Playoff Batting Leaders

baseballs3Now that the Cubs have gotten past the Pirates in the Wild Card game and will face off against the Cardinals in the NLDS, it’s time to take our first ever look at the offensive leaders from the 17 post-season games I have attended since 2000.  So, without further ado, we start off with:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 3
B.J. Upton 3
Moises Alou 2
Miguel Cabrera 2
Chipper Jones 2
Eric Karros 2
A.J. Pierzynski 2
Scott Podsednik 2
Manny Ramirez 2

Hits

Name Total
Moises Alou 9
Juan Uribe 8
Derrek Lee 8
A.J. Pierzynski 7
Mark DeRosa 7

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 6
A.J. Pierzynski 5
Continue reading →

#135 – Brian Daubach

daubach

Name: Brian Daubach

Rank: 135

Position: 1B

Year With White Sox: 2003

Brian Daubach joined the White Sox on January 27, 2003, signing as a free agent.  As Paul Konerko struggled in the first half, Daubach saw plenty of playing time.  But a second half surge from Konerko limited Daubach’s appearances, and his production suffered.  He finished the year with a .230 average and only 6 home runs in 95 games.

On December 10, Daubach was released, ending his time on the south side.

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

Continue reading →

Crosstown Batting Leaders

cws-chiLast weekend, the 2015 Crosstown Cup wrapped up, with the White Sox taking home the cup for the second straight year and the fifth time since the cup was introduced six years ago.  Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look at the offensive leaders for the 63 crosstown games I have attended since the start of interleague play in 1997:

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 15
Carlos Lee 9
Aramis Ramirez 8
Sammy Sosa 8
Jermaine Dye 7

Hits

Name Total
Paul Konerko 50
Carlos Lee 41
Sammy Sosa 29
Derrek Lee 28
Magglio Ordonez 26

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 26
Magglio Ordonez 19
Continue reading →

Single Game Batting Leaders Revisited

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersWe’ve looked at the single season and career leaders for games I have attended, and I thought it would be interesting to take another look at the single game leaders in those categories, for the first time since 2012.

Home Runs

Name Total Date
Sammy Sosa 3 6/5/1996
Moises Alou 3 7/4/2003
103 with 2 Most recently on 5/24/2015

Hits

Name Total Date
Scott Rolen 5 4/22/2007
Mike Fontenot 5 6/25/2007
Mark DeRosa 5 9/17/2007
Alfonso Soriano 5 5/17/2008
Derrek Lee 5 6/28/2008
Ryan Braun 5 8/2/2010
Prince Fielder 5 8/2/2010
Danny Santana 5 8/3/2014
Melky Cabrera 5 6/21/2015

Runs

Name Total Date
Chris Burke 5 6/13/2006
Gary Ward 4 8/14/1984
Paul Konerko 4 6/28/2002
Continue reading →

Franchise Four – Chicago White Sox

Major League Baseball is asking its fans to vote for the four most impactful players who best represent the history of each franchise.  The winners will be announced in July at the All Star Game in Cincinnati.  Today, we finish up the entire league as I give my Franchise Four picks for the Chicago White Sox.

F4WhiteSox

LALuis Aparicio played for the White Sox from 1956 – 1962 and again from 1968 – 1970.  He was an All Star 6 times in those years and was elected to Hall of Fame in 1984.  His number 11 was retired by the White Sox in 1984.

NFNellie Fox teamed with Aparicio to make up the double play combination for the 1959 American League Champions.  Fox came to the White Sox in 1950 and manned second base through the 1963 season, earning 12 All Star nods and the 1959 AL MVP.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997.

LAppAfter the White Sox roster was decimated by the banishments following the throwing of the 1919 World Series, there were few bright spots until Luke Appling debuted in 1930.  20 years later, Appling retired, with 7 All Star nods, 2 batting titles, 3 top 10 MVP finishes, and too many team records to count.  He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1964.

PKPaul Konerko came to the White Sox via trade prior to the 1999 season and became a fixture at first base until his retirement last year.  Having led the White Sox to victory in the 2005 World Series, he finished his career as the White Sox all time leader in total bases and second all time in home runs, RBIs, and games played.

HBHarold Baines was selected by the White Sox as the first overall pick of the 1977 draft.  He spent parts of 14 seasons with the team, in three different stints, until his retirement following the 2001 season.  He holds the White Sox team records for home runs, RBIs, and extra base hits for left handed hitters. Continue reading →

Mix Tape Monday Revisited– Volume 11

Between 1989, my sophomore year of high school, and 1995, my fourth year of college, I put together a nearly 20 volume collection of mix tapes, containing my favorite songs that I had gathered either from the radio, a cassette tape, or (eventually) CD.  Three years ago, we looked back at all 20 volumes and which of my “favorite” songs I still listened to.  Today, we revisit those mix tapes and see how things have changed in the last 3 years.

Volume 11 takes us late into 1993 and my sophomore year of college.  It features mostly alternative and hip-hop hits, with a little pop and Aerosmith on the side.

Side A

Shai – Baby I’m Yours

A modest 2-play increase for the last time anybody ever heard from Shai.

2012 iTunes stats: 5 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 7 plays, most recently on 11/7/2013

Tears For Fears – Break It Down Again

The comeback hit for the 80s sensation managed a small increase over the past 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 12/29/2014

Bell Biv Devoe – Something In Your Eyes

I came to the conclusion that this is not a very good song when I last heard it in January.

2012 iTunes stats: Never played

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 1/9/2015

4 Non Blondes – Spaceman

A doubling of the number of listens for the minor follow up hit to What’s Up.

2012 iTunes stats: 2 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 4 plays, most recently on 9/17/2014

Pearl Jam – Go

The first hit from Pearl Jam’s second album more than tripled its number of listens, thanks mostly to being used as Paul Konerko’s walkup music during his final season.

2012 iTunes stats: 6 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 19 plays, most recently on 5/12/2015

Nirvana – Heart-Shaped Box

Nirvana’s first release from their final studio album more than doubled its number of plays over the last 3 years.

2012 iTunes stats: 4 plays

2015 iTunes stats: 9 plays, most recently on 10/24/2014

Radiohead – Stop Whispering

A small increase for the lesser known follow up to the smash Creep.

2012 iTunes stats: 1 play

2015 iTunes stats: 2 plays, most recently on 11/7/2013

Side B

Continue reading →

Fitbit Week 16

Week16_FBThe week got off to a bad start, but then picked up for my third highest total in the short Fitbit era.  After a wasted Sunday, things picked up on Monday thanks to an after-work trip to US Cellular Field requiring parking north of 29th Street, giving me a total that ranks in my all-time top 10.  The rest of the work week was pretty standard, with each day’s total drifting downward as the week went on.  Saturday was up thanks to another trip to the Cell, where Paul Konerko’s jersey was retired.

Total steps: 51,868

Daily average: 7409.7

Book 13 (of 52) – Paul Konerko: Farewell To A Friend

Paul Konerko: Farewell To A Friend - Scott Reifert

Paul Konerko: Farewell To A Friend – Scott Reifert

Following the retirement of Paul Konerko last fall, the White Sox put together a book, edited by Scott Reifert, to celebrate their longtime first baseman and raise money for Chicago White Sox Charities.  To be honest, there wasn’t much reading to be done with this book, as it was mostly pictures along with a few short articles.

Paul Konerko meant a lot to the White Sox and its fan base over the past 16 years, which I covered last fall as he retired.  This book sums up his last weekend, while also hitting on a few of the highpoints of his career, especially the run to the 2005 World Series championship.

Active Batting Leaders – Through 2014

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersLast month, we looked at the overall leaders on both sides of the ball from all of the games I’ve attended between 1984 and 2014.  With Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn hanging up their spikes after last season, we should see some new names on this list.  Now that Opening Day is right around the corner, let’s take another look at those numbers, limiting it to players that are still active heading in to the 2015 season.

Home Runs

Name Total
Aramis Ramirez 41
Alexei Ramierz 28
Carlos Quentin 28
Alex Rios 23
AJ Pierzynski 20

Hits

Name Total
Alexei Ramirez 261
AJ Pierzynski 237
Continue reading →

2015 Games Of Interest

2005anniversaryFireworks Night

August 15
September 12

Family Day

April 12
April 26
May 10
May 24
June 7
June 21
July 5
July 19
August 2
August 30
September 13
October 4

Other Fun Stuff

April 10 – Opening Day
April 25 – Jose Abreu Rookie Of The Year Blanket
May 23 – Paul Konerko Statue
June 6 – Kids Hooded Sweatshirt
July 4 – Bobby Jenks Bobblehead
July 18 – 2005 World Championship Replica Ring
August 1 – Scott Podsednik Bobblehead
August 29 – Jermaine Dye Bobblehead