Category / Baseball

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#65 – Gordon Beckham

IMG_2096Name: Gordon Beckham

Rank: 65

Position: 2B

Years With White Sox: 2009-2014, 2015

Gordon Beckham was selected by the White Sox as the 8th pick of the 2008 draft and was rushed through the system, making his major league debut less than a year later on June 3, 2009.  He struggled from the get go, going 2 for 28 in his first eight games, but rebounded to put up a .270 average with 14 home runs and 28 doubles while playing third base.

The future looked bright for Beckham entering the 2010 season as he moved over to second base.  Unfortunately, he was unable to duplicate the success he had enjoyed the year before.  Early struggles relegated him to the bottom of the lineup, but he was able to rebound somewhat, getting his average back up to .252.  However, his OPS was down over 100 points from the year before.

2011 and 2012 saw Beckham’s offensive struggles continue.  His average dropped to the .230s during both seasons and his OPS continued to fall.  It seemed that he was finally putting things together in 2013, until he broke the hamate bone in his left wrist, which led to a career low in home runs and RBIs.

2014 was more of the same.  His average was a then career low .221 when he was traded to the Angels in late August, for a player to be names later.  But, his White Sox career was not done yet.  After being non-tendered by the Angels, Beckham resigned with the White Sox for 2015.  Sadly, this second go-around did not go any better for Beckham.  Appearing in a career low 100 games, he set new career lows with a .209 batting average and a .607 OPS.  After the season, he left as a free agent.

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

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#66 – Willie Harris

wharrisName: Willie Harris

Rank: 66

Position: 2B/CF

Years With White Sox: 2002-2005

Willie Harris was acquired by the White Sox in January of 2002 from the Orioles in exchange for Chris Singleton.  Harris spent most of 2002 in Triple A Charlotte, but managed to appear in 49 games following the trade of Ray Durham.  In his extended audition, he hit .233 with 2 home runs and 12 RBI while stealing 8 bases without being caught.

Harris spent more time in Chicago during the 2003 season, but, despite appearing in 30 more games than the year before, his at bats decreased by 26.  He was mostly used as a defensive replacement in center field for Carl Everett.

2004 saw Harris getting his first extended opportunity to start, appearing in 129 games, starting 101 of them, and putting up the best numbers of his career.  He hit a career high .262 with 2 home runs and 27 RBI.

Following the acquisition of Tadahito Iguchi to take over second base, Harris split time between Chicago and Charlotte in 2005 for the first time since 2003.  He appeared in only 56 games for the White Sox, his lowest total since 2002.  He did, however, manage to make the playoff roster, as the White Sox reached post-season play for the first time since 2000.  Harris got only 2 at bats during the White Sox title run, but made the most of them with 2 hits and scoring the winning run in Game 4 of the World Series against the Astros.  Following the year, he became a free agent, ending his White Sox career.

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

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#67 – Richard Dotson

dotsonName: Richard Dotson

Rank: 67

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1979-1987, 1989

Richard Dotson joined the White Sox organization, along with Bobby Bonds and Thad Bosley, in a December 5, 1977 trade that sent Brian Downing, Dave Frost, and Chris Knapp to the Angels.  He made his major league debut on September 4, 1979 against those same Angels, going 1 and 1/3 innings and giving up 5 earned runs, leaving him with a 33.75 ERA after 1 start.  He made 4 more starts over the final month of the season, giving up just 5 additional earned runs and finishing with a 2-0 record with a 3.70 ERA.

Dotson moved into the rotation full time for the White Sox in 1980.  He finished second on the team with 12 wins, finishing 12-10 with a 4.27 ERA.  He ended up placing 7th in Rookie of the Year voting, behind winner Joe Charboneau and teammate Britt Burns.

Dotson saw improvement in the strike-shortened 1981 season.  He finished with a 9-8 record and improved his ERA to 3.77 in 24 starts, leading the league with 4 shutouts.

1982 was a disappointing season for Dotson and the White Sox.  He finished with a losing record for the first time and gave up more hits than innings pitched, yet still ended the season with a 3.84 ERA.

Dotson had his breakout season in 1983, as he helped lead the White Sox to their first division title.  He finished the regular season 22-7 with a 3.23 ERA, good enough to place 4th in Cy Young Award voting and 20th in MVP consideration.  Unfortunately, he wasn’t as successful in the ALCS, giving up 6 runs in 5 innings and earning the loss in Game 3 against the Orioles.

1984 was another good year for Dotson, as he earned his first All Star Game nod, throwing 2 scoreless innings in the mid-summer classic at Candlestick Park.  He finished with a losing record for the disappointing White Sox team, going 14-15 with a 3.59 ERA in a career high 245 2/3 innings pitched.

An injury derailed Dotson’s 1985 campaign, as he started only 9 games before undergoing surgery for a career-threatening circulatory problem in his upper chest near the right shoulder.  He returned in 1986 and was the only White Sox starter to not miss a turn in the rotation.  His results, unfortunately, were not as encouraging as he went 10-17 with a 5.48 ERA.

Dotson bounced back a little in 1987.  He went 11-12 with a 4.17 ERA for a White Sox team that finished with a losing record for the second straight year.  Following the season, he was traded, along with Scott Nielson, to the Yankees for Dan Pasqua, Steve Rosenberg, and Mark Salas.

After being released by the Yankees at the end of June in 1989, Dotson rejoined the White Sox for the last 3 months of a season in which they would lose over 90 games.  Appearing in 17 games, Dotson went 3-7 with a respectable 3.88 ERA.  At the end of the season, Dotson became a free agent and left the White Sox for good.  After retiring, Dotson rejoined the White Sox organization as a coach and has spent the last 10 seasons as pitching coach for the Charlotte Knights, the team’s Triple A affiliate.

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

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#68 – Lyle Mouton

moutonName: Lyle Mouton

Rank: 68

Position: OF

Years With White Sox: 1995-1997

Lyle Mouton joined the White Sox organization on April 22, 1995 as the player to be named later from the December 1994 trade that sent Jack McDowell to the Yankees.  Mouton made his major league debut on June 7, going 0-2 against the Blue Jays.  Mouton impressed over the remainder of the season, hitting .302 in 58 games split between left field and right.

Mouton spent all of 1996 with the White Sox, appearing in 87 games and hitting a robust .294 with an .800 OPS.  Mouton’s production dropped off a bit in 1997, finishing the year with a .269 average.  Following the season, his contract was purchased by the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese league.

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

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#69 – Roberto Hernandez

roberto-hernandezName: Roberto Hernandez

Rank: 69

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1991-1997

Roberto Hernandez was acquired by the White Sox, along with Mark Doran, via trade with the Angels in exchange for Mark Davis on August 4, 1989.  After falling victim to numbness in his hands caused by blood clots and emergency surgery to transplant veins from his thigh into his forearm, he made his major league debut on September 2, 1991, getting the start and going 7 innings for the victory in the White Sox win over the Royals.  He appeared in 9 games in the final month of the season, making the only 3 starts of his career, and finished the year with a 7.80 ERA.

In 1992, Hernandez split the year between Triple A Vancouver and Chicago, eventually supplanting Bobby Thigpen as the team’s primary closer.  He finished the year with 12 saves and a sparkling 1.65 ERA.

Hernandez had another great year in 1993, saving 38 games in 70 appearances with a 2.29 ERA as the White Sox won their final AL West title.  During the ALCS against the Blue Jays, Hernandez threw 4 scoreless innings in 4 appearances, earning 1 save.

In the strike-shortened 1994 season, Hernandez struggled.  His ERA jumped to 4.91 and he saved only 14 games before the season ended on August 12, despite leading the league in games finished.

When baseball returned in 1995, Hernandez bounced back somewhat, once again leading the league in games finished and lowering his ERA by nearly a full run to 3.92.

1996 was a true return to form for Hernandez.  He led the league in games finished for the third straight year and lowered his ERA by 2 full runs to 1.91.  He earned his first All Star selection and, with 38 saves, finished 6th in Cy Young Award voting.

Hernandez was well on his way to another strong season in 1997, with 27 saves and a 2.44 ERA, when he was included in the infamous White Flag trade on July 31.  With Jerry Reinsdorf announcing that “Anyone who thinks we can catch Cleveland is crazy,” Hernandez, along with Wilson Alzarez and Danny Darwin, to the Giants for Brian Manning, Lorenzo Barcelo, Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, and Ken Vining.

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

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#70 – Tony Graffanino

graffaninoName: Tony Graffanino

Rank: 70

Position: 2B/SS/3B

Years With White Sox: 2000-2003

Tony Graffanino joined the White Sox on May 31, 2000, acquired via trade from the Devil Rays in exchange for Tanyon Sturtze.  He appeared in 57 games for the White Sox after the trade, hitting an acceptable .270 as the White Sox took home their first division title in 7 years.  Graffanino made only one appearance in the ALDS, as a defensive replacement, as the White Sox were swept by the Mariners.

Graffanino returned in 2001 as a backup infielder, hitting over .300 in limited playing time.  2002 saw increased playing time for Graffanino, but his average suffered, dropping to .262 in 229 at bats.

Graffanino’s playing time increased again in 2003, as he appeared in 90 games and hit .260 in 250 at bats.  Following the season, he became a free agent.

Graffanino’s biggest contribution to the White Sox came in the 2005 ALDS, while he was a member of the Red Sox.  During Game 2, he committed an error in the fifth inning on what should have been an inning ending ground out.  The next batter, Tadahito Iguchi, hit a 3 run homer to give the White Sox the lead en route to their 3 game sweep.

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

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#71 – George Bell

Name: George Bell

Rank: 71

Position: DH

Years With White Sox: 1992-1993

George Bell came to the White Sox following the 1991 season in a trade with the Cubs for Sammy Sosa and Ken Patterson.  Bell posted a steady, if unspectacular, season for the White Sox in 1991, finishing the year with 25 home runs and a .255 average, driving in 112.

Things started to go south for Bell in 1993, as a knee injury limited his effectiveness and his playing time.  Splitting time at DH with Bo Jackson, Bell appeared in only 102 games, with only 13 home runs and a career low .217 average.  Despite the White Sox facing Bell’s former team, the Blue Jays, in the ALCS, Bell did not make an appearance.  He was released following the season and quickly announced his retirement.

Bell’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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They’re Calling It What?

guaranteed_rateAfter being known as US Cellular Field for the past 13 years, the White Sox announced earlier today that, beginning on November 1, their home stadium will now be known as Guaranteed Rate Field.  The team and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority signed a 13 year agreement with the national mortgage broker based in Chicago.  A name change had been thought to be in the works for the past 4 years, since US Cellular exited the Chicago market.

The new name will take some getting used to, as it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.  That said, the name of the stadium isn’t as important as the action taking place inside it, and a winning team, should one ever deem to locate itself on the south side again, will wipe away any concerns over the name.

Going into tonight’s action, the White Sox were 220-186 in games I’ve attended at US Cellular Field.  There will be a few more opportunities to add to that record over the final month of the 2016 season, before we turn the page and start anew at Guaranteed Rate Field.

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#72 – Ron Karkovice

karkoName: Ron Karkovice

Rank: 72

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 1986-1997

Ron Karkovice joined the White Sox organization as their first round selection in the 1982 draft.  He made his major league debut on August 17, 1986, going 1-4 in the White Sox 7-4 victory over the Brewers at Comiskey Park while catching future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton.  He appeared in 36 additional games, hitting .247, as the White Sox rolled to their worst record since 1980.

Karkovice broke camp with the White Sox in 1987, but was completely overmatched on offense.  He appeared in 39 games, getting only 85 at bats and hitting an anemic .071.  He didn’t do much better in Triple A, putting up a .183 average for Hawaii.

He returned to Triple A for 1988, but got some extended playing time in the big leagues when Carlton Fisk went down with a broken hand.  In 46 games, Karkovice hit .174 and drove in 9 runs.

Karkovice stuck in the big leagues for good starting in 1989.  Getting more regular playing time, he improved his average to a career high .264 while splitting time behind the plate with Fisk.  1990 was more of the same for Karkovice, as he appeared in 68 games and hit .246.

As the White Sox moved across the street to the new Comiskey Park in 1991, Karkovice had a near repeat of his 1990 season, finishing with the same average and nearly the same power numbers.  In 1992, Karkovice finally supplanted Fisk and became the primary backstop.  Appearing in 123 games, he hit .237 but saw his home runs increase to 13.

Karkovice appeared in a career high 128 games for the 1993 White Sox, as the team captured their first division title in a decade.  He went hitless during the ALCS as the White Sox fell to the Blue Jays in 6 games.  1994 saw his offensive numbers continue to fall, as his average dropped to .213, partially due to a sore knee, before the season came to an untimely end due to the strike.

When baseball returned in 1995, Karkovice was back behind the plate for the White Sox.  He appeared in 113 games and saw his average bounce back slightly to .217.  1996 was more of the same for Karkovice, as he appeared in 111 games and hit .220 with 10 home runs, before undergoing knee surgery in September.

Things went south for Karkovice and the White Sox in 1997.  By the middle of May, he had been replaced as the starting catcher by Chad Kreuter.  By the middle of July, he had fallen to third on the depth chart, behind the newly acquired Jorge Fabergas and veteran Tony Pena.  He had requested to be released at the end of May, but was refused by general manager Ron Schueler.  He finished the year with only 51 appearances and an average that had dropped to .181.  He became a free agent at the end of the year, but never played in the major leagues again.

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

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#73 – Mike Cameron

cameron2

Name: Mike Cameron

Rank: 73

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 1995-1998

Mike Cameron joined the White Sox organization as their 18th round draft choice in the 1991 draft.  He made his major league debut on August 27, 1995, going 0-3 in the White Sox 2-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Skydome.  He mostly appeared as a defensive replacement during the last month of the season, appearing in 28 games but getting only 38 at bats, hitting an anemic .184.

1996 saw Cameron spend most of the season in Double A Birmingham, getting a small cup of coffee with the White Sox, appearing in 11 games and getting 11 at bats with a grand total of 1 hit.

Cameron got his first extended major league experience in 1997, appearing in 116 games.  He hit .259 with 14 home runs, with 23 stolen bases thrown in for good measure.  He finished 6th in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.

In 1998, Cameron regressed, as his average dropped nearly 50 points to .210, his home runs were cut nearly in half to 8, and his OPS dropped by nearly 170 points.  Following the season, he made his largest contribution to the future success of the White Sox by being traded to the Reds for Paul Konerko.

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

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