Tag / White Sox

by admin

#318 – Bruce Tanner

Bruce_Tanner_(White_Sox)_8

Name: Bruce Tanner

Rank: 318

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1985

Bruce Tanner, the son of former White Sox manager Chuck Tanner, spent his entire major league career with the White Sox during the 1985 season.  He was the team’s 4th round draft pick in 1983 and made his major league debut nearly 2 years later, subbing for an injured Richard Dotson, on June 12, 1985, picking up the victory against the Mariners in Seattle.  Tanner appeared in 9 more games for the big league club over the year, finishing with a 5.33 ERA.

Tanner spent the entire 1986 season back in Triple A Buffalo, where he finished with a losing record.  Following the season, he was sent to Oakland as the player to be named later to complete the earlier trade that brought Donnie Hill to the White Sox in exchange for Gene Nelson.

Tanner’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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#319 – Jhonny Nunez

Jhonny+Nunez+Chicago+White+Sox+Photo+Day+VTFxIGyxj7WlName: Jhonny Nunez

Rank: 319

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2009

Jhonny Nunez joined the White Sox on November 13, 2008 along with Wilson Betemit and Jeff Marquez in the deal that sent Nick Swisher packing to the Yankees.  Ironically enough, he made his major league debut the following summer against the Yankees, getting the only batter he faced, Johnny Damon, to ground out.  Unfortunately, his successes were few and far between, as he finished the season with only 7 appearances and an ERA over 9.  He spent 2010 and 2011 bouncing between Double A Birmingham and Triple A Charlotte, but was unable to recapture his earlier successes.  Following the 2011 season, he left the White Sox organization as a free agent, but has still never made it back to the big leagues.

Nunez’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: Continue reading →

by jim

Cashing In On A Sale

MLB: Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox

Rick Hahn made his biggest splash since becoming general manager in October by signing Chris Sale to a five year extension worth $32.5 million, plus 2 additional club options that could boost the contract up to $60 million.  Sale, the 23 year old who went 17-8 with a 3.05 ERA and made the All-Star Game in his first season as a starter, gets a lifetime of security and the White Sox get a potential ace starter at below market value through his arbitration years and beyond.

Hahn’s other moves in his first off-season have been mostly low key, resigning Jake Peavy and Dewayne Wise, picking up the option on Gavin Floyd, and signing Jeff Keppinger to a 3 year deal.  The biggest newsmaker may have been the move he didn’t make, allowing A.J. Pierzynski to leave as a free agent and sign with the Rangers.  With this move, he starts to put his own stamp on the franchise.

by admin

#320 – David Riske

David RiskeWimmer5206

Name: David Riske

Rank: 320

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2006

David Riske came to the south side on June 15, 2006 from the Red Sox in exchange for Javier Lopez and took Sean Tracey’s spot on the roster.  One week later, Riske was suspended for three games for intentionally throwing at the Cardinals’ Chris Duncan, which ignited a war of words between Dave Duncan, the Cardinals pitching coach and Chris’s father, and Ozzie Guillen.  And that was the highlight of his White Sox career.  Following the season, Riske left the White Sox as a free agent.

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

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by admin

#321 – Terry Leach

terryleach

Name: Terry Leach

Rank: 321

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1992-1993

Terry Leach joined the White Sox at the end of spring training in 1992 after being released by the Expos and became one of the most effective members of the bullpen over the course of the 1992 season.  He posted a 1.95 ERA in 51 games as the White Sox finished 10 games behind the A’s.  The next year, the 39-year old Leach battled elbow issues and was limited to 14 games for the eventual Western Division champions.  He pitched in the final game of his 11 year major league career on June 23 against the Rangers.

The following spring, Leach was released during spring training, and he retired in 1995 after a failed comeback attempt with the Tigers.

Leach’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

#322 – Joe DeSa

joedesaName: Joe DeSa

Rank: 322

Position: 1B

Year With White Sox: 1985

Joe DeSa joined the White Sox organization following the 1983 season.  After a strong spring training in 1985, he broke camp with the big league club.  With Greg Walker established at first base, DeSa was soon optioned back to Triple A Buffalo in order to get regular playing time.  He got another chance in August when Walker strained a knee and it became clear that Oscar Gamble’s usefulness to the team had run its course.  “I liked what Oscar did for the team,” manager Tony La Russa said.  “But he became the odd man out. Plus, DeSa has earned his shot.”

DeSa returned to Buffalo in 1986 and had another good year, being named the team MVP, but he was unable to make it back to the major leagues even with Greg Walker sidelined for half the year with a wrist injury, having been passed by Russ Morman and Bobby Bonilla.  Following the season, DeSa was released.

Sadly, DeSa would never get another chance to make it to the major leagues.  While participating in the Puerto Rican Winter League that December, DeSa died in a car accident.

DeSa’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were: Continue reading →

by admin

#323 – Aaron Myette

Aaron Myette (White Sox) 2

Name: Aaron Myette

Rank: 323

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1999-2000

Aaron Myette was the White Sox first round pick in the 1997 draft.  He moved quickly through the White Sox system and made his major league debut in September of 1999, appearing in 4 games with the big league club.  He spent most of the 2000 season in Charlotte, making only 2 appearances with the White Sox.

Following the 2000 season, he was packaged with Brian Schmack in a trade with the Rangers for the immortal Royce Clayton.

Myette’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

#324 – Paul Assenmacher

Paul_Assenmacher_(1994_White_Sox)

Name: Paul Assenmacher

Rank: 324

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 1994

When Scott Radinsky was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease following the 1993 season, he was forced to miss the entire 1994 season for treatment, leaving a left-handed hole in the White Sox bullpen.  As spring training was winding down, the White Sox acquired Paul Assenmacher from the Yankees in exchange for Brian Boehringer.

Assenmacher put up a respectable 3.55 ERA in 44 appearances before the season unceremoniously came to an early end due to the player’s strike.  That October, with the strike still in effect and the World Series cancelled for the first time, the White Sox declined to pick up Assenmacher’s $2.7 million option for 1995, making the lefty a free agent.

Assenmacher’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

#325 – Arnie Muñoz

arnie_munoz_autograph

Name: Arnie Muñoz

Rank: 325

Position: P

Year With White Sox: 2004

Arnie Muñoz joined the White Sox organization in December of 1998 as an amateur free agent.  He finally got the call to the big leagues in June of 2004 and made his major league debut 2 days before his 22nd birthday.  That debut, in inter-league play against the Expos, was record setting, but not in a good way.  Muñoz allowed eleven runs in three innings, tying for third all-time for most runs allowed in a major league debut.  His Game Score, Bill James’ statistic to measure pitcher’s starts, was a -7, the worst for a debut start since at least 1918.  The most amazing thing about the outing is that Muñoz almost did not pick up the loss, as the Sox mounted an incredible comeback, eventually losing 17-14.

After the game, Muñoz was relegated back to Triple A until September, when he returned to the big leagues and was more successful pitching out of the bullpen.  Unfortunately for Muñoz, that was the end of his major league White Sox career.  He spent the next two seasons bouncing between Triple-A Charlotte and Double-A Birmingham before leaving as a minor league free agent after the 2006 season.

Muñoz’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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by admin

#326 – Billy Koch

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Name: Billy Koch

Rank: 326

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2003-2004

Billy Koch rode a blazing fastball to major league success, saving 144 games in his first 4 seasons in the major leagues.  After racking up 44 saves and finishing 18th in the MVP voting for the 2002 A’s, Koch was looking at a pretty decent payday at arbitration, so Billy Beane looked to move his star closer.  Enter Kenny Williams, who sent Keith Foulke, Mark Johnson, Joe Valentine, and cash out west in exchange for Koch, Neal Cotts, and Daylon Holt.

Unfortunately for all involved, when Koch arrived in Chicago, his 98 MPH fastball did not.  And while a closer can get by with only a fastball with no movement when it is 98 MPH, he most certainly cannot when the fastball tops out in the low 90s or upper 80s.  Koch struggled during the 2003 season, finishing with only 11 saves and a 5.77 ERA.  The following year, Koch was put back in the closer role and again struggled, putting up a 5.44 ERA in 24 appearances through early June, when his White Sox career came to an end.  He was traded to the Marlins on June 17 in exchange for Wilson Valdez and cash.  Koch finished the season strong for the Marlins, but never pitched again in the major leagues following the 2004 season.

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

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