Tag / White Sox

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#187 – Tanyon Sturtze

TS_7.24Name: Tanyon Sturtze

Rank: 187

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1999-2000

Tanyon Sturtze, fresh off of rotator cuff surgery, joined the White Sox organization on November 23, 1998 after signing as a free agent.  He spent the 1999 season at Triple A Charlotte, trying to work his way back to the major leagues.  He started the last game of the season for the White Sox, going six scoreless innings against the Twins.

Sturtze found himself in the bullpen as the White Sox broke camp in 2000, but things did not go well for him at all.  Appearing in 10 games, he gave up 25 hits and 23 runs, 21 earned, in only 15 2/3 innings pitched.  On May 23, with an ERA over 12, he was designated for assignment.  A week later, he was traded to the Devil Rays in exchange for Tony Graffanino.

Sturtze’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#188 – Salome Barojas

salome

Name: Salome Barojas

Rank: 188

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1982-1984

As spring training wound down in 1982, the White Sox purchased the contract of Salome Barojas from the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League.  Barojas quickly became the team’s closer, finishing the season with 21 saves.

In 1983, as the White Sox ran away with the AL West title, their first divisional championship, Barojas split the closing duties with Dennis Lamp, picking up 12 saves in 52 games and finishing the year with a career best 2.47 ERA.  Unfortunately, Barojas struggled during the ALCS, appearing in 2 games against the Orioles and giving up 4 hits and 2 runs in 1 inning pitched.

Like the rest of the White Sox, Barojas struggled to duplicate the success of the previous season in 1984.  His ERA had jumped over 2 runs in 24 games before he was traded to the Mariners on June 27 in exchange for pitchers Gene Nelson and Jerry Don Gleaton.

Barojas’ numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

#189 – Josh Fogg

JOSHFOGG.1

Name: Josh Fogg

Rank: 189

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2001

Josh Fogg was selected by the White Sox in the 3rd round of the 1998 draft.  After quickly rising through the minor league system, Fogg earned a September call-up in 2001, appearing in 11 games.  His 2.03 ERA boded well for his earning a spot in the rotation the following year.

His future with the White Sox was cut short, though, as he was included in the ultimately disappointing deal that sent Fogg, along with fellow pitchers Kip Wells and Sean Lowe, to the Pirates in exchange for Todd Ritchie.

Fogg’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#190 – Michael Jackson

Name: Michael Jackson

Rank: 190

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2004

After sitting out the 2003 season, Michael Jackson signed a minor league deal with the White Sox along with a non-roster invite to spring training in 2004.  The wily 39-year old veteran earned a spot in the bullpen and went north with the parent club.  Sadly, Jackson was at the end of his line and things did not go well for him.

Jackson appeared in 45 games for the White Sox through August 29, when he gave up 3 runs and 3 hits without recording an out in a loss to the Indians, raising his ERA to 5.01, the worst of his career.  The next day, he was released, ending his White Sox and major league careers.

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

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#191 – David Aardsma

DavidAardsma2Name: David Aardsma

Rank: 191

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2007

Following a decent 2006 season with the crosstown Cubs, David Aardsma was acquired by the White Sox in exchange for Neal Cotts.  2007 got off to a good start for Aardsma, as he struck out 23 batters in 15 2/3 innings pitched while putting up a 1.74 ERA in April.  Unfortunately, like the rest of the the White Sox, things took a dramatic turn for the worse.

Aardsma gave up a run per inning in May and, on June 3rd, he was sent back to Triple A Charlotte to try and get right.  He was recalled 2 weeks later after Dewon Day went down with an injury.  Aardsma, and the White Sox, played out the string, but did not improve any.  He finished the season with a 6.40 ERA, appearing in only 25 games.  Following the season, he was designated for assignment, opening up a roster spot for the signing of Octavio Dotel.  In January, he was traded to the Red Sox for 2 minor league pitchers.

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

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#192 – Jesse Crain

Name: Jesse Crain

Rank: 192

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2011-2013

Looking to bolster their bullpen, the White Sox signed Jesse Crain to a 3 year deal on December 20, 2010.  Crain paid immediate dividends, appearing in 67 games in 2011 and going 8-3 with a 2.62 ERA.

2012 was more of the same from Crain, despite appearing in his fewest number of games and innings pitched since 2007 thanks to an oblique injury.  His ERA dropped to 2.44 as the White Sox battled for the division title before faltering in September.

While the White Sox fell apart in 2013, Crain picked up his game, appearing in 38 games and putting up a 0.74 ERA en route to his first All Star selection.  A week before the game, and with the trade deadline approaching, Crain was placed on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain.  With July coming to a close, and the White Sox well out of contention, Crain was traded to the Rays, for a conditional return based on his performance post-injury.  Unfortunately for all involved, Crain has, to date, not pitched in a major league game since the injury.

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

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by jim

Transaction Tree

WhiteSox-rosterA few weeks back, when Corey Kluber won the Cy Young award, a New York time reporter tweeted how the Indians had, through multiple trades, turned Eddie Taubensee’s 1991 roster spot in to Kluber.  The fine folks at Grantland took it a step farther, and looked at the longest such chain for all 30 teams.

The White Sox fall smack dab in the middle of the league, having the 15th longest chain, dating back to the February 8, 1994 signing of amateur free agent Carlos Lee.  Lee made his major league debut on May 7, 1999, and quickly became a mainstay of the White Sox lineup, holding down left field through the 2004 season.  New manager Ozzie Guillen had tired of the station to station team he inherited, and was looking to implement some small ball, so Lee was shipped to the Brewers for a package that included Scott Podsednik and Luis Vizcaino.

Vizcaino spent just the one season with the White Sox, earning a World Series championship ring for his troubles.  With general manager Kenny Williams looking to repeat, he packaged Vizcaino with Orlando Hernandez and outfielder Chris Young in a trade to the Diamondbacks for starting pitcher Javier Vazquez.

Vazquez lasted 3 seasons with the White Sox, up to and including their 2008 AL Central title-winning year.  As the White Sox battled the Twins for the title, Vazquez turned out to be the one weak link in the rotation.  With the season stretching to a 163rd game, Guillen was forced to turn to Vazquez to start the first game of the division series against the Rays.  Vazquez responded to the challenge by giving up 6 runs in 4 1/3 innings, putting his team in an early hole in the best of 5 series.

Feeling that he couldn’t open the 2009 season with Vazquez still on the roster, Kenny Williams moved him, along with Boone Logan, to the Braves for, among others, Brent Lillibridge and Tyler Flowers.  Flowers made his debut in 2009 and became the full time starting catcher in 2013.  His production has been lacking over the course of his major league career, and, should an opportunity to upgrade arise, this chain may come to an end.

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#193 – Damaso Marte

Name: Damaso Marte

Rank: 193

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2002-2005

Damaso Marte was acquired by the White Sox from the Pirates towards the end of spring training in 2002 in exchange for Matt Guerrier.  The trade quickly paid dividends, as Marte became on of the most reliable arms in the White Sox bullpen during the 2002 season.  He compiled a 2.83 ERA in 68 games, converting 10 saves in the process.

In 2003, Marte was even more successful.  He lowered his ERA by over a run and saved 11 games in 71 appearances.  2004 started a slight decline for Marte, as his ERA jumped nearly 2 full runs.  He appeared in 74 games, but his innings pitched dropped from the year before.

Marte’s fortunes fell a little more in 2005, as he took on a new role in the bullpen.  While the White Sox held on to first place in the AL Central, Marte’s ERA rose again, while he put up his lowest totals in a White Sox uniform in games, saves, and innings pitched.

His most famous moment in a White Sox uniform, and perhaps his lowest, was his appearance in game 3 of the 2005 ALDS against the Red Sox.  After Freddy Garcia gave up a leadoff home run to Manny Ramirez in the bottom of the 6th to cut the White Sox lead to 1 run, Marte came in to replace him.  He gave up a single to Trot Nixon and then walked the next two batters before being replaced by Orlando Hernandez, leaving him the bases loaded and nobody out.

That likely would have been his final appearance with the White Sox, had game 3 of the World Series not gone 14 innings.  Marte entered the game in the bottom of the 13th, becoming the 8th pitcher of the evening for the White Sox.  He got through the 13th relatively unscathed, but ran in to some issues in the 14th, thanks to a walk and an error.  He was replaced by Mark Buehrle, who got the final out, giving Marte the win.

With the cleanup of the ticker tape parade barely completed, the White Sox shipped Damaso Marte out of town, sending him back to the Pirates in exchange for Rob Mackowiak.

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

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by admin

#194 – Scott Sanderson

Scott_Sanderson_(1994_White_Sox)_3Name: Scott Sanderson

Rank: 194

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1994

When pitcher Jose DeLeon injured his knee during fielding drills in the early going of spring training in 1994, the White Sox offered free agent Scott Sanderson a minor league deal and a shot at making the team out of spring training.

Not only did he make the team, but he earned a spot in the rotation as the fifth starter.  Despite putting up his worst numbers since an injury plagued 1988 campaign with the Cubs, Sanderson stayed in the rotation until late July, when he was replaced by rookie Scott Ruffcorn.  “I understand,” Sanderson said at the time.  “I had two bad starts against Detroit, and their decision is to bring Scott up.”

Sanderson made 4 appearances over the bullpen in what would be the final 3 weeks of the season, before the players went on strike in mid August.  After the season, and the post-season, was declared lost, Sanderson was granted free agency, bringing his White Sox career to an end.

Sanderson’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#195 – Dave LaPoint

MP10005566708_P255075_500X500Name: Dave LaPoint

Rank: 195

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1987-1988

As the trade deadline drew near in July of 1987, the White Sox, 19 games under .500 and battling for last place in the AL West, sent an unknown minor leaguer to the Cardinals in exchange for Dave LaPoint.  3 days later, manager Jim Fregosi gave LaPoint the start against the Brewers, and he responded with 6 hitless innings before faltering in the 7th, getting the win in only his 3rd start of the season.

LaPoint made 11 more starts, alongside 2 relief appearances, down the stretch for the White Sox.  He finished with a 6-3 record and a 2.94 ERA as he headed to free agency.

Mere weeks before spring training began in 1988, LaPoint resigned with the White Sox.  He quickly became the statistical leader of the staff, putting up a 10-11 record with a team-leading 3.40 ERA.  On August 13, little more than a year after he was acquired, LaPoint was traded to the Pirates for reliever Barry Jones.  “I didn’t want to be traded,” LaPoint said at the time.  “This is one place I really wanted to stay.”

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

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