Tag / Ron Schueler

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#209 – Bill Simas

SoxName: Bill Simas

Rank: 209

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1995-2000

Bill Simas joined the White Sox organization near the trading deadline in 1995 along with McKay Christensen, Andrew Lorraine, and John Snyder in the deal that sent Jim Abbott and Tim Fortugno to the Angels.  He made his major league debut on August 15, pitching a scoreless inning of relief against those same Angels.  He finished the season with a 2.57 ERA in 14 appearances for a disappointing White Sox squad that finished 8 games under .500.

Simas became a mainstay of the White Sox bullpen starting in 1996, when he appeared in 64 games.  His ERA, however, jumped up to a career high 4.58 in 72.2 inning pitched, also a career high.  He improved in 1997, lowering his to 4.14 in 40 games before minor shoulder surgery ended his season early in August.

Much to his chagrin, Simas started the 1998 season in Triple A to build up his arm strength.  “If spring training had been another week to 10 days, he’d be with us,” general manager Ron Schueler said.  “He’s just not quite ready yet.”  Simas did not see things the same way.  “They say my velocity’s not the same, but does that mean I can’t pitch?” Simas asked.  “I asked that question and they didn’t give me an answer. That’s the way it goes.”  He was back in the big leagues by the end of April, finishing the year with a 3.57 ERA and 18 saves.

1999 was another decent year for the bullpen workhorse.  He appeared in a career high 70 games and put up a 6-3 record with 2 saves.  As the White Sox ran away with the 2000 AL Central title, Simas again was a key part of the bullpen, appearing in 60 games and putting up a 3.46 ERA before being shut down for the final month of the season after suffering elbow pain.  He returned for the ALDS against the Mariners, appearing in 2 of the 3 games.

Following the 2000 season, he underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2001 season.  After that season, he was granted free agency, but returned to the White Sox organization on a minor league deal in May of 2002.  After the 2002 season, he again was granted free agency, but he never appeared in the major leagues again.

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

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#215 – Chuck McElroy

Chuck_McElroy_(1997_White_Sox)_3

Name: Chuck McElroy

Rank: 215

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1997

Looking to shore up the bullpen a month and a half in to the 1997 season, general manager Ron Schueler turned to his frequent partner, the Angels, and sent Tony Phillips and Chad Krueter out west in exchange for Jorge Fabergas and Chuck McElroy, a proven left handed reliever.  He appeared in 48 games for a disappointing White Sox team that finished in second place despite being one game under .500.

Following the season, McElroy was left unprotected by the White Sox in the expansion draft and he was selected by the brand new Arizona Diamondbacks.

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

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#222 – Joe Magrane

magrane_staats

Name: Joe Magrane

Rank: 222

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1996

After spending all of 1995 in the minor leagues while attempting to rehab from elbow injuries, Joe Magrane was sitting at home in February of 1996 when the White Sox offered him a non-roster invite to spring training.  “I’ll give it one last shot,” Magrane said. “I don’t know how it’ll work out.”  After being the most consistent left-hander in the bullpen, Magrane found himself breaking camp with the White Sox.

By early May, manager Terry Bevington had moved Magrane into the 5th starter role.  “Joe’s getting a lot of groundballs lately,” Bevington said, “and I like what he’s done. Of course, nothing is forever, but as of today he’s the No. 5.”  Forever lasted until mid June, when Mike Sirotka was called up and pushed Magrane back to the bullpen.  Five days later, the White Sox designated Magrane for assignment.  “We gave Joe a lot of chances,” general manager Ron Schueler said.  “Unfortuately for Joe, it just didn’t work out.”

Magrane spent the remainder of the season toiling away in Triple A before retiring at the end of the season.

Magrane’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#224 – Danny Darwin

DARWIN

Name: Danny Darwin

Rank: 224

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1997

41-year old Danny Darwin signed with the White Sox for his 20th big league season on February 7, 1997.  Darwin was 4-8 with a 4.13 ERA in 17 starts for a White Sox squad that found itself only 3 1/2 games out of first place in the AL Central on July 31.  Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf did not see a bright future for the team, however, and allowed general manager Ron Schueler to pull the trigger on what would become known as the “White Flag” trade, sending Darwin, along with Wilson Alvarez and Roberto Hernandez, to the Giants in exchange for Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, Lorenzo Barcelo, Ken Vining, Mike Caruso, and Brian Manning.

Darwin called it “one of the most bizarre trades I’ve ever seen” and predicted that future free agents may think twice about joining the South Siders.  “If they need one or two players to get over the hump, it may hurt them in the future,” Darwin said. “I think (the trade) will be in the back of some guys’ minds–`Do I want to go over there?’ You hear (Reinsdorf) say: `You’ve got to be crazy to think we’re going to catch Cleveland.’ Do you want to play for someone like that?”

Darwin’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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#308 – Mike Huff

e571Name: Mike Huff

Rank: 308

Position: OF

Years With White Sox: 1991-1993

Mike Huff joined the White Sox in July of 1991 when he was selected off waivers from the Indians.  He performed well for the Sox in the second half of the 1991 season, hitting .268 in 51 games.  Unfortunately, that would be his high water mark as a member of the South Siders.

In 1992, Huff appeared in 60 games, but saw his average drop to .209.  Things were even worse the next year, as the White Sox headed to their 2nd and final AL West championship.  Huff only appeared in 43 games for the big league club, and finished with an anemic .182 average.

Spring training of 1994 brought an unexpected addition to the White Sox clubhouse: Michael Jordan.  Being on the bubble, Huff was vocal about the uneasiness of having a roster spot potentially taken by an unworthy player for marketing purposes.  He shouldn’t have worried, since neither he nor Michael Jordan would be spending the summer in Chicago.  As spring training was winding down and it became obvious that Huff was not going to make the team, GM Ron Schueler traded him to the Blue Jays in exchange for Domingo Martinez, commenting that the move “gives him a chance to stay in the big leagues.”

Huff has rejoined the White Sox organization in recent years, acting as a vice president for the Bulls/Sox training academy and filling in on the television broadcasts when Steve Stone is away.

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

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#486 – Jaime Navarro

Name: Jaime Navarro

Rank: 486

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1997-1999

Following the 1996 season, there were 2 big free agent pitchers available on the open market.  One had decided that Chicago was the place for him.  Intrigued by a lineup that included both Frank Thomas and Albert Belle, Roger Clemens had his agents reach out to Jerry Reinsdorf.  GM Ron Schueler had other ideas, which included Navarro, who was coming off of a 29-18 record in 2 years with the Cubs.  Clemens ultimately ended up in Toronto, where he won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 1997 and 1998.  Navarro went completely off the rails, going 25-43 with a 6.06 earned-run average in his three seasons with the White Sox.  “For me Navarro was just a better value than Roger,” Schueler said.  “There wasn’t as much risk. . . . We talked to our scouts about [Clemens]. They did not recommend him for even a three-year deal. They felt like there is a danger he’s going to have arm problems.”

At the end of the day, Navarro’s most valuable contribution to the White Sox was the trade that sent him out of town.  The Brewers, for reasons that I can not comprehend, sent Cal Eldred and Jose Valentin to the Sox for Navarro in January of 2000.  Of course, those two helped lead the White Sox to the AL Central title later that same year.  Navarro, meanwhile, pitched in 12 more major league games before being sent to the scrap heap.

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