Brian McCall

September 30, 1962 was quite a day for Brian McCall. Just two days earlier, he had appeared in his third Major League game and had gotten a hit in his only at-bat. That feat was in his first game at Yankee Stadium, which was also his first road game.

On September 30th, which was a Sunday, Brian went on a tear in the first game he ever started. In five at-bats, he managed to hit two home runs and collect three RBI. In the final game of the regular season, Brian managed to give White Sox fans something to think about over the long winter.

The impact of that day in 1962 might have had fans excited, but not many in the White Sox organization were impressed. Brian wasn't called up again until September 1963. He played in three games, starting one, and went hitless in all three. McCall did manage to sneak on base with a walk and score a run against the Senators on September 28, 1963, exactly one year from his first hit. The next day would be his last for playing in the majors.

Brian retired from professional baseball in 1966, after a bad start to the season and severe pain when throwing from the outfield. He moved on to an art college and became an artist who has dabbled in a little bit of everything. Brian was even named Virginia Artist of the Year. He is now known for his sculptures and unique sign making.

There is life after baseball and it can take a person in directions that they couldn't begin to imagine.

RIP Herb Score

As I awoke this morning, the day seemed to be polarizing. One one side, it's Veterans Day and my dad's birthday. On the other side, I found out that Herb Score had passed away after a long illness.

In every possible meaning of the word, this turns out to be a day of remembrance. A day to think about happy moments. A day to think about those who are no longer here. A day to pause and reflect on the good fortune of those who have survived another year.

As I think about Herb, I am reminded of May 7, 1957, when Gil McDougald bloodied Herb's face with a line drive. Instantly feeling remorse and concern, Gil vowed to retire if Herb was blinded by the accident. Herb recovered and regained his 20/20 vision, but he was never the same. He was fearful. I can't say that I blame him.

By the time the White Sox got Herb in a trade with the Indians, the 1955 AL Rookie of the Year was a shell of his former self. Over the course of three years, Herb managed to only appear in 35 games for the Sox. The main culprit was a change in his delivery, brought on by fear of the line drive, which made Herb more prone to injury.

Herb managed a 6-12 record with the Sox. His final game was on May 4, 1962, in Boston. The White Sox managed to lose all four games that Herb appeared in that final year.

After his career was over, Herb went back to where he had the most success... Cleveland. He became an announcer for the Indians in 1964. In 1968, he switched from the television broadcasts over to the radio side for the Indians. He remained there until the end of the 1997 season. His final game in the booth was Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, as the play by play announcer.

The baseball world has lost a great man with a lengthy career and a close association to the sport. Rest in peace, Herb.

Dewon Day? He Gone!

Dewon Day was claimed by the Boston Red Sox off of waivers.

Will Dewon improve upon his 0-1 major league career record with 11.25 ERA? It stands to reason that he would, if given a shot to crack the Boston bullpen.

With only 13 games to his credit and 12 innings pitched, Dewon has managed to finish 6 games with no saves. He gave up 19 hits, 15 runs all earned), 1 home run, 9 walks, 7 strikeouts, 2 hit by pitches and 1 wild pitch.

It seems that if he could learn a little control and spot his pitches, he might have a chance at being slightly more effective. He might be a lost cause, but who knows? Stranger things have happened. When he finally pieces it together, he could be a decent middle reliever.

Maybe he will take going back to the AL east (he was picked up from the Blue Jays from a Rule V draft) to heart and improve. Are the Red Sox this desperate to overtake the Rays next season? Maybe. I doubt that is the motivating factor. Maybe they need to fill a spot in AAA.

Honest Eddie Murphy

Of course when most people think of Eddie Murphy today, they think of the man who single-handedly saved Saturday Night Live and then boycotts it, stars in stinkers like Best Defense, and picks up interesting people on street corners.

Eddie played from 1915 until 1921 for the White Sox. Before that, he spent 1912 until 1915 with the Philadelphia Athletics. Five years after his White Sox career ended, he popped up on the Pittsburgh Pirates, for one year, in 1926.

Eddie played in three different World Series. He appeared in the 1913 and 1914 World Series games with the Athletics and he played in the 1919 World Series with the White Sox.

His stats look bad for the 1919 World Series, but there was no indication that he was a dirty player. He played in three games and made two official plate appearances. His batting average was .000 with one strikeout, but he was hit by a pitch and managed to end up with a .333 on base percentage for the series.

This statistic, coupled with his appearances in only 30 games in 1919, led to his nickname "Honest" Eddie Murphy. By all indications, he played the game right and was rewarded with the moniker that suggested such.

For being one of the innocents in the 1919 World Series, Eddie received a letter from Charles Comiskey himself proclaiming his honesty and offering him $1,500, which was the difference between the winners and losers pay for the 1919 World Series. It just goes to show that honesty really does pay.

Mike Squires Appreciation Day

I was given the task to commemorate Mike Squires last Major League game. Given the information of September 23rd as being the anniversary, I dug into the matter. What I found was interesting only to Mike Squires fans. First, the facts.

Mike spent all of his Major League career with the White Sox.

Mike's first game was on September 1, 1975.

Mike's first hit was on September 1, 1975 at home vs. the Royals.

He primarily played first base, but became the first left handed catcher since 1958, when he caught a game in the late innings in 1980.

In 1983, he became the first left handed third baseman in roughly fifty years.

He was a vital part of the 1983 championship season.

Mike's last Major League hit was on August 26, 1984 at home vs. the Royals.

Mike's last Major League plate appearance was on August 31, 1984.

Mike's last game in 1984 was on September 23.

Mike's last run scored was on September 23, 1985.

Mike's last game was on September 24, 1985.

Just looking at those numbers might seem odd. Mike had his first and last hit against the Royals at Comiskey Park. The biggest eye opener was the length of time between Mike's last hit and Mike's last game. Over one year.

Of course there is a valid explanation for that. Mike was released before the start of the 1985 season. He did not catch on with anyone else. When the Sox were looking for help, they signed Mike to a contract on September 1, 1985. He only played in two games in 1985. Both were late inning switches, where he did not get to bat. His last game was on September 24, 1985. That just goes to show that there are explanations for large gaps in a player's career.

Although Mike didn't go out with a bang, he always played hard. It's still a testimony that he stayed with one team in a career that spanned 11 years. Here's to you Mike. Thanks for giving us some thrills on the South Side.

Alan Brice

Alan Brice was what was known as a one year wonder. He was drafted by the White Sox in 1956, but only saw action in 1961. His record was 0-1 with 4 hits, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts, 2 runs and a 0.00 ERA in 3 1/3 innings.

Alan only appeared in 3 games for the White Sox. I would imagine that he was a September call-up or some equivalent to that. By 1962, he was traded to the Cardinals for Joe Shipley. Joe would only appear in 3 games for the White Sox in 1963 and end up with a 0-1 record.

Alan never played another major league game. There is limited information on minor league statistics in the sixties, so it's not an easy task to track Alan's whole career. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

Brice made his debut on September 22, 1961 at home against the Orioles. He gave up 1 hit, 1 walk and 1 strikeout in 2 innings. Not bad for a relief debut at home.

For his second appearance, Alan would come in in the seventh with two outs, replacing starting pitcher Frank Baumann at Fenway Park. Alan would give up 2 hits and a walk leading to two unearned runs. It's hard to tell if one of Nellie Fox's two errors contributed to those runs being unearned, but I would imagine so. It was just enough for the loss, with the Red Sox winning 7-5.

Alan's third and final appearance would take place the very next day, on September 27, 1961. Still at Fenway Park in Boston, Alan pitched a scoreless inning, fanning two, giving up 1 hit and walking one. The White Sox lost this one to the Red Sox, but the game was lost before Alan got into the game. Alan actually was the first White Sox pitcher not to give up a run that day.

Marc Hill

Marc Hill has to be one of the luckiest players in White Sox history. He was dangerously close to being cut from the team. He didn't impress at the plate, but he stuck around. All this after briefly considering retirement.

Marc played with the Cardinals, the Giants and the Mariners before almost retiring in 1980. The first base runner that he ever caught stealing was Mike Schmidt. From that moment on, he was known as a defensive specialist.

When Marc went to San Francisco, he was given the locker next to Willie McCovey. McCovey figured that no one had ever heard of Marc Hill. People have heard of Boot Hill and Bunker Hill, so Willie combined the names and came up with the nickname Booter Hill.

After a very brief stint with the Mariners, Marc considered retiring, when he lost his joy for the game. The White Sox came to the rescue. Tony LaRussa offered Marc an invite to 1981 Spring Training. He took it. The Sox only had Jim Essian catching, so Marc chose the Sox over a few other teams that extended invites.

Marc figured he made a poor decision when the Sox signed Carlton Fisk, but LaRussa had planned on taking three catchers. Marc wasn't done yet, Despite going 0 for 6 during the 1981 season, the Sox gave Marc a $5,000 raise for the next season. Marc responded by hitting .261 in 1982, the best average of his career.

Marc would stay with the White Sox until his retirement in 1986. He had the distinction of being mistaken for LaMarr Hoyt and Greg Luzinski because of his beard. He would actually sign their names on items when he was asked. Marc was the one who would light matches in player's shoes and fill hats full of shaving cream. It was his thought that a backup catcher should be the one to liven up the teammates and pose as the cheering section.

The duo of Carlton Fisk and Marc Hill set White Sox duo catcher season records twice. In 1983, they combined to hit 27 home runs. Fisk hit 26 and Hill hit 1. In 1985, they shattered that team record with 37 home runs. Fisk hit 37 and Hill hit 0.

It's amazing to me that Marc lasted 5 years on the White Sox. The White Sox loved solid defensive catchers who couldn't hit their weight as backups in the eighties. They released him on May 27, 1986. Normally, that would be the end of the story, but the Sox signed Marc as a free agent on October 2, 1986. The Sox released him 6 days later.

Was this a Hawk Harrelson free agent signing? Since Hawk retired from the GM position sometime after the 1986 season, maybe it was one of the last things he did as GM. As the new GM took over, maybe Marc was given the boot? That's the only thing I can come up with for such a short period of time between a signing and a release.

Dario Lodigiani

Dario Lodigiani passed away on Sunday, February 10, 2008. The name may not sound familiar, but he was a great part of the fabric of 1940's baseball. He only played for 6 total years in the majors. The first three were with the Philadelphia Athletics. Dario played on the White Sox from 1941 until 1942 and again in 1946.

Dario's double play partner in high school was Joe DiMaggio. Years later, in the middle of Joltin' Joe's hitting streak, Dario had a chance to end DiMaggio's streak at 24 games. In Joe's final at-bat, he hit a grounder to Dario. Dario then threw to first in time for the out. Or so he thought. DiMaggio was called safe, even though he was out by half a step. Joe went on to fame and fortune in the bigs. Dario, like Joe, went to serve his country in WWII.

When Dario came back, he played with the White Sox in 1946. He bounced around in the minors for awhile after that, and had a pretty successful minor league career, before finding his niche as a scout for the White Sox. He signed players such as Ken Williams, Rusty Kuntz and Jack McDowell.

In 2006, he was inducted into the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. To read an interview with Dario, check this site out.

Dennis O'Toole

This is the only Topps card that Dennis O'Toole has and probably the only one he ever will have. A 1973 Topps card number 604 depicting him and two other rookie pitchers.

The problem with this is that Dennis O'Toole's first game was in 1969. He played every year from 1969 until 1973. Sometimes that meant only 1 game, like in 1971, but he was there pitching each year. For a Chicago native, that could be a dream come true. How many other players do you know that could claim to be on their hometown team for 5 years and only called on 15 times? Not many, I imagine.

By the time this card came out, Dennis would see the most games he would ever see in a season. 6 games. He was traded to the Cardinals for Jim Kremmel at the end of the season. A few months later, he was traded to the Indians. He never played in another major league game after he left the White Sox.

Dennis naever won a game, but he never lost a game either. He never even had a save. If it wasn't for this Topps card, most people wouldn't even remember Dennis. It's a sad fact, but true. 15 games over 5 years doesn't provide a decent peek into the pitching proficiency of Dennis. He has a career ERA of 5.04, but that doesn't tell the story. It doesn't tell of his 1 game season of 1971, where he had an ERA of 0.00 over 2 innings with no hits, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

Dennis can be proud of that game. He can be proud that he stuck around the majors for 5 years, despite playing only an average of 3 games a year. At least it's a great story he can tell his kids and grandkids.

Rusty Kuntz

Rusty has one of the greatest names in baseball, but for mostly juvenile reasons. I don't think it even properly pronounced the way you're already thinking it is.

Rusty was drafted in the 11th round by the White Sox in 1977. He spent two years in the minors and was finally called up in September 1979. He only played in 5 games, but managed one hit. He spent parts of five different seasons with the Sox. His best average, during that tenure, was in 1981, when he hit .255.

Rusty was getting into roughly one-third of each season's games. That could be the reason that he never had a home run with the Sox and 11 RBI, during all those years.

Rusty was traded away for Mike Sodders to the Minnesota Twins on June 21, 1983. Once there, Rusty exploded for three home runs in Minnesota, the most of his career. The good times with the Twins didn't last and Rusty was traded to the Tigers at the end of the season.

But luck was on Rusty's side. The Tigers won it all in 1984 and Rusty was there to reap the benefits. He was released by the Tigers after the 1985 season. Rusty did sign with the Athletics, but never played a major league game with them.

Rusty is proof positive that ordinary people could play professional ball before the 90's. He never did anything remarkable, except stay in the majors for parts of 7 seasons. That and he did draw more than the average number of walks, so at least he found ways to get on base. He is currently the new first base coach for the Kansas City Royals.

Randy Scarbery

Randy must have thought he was really something back in the 70's. He was a first round pick not once, but twice. He was picked 7th overall in the 1970 draft by the Houston Astros. Randy didn't sign.

Instead, he went to the University of Southern California. He was a participant in the 1973 College World Series which Southern California won that year. That year, Randy was selected again in the first round, 23rd overall, by the Oakland Athletics. This time he did sign.

Randy spent a few years in the Oakland minor league organization and was finally traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1977. He entered free agency at the end of the season and signed with the White Sox.

Fortune finally smiled on Randy as he made his major league debut in 1979. Randy was primarily a reliever who spot started. He ended up pitching in 45 games in 1979. He followed that in 1980 by appearing in 15 games before he was traded to the Angels in June. He never played another game in the majors after the trade.

He finished with a career total of 60 games, 3 wins, 10 losses, 6 saves, 4.50 ERA, 126 hits given up (10 of which were homers) and 63 strikeouts. Randy was also a tough luck pitcher. His best start was ruined by the lack of run support by the White Sox that day. It's hard to win games when your team doesn't cross the plate.

Larry Thomas

I remember first seeing Larry Thomas in an exhibition game against the Cubs in 1992 or 1993. I came away very impressed. I tried to follow him through the minors, at a time when that was relegated to the back of the local sports page. It wasn't a successful venture, but I saw his name every so often.

Larry never lived up to the hype of that first glimpse. Chicago was buzzing about his exhibition game performance and hailing him as the next great ace. It was never to be.

Part of the joy of the Internet is being able to gather a lot of information. I was able to gather statistics on Larry, but nothing on his back story. A search of Larry Thomas turns up the Soup Nazi. So, Larry, no soup for you! Come back, one year!

Essentially, that's what Larry ended up doing. Going through his statistics is like trying to solve a labyrinth. He started 1991 in A- ball, then moved up to AA. In 1992, he started in A+ ball, then moved back to AA. In 1993, he started in A+ ball, then moved up to AA, then AAA. In 1994, he stayed the whole year in AA ball.

1995 found Larry starting the year in AA. He finally made his major league debut that year. In 1996, he stayed the whole year on the major league team. In 1997, he split time between the parent club and AAA. By the end of that year, he was traded to the Rangers for Benji Gil. Larry never played in the majors again.

Larry ended up with a 2-3 record and a 3.02 ERA in parts of three seasons. What happened to this player with such a promising future? Did the White Sox put too much pressure on him? Was the Cubs game just a fluke? We may never know the answers to this. Larry doesn't even have his own wikipedia page. The actor who plays the Soup Nazi does, but not Larry Thomas the baseball player.

Ryan Sweeney

If this is Ryan Sweeney's only time with the White Sox, let's take a look at how he fared. You never know with Kenny Williams running things, Sweeney may be back at some point.

Ryan appeared in 33 games for the White Sox since 2006. His average for that entire time was .213. He had 1 home run, 10 RBI, 3 doubles, 6 runs scored and 17 total hits in 80 at-bats. OK, that's not really setting the world on fire, is it?

Let's look into his minor league numbers with the White Sox. In 5 minor league seasons he played 499 games and averaged .289. That's a bit better. He hit 33 home runs, 239 RBI, 91 doubles, 11 triples, 260 runs scored and 547 total hits in 1,891 at-bats.

Looking at individual seasons, the last time he averaged over .300 for a season was in rookie ball. The more I look at Ryan's numbers, the more I'm convinced that he has hit his ceiling. The Swisher trade is beginning to look better every day. I wish Ryan well and his time was well received in Chicago despite his low numbers.

The cluster of outfielders in the wake of Aaron Rowand and the injuries of Scott Podsednik created hurried opportunities for a mix from the Sox farm system and veterans. Brian Anderson may still redeem himself for center field, but he was rushed in 2006. That led to frustrations by Anderson and the White Sox.

Ryan Sweeney was in a similar situation. While Brian Anderson was failing, Scott Podsednik was struggling with injuries on and off. This created an opportunity for Ryan, but like Brian, he was also rushed onto the parent club and expected to produce right away. It's not that easy.

Ryan's struggles came mostly from the need of outfielders the past two years. Perhaps he will find a more suitable environment in Oakland. Ryan certainly has the potential to stay in the majors. Let's hope he takes advantage of it.

Eric Soderholm

Eric Soderholm was on the White Sox for only two and a half years, but he made an impact as one of the South Side Hitmen of 1977. In 1977 he had a career high of 25 home runs, 67 RBI (which he tied in 1978), 129 hits, 20 doubles, 77 runs and tied a career high of 3 triples.

Eric started his career in 1971 with the Minnesota Twins. He signed with the White Sox in the 1976 off-season. He then had brief stops with the Rangers and the Yankees before retiring. Although he never cracked .300, he is better known for his post-career business ventures.

His baseball career, even though it spanned nine years and brought him an AL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1977, is almost an afterthought. In Chicago, it's a popular trivia question. Chicago remains in Eric's heart and that's evident in his interview at Baseball Almanac.

After his playing days, Eric scouted American League teams for the Chicago Cubs, after failing to catch on to the team in Spring Training of 1982. He started the Eric Soderholm Baseball Camps for youths and fell into private hitting instruction.

In 1984, he founded Front Row Tickets after a friend inquired about a Michael Jackson concert going on at Comiskey Park. Eric saw, through a contact of his, how legitimate the ticket business was and pushed for Illinois legislation to legalize a large service charge onto the face value of a ticket. I'm not sure if I'm grateful for that or not. I've had to pay a large service charge on Pearl Jam tickets both times I saw them at the United Center, but I suppose it's all supply and demand.

Eric eventually let his brothers take over the operations at Front Row and in 1997, he opened up Soder World in Hinsdale, Illinois. This is one of the first major legitimate healing arts centers to open in Illinois. Soder World is always adding new therapeutic techniques to its repertoire and helping thousands of people in the process. Having gone to school for massage therapy a few miles away from the center, I can tell you that Soder World is one of the best facilities in the Chicago area.

Eric seems to have a special knack for opening businesses right before they explode onto the marketplace. What will his next venture be? If his track record is any indication, it will be a success and it will be near Chicago.

Bunny Brief

I ran across this card on eBay. The seller wanted $9.95 plus shipping for it. The most I'd be willing to pay for this parallel card would be $0.50. I think it's black bordered base card is worth only a dime. So, why would anyone sell this for ten bucks? Pure greed coupled with a public that doesn't know too much about the Conlon cards that came out in the early 90's. Ignorance and greed are a dangerous mix. Don't get caught in it. Study what you are looking at before you buy.

Seeing this name on a card stopped me in my tracks. I had never heard the name before. You tend to remember a name like that. It turns out that Bunny was Anthony Vincent Brief. Although, he was born Anthony John Grzeszkowski. I can't find any information on why his nickname was Bunny. I can't find any info on why his last name changed to Brief.

What I did find out shocked me a little. His major league career was certainly brief. He only played parts of four years in the majors, and only 1915 was spent with the White Sox. He also played for the St. Louis Browns in 1912 and 1913 and he played with the Pirates in 1917.

Bunny played 48 games with the White Sox in 1915 playing first base. He hit .214 that year. His major league career was spotty at best. His career average was only .223. Not even that great in that era. What really surprised me was his minor league career.

Bunny holds the all-time record for home runs in the American Association with 256. A form of that league still exists today, in it's fourth incarnation. He holds 8 home run titles! He also holds 5 RBI titles! Bunny led the league in runs 5 times, triples twice, doubles once and hits twice!

You'd think that with those kind of credentials, Bunny's name would be better known, especially with a name like that. Bunny Brief just rolls off the tongue. I guess Bunny is what you would call a 4A player. He's great at the Triple A level, but it never translates to major league success.

In 1921, Bunny had his best season playing for the Kansas City Blues. He hit 42 home runs, 191 RBIs, and had 166 runs scored. If only minor league success could have tranfered over to the majors, Bunny's name may be more recognizable today. At least Bunny got his chance a few different times in the majors. Some great minor league players never get that shot.

Rodney McCray: The Wall Crasher

The White Sox did have a player that crashed through a wall. No, not Aaron Rowand, but that's a good guess. It was Rodney McCray. He didn't crash through the wall in the majors. It was a park in Portland and contrary to popular belief, he did not catch the ball.

I certainly remember seeing that video on every news station in Chicago in 1991. When he came out unhurt, I thought he'd be a dynamo in the majors. I thought it was even better than Bo Jackson doing his best imitation of Spider-Man, the year before.

So, when he was called back up to the Sox in 1991, I paid special attention. Well, I might as well have been watching paint dry. Rodney only was used as a pinch runner or a backup outfielder, but usually as a pinch runner.

When he made his major league debut in 1990, he only had 6 at-bats with a .000 average. In 1991, he had a grand total of 7 at-bats, but with a much healthier .286 average. That's 2 for 7, for all you non-mathematicians. Both hits were singles.

He did decently on the base paths. In 1990, he stole 6 bases and scored 8 runs. In 1991, he came down to Earth a bit. He only stole one base and was caught stealing once. He only scored 2 runs. The White Sox had no room on the roster for Rodney, so he was granted free agency at the end of 1991.

The Mets decided to take a chance on him and signed him for the 1992 season. Rodney only had one at-bat for the Mets, but he made it count. He delivered a game-winning single that scored his first (and last) major league RBI. The Mets let him go exactly one month later. He retired and occasionally coached in the minors.

Recently, on August 12, 2006, Rodney was honored in Portland with the "Rodney McCray Bobblefence Night", celebrating his memorable crash through the wall. He threw out the first pitch, and right-center field of PGE Park was renamed "McCray Alley" in his honor.

Here's the video of the crash.

Fred Manrique: Malaise

Fred Manrique exemplifies everything that was wrong with the late 80's White Sox. He was a pretty decent fielder and a weak bat. Despite being the youngest player when he debuted in 1981 with the Blue Jays, Fred is the quintessential common.

As for the card pictured, it's a little misleading. Fred wasn't exactly a rookie in 1988. He had already seen limited time with 3 different clubs before he joined the White Sox for the 1987 season. The Blue Jays, the Expos and the Cardinals played host to Fred Manrique before the White Sox.

The White Sox were the only team to give Fred a chance at playing full time. Fred was decent, but not the optimal choice. He basically was the only choice. Fred looks like the person the White Sox take their taxes to, instead of a player. I love the fact that Fred, like many players in the 80's, was rockin' the aviator glasses.

Fred never broke .300 in a season when he played a full season. He came close in 1989. He finished with a .299 average between the White Sox and the Rangers. Which leads me to his most important role in White Sox history, trade bait.

Fred was traded along with fan favorite Harold Baines for Scott Fletcher, Sammy Sosa, and Wilson Alvarez. The trade was hates at the time, but worked out well in the long run for the Sox. The Sox got rid of Fred at the perfect time. He had the best year of his career in 1989, so his trade value would be at it's highest.

Fred bounced around for the next couple of years. He played the rest of 1989 with the Rangers. They traded him to the Twins in 1990. By the time his Topps Traded card came out in 1990 showing him on the Twins, he had already been released.

The Angels picked him up in December 1990 and released him in April 1991. The Athletics picked him up after that. He played 9 games for the A's and was released in June. That was the last major league team that Fred was with.

His time with the White Sox is remembered more for how he left, rather than anything he ever did in a White Sox uniform. He came in and did his job to the best of his abilities, but those abilities were sometimes questionable. Maybe if Fred played at shortstop, which was his best position, rather than at second and third, he would have done better. When the Sox have a great shortstop in Ozzie Guillen, it's hard to displace someone like that. You end up playing where you can fit in and you adjust accordingly. Fred is proof that everyday people can make a major league roster if they try hard enough.

Magglio Ordonez: A Resurrection Of A Career

I am a supporter of Magglio Ordonez. I was a much bigger supporter of Maggs when he played for the White Sox. Certain actions on his behalf before his departure left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm happy he has found more success and I don't mind that the success is with the rival Tigers.

Magglio is one of the reasons that I was drawn back to baseball. I remember listening to radio broadcasts of White Sox games around 1998 and 1999. Magglio always stood out as someone who will be very special when he finally breaks through.

Well, it didn't take very long for Maggs to break through. He started hitting consistently and started to make spectacular plays in right field. He seemed to get a little better each year. You could count on Magglio to hit around .300 and drive in around 100 runs and hit somewhere around 30 home runs each year. He was turning himself into one hell of a player.

On May 19, 2004, Magglio's career path took a nasty turn. He was injured in a collision with Willie Harris on a shallow pop up. He rehabbed it, came back briefly and went out again when complications arose. Magglio was to be a free agent at the end of 2004. That's when the real fun began.

Magglio hired Scott Boras to represent him. The Sox rarely see eye to eye with him, but are willing to work with Boras when needed. Then the Sox were refused a look at medical reports about Magglio's health. These reports would determine the type of offer Magglio would receive and his realistic time table for a healthy return. Then a workout that was scheduled was cancelled because Boras didn't want a media circus. The Sox doctors were barred from examining Magglio before the arbitration deadline.

The Sox got tired of being jacked around and withdrew all offers. I don't pretend to know everything that went on, but just know what has leaked out since 2004. The Sox instead picked up Jermaine Dye and retooled a few positions that drew a lot of criticism. The Sox also won the World Series the next year because of those changes.

Don't cry for Magglio though. He went on to bigger and better things. He made a World Series appearance in 2006 with the Tigers and won the AL batting crown in 2007 with a .363 average. That's 43 points higher than he ever hit with the White Sox.

The departure, although sad for the fans, was the best thing for both parties. Magglio was able to let his hair down, so to speak, and the White Sox ended 88 years of watching other teams win the World Series. It took a few years to realize, but it's a win-win situation for everybody in the end.

Richie Zisk: A Man For One Season

Richie came to the White Sox for only one season, but it happened to be the best of his career. He was part of Bill Veeck's "rent-a-player" experiment of 1977. It was a crazy idea from a man with crazy ideas and it almost worked.

Richie started his career in Pittsburgh and was with the Pirates from 1971 to 1976. Tragedy contributed to a regular spot on the Pirates starting in 1973. Richie took over Roberto Clemente's spot in the outfield and on the Pirates roster after his plane crash. He put up decent numbers, including a 100 RBI season and another season where he hit 21 home runs. He even hit over .300 twice in Pittsburgh. In December of 1976, Richie was traded along with Silvio Martinez to the White Sox for Rich Gossage and Terry Forster.

1977 was the year of the South Side Hitmen. Home runs came left and right, or so it seemed. Richie hit 30 home runs, 101 RBI and averaged .290, which were the best of his entire career. Sox fans had reason to cheer. There was excitement in Comiskey Park for the first time in many years. The Sox would have a legitimate shot at the postseason. The Sox finished 90-72, only good enough for third in the Western Division.

Third place was not success and the experiment was dismantled. He was granted free agency at the end of the 1977 season and signed with the Texas Rangers a few days later. He made the All-Star team with the Rangers in 1978, just like he did the season before with the White Sox. Richie stayed with Texas until the end of the 1980 season. He was traded to the Mariners in December 1980 and stayed in Seattle until his release in January 1985. His last game was on September 21, 1983.

Richie never quite matched his 1977 season with the Sox. His average never suffered that much, but his power numbers kept dipping lower. He is still remembered fondly in Chicago. Some people who saw the South Side Hitmen swear that it is the best hitting team that the White Sox ever put on the field.

Richie is currently a hitting coach for the Daytona Cubs. They retired his number 22 in a ceremony on July 20, 2007 with his family in attendance. It was also Richie Zisk bobblehead doll day.

This Is The Result Of Steroids?

While browsing through a pdf of the Mitchell Report, I started to get bored of pouring through the medical side of steroids. I already learned about that in medical classes I took. I panned down to a bunch of blurry scans of checks and money orders, at the end of the report.

There I found Jim Parque's name. He was the only left handed pitcher of the bronze winning 1996 US Olympic team. He spent most of his playing days with the White Sox. The rest he spent with the Devil Rays. His best year came in 2000, when he posted 13 wins and 6 losses, while helping the White Sox win the Central Division.

He was beset by a torn labrum that resulted in recurring arm troubles. He finally retired in 2004. Jim attempted a comeback in 2007 with the Mariners. They released him after only 4 months.

Did Jim try steroids to help him get over his bum arm? It sounds likely. Or did Jim's use of steroids result in his 2000 performance? We may never know. But it is a shame that Jim had to resort to this. He was very likable in his stint with the White Sox.