Tag / Ozzie Guillen

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#214 – Dale Sveum

WhiteSox-dalesveumName: Dale Sveum

Rank: 214

Position: SS

Year With White Sox: 1992

In 1992, when Ozzie Guillen went down for the season with a knee injury in late April and replacement Craig Grebeck broke his foot in August, the White Sox were looking for a replacement and swung a deal with the Phillies to acquire Dale Sveum in exchange for minor league pitcher Keith Shepherd.

Sveum appeared in 40 games down the stretch for the White Sox, hitting a robust .219.  Following the season, he was allowed to leave as a free agent.

Sveum’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#234 – Will Ohman

Will+OhmanName: Will Ohman

Rank: 234

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2011-2012

Will Ohman signed a 2 year deal with the White Sox on January 8, 2011.  He joined the bullpen for a team expected to compete for a division title, but which instead unraveled under the watchful eye of Ozzie Guillen.  Ohman was competent, putting up a 4.22 ERA in 59 appearances.

2012 was worse for Ohman.  Under new manager Robin Ventura, the team was actually contending, spending most of the season in first place.  Ohman, however, saw his ERA jump up to 6.41.  As June was coming to an end, so was his time on the White Sox.  He was designated for assignment on June 27 and eventually released on July 3.

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

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2014 Tickets – Southside Edition

Word came down yesterday afternoon that Cub season tickets had started to arrive, so imagine my surprise when I got home and found this sitting on my doorstep:

2014soxbox

Inside the box were the two ticket books, a collection of parking passes, and some miscellaneous paperwork.  The tickets themselves have returned to a portrait orientation, and feature photos of all-time White Sox greats.

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#246 – Lastings Milledge

Lastings MilledgeName: Lastings Milledge

Rank: 246

Position: LF

Year With White Sox: 2011

Lastings Milledge signed a minor league deal with the White Sox on February 3, 2011.  He earned his way on to the major league squad in spring training and headed north with the team.  He lasted less than a week.  He went 1 for 4 in his 2 appearances, but was the odd man out when 2 straight 12-inning games left the White Sox with a need for an extra arm in the bullpen.

“Personally, it was very hard for me to do it,” manager Ozzie Guillen said. “When you send someone down that has nothing to do with the situation [how they are playing], that’s [difficult]. I was on the plane thinking all flight how I was going to handle it. He handled it very well. I talked to Milledge about the problem we have. Unfortunately, that’s part of the game. It’s one of the hardest talks I had with any of the players.”

Milledge spent the rest of the season in Triple A, and left to play in Japan following the season.

Milledge’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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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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Delaying The End Of An Era

r301593300The White Sox announced yesterday that Paul Konerko, the last remaining member of the 2005 World Series champions, will return to the south side for one final season in 2014.  The slugger, who struggled through an injury plagued 2013 as the White Sox fell to last place in the AL Central, will take on a reduced role with Adam Dunn still on the roster and newly signed Cuban import Jose Abreu expected to take over the reigns at first base for the foreseeable future.

The White Sox, under the leadership of Jerry Reinsdorf, have not always been so accommodating of their aging stars.  Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, and Ozzie Guillen are just a few who left town angry after being set loose by the team.  Very few players get to leave the game on their own terms, but it seems that Paul Konerko may get just that chance.

Reaction to the signing has been mixed, to say the least.  A large contingent of fans have been happy to see one of the best players in White Sox history return for one last go around.  A smaller group disdains the fact that sentimentality seems to be taking the place of a sound baseball decision, even though the team is not expected to compete next season.  Breaking camp next spring with Konerko, Abreu, and Dunn will hamstring the roster somewhat, but thankfully rosters do not have to be set on December 5th.

Hopefully a healthy Konerko can bounce back and become a productive member of the White Sox next season.  The longtime captain, and his fans, deserve to see his career come to a satisfying conclusion.

by jim

You’d Think He Would Have Mentioned Something

hawkyazIn all seriousness, though, this site is an incredible time waster.  The biggest degree I’ve been able to come up with was 9, although I don’t remember the specifics after the dozens of different combinations I’ve run over the past few days.

Mike Ditka to Phil Jackson – 7 degrees

Ozzie Guillen to Scott Skiles – 4 degrees

Prepare to fall down the rabbit hole.

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#299 – Bill Long

billlongName: Bill Long

Rank: 299

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1985, 1987-1990

Bill Long was acquired by the White Sox along with Ozzie Guillen, Tim Lollar, and Luis Salazar from the Padres in exchange for LaMarr Hoyt in December of 1984.  Long made his major league debut that July against the Indians, going 5 innings and getting a no decision in the White Sox loss.  Long finished the year with a disappointing 10.29 ERA in 4 games with the big league club.

That performance helped keep Long at Triple A for the entire 1986 season, but he bounced back in 1987, making 23 starts for a White Sox team that finished in 5th place.  1988 saw Long spend more time in the bullpen, finishing the season with a career high in appearances.  The next year was even better, as Long put up a career best 3.92 ERA in only 30 games.

April of 1990 saw Long appear in 4 games, giving up 5 runs in less than 6 innings before GM Larry Himes decided it was time for Long to move on.  As the month drew to a close, Long was traded across town to the Cubs in exchange for a minor league pitcher.

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

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#305 – Tim Lollar

timlollarName: Tim Lollar

Rank: 305

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1985

Tim Lollar was acquired by the White Sox in December of 1984 from the Padres along with Bill Long, Luis Salazar, and a minor league shortstop named Ozzie Guillen in exchange for 2 minor leaguers and former Cy Young award winner LaMarr Hoyt.  Lollar started the 1985 campaign in the rotation for the South Siders, but by late May, his spot was getting skipped and he started getting work out of the bullpen.  It seemed that his time with the White Sox would be short.

Trade rumors around Lollar started swirling in June, with the Red Sox looking like a likely landing spot.  Initial reports had Boston offering Wade Boggs, Bruce Hurst and Mark Clear in exchange for Richard Dotson and Luis Salazar.  The White Sox countered with Lollar, Salazar and a relief pitcher for Boggs.  While a blockbuster involving the future Hall of Famer obviously never materialized, the two Soxes eventually came to a meeting of the minds on Lollar, with him heading to Boston in early June in exchange for outfielder Reid Nichols.

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

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#313 – Esteban Beltre

216-333Bk

Name: Esteban Beltre

Rank: 313

Position: SS

Years With White Sox: 1991-1992

Esteban Beltre joined the White Sox organization on May 23, 1991 after being acquired from the Brewers in exchange for John Cangelosi.  He made his major league debut that September against the Royals in an 8-0 loss.

Beltre got an extended look in 1992 when Ozzie Guillen blew out his knee in April, starting 32 games for the South Siders.  His output left a little to be desired, however, and he spent the 1993 season back in Triple A.  His time with the White Sox came to an end during spring training in 1994, when he was traded to the Rangers for Scott Eyre.

Beltre’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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