Tag / Tigers

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#100 – Jake Peavy

CT sox-tigers05.JPG

Name: Jake Peavy

Rank: 100

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2009-2013

The White Sox first traded for Jake Peavy on May 21, 2009, but Peavy invoked his no-trade clause to block the deal.  The next day, in a game against his soon-to-be cross town rival Cubs, Peavy injured his ankle running the bases and headed to the disabled list.  When the White Sox came around again at the trade deadline despite the lingering ankle injury, Peavy agreed to the deal and left the Padres to join the White Sox in exchange for Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Adam Russell and Dexter Carter.  Peavy eventually managed to make 3 starts for the White Sox, winning all 3 and giving fans hope for the 2010 season.

After getting off to a rough start in 2010, Peavy got on a roll and strung together five consecutive victories until July 6, when he suffered a detached latissimus dorsi muscle, a rare injury that ended his season.  Peavy worked his way back to the White Sox rotation in 2011, but he needed time to adjust to his reattached muscle and rebuild his strength.

In 2012, Peavy led the surprising White Sox to a summer in first place and was named to the All Star team.  Unfortunately, the team faded down the stretch and finished behind the Tigers for the AL Central crown.  After the season, he avoided free agency by reupping with the White Sox, signing a two year, $29 million dollar extension with a vesting option for 2015.  Unfortunately, the late season collapse that doomed the White Sox in September of 2012 continued into 2013, as the team fell into the cellar and saw an opportunity to improve themselves by moving Peavy to the Red Sox in a three-way deal that would send Jose Iglesias to the Tigers and Avisail Garcia and three low level prospects to the White Sox.

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

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A Quarter Century Of Memories

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of US Cellular Field, the White Sox are asking fans to vote for the top moment in US Cellular Field history, broken down into 4 brackets: Postseason Perks, Memorable Moments, Records and Milestones, and Honors and More.  Today, we shall take a look at the first 2 groupings of these moments and decide which is the best.

postseason_peaksThe Postseason Peaks region boasts 6 entries from or related to the 2005 World Series champions plus another 2 from the team’s last division winner in 2008.  The disappointing post-season appearances from 1993 and 2000 are left out altogether.  As an added plus, I attended all of the games in this region.

The first match-up is a no-brainer, with Scott Podsednik’s walk-off home run to win Game 2 of the World Series pitted against Alexei Ramirez’s grand slam against the Tigers to force game 163 against the Twins for the division crown.  With all due respect to Alexei, Podsednik takes this with ease.

The next battle is between the aforementioned game 163, the Blackout Game that sent the White Sox to the playoffs, against Joe Crede’s walk-off single against the Angels in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.  While the Blackout was great fun, it was just a regular season game.  Crede’s hit, following the A.J. Pierzynski drama, would have blown the roof off the place, if it had one.

Next, we have the unfair fight of Paul Konerko’s grand slam in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series versus Tadahito Iguchi’s go-ahead home run against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALDS.  No real contest here.

The final match-up is again from Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS, when Pierzynski struck out and somehow managed to get the umpires to let him take first base, going up against the second game of the 2006 season, when the White Sox received their World Series championship rings.  While the ring ceremony was indeed cool, it can’t beat the game action of one of the smartest players in baseball using his wits to outduel the opponent.

memorable_momentsWe now turn our attention to the Memorable Moments region, a more varied group of games, only 5 of which I managed to attend.

We begin with the second to last day of the 2014 season, when the White Sox honored their retiring captain with a special ceremony, doing battle against the July 7, 1999 contest against the Royals where Chris Singleton hit for the cycle.  Once again, I’ll have to give the nod to Konerko.

The next match-up pits Frank Thomas, hitting the first White Sox home run at the then-New Comiskey Park on April 22, 1991 against Bo Jackson’s home run in the division-clinching game on September 27, 1993.  You can’t really go wrong with either of these, to be honest.

The next battle is between Mark Buerhle’s kick save followed by a flip between the legs which Paul Konerko barehanded for the putout on Opening Day 2010 and the 10 year reunion of the 2005 champions last summer.  I’ll give the nod to Buehrle.

The last match-up features the White Sox game against the Yankees on September 18, 2001, the first game after the tragedy of 9/11 versus Carlos Lee’s 10th inning walk-off grand slam off Courtney Duncan in the June 8, 2001 victory over the Cubs.  While Lee’s hit is obviously the better baseball moment, the meaning of the return to the field after the attack on New York and the Pentagon have a greater meaning overall.

Coming out of these brackets, you have either Konerko or Podsednik’s home run from Game 2 of the World Series going up against Buehrle’s play against the Indians on Opening Day 2010.  We’ll check out the remaining 2 regions next week.

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#101 – Dewayne Wise

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Name: Dewayne Wise

Rank: 101

Position: OF

Years With White Sox: 2008-2009, 2012-2013

Dewayne Wise signed with the White Sox organization on March 5, 2008.  He started the year at Triple A, but was recalled to the big leagues in May when Juan Uribe landed on the disabled list.  He returned for good in late July when Paul Konerko got hurt, becoming a defensive replacement for the newly acquired Ken Griffey Jr. and gaining additional playing time when Carlos Quentin broke his wrist in early September.  The high point of his season came on September 14, when, with the White Sox battling the Twins for the Central division title, he answered a grand slam in the top of the 8th by Marcus Thames with one of his own in the bottom of the inning, pushing the Sox to an 11-7 victory over the Tigers and retaining their first place standing.

Wise returned to the White Sox in 2009, earning the Opening Day nod in center field.  A separated shoulder 7 games into the season put him on the shelf until early June.  He made the play of his career on July 23, when he entered the game against the Rays as a defensive replacement in the 9th inning.  The first hitter, Gabe Kapler, hit a deep fly ball to center field which Wise first leaped to keep in the ballpark, then juggled the ball as he fell to the ground, finally grasping it with his bare hand.  The catch preserved Mark Buehrle’s perfect game, which he wrapped up two batters later.

wise-catchThe remainder of 2009 was uneventful, as the White Sox fell from contention.  Wise finished the year with a .225 average, and became a free agent following the season.

Wise returned to the White Sox in 2012, signing a minor league deal on August 3rd.  Barely a week later, he was called up to the majors when Paul Konerko landed on the 7 day concussion DL.  Wise appeared in 45 games over the final two months of the season, hitting .258 as the White Sox blew their division lead over the last few weeks of September.

Wise re-upped with the White Sox for the 2013 season, but was used sparingly.  He appeared in only 30 games, hitting .234, before being released on August 3rd, which drew his major league career to an end.

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

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All Time Team Records

baseballs3Another exciting baseball season is upon us, and it is time once again to look at the all-time team records for games that I have attended.  Despite disparate seasons on the two sides of town last season, both the White Sox and the Cubs saw their overall winning percentage drop.  The 2016 season looks to be hopeful for both teams, so this trend should reverse itself.

All-Time Team Records
TeamName Won Loss Winning Pctg
California Angels 1 0 1
Arizone Diamondbacks 13 2 0.866666666666667
Florida Marlins 15 8 0.652173913043478
Philadelphia Phillies 10 6 0.625
Toronto Blue Jays 12 8 0.6
New York Yankees 12 9 0.571428571428571
Colorado Rockies 7 6 0.538461538461538
Los Angeles Angels 15 13 0.535714285714286
San Francisco Giants 8 7 0.533333333333333
Chicago White Sox 250 222 0.529661016949153
Chicago Cubs 197 177 0.526737967914439
Detroit Tigers Continue reading →
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#113 – Brent Morel

morelName: Brent Morel

Rank: 113

Position: 3B

Years With White Sox: 2010-2013

Brent Morel joined the White Sox organization as their third round selection of the 2008 draft.  He made his major league debut a little over 2 years later on September 7, 2010, appearing as a pinch hitter against the Tigers in a 9-1 White Sox loss.  A few days later, he hit a home run for his first major league hit against Bruce Chen and the Royals.  He finished the year with a .231 average in 21 games.

Morel spent the entire 2011 season with the White Sox, earning the starting third baseman job.  He boosted his average to .245 and appeared in a career high 126 games.  Unfortunately, this was the high point of his career.

2012 saw Morel battling injuries which affected him at the plate, as his average plummeted to .177 in only 35 games.  In 2013, Morel was back in Triple A for most of the year, getting into only 12 games for the White Sox.  Following the season, Morel was selected off waivers by the Blue Jays, ending his White Sox career.

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

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Tigers All Time Leaders – Through 2015

tigersWith 2 months until baseball in Chicago returns, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We continue today with the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers began life in 1894 as part of the Western League and became a charter franchise of the American League in 1901, making them the oldest one city, one name franchise in the American League.  I’ve seen them play 38 times, including the second game ever, and my first game, at the new Comiskey Park.

Home Runs

Name Total
Miguel Cabrera 5
Ryan Raburn 3
Jhonny Peralta 3

Hits

Name Total
Ryan Raburn 19
Austin Jackson 15
Brandon Inge 15

Runs

Name Total
Miguel Cabrera 13
Austin Jackson 10
Ryan Raburn 9
Brandon Inge 9

RBI

Name Total
Ryan Raburn 13
Miguel Cabrera 10
Tony Clark 9

Doubles

Name Total
Alex Avila 4
Ryan Raburn 3
Brandon Inge 3
Johnny Damon 3

Triples Continue reading →

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#116 – Kip Wells

kipwellsName: Kip Wells

Rank: 116

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1999-2001

Kip Wells joined the White Sox organization as the 16th overall pick of the 1998 draft.  After splitting most of the 1999 season between A and AA, he was called up to the White Sox to make his major league debut August 2nd against the Tigers in Detroit.  In a game I just so happened to attend, he earned his first major league win, going 5 1/3 innings in the Sox 6-2 victory.  He started 6 more games for the White Sox, winning 3 of them and finishing with a respectable, if unspectacular, 4.04.

2000 again saw Wells splitting time between the minor leagues and the big leagues.  As the White Sox ran away and hid with the AL Central crown, Wells started 20 games, struggling through most of them.  He finished with less than 100 innings pitched, which averages out to less than 5 innings per start, and an ERA over 6.  While the White Sox battled the Mariners in the ALDS, he did not see any post-season action.

Wells again spent most of 2001 in Chicago, though he split time between the bullpen and the rotation.  He again started 20 games, but also appeared in another 20 in relief.  He did manage to win 10 games for the first time in his career, but finished with a losing record for the second straight year, despite lowering his ERA by 1 and a quarter runs.  That December, he was packaged with fellow pitchers Josh Fogg and Sean Lowe in a trade to the Pirates for Todd Ritchie.

Wells rejoined the White Sox organization on a minor league deal in April of 2012, but he was released 10 days later.

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

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#118 – Jim Parque

parque

Name: Jim Parque

Rank: 118

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1998-2002

Jim Parque was selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 1997 draft, signing less than a week later.  He spent less than a year in the minor leagues, making his big league debut on May 26, 1998 against the Yankees.  Parque spent the rest of the season in the White Sox rotation, finishing with a winning record but with an inflated 5.10 ERA.

Parque spent the entire 1999 season in the big leagues, starting 30 games, but finding little success.  He finished with a 9-15 record and saw his ERA rise to 5.13.

2000 was Parque’s best year in the big leagues.  His most infamous moment in a White Sox uniform came in early April, when the White Sox and Tigers were involved in 2 brawls during the Sox’s 14-6 victory.  Parque hit Dean Palmer with the first pitch of the 7th inning, igniting the first brawl of the day and earning himself a 3 game suspension.  Many claim that the brawl united the young White Sox team, spurring them on to winning the AL Central title.  Parque finished the year with a 13-6 record and lowered his ERA to 4.28.  He started game one of the ALDS against the Mariners, giving up 3 runs in 6 innings and getting a no decision in the White Sox loss.

Parque’s career began to fall apart in 2001, as a torn labrum limited him to 13 games for the White Sox over the 2001 and 2002 seasons, with ERAs of 8.04 and 9.95 respectively.  With his recovery in doubt, he was non-tendered in December of 2002, making him a free agent.

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

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HOF Election Thoughts

baseballhofAll eyes turned towards Cooperstown yesterday as the votes were tallied and two new members were announced as the Hall of Fame class of 2016: Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza.  Griffey, in his first year of eligibility, set the all time record by being named on 99.3% of the ballots, eclipsing Tom Seaver’s mark of 98.8% in 1992.  Piazza earned 83% of the vote in his 4th year of eligibility, an increase 13.1 point increase from last year.

Four others tallied greater than 50% of the vote, led by Jeff Bagwell, who fell a mere 15 votes shy of election.  Next was Tim Raines, who only has one more chance to boost his total from 69.8% to the required 75%.  Trevor Hoffman had a surprisingly strong showing in his first year, garnering 67.3% of the vote.  Finally, Curt Schilling showed a big improvement in his 4th year on the ballot, going from 39.2% to 52.3%.

The news continued to be bleak for the alleged PED users, as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa still failed to gain entry.  McGwire, in his 10th year of eligibility, now falls off the ballot, as does former Tigers shortstop Alan Trammel.  13 others failed to reach 5% and will also fall off the ballot.

As for the newest Hall of Famers, I’ve seen Griffey play 37 times, mostly during his stint with the White Sox in 2008, including the ALDS against the Rays. I only saw Piazza play 7 times over the course of his career.

Ken Griffey Jr’s numbers in games I attended were:

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by jim

Remaking The White Sox… Again

Alex-AvilaRick Hahn made his first move in remaking the White Sox for 2016 by replacing Geovany Soto, who signed with the Angels a day earlier, with Alex Avila, the former Tigers backstop.  Injuries have sapped much of Avila’s offensive production the last few years, culminating in a .191 average in only 67 games last season.  Defensively, though, he remains top notch and should provide an upgrade over both Soto and incumbent starter Tyler Flowers.

The obvious hope is that the White Sox medical team, led by Herm Schneider, can keep Avila on the field, allowing him to regain some of the offensive stroke that has been missing in recent years.  In doing so, Hahn must hope that he has plugged the whole behind the plate that has plagued the White Sox since A.J. Pierzynski left as a free agent following the 2012 season.