Tag / White Sox

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#21 – Alex Fernandez

Name: Alex Fernandez

Rank: 21

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1990-1996

Selected 4th overall by the White Sox in the 1990 draft, Alex Fernandez started 8 games in the minor leagues before making his major league debut on August 2, getting a no decision despite throwing 7 strong innings against the Brewers at County Stadium.  Over the last 2 months of the season, he made a total of 13 starts for the White Sox, going 5-5 with a 3.80 ERA.

Fernandez struggled in 1991, setting career highs in walks, WHIP, and ERA.  He finished the year 9-13 with a 4.51 ERA.  1992 saw a slight improvement, thanks to a drastic reduction in walks.  While he still had a losing record, at 8-11, his ERA fell to 4.27.

1993 was Fernandez’s breakout season.  He went 18-9 with a 3.13 ERA as the White Sox took home their first division championship in a decade.  He set a career high with over 247 innings and a career low WHIP of 1.164.  Despite giving up only 3 earned runs in 15 innings, he lost 2 games in the ALCS against the Blue Jays.  His season was good enough to earn 4 MVP votes from the BBWAA.

Fernandez was having another strong year in 1994.  He was 11-7 with a 3.86 ERA in 24 starts when the season came to a premature end thanks to the strike.  When baseball resumed in 1995, he picked up where he had left off, going 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA.

1996 was another strong year for Fernandez, his best since 1993.  He went 16-10 with a 3.45 ERA in a career high 35 starts.  He finished 6th in Cy Young Award voting.  Following the season, he became a free agent.

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

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Fitbit III: Week 22

Another decent week, my second straight back over 50,000 steps.  The week got off to what is starting to be a typical slow start, as I just managed to get past 5000 steps on Sunday despite going to Guaranteed Rate Field to watch the White Sox.  Monday was the big day of the week, as I walked over to Willow for my biometric screening and then did some additional walking during the day to make up for my poor numbers.  Tuesday was another big day, surpassing 9200 steps, thanks to another trip to the South side after work to see the Yankees battle the Pale Hose.  Wednesday just barely managed to surpass 6500 steps, due to a post-work trip to CarMax to see what, if anything, the Prius was worth.  Thursday had a trip to North plaza and an extra trip back and forth to the car to make up its total of 8800 steps.  Friday was just shy of 7400 steps, thanks to work, a trip to Tesla to pick up my new car, and then a wake.  Saturday eked past my step goal by 27 steps, aided in part by a third trip to the ballyard.

Total steps: 54,375

Daily average: 7767.9

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56 Forever

On Saturday, the White Sox retired Mark Buehrle’s #56, making him the 12th player (including Jackie Robinson) to receive the honor.  Buehrle first came up during the 2000 season, working out of the bullpen for the eventual division champions.  He moved into the rotation the following season, and stayed there for the next 11 seasons.  During that time, there were numerous memorable appearances, many of which I was privileged to see in person.

The 2007 no-hitter against the Rangers.

The 2009 perfect game against the Rays.

Winning Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS against the Angels, thanks to AJ Pierzynski’s heads-up baserunning, and starting the streak of 4 straight complete games.

The 1 hour 36 minute game against the Mariners in 2005.

The no look, through his legs flip to Paul Konerko on Opening Day 2010 against the Indians.

And, of course, his performance in the 2005 World Series, starting Game 2, getting a no decision, and coming in to pitch the 14th inning and earning the save in Game 3.

In White Sox annals, Buehrle is currently fifth all-time in strikeouts, sixth in games started, and eighth in wins and innings pitched.  More importantly, he is number one in the hearts of an appreciative fan base.

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#22 – Bobby Thigpen

Name: Bobby Thigpen

Rank: 22

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1986-1993

Selected in the fourth round of the 1985 draft, Bobby Thigpen made his major league debut for the White Sox just over a year later, throwing 3 innings of mop-up relief in a 9-0 loss to the Red Sox on August 6 at Fenway Park.  He made 20 appearances over the final 2 months of the season, going 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA and 7 saves.

In 1987, Thigpen moved in to the closer role full time, replacing Bob James.  In 51 games, Thigpen racked up 16 saves while also putting up a 7-5 record with a 2.73 ERA.

Thigpen broke the White Sox team record for saves in 1988, with 34, while leading the league with 59 games finished.  He ended the year with a 5-8 record and a 3.30 ERA.  In 1989, he duplicated the effort with another 34 saves, though with a 2-6 record and a 3.76 ERA.

Thigpen’s 1990 season was one for the record books.  He earned his first All Star nod while on his way to setting the major league record with 57 saves.  He also led the league with 77 games and 73 games finished.  He ended the year with a 4-6 record and a 1.83 ERA as the surprising White Sox competed for the division title.  On September 30, he earned his 57th save while throwing the final pitch at Comiskey Park.  His year earned him 4th place in Cy Young Award voting and 5th place in Most Valuable Player considerations.

After the 1990 season, Thigpen joined other major league all stars on a tour of Japan.  Unfortunately, he would suffer a back injury that would plague him for the remainder of his career.  In 1991, he still managed to earn 30 saves, but his ERA jumped up to 3.49.

Thigpen struggled in 1992, setting a career high with a 4.75 ERA.  He earned only 22 saves, losing his grip on the closer role to both Scott Radinsky and Roberto Hernandez.  1993 was even worse, as his ERA jumped to 5.71 and he managed only 1 save in 25 appearances.  On August 10, he was traded to the Phillies for former teammate Jose DeLeon.  He left as the franchise’s all time leader with 201 saves, a position he still holds today.

Thigpen rejoined the White Sox organization in 2007, managing and coaching throughout the minor league system.  In 2013, he became the bullpen coach for the big league team, a position he held through the 2016 season.

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

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Fitbit III: Week 20

A disappointing week, after last week’s total, though I did manage to surpass my weekly goal.  Things got off to a slow start on Sunday, as I didn’t really leave the house and ended up well below 3400 steps.  Monday, Thursday, and Friday all just squeaked past the 6500 step mark.  Tuesday and Wednesday both picked up the slack from Sunday’s poor showing.  Saturday parlayed an afternoon stroll while listening to the White Sox to the biggest day of the week, just over 9000 steps.

Total steps: 47,551

Daily average: 6793

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#23 – Carlos Lee

Name: Carlos Lee

Rank: 23

Position: LF

Years With White Sox: 1999-2004

Carlos Lee signed with the White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1994.  He worked his way through the minor league system, making his major league debut on May 7, 1999 against the A’s and hitting a home run in his first at bat.  Lee became the everyday left fielder and finished the year with a promising .293 average, 16 home runs, ans 84 RBIs.  He tied for seventh in Rookie of the Year voting with future teammate Billy Koch.

The 2000 season saw Lee improve, upping his average to .301 and his home runs to 24, as the White Sox took home the Central Division title.  Like most of his teammates, Lee struggled in the ALDS against the Mariners, garnering only 1 hit in the 3 game series.

While Lee struggled a bit in 2001, he became a south side folk hero on June 8, when he hit a walkoff grand slam in the 10th inning against the rival Cubs.  He ended the year with a .269 average, 24 home runs, and 84 RBIs.  2002 was more of the same, as his average dropped to .264 with 26 home runs and 80 RBIs.

2003 was a bounce back year for Lee.  His average rebounded to .291 and he set new career highs with 31 home runs and 113 RBIs.  The effort was good enough for an 18th place finish in MVP voting.

Lee put up another strong season in 2004.  He pushed his average up to .305 and again hit 31 home runs.  He set a career high with an OPS of .891.  Following the season, he was traded, along with Nelson Cruz, to the Brewers for Scott Podsednik, Luis Vizcaino, and a minor league throw-in.

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

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #1-10

3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists in my iTunes library.  Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact.  So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.

We wrap things up today with the top 10, which includes 3 new additions and a whopping 5,848 total listens.  These bands have accounted for 12 of the concerts I’ve seen over the years.

#10: AC/DC
iTunes stats: 342 plays
Previous ranking: #8

20 songs make up the total for the hard rockers, including one that has a tremendous amount of plays due to the White Sox use of it when running out on to the field.  Meaning, they likely would not have dropped 2 slots had the team played better these past few years and my victory playlist got a little more action.

#9: Pearl Jam
iTunes stats: 348 plays
Previous ranking: #9

The grunge godfathers stay even despite adding 2 new songs with plays, up to 39, and 157 new listens over the past 3 years.  I spent a good amount of time being burnt out on them after their 90s heyday, though I am now less likely to skip over them when they come up on the iPhone.

#8: The Cast of Buffy The Vampire Slayer
iTunes stats: 395 plays
Previous ranking: #4

Back in 2001, during the sixth season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the show produced a musical episode as Buffy and the Scooby Gang battled the musical demon Sweet.  The following year, the soundtrack was released, and those 21 songs make up this total.  Only 88 additional listens in the last 3 years caused this group to drop 4 slots.

#7: Tegan and Sara
iTunes stats: 438 plays
Previous ranking: #5

61 songs, up from 50, combined to make up this total for the Canadian sisters.  164 new listens since 2013 was good enough for a 3 slot drop for the group I saw live back in 2005.

#6: Patton Oswalt
iTunes stats: 466 plays
Previous ranking: #52

Funnyman Patton Oswalt makes a huge jump of 46 slots, thanks to 416 new listens and the purchase of a few new albums which bumped his “song” total to 96.

#5: George Carlin
iTunes stats: 507 plays
Previous ranking: #26

Purchasing a few new albums from the classic comedian, bumping his track total from 47 to 116, accounts for this big jump of 20 slots.

#4: Garfunkel and Oates Continue reading →

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#24 – LaMarr Hoyt

Name: LaMarr Hoyt

Rank: 24

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1979-1984

Acquired by the White Sox, along with Robert Polinsky and Oscar Gamble, from the Yankees for Bucky Dent days before the start of the 1977 season, LaMarr Hoyt made his major league debut two years later, on September 14, 1979, against the A’s, throwing an inning of scoreless relief at Comiskey Park.  He appeared in one other game, ending the year with 3 innings pitched without giving up a run.

Hoyt split the 1980 season between Triple A and Chicago.  With the White Sox, he went back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation, ending the season with a 9-3 record and a 4.57 ERA.

Hoyt worked almost exclusively out of the bullpen in 1981.  He earned 10 saves while posting another 9-3 record, while lowering his ERA to 3.57.  He moved in to the rotation full time in 1982 and tied a club record by winning his first 9 decisions.  He ended up leading the American League in wins, posting a 19-15 record, while walking a minuscule 48 batters in nearly 240 innings.

A slow start, for both Hoyt and the White Sox, in 1983 gave way to a tremendous run that ended with Hoyt leading all of baseball with 24 wins against only 10 losses, good enough for a Cy Young award and some MVP consideration.  He lowered his walk total to 31 while upping his innings pitched to nearly 261.  In the ALCS against the Orioles, he threw a complete game in the first game of the series, giving up only one run in the only White Sox victory.

Hoyt, and the White Sox, faltered in 1984, failing to live up to expectations following the successes of 1983.  Never a thin man, Hoyt’s weight became an issue in 1984, as battery mate Carlton Fisk described the pitcher as having “everything it takes, including a lot of stomach.”  Hoyt finished the year 13-18, leading the league in losses after leading in victories for the past 2 years.  His ERA jumped to 4.47, his worse total since 1980.

Following the season, Hoyt, along with 2 minor leaguers, was traded to the Padres for Ozzie Guillen, Tim Lollar, Bill Long, and Luis Salazar.  Hoyt rejoined the White Sox organization on July 1, 1987, hoping to work his way back from a shredded shoulder and drug addictions, but a fourth drug arrest in December brought his career to an end.

Hoyt’s numbers in a White Sox uniform were:

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It’s Been A While

Prior to last night’s game, I hadn’t seen the Rockies live since August of 2012, nearly 5 years ago.  For someone with season tickets to two teams, one in each league, that is a long drought.  This got me thinking about the other 29 teams.

You would think that I would cycle through each team every few years or so.  And, for the most part, that does seem to be the case.  I’ve already seen 12 teams in 2017, and the season is just over 2 months old.  Going back to last year, that number jumps to 22 and, going back to 2015, 25.  That’s over 83% of the league in the past 2+ seasons.

What about those remaining 5 teams?  The Astros and Diamondbacks last appeared in 2014, with the Marlins and the Nationals in the two years prior.  That leaves the Phillies, who I have somehow not managed to see in person since 2009.  I’ve seen the Florida Marlins more recently.  Anyway, here’s a look at each team and the last time I saw them play.

Team Name Date
Colorado Rockies 6/8/2017
Chicago Cubs 6/8/2017
Chicago White Sox 5/30/2017
Boston Red Sox 5/30/2017
Detroit Tigers 5/28/2017
San Diego Padres 5/13/2017
New York Yankees 5/7/2017
Kansas City Royals 4/25/2017
Cleveland Indians 4/23/2017
Pittsburgh Pirates 4/15/2017
Los Angeles Dodgers 4/12/2017
Minnesota Twins 4/9/2017
San Francisco Giants 10/8/2016
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Post Mortem – Bones

When Bones debuted on FOX on September 13, 2005, the White Sox were still a month and a half from breaking their 88 year World Series drought and the Cubs drought had not even hit 100 years.  12 years later, the wacky procedural had aired in at least one timeslot on every weeknight, giving FOX a steady, if unspectacular, performer.

Fresh from Angel, David Boreanaz signed on as Agent Seeley Booth, followed quickly by Emily Deschanel as Temperance Brennan.  Their chemistry helped to elevate the show above a typical procedural, useful for a 12 season, 246 episode run.

While it was certainly time for the show to move on, I can’t say that I won’t miss having it on the schedule.  Even at the end, when the cracks were starting to show, it was an enjoyable way to spend an hour with a group of old friends who had been together for so long.