Tag / St. Rita

by admin

Pruning The Roster

Following a disappointing 2022 campaign on the south side of Chicago, the White Sox started their roster overhaul tonight by declining to tender a contract for 2023 to Adam Engel, Danny Mendick, and Mark Payton.  Engel, who turns 31 next month, struggled to produce this season after missing the majority of 2021 due to injury.  Mendick, 29, was putting together the best season of his career filling in for the injured Tim Anderson when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his right knee after a collision with Adam Haseley against the Blue Jays in late June 22.  Payton, a 30-year-old journeyman out of St. Rita, notched three hits in eight games for the White Sox last season.

Engel should have little trouble catching on somewhere as a fourth or fifth outfielder.  Even when he has struggled offensively, his defense will play anywhere.  I can see the White Sox trying to bring Mendick back on a minor league deal to see how he recovers from his surgery.  Payton is organizational filler and will likely sign on somewhere with a minor league deal.

 

by admin

RIP Farmio

The White Sox announced yesterday that long-time radio broadcaster Ed Farmer had passed away Wednesday night.  Farmer, who missed parts of last season due to illness, returned for the initial broadcast of spring training earlier this year, but then stepped away again in early March to continue recovering.  He was 70.

Farmer, a Chicago native and graduate of St. Rita, pitched for the White Sox from mid-1979 through 1981 and set a then-team record with 30 saves in 1980, earning him an All-Star team bid for the best season of his 11 year pitching career.  He was working as a scout for the Orioles in 1990 when he was asked to fill in on a few White Sox broadcasts.  He became a special assistant to White Sox GM Ron Schueler in 1991 and filled in for John Rooney when he was on national assignments.

Farmer replaced Wayne Hagin in the radio booth in 1992, teaming with Rooney for the next 14 seasons.  In 2004, the duo were named the best radio team in the American League by USA Today.  When Rooney left following the 2005 season, Farmer became the play-by-play man and teamed with Chris Singleton, Steve Stone, and Darrin Jackson, who has been his radio partner since 2009.

Farmer was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and received a kidney transplant from his brother in 1991.