Tag / Gene Nelson

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Throwback Thursday – Pitching Leaders Of The 1980s

Our Throwback Thursday feature continues, as we once again point the wayback machine back to the 1980s, finally putting our focus on the defensive leaders of that decade.  As a reminder, I’ve identified a mere 14 games that I attended during this time period, when I would have been ages 5 through 14.

Wins

Name Total
14 tied with 1

Losses

Name Total
Tom Seaver 2
12 tied with 1

ERA (> 6 IP)

Name Total
Floyd Bannister 0.00
Mark Langston 0.00
Dwight Gooden 0.00
Scott McGregpr 1.00
Bud Black 1.23

Strikeouts

Name Total
Britt Burns 12
Tom Seaver 10
Tim Lollar 9
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#188 – Salome Barojas

salome

Name: Salome Barojas

Rank: 188

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1982-1984

As spring training wound down in 1982, the White Sox purchased the contract of Salome Barojas from the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League.  Barojas quickly became the team’s closer, finishing the season with 21 saves.

In 1983, as the White Sox ran away with the AL West title, their first divisional championship, Barojas split the closing duties with Dennis Lamp, picking up 12 saves in 52 games and finishing the year with a career best 2.47 ERA.  Unfortunately, Barojas struggled during the ALCS, appearing in 2 games against the Orioles and giving up 4 hits and 2 runs in 1 inning pitched.

Like the rest of the White Sox, Barojas struggled to duplicate the success of the previous season in 1984.  His ERA had jumped over 2 runs in 24 games before he was traded to the Mariners on June 27 in exchange for pitchers Gene Nelson and Jerry Don Gleaton.

Barojas’ numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#225 – Gene Nelson

genenelson

Name: Gene Nelson

Rank: 225

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1984-1986

With the White Sox struggling to repeat as AL West Champions in 1984, they swung a deal with the Mariners on June 27 to swap relief pitchers, sending Salome Barojas out west in exchange for Jerry Don Gleaton and Gene Nelson.  Nelson, who had been in Triple A for the Mariners, came to the big leagues with the White Sox and split his time between the rotation and bullpen, starting 9 of his 20 appearances.

In 1985, Nelson was penciled in to work strictly out of the pen.  “It was tough to adjust after starting for so long,” he said.  “It was a matter of learning the mental parts of the game in the bullpen.”  However, an injury to Richard Dotson and the ineffectiveness of Bruce Tanner forced manager Tony LaRussa to move Nelson back in to the rotation in early July.  By year’s end, Nelson had completed his first full big league season with 46 appearances, 18 of them as a starter.

1986 saw Nelson back in the bullpen full time, save one emergency start due to the death of Tom Seaver’s mother.  He appeared in a career-high 54 games and posted his best ERA to date.  In December, the White Sox packaged Nelson with Bruce Tanner and sent him to the A’s in exchange for second baseman Donnie Hill.

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

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#239 – Donnie Hill

donnie-hillName: Donnie Hill

Rank: 239

Position: 2B

Years With White Sox: 1987-1988

Donnie Hill was acquired by the White Sox as the player to be named later in the earlier trade that sent Gene Nelson to the A’s.  The 1987 season was painful for him, both physically and emotionally.  An eye infection struck him in May and lingered for nearly 2 months, making it difficult to see.  As a result, his batting average plunged to .239.  “It was just a pain in the tail,” Hill said. “I don’t know how I got the problem.  Whatever I did only seemed to make it worse.  It was a distraction, but I’m not using it as an excuse.”

Going in to the 1988 season, Hill was slated to platoon at second base with Fred Manrique.  Things did not improve for Hill, though, as he appeared in only 83 games and his average dropped to .217.  “I never should have tried to change what I did in Oakland,” Hill said, “but I’m still confident in my ability. I know there are some things I need to do in the off-season-drop a little weight and get stronger. I’m not finished.”

The White Sox were just about finished with him, though.  Hill came to spring training in 1989, but was released on March 9, about a week into the Grapefruit League schedule.

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

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#271 – Jerry Don Gleaton

Jerry-Don-Gleaton-White-SoxName: Jerry Don Gleaton

Rank: 271

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1984-1985

With the White Sox struggling to repeat as AL West champions, they made a move to shore up the bullpen, sending Salome Barojas to the Mariners in exchange for Jerry Don Gleaton and Gene Nelson.  Gleaton put up good numbers in Triple A for the White Sox and was eventually called up to the big leagues, appearing in 11 games.

Gleaton again split the 1985 season between Triple A and the White Sox, with more success in Triple A.  He made it in to 31 games for the White Sox, but put up a 5.76 ERA.

Gleaton spent all of 1986 in Triple A before leaving the White Sox organization as a free agent.

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

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#318 – Bruce Tanner

Bruce_Tanner_(White_Sox)_8

Name: Bruce Tanner

Rank: 318

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1985

Bruce Tanner, the son of former White Sox manager Chuck Tanner, spent his entire major league career with the White Sox during the 1985 season.  He was the team’s 4th round draft pick in 1983 and made his major league debut nearly 2 years later, subbing for an injured Richard Dotson, on June 12, 1985, picking up the victory against the Mariners in Seattle.  Tanner appeared in 9 more games for the big league club over the year, finishing with a 5.33 ERA.

Tanner spent the entire 1986 season back in Triple A Buffalo, where he finished with a losing record.  Following the season, he was sent to Oakland as the player to be named later to complete the earlier trade that brought Donnie Hill to the White Sox in exchange for Gene Nelson.

Tanner’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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