Tag / White Sox

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#247 – Alex Cintrón

alex_cintronName: Alex Cintrón

Rank: 247

Position: SS

Years With White Sox: 2006-2007

Looking to bolster their roster in preparation for their first title defense in 88 years, the White Sox acquired Alex Cintrón on March 8, 2006 from the Diamondbacks in exchange for Jeff Bajenaru.  Cintrón split time between the three non-1B infield positions and managed at least 1 AB at every spot in the lineup except for leadoff as he hit .285 in his first season on the south side.

In 2007, Cintrón, like the rest of the White Sox, struggled.  His average dropped 40 points and his playing time decreased.  Following the season, he was released.

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

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#248 – Dan Wright

dwrightName: Dan Wright

Rank: 248

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2001-2004

Dan Wright was drafted by the White Sox in the second round of the 1999 draft.  He made his major league debut on July 27, 2001 and moved in to the starting rotation a week later after injuries to David Wells and James Baldwin.  Wright went 5-3, but his ERA was a non-impressive 5.70.

Wright spent the 2002 season entrenched in the starting rotation, again putting up a winning record at 14-12, but again with an ERA over 5.  In 2003, he battled elbow issues in spring training and found himself on the disabled list as the season began, which, sadly, might have been the highpoint of his year.  Wright returned on May 10 and lasted just 4 1/3 innings in a loss against the Mariners.  That began a stretch, which covered parts of both the 2003 and 2004 seasons, where Wright, as a starter, managed to go 0-11 with a 7.11 ERA.

He was sent down to Triple A on May 4, 2004, and that was the end of his White Sox, and major league, career.  On June 1, he underwent Tommy John surgery after posting a 28.69 ERA in 2 stats for the Charlotte Knights.  Six months later, he was released by the White Sox.

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

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All Time Pitching Leaders – Through 2013

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles DodgersWhite Sox pitchers and catchers reported to spring training yesterday, so it is time to looked at the pitching leaders in games I’ve attended, and identified, between 1984 and 2013.  Not a whole lot of difference from last year, but a few people have moved up the ranks a little.  So, without further ado, let’s get things started with our first category:

Wins

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 31
Gavin Floyd 24
Carlos Zambrano 21
John Danks 15
Ryan Dempster 13
Matt Clement 13

Losses

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 16
Carlos Zambrano 15
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#249 – Chris Widger

Chris_Widger

Name: Chris Widger

Rank: 249

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 2005-2006

Chris Widger joined the White Sox as a minor league free agent prior to the 2005 season and managed to beat out Ben Davis for the backup catcher spot during spring training.  He appeared in 45 games for the eventual World Series champions, batting .241.  Widger made one appearance during the post season thanks to the 14 inning victory over the Astros in game 3 of the World Series.

Widger returned in 2006, but his production fell off.  He only appeared in 27 games, hitting .184.  White Sox pitchers had a 5.36 ERA with him behind the plate and he was in the midst of an 0-for-24 slump when, on July 23, he was designated for assignment after the acquisition of Sandy Alomar Jr.  12 days later, he was released and his White Sox career came to an end.

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

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by jim

So Long, Skipper

FregosiFormer White Sox manager Jim Fregosi, who suffered multiple strokes last weekend during an MLB alumni cruise, was reportedly taken off life support tonight after Twitter rumors of his death circulated earlier this afternoon.  Fregosi took over the White Sox in June of 1986 after general manager Hawk Harrelson fired Tony LaRussa.  “The team is 9 1/2 games out, that’s nothing,” Fregosi said upon being hired.  “I don’t see any reason we can’t turn things around and compete in our division.”  The White Sox did improve slightly under Fregosi, but still finished in 5th place.

Things did not go any better in 1987, when the White Sox again finished in 5th place.  A late season surge lifted the team out of last place in the AL West and saved Fregosi’s job, at least for one more year.  Unfortunately, things got worse in 1988, as the White Sox dropped to 71-90 and their third straight 5th place finish.  GM Larry Himes, who replaced Harrelson and inherited Fregosi, fired him following the season, ending 2 years of an uncomfortable pairing.

Fregosi ended his tenure on the South Side at 36 games under .500, but kept the team steady during threats of moving to Florida and the tumultuous reign of Hawk Harrelson.  Tonight, he ends his tenure on this mortal coil.   May his family enjoy some measure of comfort in this difficult time.

by jim

100 Years Of Innovation

1976 Chicago White Sox100 years ago today, Bill Veeck, the former club treasurer for the Cubs and two-time owner of the White Sox, was born here in Chicago.  Veeck followed his father, the then president of the Cubs, into baseball.  As a 13 year old, Veeck came up with the idea of planting ivy to cover the outfield walls at Wrigley Field.  In 1937, as general manager, he oversaw the construction of the iconic hand operated scoreboard that is still in use today.

Veeck left the Cubs in 1941, striking out on his own and buying the minor league Milwaukee Brewers.  While he owned the team, he also served in the Marines during World War II, where he injured his leg, which required amputation.  After the war, Veeck sold his interests in the Brewers and bought the Cleveland Indians, returning to the major leagues.  In July of 1947, Veeck broke the color barrier in the American League by signing Larry Doby.  In 1948, the Indians won their first World Series title since 1920.  Veeck was forced to sell the Indians in 1949 due to his divorce.

2 years later, Veeck was back in business, purchasing the St. Louis Browns.  While trying to force the Cardinals out of town, Veeck came up with one of his most famous, or perhaps infamous, stunts, signing Eddie Gaedel, standing 3 feet and 7 inches tall, and sending him to the plate in the second game of a double header against the Detroit Tigers on August 19, 1951.  Gaedel walked on four pitches and was lifted for a pinch runner.  American League president Will Harridge voided Gaedel’s contract the next day, claiming that Veeck was making a mockery of the game. In response, Veeck threatened to request an official ruling on whether Yankees shortstop Phil Rizzuto, the reigning MVP, was a short ballplayer or a tall midget.

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#250 – Scott Sullivan

ssullivanName: Scott Sullivan

Rank: 250

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2003

With the White Sox flirting with contention towards the end of August in 2003, they made a trade to bolster their bullpen, acquiring Scott Sullivan from the Reds in exchange for Tim Hummel and cash.  Sullivan pitched decently down the stretch, but the White Sox fell out of contention and finished 4 games behind the Twins.  Following the season, Sullivan became a free agent and moved on to greener pastures.

Sullivan’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#251 – Barry Jones

EPSON MFP imageName: Barry Jones

Rank: 251

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1988-1990, 1993

Barry Jones was acquired by the White Sox in August of 1988 from the Pirates in exchange Dave LaPoint.  Jones pitched well for a White Sox team playing out the string in 1988, putting up a 2.42 ERA in 17 games.

Jones pitched well again in 1989, lowering his ERA to 2.37, but was limited to 22 games after suffering an elbow injury in May.  He bounced back tremendously in 1990 for the surprisingly competitive White Sox, lowering his ERA again to 2.31 while appearing in 65 games and winning 11 out of the bullpen.

Following the 1990 season, Jones was packaged with Ivan Calderon and sent to the Expos in exchange for Tim Raines, Jeff Carter, and a player to be named later.  2 years later, he re-signed with the White Sox as a free agent prior to the 1993 season.

Things did not go well for Jones that year.  He appeared in only 6 games for the big league club, putting up an attrocious 8.59 ERA.  He was released on June 4, and he never pitched in the major leagues again.

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

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by admin

#252 – Atlee Hammaker

WhiteSox-atleehammakerName: Atlee Hammaker

Rank: 252

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1994-1995

Atlee Hammaker first singed with the White Sox as a free agent on February 12, 1992.  An elbow injury in spring training put his career in jeopardy and he was released on March 18th.  After rehabbing for two years, he once again signed with the White Sox on April 12, 1994.

Hammaker spent the majority of 1994 with the Triple A Nashville Sounds.  He did manage to make it back to the major leagues for the first time since 1991, putting up 1.1 scoreless innings in 2 games before the season came to an untimely end due to the player’s strike.

He returned to Triple A in 1995 and again put up impressive numbers, but this time, he was unable to duplicate that success at the major league level.  He appeared in 13 games and gave up 9 runs in just over 6 innings.  His season, and major league career, came to an end on August 18th when he was released.

While not with the White Sox, Hammaker’s most infamous moment took place at Comiskey Park.  During the 1983 All Star Game, Hammaker, pitching for the National League, gave up the first grand slam in All Star Game history to Angels outfielder Fred Lynn.

Hammaker’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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Get Your Pizza Here

2014pizzaThe concessions landscape has been upended at both local stadiums as both the Cubs and the White Sox are expected to have new pizza vendors this season.  After 3 seasons of D’Agostino’s pizza, which I somehow never managed to try, the Cubs announced yesterday that Giordano’s is the new exclusice “pizza partner” of both the Cubs and Wrigley Field.

Meanwhile, the scuttlebutt out of Sox Fest is that Beggars Pizza will be taking over for (shudder) DiGiornos on the South Side this season.  If so, this would be a major upgrade.  My pizza consumption at US Cellular Field had dropped to nothing due to the horribleness that was the frozen, grocery store pizza.  If the rumors are true, I might actually enjoy a slice at the old ballpark this season, something that hasn’t happened since at least 2012, if not earlier.