Kruk

Rank: 154

Position: DH

Year With White Sox: 1995

Following the lockout that delayed the beginning of the 1995 season, John Kruk decided to unretire and was signed by the White Sox on May 13, joining the team 12 days later.  The Sox has attempted to sign Kruk during spring training, but the slugger wasn’t interested.  “I got a call saying he was interested in playing again,” GM Ron Schueler said. “Other people he used to play with–his friends–had him thinking.”

Kruk joined the White Sox at the end of May, replacing Chris Sabo as the team’s primary designated hitter.  He was batting .308 with 2 home runs through July 30, when, after singling at Camden Yards in a game against the Orioles, Kruk took himself out of the game and retired again, this time for good.  “He wanted to go out with a hit,” manager Terry Bevington said.  “If he wouldn’t have gotten a hit today, he would have waited until he got a hit.”

Kruk’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by jim

Radio Musical Chairs

Last summer, the Cubs left their longtime radio home of WGN, signing a 7 year deal with CBS radio to move their games to WBBM starting this year.  Coincidentally, the White Sox radio deal expires after this season, and reports surfaced today that they are exploring options with 3 different radio stations: WGN, WLS, and their current home, The Score.

If the White Sox end up leaving the Score, their radio home since 2006, that might kick off another upheaval for the Cubs.  CBS Radio, owners of both WBBM and The Score, have the right to move the Cubs off of WBBM, their all news station and really a bad fit for baseball, to The Score should the White Sox leave.

So no matter what happens later this summer, there will be baseball on The Score next year.  Soon we shall learn where else.

 

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#155 – Steve Carlton

leftyName: Steve Carlton

Rank: 155

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1986

Less than a week after announcing he was retiring from the Giants, Steve Carlton signed with the White Sox on August 12, 1986.  Carlton started 10 games down the stretch for the White Sox going 4-3 with a 3.69 ERA in his first American League action after spending the first 21+ seasons of his career in the National League.

With the departure of general manager Hawk Harrelson, Carlton was not offered a contract for the 1987 season as was allowed to leave as a free agent.

Carlton’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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