Tag / White Sox

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#33 – Ron Kittle

Name: Ron Kittle

Rank: 33

Position: LF/DH

Years With White Sox: 1982-1986, 1989-1990, 1991

Ron Kittle joined the White Sox organization in Septmber of 1978.  He worked his way through the minor leagues before making his major league debut on September 2, 1982, pinch hitting for Aurelio Rodriguez and striking out in the White Sox 6-5 victory over the Rangers at Comiskey Park.  Kittle got sporadic playing time over the final month of the season, earning just 29 at bats in 20 games.  He hit .241 with a single home run.

Kittle, and the White Sox, broke out in a big way in 1983.  While the team charged towards their first division title, Kittle earned an All Star nod and finished the year with a team rookie record of 35 home runs while hitting .254 and driving in 100.  Kittle was knocked out of the ALCS against the Orioles after getting hit by a pitch in Game 3, finishing the series with just 2 hits in 7 at bats.  His season earned him Rookie of the Year honors.

1984 was a bit of a letdown for both Kittle and the White Sox.  While the team failed to perform up to the expectations set the previous year, Kittle did the same, falling to a .215 average.  His power numbers remained, as he clubbed 32 home runs, but his OPS was down by 70 points.  There was a slight improvement in 1985, with his average improving to .230, but he hit only 26 home runs and drove in just 58 runs in 116 games.

In 1986, Kittle was hitting .213 with 17 home runs at the trade deadline when he, along with Joel Skinner and Wayne Tolleson, were sent to the Yankees for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez, and a player to be named later.  He rejoined the White Sox a year and a half later, signing as a free agent after the 1988 season.

Injuries limited Kittle to just 51 games in 1989.  In 169 at bats, he hit .302 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI.  He returned in 1990, seeing his average drop to .245 with 16 home runs in 83 games when, again at the trade deadline, he was sent to the Orioles in exchange for Phil Bradley.

Kittle returned for one final hurrah with the White Sox in 1991, signing as a free agent on June 19 before being released on August 15.  In between, he appeared in 17 games and hit only .191 with 2 home runs.

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

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#34 – John Danks

Name: John Danks

Rank: 34

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2007-2016

John Danks was acquired by the White Sox, along with Nick Masset, from the Rangers for Brandon McCarthy following the 2006 season.  He broke camp with the Sox in 2007 and made his major league debut on April 8, picking up the loss against the Twins at US Cellular Field.  Danks, along with the rest of the White Sox, struggled through 2007, finishing the year with a 6-13 record and a 5.50 ERA.

2008 was a different story for both the White Sox and Danks.  Posting a career-best 3.32 ERA, Danks finished the year at 12-9 and had quite possibly the best outing of his career in game 163, throwing 8 scoreless innings of 2 hit ball against the Twins to secure the Central Division title.  Less than a week later, he picked up the lone White Sox victory in the ALDS against the Rays.

Danks had continued success in both 2009 and 2010, combining for a 28-22 record over the two years, with an ERA in the 3.70s both years.  2011 went south for both the White Sox and John Danks, as his ERA jumped to 4.33 while manager Ozzie Guillen lost control of the team before leaving in the final week to head to the Marlins.  Following the season, the White Sox signaled their faith in Danks, signing him to a 5 year extension worth $65 million.

Danks struggled through 9 starts in 2012 before hitting the disabled list with a mysterious shoulder injury.  When he finally underwent surgery, doctors found a torn shoulder capsule.  Very few pitchers have undergone this surgery, and even fewer have successfully returned to the same level they were before the injury.

Sadly, Danks’ recovery did not happen as anyone would have wanted, though not for a lack of effort.  He returned in 2013, making 22 starts and going 4-14 with a 4.75 ERA.  2014 was more of the same, as his ERA was 4.74, though his record improved to 11-11.  And 2015, again, saw Danks put up an ERA of 4.71 in 30 starts.

In 2016, Danks, in the final season of his contract and due $14.25 million, went 0-4 with a 7.25 ERA in April.  With the surprising White Sox in first place after 1 month and with Danks accounting for half of the team’s losses, being an innings eater was no longer good enough.  He was designated for assignment on May 3, ending his White Sox career.

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

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All Time Team Records

baseballs3Yet another exciting baseball season is upon us, and it is time once again to look at the all-time team records for games that I have attended dating back to 1984.  The Cubs begin the season as defending champions for the first time since 1909 while the White Sox finally start their long-overdue rebuilding effort, so both sides of town are pointing in different directions.  Either way, the 2017 season should be an exciting one.

All-Time Team Records
Team Name Won Loss Winning Pctg
California Angels 1 0 1.000
Arizona Diamondbacks 13 2 0.867
Florida Marlins 15 8 0.652
Philadelphia Phillies 10 6 0.625
Toronto Blue Jays 13 9 0.591
New York Yankees 12 9 0.571
Los Angeles Angels 16 13 0.552
Boston Red Sox 14 12 0.538
Colorado Rockies 7 6 0.538
Chicago Cubs 203 179 0.531
Chicago White Sox 267 237 0.530
Cleveland Indians 23 21 0.523
Kansas City Royals Continue reading →
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New South Side Food Stuffs

The name on the front of the building isn’t the only new thing that will be waiting for the White Sox and their fans when the 2017 season opens on Monday.  Earlier today, they announced the new food offerings that will be available at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Things to look forward to are smoked brisket and BBQ pulled pork, which will be available on all levels of the ballpark.  The Beggars Pizza pub in left field will offer a deep dish option.  Mini donuts, topped with either cinnamon or powdered sugar, along with a caramel praline ice cream bar highlight the new dessert choices.

With the change in beer sponsorships, the former Bullpen Sports Bar will now be known as the Craft Kave, featuring 75 different beer choices.  A new bar area on the left field concourse will be named Casa Modelo, as part of a new marketing agreement with Modelo Especial.

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Team Stats: Home Run

With 1 week until baseball in Chicago returns, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time rankings in both offensive and defensive categories for all iterations of the current 30 teams for the 833 games I’ve identified that I have attended. We finish up today on the offensive side of the ball with home runs.

As you might expect by this point, the White Sox and Cubs, based on the raw numbers, are far and away the leaders in this category, as they are the teams I’ve seen the most.  When you adjust the numbers per game, the California incarnation of the Angels and the Diamondbacks are the only teams at or above 2 home runs per game.  The Nationals and the Anaheim version of the Angels are the only teams with less than a home run every other game.

Home Runs
Team Name Home Runs
Chicago White Sox 605
Chicago Cubs 437
Cleveland Indians 53
Kansas City Royals 48
Detroit Tigers 45
Minnesota Twins 44
Houston Astros 40
Texas Rangers 40
Milwaukee Brewers 39
Seattle Mariners Continue reading →
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#35 – Jose Valentin

Name: Jose Valentin

Rank: 35

Position: SS/3B

Years With White Sox: 2000-2004

Jose Valentin was acquired by the White Sox, along with Cal Eldred, on January 12, 2000 from the Brewers in exchange for Jaime Navarro and John Snyder.  Valentin replaced Mike Caruso at shortstop, and provided an offensive punch that had been missing.  On April 27, against the Orioles, he hit for a natural cycle, becoming just the fifth, and the most recent, White Sox player to hit for the cycle.  While Valentin provided an offensive spark, hitting .273 with 25 home runs and 92 RBI, he was a butcher in the field.  He led the American League with 36 errors.  Despite this, Valentin helped lead the White Sox to their first division title since 1993.  He hit .300 in the ALDS against the Mariners, where the White Sox were swept out of the playoffs.

To help improve their defense, the White Sox acquired Royce Clayton to play shortstop for 2001, forcing Valentin to move around the field in order to keep his bat in the lineup.  He split most of his time between center field and third base, before moving back to shortstop when Clayton failed to hit at all.  Valentin’s average dropped down to .258, but he set a career high with 28 home runs.  He still managed to place second in the AL with 22 errors, despite only appearing in 124 games.

With Clayton getting another shot in 2002, Valentin shifted back over to third base, which is where he spent the majority of the year.  When Clayton struggled offensively again, Valentin again spent time back at shortstop, starting 47 games.  He ended the year with a .249 average and 25 home runs.

After Royce Clayton left as a free agent, Valentin again became the everyday shortstop in 2003.  While he continued to struggle defensively, finishing 3rd in the AL with 20 errors, he started to struggle offensively as well.  Despite tying his career high with 28 home runs, his average dropped to .237, his lowest total as a member of the White Sox.

In 2004, Valentin’s offense continued to slip.  His average dropped to .216, a career low, but he did manage to set a new career high with 30 home runs in only 450 at bats.  Following the season, he became a free agent and his White Sox career drew to a close.

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

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25 Million Dollar Man

Fresh off an exciting rookie season and expected to be one of the cornerstones of the rebuild on the south side, Tim Anderson signed a long term deal that will potentially keep him as a member of the White Sox through the 2024 season.  The 6 year, $25 million deal also includes two option years, which could boost the overall value of the deal over $50 million.

Anderson’s deal is the largest for a player with less than one year of major league experience, besting Chris Archer’s 2014 deal with the Rays.  He hit .283 with 9 home runs and 30 RBIs in 99 games last year after getting recalled from Triple A, good enough for seventh place in American League Rookie of the Year voting.  The White Sox are betting that he can improve on that production and help return the team to glory.

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #101-109

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 up the first half of the list today with a mix of pop and alternative, with a little weirdness thrown in for good measure..

#109: Sam Phillips
iTunes stats: 41 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

Thanks to 4 musical cues from her work on Gilmore Girls, the alternative artist makes her debut on the list.

#109: Color Me Badd
iTunes stats: 41 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The early 90s boy band makes the list thanks to 3 tracks from their debut album, one of which was used as the walkup music for former White Sox catcher Tyler Flowers.

#108: Katy Perry
iTunes stats: 42 plays
Previous ranking: #83

A 25 spot drop for the pop princess, who added only 13 new listens to the 2 versions of her debut hit.

#105: Dandy Warhols
iTunes stats: 43 plays
Previous ranking: #98

A small 7 spot drop despite 20 new listens to the band responsible for the Veronica Mars theme song.

#105: Bobby Brown
iTunes stats: 43 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The former member of New Edition debuts on the list thanks to 5 of his solo tracks.

#105: Alice In Chains
iTunes stats: 43 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The Seattle-based alternative band combined 5 tracks to make up this total.

#103: The Strokes
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Team Stats: Earned Run Average

With 2 weeks until baseball in Chicago returns, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time rankings in both offensive and defensive categories for all iterations of the current 30 teams for the 833 games I’ve identified that I have attended. We continue today on the defensive side of the ball with earned run average.

Both the White Sox and Cubs are in the top half for team ERA, at 4.10 and 3.97 respectively.  The Anaheim iteration of the Angels lead the way at just under 2.60.  Their earlier counterparts from California are on the opposite end of the spectrum, clocking in at an even 6.00.

Earned Run Average
Team Name ERA
Anaheim Angels 2.59620377314948
Arizona Diamondbacks 2.77443609022556
San Francisco Giants 2.91412259138847
Montreal Expos 3.4000755572346
Los Angeles Angels 3.58378597800244
Philadelphia Phillies 3.69343107010444
Washington Nationals 3.74644733442425
Boston Red Sox 3.87378352436825
Miami Marlins 3.9375
Oakland Athletics Continue reading →
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#36 – Jose Contreras

Name: Jose Contreras

Rank: 36

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2004-2009

Acquired at the trade deadline in 2004 from the Yankees in exchange for Esteban Loaiza, Jose Contreras joined the White Sox rotation for the remainder of the season, pitching inconsistently.  He finished the year 5-4 for the White Sox, with a 5.30 ERA in 13 starts.

Contreras got off to a slow start in 2005, entering the All Star break with a 4-3 record.  Thanks to an improved arm angle, Contreras caught fire in the second half, becoming one of the most dominating pitchers in the league.  He finished the year with a 15-7 record with a 3.61 ERA as the White Sox won their first AL Central title in 5 years.  Contreras got the nod in game 1 of the ALDS against the Red Sox, giving up 2 runs in 7 2/3 innings as the White Sox blew out the defending champions 14-2.  Contreras made two appearances in the ALCS, losing game 1 to the Angels before bouncing back and throwing the team’s fourth straight complete game in game 5, earning the victory and sending the White Sox to their first World Series since 1959.  He was back on the mound for game 1 of the Series, getting the victory as the White Sox defeated the Astros 5-3.

2006 saw Contreras continue his hot ways.  He started the season 9-0, breaking the team record for consecutive regular season victories previously held by LaMarr Hoyt and Wilson Alvarez.  He managed to extend his streak to 17 games, before losing to the Yankees on July 14.  After the All Star break, Contreras started to come back down to Earth, due in part to the extra workload from the previous post-season.  He posted a 5.40 ERA in the second half and finished the year 13-9 with a 4.27 ERA.

2007 was a down year for both the White Sox and Contreras.  His ERA jumped to 5.57 and finished the year 10-17.  2008 was starting to look a little better for Contreras, before a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his season on August 9th, causing him to miss the post-season.  He ended up with a 7-6 record and a 4.54 ERA.

Contreras started the 2009 season 0-5, earning himself a trip to Triple A Charlotte on May 10.  A month later, he was recalled to start the first game of a doubleheader against the Tigers, earning his first victory of the year.  He managed to improve his record to 5-13 with a 5.42 ERA by August 31, when he was traded to the Rockies.

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

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