Tag / 1994 Strike

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#217 – Kirk McCaskill

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Name: Kirk McCaskill

Rank: 217

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1992-1996

Kirk McCaskill signed with the White Sox as a free agent heading in to the 1992 season.  He entered the starting rotation and put up a respectable 12-13 record with a 4.18 ERA.

While things went better for the White Sox in 1993, as they finally broke through and won their first division title in a decade, the same could not be said for McCaskill.  He lost his spot in the starting rotation in June after going winless in 7 starts.  “I like to think Kirk can get it back together as a starter, but I’d like to say it won’t happen this year because if it does, that means something happened to our rotation,” manager Gene Lamont said.  McCaskill finished the year in the bullpen, even recording his first save.  During the post-season, he made 3 appearances in the 6 game ALCS against the eventual World Champion Blue Jays, pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

In 1994, McCaskill posted his best season as a member of the White Sox, working entirely out of the bullpen.  He appeared in 40 games, racked up a career high 3 saves, and posted a 3.42 ERA.  Unfortunately for McCaskill and the White Sox, the season came to a premature end thanks to the players strike that wiped out the last month and a half of the season and the post-season.

When the work stoppage finally ended and the 1995 season got underway, things went south, for both McCaskill and the White Sox.  His ERA jumped by nearly a run and a half as the White Sox fell to third place.

1996 did not go any better.  McCaskill appeared in 29 games through the end of July and saw his ERA jump to nearly 7.00.  After giving up 4 hits and 2 runs in 1 inning of work against the Royals on July 20th, McCaskill was released by the White Sox.  “I don’t think you’re ever prepared for it,” McCaskill said.  “I’ve had a long career and it happens to a lot of people.”  Manager Terry Bevington said “It’s always tough to let someone go.  You don’t like seeing someone lose his job.  Kirk has had a good career with the White Sox.”  Thus endeth the major league career of Kirk McCaskill.

McCaskill’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: Continue reading →

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#226 – Scott Ruffcorn

Scott-Ruffcorn

Name: Scott Ruffcorn

Rank: 226

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1993-1996

Scott Ruffcorn was the White Sox first round draft pick out of Baylor University in 1991.  The previous 4 White Sox first round picks, Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas, and Alex Fernandez, were leading the White Sox to their first division title in a decade when Ruffcorn made his major league debut on June 19, 1993 against the Angels, taking the place of an injured Kirk McCaskill.  When Ron Karkovice separated his shoulder during the game, Ruffcorn was sent back to the minors to make room for another catcher on the roster.  He returned to the majors in September and made two additional appearances.

When Scott Sanderson had a tremendous spring in 1994 to force his way in to the starting rotation, it forced Ruffcorn to start the year in Triple A.  As July rolled around, Sanderson had started to struggle and Ruffcorn was called up to take his slot in the rotation.  Sadly, he didn’t last long, giving up seven runs and nine hits over 4 innings.  Manager Gene Lamont said that Ruffcorn “needed to get over his nervousness,” but his next start also did not go well.  Facing the Royals, he gave up 4 runs before being pulled in the third inning.  He was demoted back to Triple A before the strike in August wiped out the remainder of the season.

After an abbreviated spring training in 1995, Ruffcorn broke camp with the White Sox, earning a spot in the bullpen.  He walked six in 1 2/3 innings against the Red Sox in his second appearance of the year, and by mid-May, he was back in Triple A, with reporter Dave Van Dyck writing that Ruffcorn was “ruined forever because the Sox rushed him to judgment.”

Ruffcorn finished his White Sox career in 1996, appearing in 3 final games but getting the same results.  He ended up with 0 wins and a career ERA of 9.68 and the “record” for most consecutive seasons with an ERA over 7.00.  In January of 1997, he was purchased by the Phillies.

Ruffcorn’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#252 – Atlee Hammaker

WhiteSox-atleehammakerName: Atlee Hammaker

Rank: 252

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1994-1995

Atlee Hammaker first singed with the White Sox as a free agent on February 12, 1992.  An elbow injury in spring training put his career in jeopardy and he was released on March 18th.  After rehabbing for two years, he once again signed with the White Sox on April 12, 1994.

Hammaker spent the majority of 1994 with the Triple A Nashville Sounds.  He did manage to make it back to the major leagues for the first time since 1991, putting up 1.1 scoreless innings in 2 games before the season came to an untimely end due to the player’s strike.

He returned to Triple A in 1995 and again put up impressive numbers, but this time, he was unable to duplicate that success at the major league level.  He appeared in 13 games and gave up 9 runs in just over 6 innings.  His season, and major league career, came to an end on August 18th when he was released.

While not with the White Sox, Hammaker’s most infamous moment took place at Comiskey Park.  During the 1983 All Star Game, Hammaker, pitching for the National League, gave up the first grand slam in All Star Game history to Angels outfielder Fred Lynn.

Hammaker’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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And The Enshrinees Are

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The BBWAA ballots have been counted and Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, and Tom Glavine have been elected as to the Hall of Fame. Maddux lead the pack with 97.2% of the vote, followed by his former Braves teammate Glavine with 91.9%. Thomas finished third with 83.7% of the vote. Narrowly missing induction, with 74.8% of the vote (the Hall of Fame does not round up) was Craig Biggio.

Maddux, of course, got his start with the Cubs, whom he helped lead to the 1989 NL East title.  He won the first of his 4 consecutive NL Cy Young awards with the North Siders in 1992 before being allowed to leave as a free agent by GM Larry Himes.  Maddux signed with the Braves, where he continued to dominate and helped lead Atlanta to the 1995 World Series championship.  After 11 seasons, he returned to the Cubs in 2004.  He defeated the Giants in August of that year to win his 300th game and, in July of 2005, he struck out his 3000th batter.  In 2006, with the Cubs far out of contention, he was traded to the Dodgers for their stretch run.  For 2007, Maddux signed with the Padres, where he spent the next year and a half before being traded back to the Dodgers for another stretch run.  After the Dodgers were bounced from the playoffs, Maddux announced his retirement.

Frank Thomas was the first round draft pick of the White Sox in the 1989 draft, and made his debut for the White Sox the following year.  Thomas won the AL MVP award in 1993 while leading the White Sox to their final AL West title.  Thomas repeated as MVP in 1994, putting up a .353 average with 38 homers and 101 RBIs in the strike-shortened season.  In 1997, Thomas won the AL batting title and finished third in the MVP race.  After two substandard seasons, at least for him, Thomas rebounded in 2000, leading the White Sox to the AL Central title and narrowly losing the MVP award to a juiced-up Jason Giambi.  Thomas struggled with injuries after that, appearing in only 20 games in 2001, 74 games in 2004, and 34 games in 2005.  He spent the entire post-season on the disabled list as the White Sox won their first World Series in 88 years.  Following that year, the White Sox cut ties with Thomas and he headed out west to play for the A’s.  In his first game back in Chicago as a visiting player, Thomas homered twice.  Thomas spent 2007 and the start of 2008 with the Blue Jays, before finishing the season, and his career, back with the A’s.

I have been witness to milestones for all 3 enshrined players.  I was at Wrigley Field when Greg Maddux made his first attempt at winning his 300th game against the Phillies, the start before he won it on the road against the GIants.  I was there the next season for the rain delayed night game where he would strike out his 3000th batter, again against the Giants.  I was in Shea Stadium for Tom Glavine’s first appearance as a New York Met, which did not turn out well for him.  4 years later, I was at Wrigley Field for a Sunday night matchup where things worked out better for him as he defeated the Cubs for his 300th victory.

Thomas is now the Hall of Famer I have seen in action more than any other.  I was at his first return appearance as a member of the A’s, where, before the first of his 2 home runs, he was treated to a standing ovation.  An ovation which panned the crowd and found me amongst the masses, which I happened to notice that night on Baseball Tonight and now lives on as part of the White Sox Memories DVD.  I first saw Thomas play in his rookie year of 1990 and caught 66 of his games over the years.  I was there when he threw out the first pitch before the 2005 ALDS Game 1 against the Red Sox and in 2010 when his number 35 was retired.

Maddux, Thomas, and Glavine’s numbers in games I attended were:

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#260 – Mike Devereaux

mikedevereauxName: Mike Devereaux

Rank: 260

Position: RF

Year With White Sox: 1995

Following the end of the work stoppage that wiped out the 1994 post season, Mike Devereaux signed a one-year deal with the White Sox during the abbreviated spring training prior to the delayed 1995 season.  He was impressive, putting up a .306 average for the South Siders in 92 games.

On August 26, he was sent to the Braves for prospect Andre King.  “We’re not going to the playoffs likely,” manager Terry Bevington said. “We’d need 20 wins in a row. I’m a guy that doesn’t give up ’til we’re mathematically eliminated, but the odds are very low. So here’s a chance for to go to the playoffs. I’m sorry to lose him, but I’m happy for him.”

Devereaux’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#282 – Bob Melvin

melvin12Name: Bob Melvin

Rank: 282

Position: C

Year With White Sox: 1994

Veteran catcher Bob Melvin joined the White Sox via trade from the Angels for Jeff Schwarz on July 22, 1994.  He managed to appear in 11 games in the 21 days before the strike wiped out the remainder of the season and ended Melvin’s career.

Melvin’s next career, as a major league manager, had him crossing paths once again with his former team as his first opponent while helming the A’s was the White Sox.

Melvin’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#324 – Paul Assenmacher

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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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#336 – Dennis Cook

Name: Dennis Cook

Rank: 336

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1994

Coming off a poor 1993 with the Indians where he posted a 5.67 ERA, Dennis Cook signed a minor league deal with the White Sox in January 1994.  Cook impressed Gene Lamont enough in spring training to break camp with the big league club.  The highlight of Cook’s season may have been in July, when his former team accused him of cheating due to his success against them.

Indians manager Mike Hargrove had the home plate umpire check Cook’s glove for pine tar in both the 7th and 8th innings as Cook pitched 2 1/3 innings of one-hit scoreless relief, keeping the Sox within percentage points of the first-place Indians.  Cook’s season ended prematurely, along with the rest of the sport, on August 12th, when the Major League Baseball Players Association went on strike, with the White Sox holding a one game lead in the newly formed AL Central.

Following the lost season, which saw the cancellation of the playoffs and World Series, Cook was selected off waivers by the Indians.

Cook’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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The Big Hurt Says Goodbye

Frank Thomas

Frank Thomas

Frank Thomas, the best hitter in White Sox history, called it a careeryesterday, after 18 big league seasons.  Thomas was third of former GM Larry Himes four #1 draft picks that all helped lead the White Sox renaissance of the early 90s, culminating with the 1993 AL West title and the lead in newly created AL Central when the strike wiped out the 1994 season.  Thomas, of course, brought home the AL MVP trophy both seasons.

The Big Hurt, as he came to be known for the hurt he put on the ball when he hit it, would start to break down in later seasons, and, unfortunately, was mostly a spectator in the magical 2005 season, playing in only 34 mid-season games and missing the entire post-season.  Following the excitement of winning the World Series for the first time in 88 years, the White Sox sent their best all-time player packing.

Over the years, I managed to see Thomas play only 66 times, and he was not at his best when I was in the ballpark.  A career .301 hitter, he managed only a .256 mark in those 66 games, with 15 of his 521 career home runs.  Two of those home runs came in his first game in Chicago as a visitor, after a standing ovation before his first trip to the plate got national attention and produced my first (and, to this point, last) appearance on SportsCenter.

Thomas will make one more official trip to US Cellular Field on August 29th, when the White Sox retire his number 35, just over 20 years after his debut, and I’ll be there cheering him on for the penultimate time.  The last time will be in 2014, when he’s elected to the Hall of Fame.