Category / Baseball

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#323 – Aaron Myette

Aaron Myette (White Sox) 2

Name: Aaron Myette

Rank: 323

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1999-2000

Aaron Myette was the White Sox first round pick in the 1997 draft.  He moved quickly through the White Sox system and made his major league debut in September of 1999, appearing in 4 games with the big league club.  He spent most of the 2000 season in Charlotte, making only 2 appearances with the White Sox.

Following the 2000 season, he was packaged with Brian Schmack in a trade with the Rangers for the immortal Royce Clayton.

Myette’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#324 – Paul Assenmacher

Paul_Assenmacher_(1994_White_Sox)

Name: Paul Assenmacher

Rank: 324

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1994

When Scott Radinsky was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease following the 1993 season, he was forced to miss the entire 1994 season for treatment, leaving a left-handed hole in the White Sox bullpen.  As spring training was winding down, the White Sox acquired Paul Assenmacher from the Yankees in exchange for Brian Boehringer.

Assenmacher put up a respectable 3.55 ERA in 44 appearances before the season unceremoniously came to an early end due to the player’s strike.  That October, with the strike still in effect and the World Series cancelled for the first time, the White Sox declined to pick up Assenmacher’s $2.7 million option for 1995, making the lefty a free agent.

Assenmacher’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by jim

All Time Pitching Leaders – Through 2012

Last week we looked at the leaders in games I’ve attended between 1984 and 2012 on the offensive side of the ball.  With spring training now in full swing, let’s take a look at the pitching leaders.

Wins

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 31
Gavin Floyd 24
Carlos Zambrano 21
John Danks 14
Ryan Dempster 13
Matt Clement 13

Losses

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 16
Carlos Zambrano 15
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#325 – Arnie Muñoz

arnie_munoz_autograph

Name: Arnie Muñoz

Rank: 325

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2004

Arnie Muñoz joined the White Sox organization in December of 1998 as an amateur free agent.  He finally got the call to the big leagues in June of 2004 and made his major league debut 2 days before his 22nd birthday.  That debut, in inter-league play against the Expos, was record setting, but not in a good way.  Muñoz allowed eleven runs in three innings, tying for third all-time for most runs allowed in a major league debut.  His Game Score, Bill James’ statistic to measure pitcher’s starts, was a -7, the worst for a debut start since at least 1918.  The most amazing thing about the outing is that Muñoz almost did not pick up the loss, as the Sox mounted an incredible comeback, eventually losing 17-14.

After the game, Muñoz was relegated back to Triple A until September, when he returned to the big leagues and was more successful pitching out of the bullpen.  Unfortunately for Muñoz, that was the end of his major league White Sox career.  He spent the next two seasons bouncing between Triple-A Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham before leaving as a minor league free agent after the 2006 season.

Muñoz’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#326 – Billy Koch

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Name: Billy Koch

Rank: 326

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2003-2004

Billy Koch rode a blazing fastball to major league success, saving 144 games in his first 4 seasons in the major leagues.  After racking up 44 saves and finishing 18th in the MVP voting for the 2002 A’s, Koch was looking at a pretty decent payday at arbitration, so Billy Beane looked to move his star closer.  Enter Kenny Williams, who sent Keith Foulke, Mark Johnson, Joe Valentine, and cash out west in exchange for Koch, Neal Cotts, and Daylon Holt.

Unfortunately for all involved, when Koch arrived in Chicago, his 98 MPH fastball did not.  And while a closer can get by with only a fastball with no movement when it is 98 MPH, he most certainly cannot when the fastball tops out in the low 90s or upper 80s.  Koch struggled during the 2003 season, finishing with only 11 saves and a 5.77 ERA.  The following year, Koch was put back in the closer role and again struggled, putting up a 5.44 ERA in 24 appearances through early June, when his White Sox career came to an end.  He was traded to the Marlins on June 17 in exchange for Wilson Valdez and cash.  Koch finished the season strong for the Marlins, but never pitched again in the major leagues following the 2004 season.

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

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by jim

All Time Batting Leaders – Through 2012

White Sox pitchers and catchers report today, which means winter is winding down and it is finally time for Spring Training.  To get ready, let’s take a look at the offensive stat leaders over all of the 658 games I’ve attended (and identified) between 1984 and 2011.

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 88
Sammy Sosa 42
Aramis Ramirez 41
Derrek Lee 40
Jermaine Dye 40

Hits

Name Total
Paul Konerko 340
Derrek Lee 255
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#327 – Bret Prinz

prinz

Name: Bret Prinz

Rank: 327

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2007

Bret Prinz joined the White Sox organization prior to the 2007 season.  After putting up a sparkling 0.56 for Triple A Charlotte, he was recalled to the big league club, which was in the midst of their first losing season of the century.  Unfortunately, Prinz was unable to duplicate his minor league success in the big leagues, appearing in only 4 games before being released.  Prinz would bounce around the minor leagues for a few more seasons, but would never again wear a major league uniform.

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

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by jim

2013 Games Of Interest

408542_10151670598888298_1264282517_nFireworks Night

June 7
June 28
July 3
July 19
July 27
August 9
August 23 (Elvis Night)
September 14 (Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day)

Family Day (Replaces Kids Day)

April 7
April 21
April 28
May 26
June 9 (1983 White Sox Kids Jersey)
June 30
July 21
July 28
August 11 (Spirit & Mascot Day)
August 25
September 15
September 29

Other Fun Stuff

April 6 – 1983 White Sox Knit Bomber Hat
April 20 – White Sox Puzzle Cube
April 27 – Harold Baines Bobblehead
May 11- Paul Konerko Bobblehead
June 8 – Southpaw’s Birthday Party
June 29 – Billy Pierce Replica Statue
July 20 – 1983 White Sox Replica Batting Helmet
August 10 – Ron Kittle Bobblehead

by jim

#328 – Brian Bruney

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Name: Brian Bruney

Rank: 328

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2011-2012

Brian Bruney joined the White Sox as a free agent following the 2010 season.  He made his debut with the big league club on May 31 against the Boston Red Sox, allowing 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning.  In August, Bruney was given his unconditional release after refusing an assignment to Triple A.

After the season, Bruney resigned with the White Sox, accepting the minor league assignment he had refused the previous summer.  Bruney spent most of the 2012 season in Charlotte, appearing in only 1 game for the big league club.

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

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#329 – Brian Simmons

brian_simmons_autographName: Brian Simmons

Rank: 329

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 1998-1999

Brian Simmons joined the White Sox organization as their second round pick in the 1995 draft.  He worked his way through the system, making his major league debut on September 21, 1998 as a defensive replacement against the Twins.  5 days later, against the Royals, Simmons set a major league record, needing the fewest career at bats to homer from both sides of the plate.

Simmons won the 1999 starting center field job in spring training, but a cut hand, thanks to Alex Rodriguez’s spike, late in spring training forced him to start the year in Triple A Charlotte instead of Chicago.  In 2000, Simmons again had won a spot on the opening day roster, but he ruptured his Achilles’ tendon on the day the White Sox broke camp.

Following the White Sox disappointing loss to the Mariners in the 2000 ALDS, Simmons was packaged with Mike Sirotka, Kevin Beirne, and minor leaguer Mike Williams to the Blue Jays in exchange for David Wells and Matt DeWitt.

Simmons rejoined the White Sox following the 2001 season, but was released during spring training after still showing the effects of his 2000 injury.

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

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