Tag / ALCS

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#14 – Joe Crede

Name: Joe Crede

Rank: 14

Position: 3B

Years With White Sox: 2000-2008

Joe Crede joined the White Sox organization as their 5th round selection in the 1996 draft.  He earned a September call-up from Double A in 2000, and made his major league debut on September 12, replacing Herbert Perry and going 0-1 in the Tigers 10-3 victory at Comiskey Park.  Crede appeared in 7 games, making the most of his 14 at bats, and finished with a .357 average.

Crede was sent to Charlotte for the 2001 season, again getting a cup of coffee with the big league club in September.  With the White Sox not heading to the post-season, Crede got a little more playing time, but was less successful than the year before.  He finished with a .220 average in 50 at bats over 17 games.

2002 saw Crede return to Triple A, before being recalled to the White Sox for good in July.  On August 12, he hit his first major league home run off of former teammate James Baldwin.  “He was someone who always got on me for being a rookie in the clubhouse and on the bus last year,” Crede said.  “Singing on the bus and stuff.  Nothing very harmful, but it was a good way to get him back.”  In 53 games, Crede finished with 12 home runs, 35 RBIs, and a .285 average.

Crede established himself as the starting third baseman in 2003.  He appeared in a career high 151 games and launched 19 home runs with 75 RBIs while posting a .261 average.  He struggled in 2004, seeing his average drop to .239 while hitting 21 home runs with 69 RBIs.

In 2005, Crede started to come in to his own.  While he improved his average to .252 and hit 22 home runs with 62 RBIs, he started to come in to his own in the second half, culminating with a game winning, and possible season saving, home run in the 10th inning against the Indians on September 20, which pushed the White Sox to a 3.5 game lead and propelled them into the playoffs.  Crede had a rough series in the ALDS against the Red Sox, getting only 1 hit in 9 at bats, but rebounded in the ALCS and World Series, hitting .368 and .294 respectively, with 2 home runs in each series.

2006 was Joe Crede’s breakout season.  He hit .283 with career highs in home runs, with 30, and RBIs, with 94.  Following the season, he was awarded his first, and only, Silver Slugger award.

Crede looked to continue his new found dominance at the hot corner in 2007, but a back injury limited him to 47 games and only 4 home runs.  He returned with a bang in 2008, hitting a grand slam on opening day against the Twins.  A good first half saw him earn his first All Star selection, but the back injury recurred and kept him out for most of the second half of the season, including the playoffs.   Crede became a free agent at the end of the year and his White Sox career came to an end.

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

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#17 – Scott Podsednik

Name: Scott Podsednik

Rank: 17

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 2005-2007, 2009

Scott Podsednik was traded to the White Sox, along with Luis Vizcaino, from the Brewers for Carlos Lee on December 13, 2004.  He moved in to the leadoff spot as part of manager Ozzie Guillen’s grinderball philosophy.  After putting up a .294 average with 44 steals in the first half, he earned his first All Star game nod, getting elected in the Final Vote.  Injuries slowed him in the second half, but he was back to full strength when the regular season came to an end and the White Sox embarked on their first post-season appearance in 5 years.

After going the entire regular season without a home run, Podsednik went deep against the Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALDS, helping the White Sox to a 14-2 victory on their way to a 3 game sweep of the defending champions.  Podsednik continued his steady play during the ALCS, hitting .294 with a triple and 3 stolen bases in the 5 game series.  The shining moment of his career came in Game 2 of the World Series, thanks to a walkoff home run against Brad Lidge in the 9th inning, giving the White Sox a 2-0 lead on their way to a sweep and their first world championship in 88 years.  For his efforts, Podsednik finished in 12th place for MVP voting.

As the White Sox looked to repeat in 2006, Podsednik found it difficult to duplicate his efforts from the year before.  His average was down 29 points, to .261, and his stolen base total was off by 19.

Injuries limited Podsednik to 62 games in 2007.  His offensive production continued to be lacking and, after the White Sox fell completely out of contention for the first time in years, the team decided to change their approach and gave Podsednik his release.

He returned to the White Sox organization in 2009, signing a minor league deal.  Injuries to Brian Anderson, Dewayne Wise, and Carlos Quentin gave him plenty of opportunity with the big league club, and he responded by hitting .304, his highest total since 2003.  Following the season, he became a free agent.

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

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#19 – Greg Luzinski

Name: Greg Luzinski

Rank: 19

Position: DH

Years With White Sox: 1981-1984

With a new ownership group in place and looking to make a splash, the White Sox purchased Greg Luzinski from the Phillies on March 30, 1981.  Coming off a disappointing season, the Chicago-area native responded well to the change, hitting .265 with 21 home runs in the strike-shortened season.  He earned Comeback Player of the Year honors, beating out teammate Bill Almon by 5 votes, and finished 23rd in MVP voting.

Luzinski had another strong year in 1982.  He raised his average to .292, his highest total since 1977, while hitting 18 home runs and driving in 102 runs.

In 1983, Luzinski was a powerful cog in leading the White Sox to their first division title.  He launched the 8th, 9th, and 10th rooftop home runs in Comiskey Park history between June 26 and August 28.  While his average dropped to .255, he hit 32 home runs and drove in 95, good enough to finish 17th in MVP voting.  Like the rest of his teammates, he struggled during the ALCS against the Orioles, hitting only .133 in the 4 game series.

Those struggles carried over in to 1984.  His average dropped again, to .238, and his power output fell as well.  He finished the year with only 13 home runs, his lowest total since 1974, and 58 RBIs, though he did manage to hit his fourth rooftop blast on July 3 against the Tigers.  He became a free agent following the year and decided to retire.

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

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#20 – Bobby Jenks

Name: Bobby Jenks

Rank: 20

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2005-2010

Bobby Jenks joined the White Sox organization on December 17, 2004, when he was selected off waivers from the Angels.  After starting the year in Double A Birmingham, he was called up to the big league club on July 5 and made his major league debut the following day, throwing a scoreless inning against the Devil Rays at US Cellular Field.  When Shingo Takatsu proved ineffective and Dustin Hermanson went down with a back injury, Jenks became the closer in September.  He finished the regular season with 6 saves, to go along with a 1-1 record and a 2.75 ERA.  In the ALDS against the Red Sox, he threw 3 scoreless innings and picked up 2 saves in the 3 game sweep.  Thanks to the 4 complete games in the ALCS against the Angels, Jenks was well rested for the World Series.  He appeared in all 4 games against the Astros, throwing 5 innings and earning the save in Games 1 and 4.

With a World Championship under his belt, Jenks became the full time closer in 2006.  He earned his first All Star nod, and became the first White Sox pitcher to notch a save in the Mid-Summer Classic.  Despite a 4.00 ERA, he finished the year with 41 saves in 45 chances while compiling a 3-4 record.

2007 was a down year for the White Sox, but a good one for Jenks.  He made his second straight All Star team and lowered his ERA to 2.77.  He tied a major league record on August 12, when he retired 41st consecutive batter, becoming the first reliever to achieve the feat.  He finished the year with 40 saves and a 3-5 record in 66 appearances.

Jenks continued his dominant ways in 2008, as the White Sox bounced back in to contention.  He finished with a winning record for the only time in his career and set a career low with a 2.63 ERA.  He notched 30 saves and helped the White Sox return to the post season for the first time since his rookie year.  He threw a scoreless inning in picking up the save in the only White Sox victory in the ALDS against the Rays.

In 2009, Jenks started to struggle, as his ERA and WHIP were up while his strikeouts were down.  Finishing the year with a 3-4 record, his ERA was 3.71 and his save total dropped to 29, his lowest full-season total to date.

2010 was Jenks’ worst year with the White Sox.  His ERA rose again, to 4.44, and his WHIP was up again as well.  Despite his highest strike out total since 2006, he ended the year with a 1-3 record and only 27 saves.  Following the season, the White Sox declined to tender him a contract for the 2011 season, making him a free agent.

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

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#21 – Alex Fernandez

Name: Alex Fernandez

Rank: 21

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1990-1996

Selected 4th overall by the White Sox in the 1990 draft, Alex Fernandez started 8 games in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on August 2, getting a no decision despite throwing 7 strong innings against the Brewers at County Stadium.  Over the last 2 months of the season, he made a total of 13 starts for the White Sox, going 5-5 with a 3.80 ERA.

Fernandez struggled in 1991, setting career highs in walks, WHIP, and ERA.  He finished the year 9-13 with a 4.51 ERA.  1992 saw a slight improvement, thanks to a drastic reduction in walks.  While he still had a losing record, at 8-11, his ERA fell to 4.27.

1993 was Fernandez’s breakout season.  He went 18-9 with a 3.13 ERA as the White Sox took home their first division championship in a decade.  He set a career high with over 247 innings and a career low WHIP of 1.164.  Despite giving up only 3 earned runs in 15 innings, he lost 2 games in the ALCS against the Blue Jays.  His season was good enough to earn 4 MVP votes from the BBWAA.

Fernandez was having another strong year in 1994.  He was 11-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 24 starts when the season came to a premature end thanks to the strike.  When baseball resumed in 1995, he picked up where he had left off, going 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA.

1996 was another strong year for Fernandez, his best since 1993.  He went 16-10 with a 3.45 ERA in a career high 35 starts.  He finished 6th in Cy Young Award voting.  Following the season, he became a free agent.

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

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56 Forever

On Saturday, the White Sox retired Mark Buehrle’s #56, making him the 12th player (including Jackie Robinson) to receive the honor.  Buehrle first came up during the 2000 season, working out of the bullpen for the eventual division champions.  He moved into the rotation the following season, and stayed there for the next 11 seasons.  During that time, there were numerous memorable appearances, many of which I was privileged to see in person.

The 2007 no-hitter against the Rangers.

The 2009 perfect game against the Rays.

Winning Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS against the Angels, thanks to AJ Pierzynski’s heads-up baserunning, and starting the streak of 4 straight complete games.

The 1 hour 36 minute game against the Mariners in 2005.

The no look, through his legs flip to Paul Konerko on Opening Day 2010 against the Indians.

And, of course, his performance in the 2005 World Series, starting Game 2, getting a no decision, and coming in to pitch the 14th inning and earning the save in Game 3.

In White Sox annals, Buehrle is currently fifth all-time in strikeouts, sixth in games started, and eighth in wins and innings pitched.  More importantly, he is number one in the hearts of an appreciative fan base.

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#24 – LaMarr Hoyt

Name: LaMarr Hoyt

Rank: 24

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1979-1984

Acquired by the White Sox, along with Robert Polinsky and Oscar Gamble, from the Yankees for Bucky Dent days before the start of the 1977 season, LaMarr Hoyt made his major league debut two years later, on September 14, 1979, against the A’s, throwing an inning of scoreless relief at Comiskey Park.  He appeared in one other game, ending the year with 3 innings pitched without giving up a run.

Hoyt split the 1980 season between Triple A and Chicago.  With the White Sox, he went back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation, ending the season with a 9-3 record and a 4.57 ERA.

Hoyt worked almost exclusively out of the bullpen in 1981.  He earned 10 saves while posting another 9-3 record, while lowering his ERA to 3.57.  He moved in to the rotation full time in 1982 and tied a club record by winning his first 9 decisions.  He ended up leading the American League in wins, posting a 19-15 record, while walking a minuscule 48 batters in nearly 240 innings.

A slow start, for both Hoyt and the White Sox, in 1983 gave way to a tremendous run that ended with Hoyt leading all of baseball with 24 wins against only 10 losses, good enough for a Cy Young award and some MVP consideration.  He lowered his walk total to 31 while upping his innings pitched to nearly 261.  In the ALCS against the Orioles, he threw a complete game in the first game of the series, giving up only one run in the only White Sox victory.

Hoyt, and the White Sox, faltered in 1984, failing to live up to expectations following the successes of 1983.  Never a thin man, Hoyt’s weight became an issue in 1984, as battery mate Carlton Fisk described the pitcher as having “everything it takes, including a lot of stomach.”  Hoyt finished the year 13-18, leading the league in losses after leading in victories for the past 2 years.  His ERA jumped to 4.47, his worse total since 1980.

Following the season, Hoyt, along with 2 minor leaguers, was traded to the Padres for Ozzie Guillen, Tim Lollar, Bill Long, and Luis Salazar.  Hoyt rejoined the White Sox organization on July 1, 1987, hoping to work his way back from a shredded shoulder and drug addictions, but a fourth drug arrest in December brought his career to an end.

Hoyt’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#25 – Wilson Alvarez

Name: Wilson Alvarez

Rank: 25

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1991-1997

Five days after making his major league debut for the Rangers, Wilson Alvarez was acquired by the White Sox, along with Scott Fletcher and Sammy Sosa, for Harold Baines and Fred Manrique on July 29, 1989.  After spending the next 2 calendar years in the minor leagues, Alvarez returned to the big leagues and made his White Sox debut on August 11, 1991, throwing an unlikely no hitter against the Orioles at Memorial Stadium.  With nowhere to go but down from there, he made 8 additional starts for the White Sox down the stretch, finishing the year with a 3-2 record and a respectable 3.51 ERA.

After tossing nearly 300 innings the previous year between winter league, Triple A, and the big leagues, 1992 saw Alvarez work mostly out of the bullpen, getting only 9 starts out of his 34 appearances.  He posted a career high 1.674 WHIP, giving up 65 walks in just over 100 innings.  This led to an unfortunate 5.20 ERA, despite a 5-3 record.

In 1993, Alvarez managed to break in to the rotation full time.  Despite leading the league with 122 walks, he finished second in the AL with an ERA of 2.95 and ended up with a 15-8 record as the White Sox won the AL West title for the first time in a decade.  He was the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the ALCS, holding the Blue Jays to a single run while throwing a complete game.

Alvarez improved in 1994, earning his first (and only) All Star nod and cutting his walk total nearly in half.  Part of that, of course, was due to the player strike that ended the season in August, and he finished the year with a 12-8 record and a 3.45 ERA.  When baseball returned in 1995, Alvarez struggled to regain his groove, finishing with a losing record for the first time and an ERA of 4.32.

1996 saw a nice bounce back for Alvarez.  While his ERA was still an elevated 4.22, he tied his career high with 15 wins and set career highs for innings pitched and strikeouts.  He continued to impress in 1997, putting up a 9-8 record with a 3.03 ERA by the end of July, when, with the White Sox a mere 3 games back in the standings, he, along with Danny Darwin and Roberto Hernandez, was sent to the Giants for Brian Manning, Lorenzo Barceló, Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, and Ken Vining in what would become known as the White Flag Trade.

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

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#28 – Tim Raines

Name: Tim Raines

Rank: 28

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 1991-1995

Acquired in December of 1990 from the Expos, along with Jeff Carter and a player to be named later, for Ivan Calderon and Barry Jones, Tim Raines took over left field, and the lead off spot, as the White Sox moved in to the new Comiskey Park.  At the age of 31, Raines appeared in 155 games, his highest total since 1984, while hitting .268 with 51 stolen bases.

In 1992, Raines had another strong season, putting up a .294 average with 7 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 45 stolen bases.

Limited to 115 games in 1993 due to a torn thumb ligament, Raines had the best season of his post-Expos career, hitting .306 and posting a .401 OBP, adding 16 home runs and 21 stolen bases.  During the ALCS against the Blue Jays, Raines hit .444 with an OPS of 1.038 as the White Sox dropped the series in 6 games.

Raines saw his production drop off a bit in 1994, his average dropping to .266 but with 10 home runs when the season ended early due to the player’s strike.  When baseball returned in 1995, so did Raines.  He bounced back with a .285 average and a .796 OPS, his second highest total as a member of the White Sox.  Following the season, Raines was traded to the Yankees for an unheralded player to be named later.

Raines rejoined the White Sox organization in November of 2004 when he was named the first base coach, a position he would hold for the championship season in 2005.  For 2006, he was moved to bench coach and, after the season, his services were not retained.

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

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#29 – Lance Johnson

Name: Lance Johnson

Rank: 29

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 1988-1995

Lance Johnson, along with Ricky Horton, was acquired by the White Sox from the Cardinals for Jose DeLeon just before spring training in 1988.  After earning Most Valuable Player honors in the American Association the year before, Johnson was given the starting center fielder job.  Things did not go well, and after hitting only .185 in 33 games, he was sent back to the minor leagues.

Johnson returned to Triple A in 1988, before finally returning to the White Sox, and the major leagues, for good.  In a 50 game stint, his largest to date, Jonson hit .300 with 16 stolen bases and a .360 OBP.

In 1990, Johnson patrolled centerfield for the final season at Comiskey Park.  He hit .285 and managed 36 stolen bases, despite leading the league with 22 caught stealings, easily his career high.  He also hit his first career home run.

1991 saw the White Sox move across the street to their new home, and Johnson continued his steady presence in the lineup.  Hitting .274 while appearing in 159 games, he stole 26 bases and hit 13 triples, leading the American League for the first of four consecutive seasons, the first player in Major League history to accomplish this feat.

Johnson hit .279 in 1992, with another 12 triples and 41 stolen bases.  He also managed to hit the ball out of the ballpark 3 times, setting a new career high.

1993 saw Johnson and the White Sox finally put everything together.  Johnson raised his average to .311, hitting 14 triples and stealing 35 bases while the White Sox won their first divisional title in a decade.  Unfortunately, Johnson struggled in the ALCS against the Blue Jays, hitting only .217 in the 6 game series, though knocking in 6 runs and hitting his only home run of the season.

The strike-shortened 1994 season cut down what could have been a tremendous season for Johnson.  He again hit 14 triples, but in only 106 games.  He tied his career high with 3 home runs and managed 26 stolen bases, while hitting .277.

When baseball resumed in 1995, Johnson turned in his finest season in a White Sox uniform.  He hit .306 and set a career high with a .766 OPS.  He led the league in at bats and hits, though he saw his streak of triples crowns end despite hitting a solid 12.  He set a career high with 10 home runs, 3 more than his previous career total.  On September 23, he became the first White Sox hitter to get 6 hits in a game since Floyd Robinson in 1962.  Following the season, he became a free agent and his White Sox career came to an end.

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

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