Tag / White Sox

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#54 – Keith Foulke

Name: Keith Foulke

Rank: 54

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 1997-2002

Keith Foulke was acquired by the White Sox, along with Brian Manning, Lorenzo Barcelo, Mike Caruso, Bob Howry, and Ken Vining, on July 31, 1997 as part of the White Flag trade that sent Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin, and Roberto Hernandez to the Giants.  He appeared in one game for Triple A Nashville before joining the White Sox bullpen for the remainder of the season, putting up a 3.45 ERA in 16 games and earning his first 3 career saves.

1998 saw Foulke serve as the set-up man for closers Matt Karchner and Bill Simas.  He appeared in 54 games, putting up a 3-2 record and a 4.13 ERA.

Foulke returned to the set-up role in 1999 and had an excellent season.  Working over 105 innings spread across 67 games, Foulke was 3-3 with 9 saves, a 2.22 ERA, and a WHIP of 0.883.  His work earned him a tie for 10th place in the Cy Young Award voting.

With Bob Howry struggling as closer in 2000, Foulke stepped in and, saving 34 games, helped the young White Sox win their first division title since 1993.  Appearing in 72 games, he went 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA during the regular season.  Unfortunately, the ALDS did not go as well.  Foulke pitched in 2 of the 3 games against the Mariners, giving up 3 earned runs in 2 and 1/3 innings pitched.

Foulke remained as closer in 2001 and continued to excel.  He lead the AL by finishing 67 games and set a career high with 42 saves while lowering his ERA to 2.33.  Manager Jerry Manuel lost faith in Foulke during 2002 and he finished the year with only 11 saves, one of 3 White Sox pitchers in double digits.  He went 2-4 with an outlandish 2.90 ERA.

On December 3, Foulke, along with Mark Johnson, Joe Valentine, and cash, was traded to the A’s for Billy Koch, Neal Cotts, and Daylan Holt.

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

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#55 – Kelly Wunsch

Name: Kelly Wunsch

Rank: 55

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2000-2004

Kelly Wunsch signed with the White Sox as a free agent in November of 1999.  He made his major league debut on April 3, 2000, pitching a scoreless inning of relief in the White Sox opening day loss to the Rangers in Arlington.  Wunsch ended up putting together the best season of his career, with a league high 83 appearances, a 6-3 record, and a 2.93 ERA.  He finished 5th in AL Rookie of the Year voting.  Wunsch appeared in all 3 games of the ALDS against the Mariners, giving up 2 hits and 1 unearned run in one inning pitched.

2001 was easily the worst season of Wunsch’s career, thanks in part to a June injury that led to rotator cuff surgery.  Appearing in only 33 games, he saw his ERA balloon to 7.66.

Wunsch started the 2002 season on the disabled list with continued shoulder soreness.  Once he returned to the big leagues, he showed some of the effectiveness he displayed in his rookie season, dropping his ERA to 3.41 in 50 appearances, covering just over 31 innings.

A back injury led to Wunsch missing time during the 2003 season.  Despite that, he put up a career-low ERA of 2.75 in 36 innings over 43 games.

Wunsch was back on the disabled list to start the 2004 season.  He ended up spending most of the season in Triple A, appearing in only 3 games for the White Sox.  Following the season, he became a free agent, ending his White Sox career.

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

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2017 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Newcomers

baseballhof

The BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2017 last Monday.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 18th, with induction taking place next July.  After Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza were elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 15 holdovers along with 19 newcomers, which may start to cause a bit of a problem.  The current BBWAA rules continue to limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and there may be more than 10 deserving candidates, so there will be too many qualified candidates fighting for limited spots in a shorter amount of time.  Once again, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Yesterday, we looked at the returning candidates.  Today, it’s time to look at the newcomers and who may be thankful come January.

Casey Blake

Literally has no chance to stay on the ballot for another year, let alone earn election at some point.

Pat Burrell

It should be a quick one and out for the longtime Phillie.

072008-Cabrera-03Orlando Cabrera

The former Angels and White Sox shortstop has, again, put together a perfectly acceptable career, but will be lucky to get a sympathy vote from a hometown writer.

Mike Cameron

Wow, this batch of newcomers is starting to look a little weak.  Cameron had a decent career, but will never be confused for a Hall of Famer.

J.D. Drew

Yet another nominee for the hall of the very good, but lacking credentials for the Hall of Fame.

Vladimir Guerrero

Now we’re talking.  The former Expo and Angel great should earn enshrinement eventually, though likely not on his first try.

Carlos Guillen

The 3-time All Star will be lucky to make a second appearance on the ballot.

Derrek Lee

The former Cub first baseman was a fan favorite, but is not a Hall of Famer.

Melvin Mora

I can’t imagine anyone voting for Mr. Mora.

Magglio Ordonez
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#56 – Daryl Boston

bostonName: Daryl Boston

Rank: 56

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 1984-1990

Daryl Boston was selected by the White Sox as the 7th pick in the 1st round of the 1981 draft.  He made his major league debut on May 13, 1984 in the White Sox 8-1 victory against the Rangers, going 3-5 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base while leading off and playing center field.  He ended up appearing in 35 games for a White Sox team that failed to follow up on their success of the previous year, hitting an anemic .169.

Boston split the 1985 season between Triple A Buffalo and Chicago, appearing in 95 games for the White Sox.  He managed to improve his average to .228 with the increased playing time.

1986 again saw Boston splitting time between Triple A and the big leagues.  On October 4th, he hit the 50th and final home run given up by Bert Blyleven during the season, setting the major league record.  He finished the year with 56 appearances, hitting .266 with 5 home runs.

Boston spent the majority of the 1987 season in Chicago, hitting .258 with 10 home runs in 337 at bats.  1988 was his first full season in the major leagues, but he struggled, hitting only .217 but setting a career high with 15 home runs.

Boston rebounded in 1989, raising his average to .252, but hitting only 5 home runs in 101 appearances.  1990 saw his White Sox career come to an end, appearing in 5 games and getting only one at bat before being placed on waivers towards the end of April and being selected by the Mets.

Boston rejoined the White Sox organization in 2001 as a roving minor league instructor.  In 2013, he became the first base coach for new manager Robin Ventura, a role he remains in to this day.

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

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#57 – Herbert Perry

herbertName: Herbert Perry

Rank: 57

Position: 3B

Years With White Sox: 2000-2001

Herbert Perry joined the White Sox on April 21, 2000 after being selected off waivers from the Devil Rays.  Perry initially was a backup to Greg Norton, but solid defense and a hot bat led to him getting more and more playing time, eventually becoming the everyday third baseman as the White Sox cruised to their first Central Division title.  He finished the year with a .308 average, 12 home runs, and 61 RBIs.  Perry was one of the few White Sox regulars who continued to hit in the post-season, putting up a .444 average in the ALDS against the Mariners.

Injuries and the acquisition of Royce Clayton limited Perry to 92 games in 2001.  His average dropped to .256 and his home runs fell to 7.  After the season, he was traded to the Rangers for a player to be named later.

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

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2016 Final Standings

2016wsballThe World Series has come to an end and, with it, the magical 2016 baseball season that put the Cubs on top of the baseball world for the first time in 108 years.  I made it to 39 games this season, the same total as last season, but did not manage to visit any stadiums outside the city of Chicago.  Here are the final standings for those games and the 18 different teams I saw in person, through both the regular season and the playoffs.

2016 Team Records
Team Won Loss Winning Pctg
Los Angeles Angels 1 0 1.000
Boston Red Sox 1 0 1.000
Kansas City Royals 5 1 0.833
Chicago Cubs 6 2 0.750
Cleveland Indians 3 2 0.600
Chicago White Sox 17 15 0.531
Minnesota Twins 2 2 0.500
Toronto Blue Jays 1 1 0.500
Atlanta Braves 1 1 0.500
Baltimore Orioles 1 1 0.500
Detroit Tigers 1 2 0.333
Seattle Mariners 0 2 0.000
San Francisco Giants 0 2 0.000
Oakland Athletics 0 2 0.000
Los Angeles Dodgers 0 2 0.000
Tampa Bay Rays 0 1 0.000
Cincinnati Reds 0 1 0.000
Texas Rangers 0 2 0.000
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#58 – Pablo Ozuna

ozunaName: Pablo Ozuna

Rank: 58

Position: LF/3B

Years With White Sox: 2005-2008

Pablo Ozuna signed with the White Sox as a free agent in January of 2005.  He set career highs with 70 games, 203 at bats, 56 hits, 14 stolen bases, and 11 RBI.  Ozuna made two appearances in the 2005 post-season, both in the ALCS against the Angels.  In the second, he pinch ran for A.J. Pierzynski after the infamous dropped third strike call in the 9th inning of Game 2.  Following a stolen base, Ozuna scored the winning run on Joe Crede’s double, starting the White Sox 8 game winning streak to close out their first World Series title in 88 years.

Ozuna returned to the White Sox in 2006, where he set a new career high in games played with 79.  On May 3, he hit his first career home run, a solo shot with 2 outs in the 9th inning to tie the game.

An broken leg suffered in late May limited Ozuna to 27 games in 2007.  “Are we going to miss him? Yeah,” manager Ozzie Guillen said.  “We’re going to miss him like any of the guys because he’s a big piece in the club.”

Ozuna returned from the injury in 2008 and was performing well, hitting .281 in 32 games.  On July 8, with Paul Konerko coming off the disabled list a facing a roster crunch, Ozuna was designated for assignment.  On July 16, he was given his release, ending his White Sox career.

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

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RIP US Cellular Field

uscellular-fieldYesterday, US Cellular Field officially was rechristened as Guaranteed Rate Field, ending a 14 year run for the wireless telecom company as the naming rights holder for the home of the Chicago White Sox.  In that time, I saw 414 games at the park, including a Marlins home game in 2004 due to Hurricane Ivan and post-season play in 2000, 2005 and 2008.

All-Time Team Records
TeamName Won Loss Winning Pctg
Arizona Diamondbacks 1 0 1.000
Colorado Rockies 2 0 1.000
St. Louis Cardinals 1 0 1.000
Florida Marlins 3 1 0.750
New York Yankees 10 7 0.588
Boston Red Sox 13 10 0.565
Los Angeles Angels 16 13 0.552
Baltimore Orioles 11 9 0.550
Chicago White Sox 223 190 0.540
Kansas City Royals 23 20 0.535
Toronto Blue Jays 9 8 0.529
Cleveland Indians 20 18 0.526
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1 1 0.500
Tampa Bay Rays 8 8 0.500
Washington Nationals 1 1 0.500
Anaheim Angels 1 1 0.500
Cincinnati Reds 1 1 0.500
San Diego Padres 1 1 0.500
Houston Astros 4 5 0.444
Oakland Athletics 6 8 0.429
Chicago Cubs 11 15 0.423
Detroit Tigers 13 19 0.406
Minnesota Twins 19 28 0.404
Texas Rangers 7 13 0.350
Atlanta Braves 2 5 0.286
Seattle Mariners 5 18 0.217
Pittsburgh Pirates 1 4 0.200
Los Angeles Dodgers 1 5 0.167
Milwaukee Brewers 0 2 0.000
Montreal Expos 0 1 0.000
Miami Marlins 0 2 0.000
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#59 – Dan Pasqua

pasquaName: Dan Pasqua

Rank: 59

Position: OF/1B/DH

Years With White Sox: 1988-1994

Following the 1987 season, Dan Pasqua, along with Steve Rosenberg and Mark Salas, was acquired by the White Sox from the Yankees for Richard Dotson and Scott Nielsen.

His first season with the White Sox ended with a career high 20 home runs despite a disappointing .227 average.  A broken wrist suffered during the first week of the 1989 season limited Pasqua to just 73 games, where he improved his average to .248, but only 11 home runs.

Pasqua lost his regular slot in the lineup in 1990, as manager Jeff Torborg decided to start Sammy Sosa every day.  He appeared in 112 games, but had only 325 at bats despite a .274 average.  1991 saw Pasqua appear in a career high 134 games, with a .259 average and 18 home runs, his highest total since 1988.

Pasqua saw his playing time reduced again in 1992, thanks in part to a hamstring injury that put him on the shelf for nearly a month.  His average dropped to .211 and he managed only 6 home runs.  With George Bell and Bo Jackson splitting time at DH in 1993, Pasqua again was the odd man out.  He appeared in only 78 games and his average fell again to .205.  He appeared in 2 games of the ALCS against the Blue Jays and went hitless in 6 at bats.

Pasqua’s 1994 season was cut short by arthroscopic knee surgery in May, which limited him to just 11 appearances and only 23 at bats.  When the season was called off due to the strike, he became a free agent and decided to retire.

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

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World Series Pitching Leaders

2016worldseriesFor the first time since 2005, the World Series returns to Chicago tonight as the Cubs face off against the Indians in game 3 with the Series knotted up at a game apiece.  Following up on Wednesday’s look at World Series offense, today we take a look at the pitching leaders from the 1 World Series game I’ve attended, game 2 of the 2005 World Series between the White Sox and the Astros at US Cellular Field.

Wins

Name Total
Neal Cotts 1

Losses

Name Total
Brad Lidge 1

ERA (> 2 IP)

Name Total
Andy Pettitte 3.00
Mark Buehrle 5.14

Strikeouts

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 6
Andy Pettitte 4
Cliff Politte 1
Bobby Jenks 1
Dan Wheeler 1

Appearances

Name Total
Mark Buehrle 1
Andy Pettitte 1
Cliff Politte 1
Bobby Jenks 1
Dan Wheeler 1
Mike Gallo 1
Neal Cotts 1
Chad Qualls 1
Brad Lidge 1

Saves

Name Total