Tag / Tony Phillips

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By The Numbers – 73

In 1929, uniform numbers appeared on the back of baseball jerseys for the first time, thanks to the Indians and the Yankees.  By 1937, numbers finally appeared across all uniforms, both home and away, across both major leagues.  Since that time, 81 distinct numbers have been worn by members of the White Sox, while the Cubs boast 76.

Today, we continue our look at those players, picking our favorite, if not the best, player to wear each uniform number for both Chicago teams with #73.  A single player has donned #73 for each Chicago team.

Tony Phillips had a turbulent 1996 season with the White Sox, retiring for 48 hours during spring training and getting into a fistfight with a fan at County Stadium in Milwaukee in May.  When Albert Belle signed with the White Sox prior to the 1997 season, Phillips gave up his #8 and switched to #73.  His tenure with the number, however, was short lived.  On April 21, he was ejected 3 pitches into that night’s game against the Yankees.  Phillips had to be restrained by 3 White Sox players and ended up getting suspended for 2 games.  He accused American League president Gene Budig of being a racist, which Jerry Reinsdorf called “out of line,” and, on May 13th, Phillips was traded to the Angels.

On the other side of town, young pitcher Adbert Alzolay has appeared in 10 games for the Cubs over the past 2 seasons.  He has a chance to claim a permanent slot in the rotation in 2021.

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#104 – Tony Phillips

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Name: Tony Phillips

Rank: 104

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 1996-1997

Tony Phillips signed with the White Sox as a free agent on January 20, 1996.  His tenure on the south side got off to a rocky start when he left spring training, vowing to retire rather than play for such a paltry salary.  While general manager Ron Schueler told the media Phillips left camp because of a “family matter,” former teammates Dusty Baker and Dave Stewart convinced Phillips not to retire and he returned to the Sox 48 hours later.

His next moment of controversy came in May, when, after being berated by a Brewer fan who Phillips claimed was using racial slurs, he pulled himself out of the game, switched to street clothes, and headed to the County Stadium bleachers to confront him.  Despite punching the fan in the face twice, Phillips managed to avoid not only arrest, but also suspension.

Later in the season, he had one final dust-up with Sox management, after a reporter complained that Phillips was playing a Pearl Jam CD too loudly.  “The way I was brought up in baseball, our clubhouse is the players’ clubhouse,” Phillips said. “We live here for eight months. The writers are here for a couple of hours a day. For them to come in here and dictate what we do in our clubhouse is not right.”

In between all of those controversies, Phillips found time to produce.  He put up a .277 average, with an unbelievable .404 OBP.

Phillips returned in 1997 and once again found himself feuding with a member of the media.  In what may have been his lasting contribution to the White Sox clubhouse, he got into a confrontation with Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti, causing Mariotti to leave the clubhouse for good, earning Phillips the ever-lasting love of his teammates.  His time with the Sox was short, though, as he was traded, along with Chad Kreuter, to the Angels on May 18 for Jorge Fabergas and Chuck McElroy.

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

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#127 – Chad Kreuter

Chad Kreuter (1998 White Sox)

Name: Chad Kreuter

Rank: 127

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 1996-1997, 1998

Following the 1995 season, the White Sox signed Chad Kreuter to back up incumbent starter Ron Karkovice.  He appeared in only 46 games before his season came to a premature end on July 19 due to a home plate collision with the Royals’ Johnny Damon.  Kreuter suffered a shattered shoulder socket and a lacerated stomach, which nearly claimed his life.  Surgery tried to repair the shoulder, but Kreuter was told he would likely never play baseball again.

When Kreuter started to regain strength in his arm in mid-October, he dedicated himself to making it back to the big leagues.  General Manager Ron Schueler offered him a minor league deal for 1997, with a chance to earn a roster spot in spring training.  He not only earned his way onto the roster, but had supplanted Karkovice as the everyday catcher by mid-May, when he was traded, along with Tony Phillips, to the Angels for Jorge Fabergas and Chuck McElroy.

Following the 1997 season, Kreuter re-signed with the White Sox and once again became the primary catcher.  In September, for the second consecutive year, he was traded to the Angels, ending his White Sox career.

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

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#131 – Jorge Fabergas

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Name: Jorge Fabergas

Rank: 131

Position: C

Year With White Sox: 1997

Jorge Fabergas was acquired by the White Sox, along with Chuck McElroy, from the Angels on May 18, 1997 in exchange for Chad Krueter and Tony Phillips.  He became the regular catcher and put together a fine season, hitting .280 and driving in 48 runs in only 100 games.  Unfortunately, his time on the south side was cut short, as he was left unprotected in the expansion draft and was selected by the Diamondbacks.

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

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#215 – Chuck McElroy

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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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#263 – Chris Snopek

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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 →