Tag / Mike Caruso

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#263 – Chris Snopek

snopek

Name: Chris Snopek

Rank: 263

Position: 3B

Years With White Sox: 1995-1998

Chris Snopek joined the White Sox organization in 1992 when he was drafted in the 6th round.  He worked his way up through the system and made his major league debut on July 31, 1995, going 2 for 3 in the White Sox 6-4 win over the Royals.  Snopek bounced up and down over the next 2 seasons and had already made the club as a backup infielder in spring training in 1997, when something horrible happened.

On March 21, 1997, in an exhibition contest against the Red Sox, third baseman Robin Ventura broke and dislocated his right ankle in an awkward slide into home.  Suddenly, Chis Snopek found himself as the starting third baseman, at least until Ventura returned sometime after the All Star break.  “We have to find out if Snopek can play,” GM Ron Schueler said at the time. “Our people really like him. This is the time to find out if they’re right.”  However, it took less than three weeks for manager Terry Bevington to begin playing Tony Phillips at third against right-handed pitchers, leaving Snopek to rot on the bench.

Snopek got back in the lineup when Phillips was traded and kept it until Ventura returned in late July, having hit .223 with five home runs and 35 runs batted in and committing 15 errors.  He was sent back to Triple A on August 8th.  “Every day he got a question about replacing Robin, and that was tough on him,” said Schueler. “He was trying to hit home runs like they expected Robin to hit and that frustration carried over to his defense.”

After the season, Snopek went to Venezuela to play winter ball and, hopefully, rediscover his stroke.  After hitting .380, he returned to the White Sox in spring training of 1998 hoping to get another crack at replacing a White Sox legend, this time shortstop Ozzie Guillen.  While he lost out to rookie Mike Caruso for the starting role, Snopek did make the team as a reserve and, despite struggling at the plate once again, he stayed with the big league club until August 31, when he was traded to the Red Sox for a minor leaguer.  “It was a total shock,” Snopek said. “But it’s an opportunity for me to go to Boston and show them what I can do.”

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

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#307 – Lorenzo Barcelo

265796Name: Lorenzo Barcelo

Rank: 307

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2000-2002

On July 31, 1997, the White Sox, only 3 1/2 games behind the Indians for the AL Central lead, blew up their season with a move that became known as the White Flag trade, sending Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez to the Giants in exchange for a group of prospects that included Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, Ken Vining, and Lorenzo Barcelo.

After joining the White Sox organization, Barcelo started over in Rookie ball and started working his way back up the ladder, eventually reaching the major leagues in July of 2000 when Cal Eldred’s elbow finally gave out.  Barcelo appeared in 22 games for the White Sox that season and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings during the White Sox Division Series loss to the Mariners.

Things went south for Barcelo following that season.  He missed most of the 2001 season after tearing his rotator cuff.  Another arm injury cut short his 2002 season, and effectively ended his White Sox and major league career.  Following the 2002 season, he was let go.

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

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#352 – Ken Vining

Name: Ken Vining

Rank: 352

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2001

Ken Vining was acquired by the White Sox from the Giants as part of the reviled, but ultimately fruitful “White Flag” trade at the deadline in 1997 that sent Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez west in exchange for Vining, Lorenzo Barcelo, Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, and Bob Howry.

Vining finally made it to the big leagues in 2001, but success was difficult to find and Vining’s season, and career, came to an end after only 8 appearances.

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

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