August 6

1980 TCMA All-Time White Sox #5 - Billy Pierce

On this day in 1959, Billy Pierce pitches sixteen innings against the Baltimore Orioles.

One could say that eleven hits were scattered from the starter, when the starter gives up one run and pitches sixteen innings. The Sox and the Orioles were deadlocked in a 1-1 tie ever since Baltimore tied the game up in the bottom of the eighth inning. When Turk Lown came on in relief in the seventeenth inning, it was part of a double switch that was made in the top of the seventeenth inning, when Jim Rivera was sent to pinch run for third baseman Billy Goodman. Rivera was replaced by pitcher Turk Lown in the lineup and Pierce was replaced by Sammy Esposito at third. The strategy worked in the top of the eighteenth inning, when Esposito hit a single as the second batter up. The Sox couldn't get a run across and the game was called after eighteen innings, resulting in a tie.

Pierce spent the majority of his career on the South Side, residing in the rotation and the bullpen from 1949 until 1961. His record with the ChiSox was 186-152 with a 3.19 ERA. The White Sox honored Billy by retiring his number nineteen in 1987.

August 5

2003 Bowman Heritage #57 - Roberto Alomar

On this day in 2004, the White Sox traded for Roberto Alomar for the second time in consecutive years.

Unlike the previous trade for Robbie, it only took one player to pry him away from the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004, instead of the three players it took to pry him away from the New York Mets in 2003. Much like the 2003 trade, the 2004 trade saw Alomar in the twilight of his career. Only this time, Roberto couldn't even muster a batting average that broke the 200 mark. His fielding percentage was even worse that the previous stint in Chicago. Perhaps it's fitting that 2004 was his last season in the majors.

The 2004 experiment only lasted eighteen games, but it was a move that might have been better left unmade. The only potential benefit was Roberto playing once again with his older brother Sandy. The White Sox were six games in back of Minnesota at the time of the trade and ended up securing second place being nine games back at the conclusion of the season. At this point in his career Alomar was not an upgrade from Willie Harris or Juan Uribe. Sticking with Kelly Dransfeldt or Wilson Valdez would have been better option in 2004.

2012 Allen & Ginter

I have let the annual Allen & Ginter mania die down. Now it's time to take a look at the 2012 Allen & Ginter White Sox team set.

65 - Alex Rios

Alex is having a phenomenal year! This card is the least animated I have seen him.

96 - Gavin Floyd

My first thought when I saw this card of Gavin was this...

I know the card is artistic and it's just a shadow on Gavin's face, but Two Face immediately jumped to mind. If this was a decade ago, I would have thought of this...

Poor, poor one-armed Gavin.

OK. I think I'm done with that card... for now.

190 - Addison Reed

I'm seeing a lot of Addison Reed cards from Topps this year. It's like Topps is the only company produ- Oh yeah. They are. It still doesn't explain the immense stack of Addison Reed cards in Topps product in 2012. Especially the FOUR different Addison Reed cards in 2012 Topps Heritage. Just sayin'.

204 - Adam Dunn

Oh, Adam. Who knew that you needed the body of Brent Morel to recover from the most horrible season ever?

Attention Topps Quality Control personnel: Adam Dunn's number is 32. Brent Morel's number is 22. That is all.

218 - John Danks

Danks looks a bit surprised to be holding a ball this late in 2012. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised too. Hopefully, John comes back strong in 2013.

255 - Dayan Viciedo

The White Sox have no use for Carlos Lee, so don't even try to pawn him off Miami. You traded for him, he's your problem now. The White Sox are full up at left field with "Tank". No, I'm not crazy about his Hawk-ish nickname either.

308 - Paul Konerko

A classic shot of Paulie. This is the most I've seen him smile. Ever. Konerko doesn't need to smile when he can play like he does.

335 - Alexei Ramirez

The requisite fielding shot belongs to the Cuban Missile.  He always gets robbed of Gold Gloves by old fogies.

Eight cards hardly represents the White Sox team, but it's not a bad start. What can be said about the design that hasn't already been said before. Yes, it's different, but it feels similar to other years. This is a set that always screams quality and this year is no exception. There's a few legitimate beefs with picture artistic design, but no qualms about the card design.

Even though Allen & Ginter retreads much of the same formula year after year, it's still a winner. If it ain't broke why fix it?

Terrific Trade With Fantastic Catch

This one has been waiting around in the draft folder for awhile. I apologize to Clark of Fantastic Catch for the delay. Sometimes things get put on the back burner for the craziest reasons... like sleep.

When Clark e-mailed me and suggested a trade, I was chomping at the bit to trade. Then, of course, life interrupted and it fell down the queue of things on the to do list. Eventually, both ends of the trade were sent out and I know I'm happy with the result.


2008 Upper Deck First Edition
330 - Gavin Floyd

2011 Topps Opening Day
119 - Alexei Ramirez
146 - Gavin Floyd

2011 Topps Opening Day Blue
205 - Carlos Quentin (1545/2011)

2011 Topps ToppsTown
TT2-21 - Adam Dunn

2011 Topps Update
43 - Carlos Quentin
220 - Adam Dunn

2012 Topps Gold Standard
GS-23 - Tom Seaver

And a itty bitty, teeny tiny, White Sox batting helmet!

Thanks, Clark! You definitely sent over some winners!

August 4

1992 Pacific Seaver #81 - Tom Seaver

On this day in 1985, Tom Seaver won his 300th game in New York.

Tom seaver pitched a complete game to notch his 300th career win. Tom Terrific was losing 1-0 until an offensive burst in the sixth inning by Tim Hulett, Ozzie Guillen and Bryan Little off of Yankees pitchers Joe Cowley and Brian Fisher resulted in four runs. He held off the Yankees for four more half innings to secure his victory. Seaver gave up only six hits and one walk, while striking out seven. This would be one of Tom Terrific's last hurrahs. His career would last for another year and some change, but this would be the last major milestone in an amazing career.

The White Sox grabbed Seaver from the New York Mets, when they failed to protect him on their roster after the 1983 season. Tom spent two and a half seasons on the South Side. When he was traded to Boston on June 29, 1986, I can remember being very upset. I was still holding on to Tom Seaver the Hall of Fame pitcher in my mind. I was too young to appreciate the nuances of trading a name player past his prime for a utility player that could play all nine positions on the field, but would never be a household name for his baseball prowess, just his mouth and personal exposure. You learn these things as you age. The White Sox got Steve Lyons in the trade with Boston and I'm OK with that. The White Sox were able to squeeze the last great games out of Tom Terrific and that's all you can really ask for.

August 3

1987 Fleer #645 - Russ Morman/Ron Karkovice

On this day in 1986, Russ Morman collected three hits in his first three MLB at-bats.

Starting at first base in his MLB debut, Russ hit a single to left off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Randy O'Neal in the bottom of the second inning to collect his first hit. Morman led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run. The White Sox batted around, forcing O'Neal out and bringing Jim Slaton in. Russ hit a single to center off of Slaton, still in the bottom of the fourth inning, driving in Jerry Hairston.

Morman was drafted by the White Sox in 1983. He played with the Sox in 1986, 1988 and 1989, before he was released by the Pale Hose after the 1989 season. He has played with the Kansas City Royals (who originally drafted him in 1981) and the Florida Marlins. Russ last played in the majors in 1997, for the Marlins.

August 2

1968 Topps #209 - Tim Cullen

On this day in 1968, the Chicago White Sox sent Tim Cullen to the Washington Senators for Ron Hansen.

The first strange thing you'll notice about this trade is that Cullen and Hansen were swapped for each other before. Back in February 1968. By the White Sox and the Senators. Tim was on the Senators and went to the White Sox on February 13, 1968 along with Buster Narum and Bob Priddy in a deal that sent Ron Hansen to the Senators with Dennis Higgins and Steve Jones. The August 2, 1968 trade between the Senators and the White Sox sent Cullen and Hansen back to their respective teams.

The second strange thing about this trade that you'll notice, if you are a card collector, is that neither Tim Cullen or Ron Hansen have White Sox cards in the 1968 set. They both have cards for the Washington Senators. How could that be?

It all has to due with the year that Topps had in 1968. Topps released their 1968 set in seven series, which meant that the cards were spread out. That can only explain away so much though. The real issue was a fight between Topps and the MLBPA. Due to that, the 1968 set contains a lot of creative choices and oddities. Topps could not update many of their photographs, so most players were featured in old teams, or without hats, or closely cropped photos or in some cases, blacked out hats. The photographs in most of the set are actually from 1966 or earlier! The card of Cullen was early enough in the series run (#209) that the possibility of the card was actually printed before the trade loomed large. That would explain his presence as a Senator and not in a closely cropped head shot with a blacked out hat. Hansen's card is a closely cropped hatless photo. The pinstripe White Sox uniform could be mistaken for the Senators uniform. Ron's card (#411) was late enough in the series run that his card could reflect the February trade. Essentially you get two players that switched teams, and then switched back in the same year, both with cards for the same team.

The Traveling Box: Pass One

Like a brave soul, I decided to participate in the traveling box experiment. I fully believed that there would not be anything that I would want to take from the box. Oh sure, there would be lots of cool cards, but the realistic chances of finding something that would enter my specific parameters of collecting would be slim to none. I'm happy to report that I was wrong.

There were lots of cool cards, just like I had thought, but I immediately found a card that I wanted...

This 2001 SPx Winning Materials card of Jeff Bagwell, Frank Thomas and Carlos Delgado.

Frank Thomas is the most understated player on the card. It almost looks like he's a bit ashamed to make an appearance on the card. His head is sheepishly down and he's behind a devilishly grinning Carlos Delgado, while Jeff Bagwell hides up above, not quite believing what he is seeing. After I wrote that, I realize it seems like I just described a lost deleted scene from the movie Deliverance, but there it is.

I thought that the creepy cool card featuring "Game-Used Jerseys" might be all that I would consider, since this was the only card in the box that featured a player in a White Sox uniform or a player that I collect. Well, it turns out that I was wrong.

I heavily weighed the pros and cons about adding a football card to my collection. A football card! I don't even collect football cards! I won't give away any specific details. I would like future possessors of the traveling box to be as surprised as I was looking through the stacks of cards. The football player was someone that I greatly admired growing up, but I decided I did not want to put the time and energy into starting a collection of this player, so I left it for someone else to enjoy.

I did, however, wrestle with another card, with which I indirectly collect the player on the card. I collect cards of this player for a friend. Someday when the collection is either complete or nearly complete, I will present it to him.

Yes, in the end, I could not pass up a graded Ryne Sandberg rookie card. He is one of several Cubs that I never had an unkind word for. I collect Ryno's cards for a friend I've known for over twenty years. After the initial internal debate, the choice was easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed my initial rummage through the traveling box. I can't wait until it visits me again! And, yes, I left the box in better shape than I found it.

August 1

2003 Topps Traded #T62 - Carl Everett

On this day in 2003, the White Sox won their 8,000th game.

On a Friday evening in Seattle, the White Sox annihilated the Mariners 12-1. Eight strong innings by Bartolo Colon set the ChiSox up for the offense to shine. Great nights by Carlos Lee, Paul Konerko and Joe Crede may have won the game for the Sox, but Carl Everett's two for four evening was augmented by five RBI, which were all accomplished in the first two innings, ensuring Freddy Garcia's quick exit after one and two-thirds innings.

White Sox GM Kenny Williams traded for Carl Everett twice in the span of a year and seventeen days. The first time, on July 1, 2003, Kenny gave up Frank Francisco, Josh Rupe and Anthony Webster to the Texas Rangers for Everett. The second occurred on July 18, 2004, when Williams gave up Gary Majewski and Jon Rauch to the Montreal Expos for Carl. Despite being a key piece of the 2005 World Series run for the White Sox, people mostly remember Everett from controversial opinions on a wide array of topics that include dinosaurs, the Apollo Moon Landing and homosexuality.

WSC Aesthetic: Paul Konerko

Card #10 - Paul Konerko

July 31

2001 Donruss Class Of 2001 #135 - Ken Vining

On this day in 1997, the Chicago White Sox and the San Francisco Giants made a trade that would polarize Chicago, then help them.

The White Sox, being only three and a half games out, traded Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin and Roberto Hernandez to the Giants, decimating the team and creating a yearly topic for baseball fans to gravitate towards as the trading deadline approaches. In return, the Sox acquired Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, Lorenzo Barcelo, Ken Vining, Mike Caruso and Brian Manning. The trade, nicknamed the "White Flag" trade, signaled a surrender while still within striking distance of the division crown. The Sox finished six games behind the Cleveland Indians. Would the three traded pitcher have pushed them over the edge and into the playoffs? That will be speculated and debated for many years.

The trade may not have been popular, but it did pay dividends sooner rather than later. Of the six players acquired by the White Sox, only one, outfielder Brian Manning, did not play with the Pale Hose at some point in the majors. Manning's career ended in 1999, not moving past AA ball. Ken Vining and Lorenzo Barcelo made brief contributions to the pitching staff. Mike Caruso bridged the gap between Ozzie Guillen and Jose Valentin at shortstop. Keith Foulke and Bob Howry were big parts of the 2000 team that won the Central division. Bob Howry would eventually be traded to the Boston Red Sox for Frank Francisco which helped land Carl Everett in July 2003. Keith Foulke would be traded to the Oakland Athletics for the horrid Billy Koch and 2005 World Champion Neal Cotts. While the White Flag trade was a huge mistake for the 1997 team, some players that arrived from the deal helped out with a division crown and a World Championship.

July 30

1995 White Sox Kodak #17 - John Kruk

On this day in 1995, John Kruk hit a single and walked away.

John Kruk unretired to play for the White Sox in May 1995. While in Baltimore, Kruk singled, retired again, while on first base, walked to the clubhouse, packed his things and left, never to play again. Kruk batted .308 for his brief tenure with the Pale Hose. It must have been in the plans. He retired for the final time with his career average at .300. He also hit exactly 100 home runs in his ten year career.

There are very few cards of John in a White Sox uniform. This Kodak team issue remains one of the most elusive for most fans. Individual cards are difficult to come by, but the set pops up from time to time.

July 29

1989 Bowman #66 - Fred Manrique

On this day in 1989, Fred Manrique was traded to the Texas Rangers, along with another player for three players.

Nobody was happier than I was when Fred Manrique was traded off of the White Sox, but getting him onto another club came at a horrible price. The other player that was traded was fan favorite Harold Baines. It wouldn't be the last time Baines called Chicago home, but Fred Manrique was swallowed into the black hole of baseball oblivion only to be seen on a smattering of baseball cards through the 1990 season. The White Sox got familiar face Scott Fletcher in return, along with a pitcher who could not get an out in a major league game (Wilson Alvarez) before coming to the White Sox and a speedy outfielder who could not hit and didn't have much power (Sammy Sosa), only hitting a home run off of Roger Clemens and bringing a robust .238 batting average.

Baines would come back into the White Sox fold three more times; two as a player and one as a coach. Alvarez threw a no-hitter in his first game with the White Sox, compiling an ERA of infinity after two MLB starts, and became a solid start throughout the mid-nineties. Fletcher stayed with the Sox through the 1991 season and bounced around the majors until 1995. Sosa was traded for an aging player (George Bell) and went on to become a power hitter thanks to some unknown change in his daily regimen. Sosa has since forgotten how to speak English, despite years of speaking it fluently. Manrique played on the South Side for nearly three years, and has played the majority of his games with the White Sox. Fred bounced from the Rangers to the Twins to the Athletics and last played in the majors on May 11, 1991.

July 28

1979 Hostess #21 - Francisco Barrios

On this day in 1976, John "Blue Moon" Odom and Francisco Barrios combined to throw a no-hitter over the Oakland Athletics in California.

Blue Moon started the game and threw five plus innings of no-hit ball. The biggest flaw in his day were nine walks, which helps the Athletics score one run. Odom started the bottom of the sixth with a walk to DH Billy Williams. Manager Paul Richards took out Blue Moon and put in relief pitcher Francisco Barrios. After Larry Lintz, pinch running for Billy Williams, stole second, Barrios walked Sal Bando. It looked like the thin 2-1 lead was in danger, but Francisco managed to get Gene Tenace to foul out to catcher Jim Essian and induced a double play that forced Bando out at second and caught batter Claudell Washington in a rundown, where he was eventually out a second base. That was the last obstacle for Barrios to overcome and when he got Ken McMullen to groundout to shortstop Bucky Dent, Francisco Barrios pitched four innings of relief to salvage a no-hitter.

After peaking in 1977, Barrios declined until he was released by the White Sox in 1981. Francisco devolved into personal grudges with umpires and teammates, even getting into a fistfight with Steve Trout. The low point of his career came when he was arrested on a narcotics charge in 1981. Barrios rebounded in the Mexican Pacific League and was ready to sign a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers when he died of a heart attack, due to a drug overdose.

July 27

2012 Topps #602 - Alejandro De Aza

On this day in 2011, Alejandro De Aza hit his first MLB home run.

In his first at-bat as a member of the White Sox, in the bottom of the second inning at U.S. Cellular Field, on an 0-2 count, Alejandro De Aza launched his first MLB home run to right field, off of Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer, scoring Alexei Ramirez. It was all the scoring that the White Sox would need, as John Danks went six plus innings, only giving up a solo homer to Austin Jackson to lead off the top of the seventh. Chris Sale and Sergio Santos nailed it down for the remaining three innings to preserve the win.

Alejandro was selected off of waivers from the Florida Marlins on October 21, 2009. He made his Sox debut in 2010 and has made more appearances each year until he became the starting center fielder in 2012.