Tag / White Sox

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iTunes Top 200 Artists: #167-179

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.

After a brief hiatus, we pick up this week with the final 2 bands/performers tied for 179th place and the first 8 tied for 167th, including a few radio personalities.

#167: Fall Out Boy
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

1 song from Fall Out Boy, used as the intro music for the White Sox in 2015, drives their inclusion on this list.

#167: Gnarls Barkley
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The collaboration between CeeLo Green and DJ Danger Mouse has 2 songs to make up their total.

#167: Live
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The Pennsylvania band used a pretty even split amongst 3 different tunes to mark their spot on the chart.

#167: Mott The Hoople
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

One track, featured on the Juno soundtrack and written by David Bowie, makes up the total for English rock band.

#167: Naughty By Nature
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

2 mega-hits from the hip hop trio make up their total.

#167: Nerf Herder
iTunes stats: 27 plays
Previous ranking: N/A

The band, who got their name from a Princess Leia quote in Star Wars, contributed the theme song to Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

#167: OutKast
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Team Stats: Walks

With 3 months 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 offensive side of the ball with walks.

Based on the raw numbers, the White Sox and Cubs 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 iteration of the Angels lead the way with an exceedingly high 9 walks per game.  8 teams averaged less than 3 walks per game, with the Miami version of the Marlins bringing up the rear with just 2.5.

Walks
Team Name Walks
Chicago White Sox 1543
Chicago Cubs 1202
Minnesota Twins 153
Cincinnati Reds 151
Pittsburgh Pirates 147
Cleveland Indians 144
Milwaukee Brewers 141
Houston Astros 133
Kansas City Royals 128
Detroit Tigers Continue reading →
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#43 – Freddy Garcia

Name: Freddy Garcia

Rank: 43

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2004-2006, 2009-2010

Freddy Garcia was acquired by the White Sox, along with Ben Davis, from the Mariners for Mike Morse, Miguel Olive, and Jeremy Reed on June 27, 2004.  Garcia, a friend of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, was cautiously optimistic about the move.  “You’ve got to be a professional,” Garcia said.  “Everybody knows he’s my friend, but I want to do business.  I’ll go there and pitch the way I can pitch.”  General Manager Kenny Williams thought the move gave the White Sox the ability to “challenge for the division in a better way.”  Garcia went 9-4 for the White Sox over the second half of the season, with a 4.46 ERA as the team did not exactly challenge for the division title.

Things fell into place for Garcia and the White Sox in 2005.  In 33 starts, Garcia went 14-8 with a 3.87 ERA as the White Sox did indeed earn that division title.  Garcia then added an additional 3 wins in 3 appearances during the post-season, including the clinching game 3 of the ALDS against the Red Sox and game 4 of the World Series against the Astros, where he threw 7 scoreless innings.

The 2006 season started under a bit of a cloud for Garcia, who tested positive for marijuana during the World Baseball Classic.  Once the season started, Garcia set numerous personal milestones, including his 1000th career strikeout and, on April 29, becoming the winningest Venezuelan native in baseball history, surpassing former White Sox hurler Wilson Alvarez.  He finished the year 17-9 with a 4.53 ERA.  On December 6, he was traded to the Phillies for young pitchers Gavin Floyd and Gio Gonzalez.

Garcia rejoined the White Sox organization on June 8, 2009, more than a month after being released by the Mets.  He made his first start in the big leagues on August 18 against the Royals, giving up 5 runs in only 4 1/3 innings.  He made 8 additional starts for the team and finished 3-4 with a 4.34 ERA.

He returned to the starting rotation in 2010, making 28 starts and going 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA.  After the season, he became a free agent.

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

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#44 – Sandy Alomar

Name: Sandy Alomar Jr.

Rank: 44

Position: C

Years With White Sox: 2001-2002, 2003-2004, 2006

Sandy Alomar Jr., son of former White Sox second baseman Sandy Alomar, signed with the team as a free agent on December 18, 2000.  Alomar, brought in to replace the departed Charles Johnson, split time behind the plate with Mark Johnson as the White Sox looked to defend their Central Division title from the year before.  Alomar appeared in 70 games, hitting .245 with a team low .634 OPS.

Johnson saw more playing time in 2002, as Alomar moved into more of a backup/mentor role.  Appearing in 51 games, Alomar improved his average to .287 and his OPS jumped to .794.  As the trade deadline approached and the White Sox destined to finish in the middle of the pack, Alomar was traded to the Rockies for a middling prospect who never developed.  Following the season, however, he re-signed with the White Sox as a free agent.

With Johnson traded in the offseason, rookie Miguel Olivo became the starting catcher in 2003, with Alomar back in the backup/mentor role.  Appearing in 75 games and garnering 194 at bats, Alomar hit .268 with an OPS of .689.

Alomar returned in 2004 and was one of 4 catchers to appear in at least 45 games for the White Sox.  He got 146 at bats and hit .240 with an OPS of .606.  Following the season, he left as a free agent.

Near the trade deadline in 2006, as the White Sox looked to bolster their roster to defend their World Series championship, Alomar was re-acquired for a third time, via trade from the Dodgers for a middling prospect.  Alomar appeared in 19 games for the White Sox, hitting .217 in 46 at bats, as the team fell short of the playoffs despite posting 90 wins.  Following the season, Alomar became a free agent, leaving the team for good.

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

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Team Stats: Hit By Pitch

With 3 months 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 back on the defensive side of the ball with batters hit by a pitch.

Again, based on the raw numbers, the White Sox and Cubs 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 Devil Rays lead, followed, surprisingly, by the Tigers, who hit a little more than 1 batter every other game.  The Phillies and the Braves are at the bottom, hitting less than 1 batter every 15 games, while the Mets have yet to hit a batter in a game I’ve seen.

Hit By Pitch
Team Name Hit By Pitch
Chicago White Sox 149
Chicago Cubs 125
Minnesota Twins 21
Detroit Tigers 21
Kansas City Royals 17
Cincinnati Reds 16
Cleveland Indians 16
Texas Rangers 14
Houston Astros 14
Pittsburgh Pirates Continue reading →
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#45 – Britt Burns

Name: Britt Burns

Rank: 45

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1978-1985

Britt Burns was selected by the White Sox in the third round of the 1978 draft.  Less than 2 months later, Burns made his major league debut, going 5 innings in a losing start against the Tigers in Detroit.  He made one other start, another loss, before returning to the minor leagues.  He finished the year 0-2 with a 12.91 ERA.

Burns spent most of 1979 starting in Double A, before getting promoted to Triple A and then, briefly, back to Chicago.  He made 6 relief appearances, giving up 10 hits in only 5 innings and finishing with a 5.40 ERA.

Burns found himself in the major leagues to stay in 1980 as he moved in to the rotation for the White Sox.  He found his first bit of success at the big league level, going 15-13 with a 2.84 ERA in 34 appearances, 32 of them starts.  He finished 5th in Rookie of the Year voting, earning 4 first place votes.

1981 saw Burns putting up a repeat performance, despite the strike that split the season.  He earned his first, and only, All Star nod and tied for 7th in Cy Young Award voting.  He finished the year 10-6 with a 2.64 ERA.

Burns regressed a bit in 1982.  His record held steady at 13-5, but his ERA rose to 4.04 in only 28 starts.

In 1983, Burns went 10-11 with a 3.58 ERA as the White Sox ran away with the AL West, earning their first division title.  Burns took the mound in game 4 of the ALCS, with the Orioles looking to clinch the series, and threw the game of his life.  Burns threw 9 scoreless innings, but Oriole pitchers Storm Davis and Tippy Martinez stymied the White Sox offense.  With one out in the 10th, Burns gave up a solo home run to Tito Landrum.  He was replaced and the Orioles tacked on 2 additional runs, ending the White Sox season.

Injuries and ineffectiveness led Burns to split time between the rotation and bullpen in 1984.  He went 4-12 with a 5.00 ERA in 34 appearances, 16 of them starts.  He also earned the only 3 saves of his career.

After an offseason conditioning program improved his physical state, Burns bounced back in 1985.  He 18-11 with a 3.96 ERA in 36 appearances, 34 of them starts, both career highs.  He finished tied for 7th in Cy Young Award voting.  Following the year, he was traded to the Yankees, along with 2 minor leaguers, for Joe Cowley and Ron Hassey.

Burns returned to the White Sox organization in 2013 as pitching coach for Double A Birmingham, a position he held through 2015.

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

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Team Stats: Stolen Bases

With 3 months 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. After a brief hiatus for the holidays, we continue today back on the offensive side of the ball with stolen bases.

Based on the raw numbers, the White Sox and Cubs are far and away the leaders in this category, as they are far and away the teams I’ve seen the most. When you adjust the numbers per game, the California and Anaheim versions of the Angels and the Devil Rays jump to the top of the heap.  The White Sox fall to the bottom of the middle third and the Cubs are squarely towards the low end, with less than 1 SB every other game.  The Braves are the worst team that I have seen somewhat often, at less than .3 SB per game, while the Miami incarnation of the Marlins have yet to steal a base in a game I have attended.

Stolen Bases
Team Name Stolen Bases
Chicago White Sox 303
Chicago Cubs 176
Kansas City Royals 36
Milwaukee Brewers 34
Cincinnati Reds 32
Houston Astros 30
Texas Rangers 28
Minnesota Twins 27
Cleveland Indians 26
Detroit Tigers Continue reading →
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#46 – Tom Seaver

Name: Tom Seaver

Rank: 46

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1984-1986

Looking to bolster their starting rotation for another run at the AL West crown, the White Sox claimed Tom Seaver from the Mets on January 20, 1984 as compensation for Dennis Lamp leaving as a free agent.  Seaver, upset about leaving New York and his family, contemplated walking away from the game.  “Was retirement a serious option? Sure it was,” Seaver said.  “The first thing I asked the White Sox for was a no-trade contract.  I didn’t want them to make another off-season move and send me 3,000 miles away to Seattle–and I never play an inning in a White Sox uniform.”  Getting the security he desired, Seaver reported to the White Sox.  While the team faltered in 1984, Seaver was a steady force in the rotation, going 15-11 with a 3.95 ERA in his first go around through the junior circuit.  The highlight of the year came on May 9, when he pitched the final inning of a suspended, 25 inning contest from the day before and then started the regularly scheduled game against the Brewers, earning the victory in both.

With LaMarr Hoyt traded in the offseason, Seaver was on the mound for opening day in 1985, breaking Walter Johnson’s record of 14.  On August 4, back in New York against the Yankees, Seaver threw a complete game to earn his 300th career victory.  He finished the year with a 16-11 record and a sterling 3.17 ERA.

Seaver again got the opening day nod in 1986, extending his record to 15.  With the White Sox going nowhere, Seaver, now 41 years old, was looking to return to the east coast to be near his family after the death of his mother in May.  When a bum shoulder put him on the disabled list, he informed the White Sox he was thinking of retiring.  ”Another week or so and I was going home,” Seaver said. ”I made the club aware of that. I was totally, emotionally spent. I had my mom’s death, then my shoulder went on the blink, and there was the LaRussa situation.”  When manager Tony LaRussa was fired on June 20, his replacement, Jim Fregosi, said Seaver’s wishes should be honored.  On June 29, after going 2-6 with a 4.38 ERA in 12 starts, Seaver was traded to the Red Sox for Steve Lyons.

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

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#47 – Jon Garland

Name: Jon Garland

Rank: 47

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2000-2007

Jon Garland was acquired by the White Sox at the trade deadline in 1998 from the Cubs in exchange for Matt Karchner.  He made his major league debut on July 4, 2000 against the Royals, becoming the youngest player in the American League and earning the loss by giving up 7 runs in 3 innings pitched at Kauffman Stadium.  He appeared in 15 games in the big leagues, 13 of them starts, and finished the year 4-8 with a 6.46 ERA as the White Sox won the AL Central.

Garland returned to the minor leagues to start the 2001 season, but was recalled in early May.  On May 12, he gave up the 200th home run of Alex Rodriguez’s career.  He split time between the rotation and the bullpen, ending the year with a 6-7 record and 3.69 ERA in 35 games.  He also notched his only career save.

In 2002, Garland joined the White Sox starting rotation full time.  He started 33 games and went a pedestrian 12-12 with a 4.58 ERA.  2003 was more of the same, as he went 12-13 with a 4.51 ERA.  He evened things out in 2004, going 12-11 with a 4.89 ERA, giving him a 3 year record of 36-36.

Things turned around in 2005, for both Garland and the White Sox.  He earned his first, and only, All Star nod, throwing a scoreless inning in relief.  He finished the year with an 18-10 record and a career low 3.50 ERA, helping the White Sox claim their first Central Division title since 2000.  Garland made his first post-season appearance in game 3 of the ALCS against the Angels, throwing a complete game in the 5-2 victory.  Garland appeared again in game 3 of the World Series, giving up 2 earned runs in 7 innings against the Astros.  He came in 6th place in Cy Young Award voting, right behind teammate Mark Buehrle.

Garland continued his winning ways in 2006, again winning 18 games while losing only 7, though his ERA rose to 4.51.  He also found success at the plate, hitting his first (and only) career home run on June 18 against the Reds.

2007 was another average year for Garland, as the White Sox cratered.  He finished the year 10-13 with a 4.23 ERA and completed his fourth straight year over 200 innings.  On November 19, he was traded to the Angels for shortstop Orlando Cabrera, ending his White Sox career.

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

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#48 – Joey Cora

Name: Joey Cora

Rank: 48

Position: 2B

Years With White Sox: 1991-1994

Joey Cora was acquired by the White Sox from the Padres, along with Warren Newson, for Adam Peterson and Steve Rosenberg on March 31, 1991.  Cora appeared in 100 games for the White Sox, splitting time at second base with Scott Fletcher.  He hit .241 with only 18 RBIs.

With the acquisition of Steve Sax prior to the 1992 season, Cora was pushed to the bench, starting only 21 games at second base.  Again, his production was meager, hitting .246 with no home runs and only 9 RBIs.

Cora became the everyday second baseman in 1993, taking over for Sax.  He set a career high with 153 games played, he hit .268 with a career high 20 stolen bases as the White Sox won their final AL West crown.  Cora struggled in the ALCS, hitting an anemic .136 as the White Sox fell in 6 games to the Blue Jays.

In 1994, Cora continued to improve.  He raised his average again to .276 and had 2 home runs and 30 RBIs when the season came to a premature end due to the player’s strike.

When baseball resumed in 1995, Cora became a free agent and his White Sox playing career came to an end.  He rejoined the organization as third base coach for the 2004 season, when Ozzie Guillen was hired as manager.  Following the 2006 season, he became the bench coach.  Cora was initially named interim manager after Guillen was relieved with 2 games left in the 2011 season, but was fired by text message by GM Kenny Williams before he could assume the role.

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

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