StatManDu

I gave Grebeck consideration for this team because of his time in the OF. He played 2B, SS, 3B, LF and RF in his time with the Sox. He is a favorite of mine!

I tweaked the intro re: Lilly ... Should have known, too, because I was at most of those games at the Cell! I asked Ozzie if I could be the "low throws" infield coach. He said the job was taken by Vizquel, who had played some 1B too!

White Sox All-Unusual Position Team With Brent Lillibridge set to start at first base (where he has rarely played in the bigs), here’s a look at a White Sox All-Unusual Position Team C—Mike Squires (1980)/Hank Allen (1973) 1B—Billy Pierce (1953) 2B—Chet Lemon (1980) SS—Jermaine Dye (2005) 3B—Carlton Fisk (1981)/Paul Konerko (1999, 2000) LF—Ozzie Guillen (1996)/LamMarr Hoyt (1984) CF—Ron Kittle (1983) RF—Ron Karkovice (1992) DH—Omar Vizquel (2010, 2011) P—Steve Lyons (1990)/Dave Martinez (1995)/Wayne Nordhagen (1979) Closer--Mike Squires (1984) Utility—Frank Isbell (1901-1909) Notes: *Mike Squires only left-handed catcher in franchise history *Hank Allen is Dick Allen's brother *Billy Pierce was moved to first in a game in order to return to the mound later in that game *Chet Lemon made his first big league start at third base in 1975 ... He played two innings at 2B in 1980 *Jermaine Dye played the ninth inning at SS in Oakland in 2005 after Joe Crede was tossed and replaced at 3B by Chris Widger *Carlton Fisk played one game at 3B in 1981. He also played 1B and LF in addition to C with Sox *Paul Konerko was the Sox starting 3Bman in the 2000 home opener *Aside from DH, LF was the only position other than SS Ozzie Guillen played with the White Sox *Ron Kittle played one-third of an inning in CF *Ron Karkovice also played LF. No errors in 3 career games in OF *LaMarr Hoyt was listed at the starting LF and second batter at Seattle on Sept. 29, 1984 ... Jerry Hairston PH for him in the 1st *Omar Vizquel made his first career start at DH on May 14, 2009 in his 2,753rd game *Combined scores of games Lyons, Martinez and Nordhagen pitched in: Foes 40, Sox 8 *Mike Squires retired the only batter he faced at Detroit in 1984/last Tigers batter of the game *Frank Isbell played every position between 1901 and 1909

Click on the link for a nugget on the connection between John Danks and Robin Ventura on opening day FIRST_OPENING_DAY_START.doc

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: JOE ON THE GO 1987: In search of some outfield help and with a surplus of starting pitchers, the Sox dealt Joe Cowley to the Philadelphia Phillies for Gary Redus. Cowley was effective -- and sometimes brilliant -- but erratic during his one-year stint with the White Sox. That was never more evident than in his no-hitter of Sept. 19, 1986. In a 7-1 victory at California, Cowley walked seven and struck out eight in tossing the 14th no-hitter in franchise hitter and the first since John "Blue Moon" Odom and Francisco Barrios accomplished the feat together at Oakland. The no-hitter turned out be the final victory of Cowley’s career. Another Cowley paradox: On May 28, 1986, the right-hander began his start at Texas with seven consecutive strikeouts, an A.L. record, but wound up losing the game. Cowley was 11-11 with a 3.88 ERA for the 1986 Sox but the presence of veterans Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister and Jose DeLeon and the emergence of Bill Long and Neil Allen made Cowley expendable. The right-hander flamed out in a hurry in Philadelphia after suffering severe control problems. In five games (four starts) with the Phils, Cowley was 0-4 with a 15.43 ERA in the final action of his big league career. Redus became the Sox regular left fielder and swiped 52 bases in 1987. @davemarran

Interesting article about Hector Santiago in today's Chicago Tribune. He looked really good last year. In fact, when he started his career by retiring 11 batters in a row, I figured he had to be in rare air when it came to that thing. I was able to go back as far as April of 1948 and found that only three players started their big league careers by retiring more batters. Here's what I found ... 16--Dick Strahs, July 24, July 29, 1954 13--Kevin Hickey, Apirl 14, April 17, April 19, April 23, 1981 12--Jim Magnuson, June 28, July 2, 1970 11--HECTOR SANTIAGO, July 6-7, 2011 9--Bruce Tanner, June 12, 1985 (start) 8--Mike Heathcott, Aug. 8, 1998 Some day, I will be able to fill out this list going all the way back to the Sox first game. THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY, MARCH 25: ONE LAST WIN 1997: Lyle Mouton closed out the White Sox’s 37-year spring training stay in Sarasota, Fla., with the game-winning hit in an 8-7 win over Texas at Ed Smith Stadium. The Sox, who had called Sarasota their spring home since 1960, were headed to Tucson, Arizona for 1998 and beyond. The Sox would close out their Grapefruit League stay with games in Fort Myers, Fla., the next two days. Follow me on twitter at @davemarran ... tweeting about Sox nuggets, etc

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: A KING-SIZED DEAL 1989: The White Sox traded outfielder-third baseman Ken Williams to the Detroit Tigers for right-handed pitcher Eric King. This deal turned out to be one of general manager Larry Himes’ best. Williams didn’t do much after leaving the Sox while King played a major role in the team’s renaissance campaign of 1990. As manager Jeff Torborg’s No. 2 starter, King went 12-5 with a 3.28 ERA in 25 starts. He teamed with Greg Hibbard, Jack McDowell and Melido Perez to give the White Sox their most consistent rotation since the “Winning Ugly” days. Williams, of course, would return to the Sox in an executive capacity.

He was given a $5 million bonus and the owner called him the next Mickey Mantle.

THE WELCOME MAT FOR THORNTON 2006: General manager Kenny Williams acquired underachieving left-handed pitcher Matt Thornton from Seattle for underachieving outfielder Joe Borchard. Thornton became one of the top left-handed relievers in the game and in White Sox history and an All-Star. Borchard is one of the biggest busts in the history of the draft. While this is by no means Brock-for-Broglio, this trade has to be considered one of the best in Sox history and of the Williams Era.

Ivan Calderon would have been 50 today ... Memorable for his bling and hair, Calderon was a solid performer. His career year in 1990 netted the Sox Tim Raines. Calderon did return briefly in 1993 and delivered a key pinch-double late in the season. He was, by far, the best acquisition Ken Harrelson made as White Sox general manager.

JACKIE ROBINSON AND THE WHITE SOX 1942: The White Sox were in position to change the course of baseball history but passed. On this date, White Sox manager Jimmy Dykes watched African American athletes Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland work out at his team’s spring training facility in Pasadena, California. According to Jules Tygiel’s 1983 book “Baseball’s Great Experiment,” Robinson, best known as a football star at UCLA, and Moreland, a Negro League pitcher, requested a tryout, which Dykes granted. History tells us that nothing came of the tryout but Dykes, who stated he was willing to accept black players, was impressed even though Robinson was hobbled by a charley horse, according to Tygiel. “I’d hate to see him on two good legs,” Dykes said. “He’s worth $50,000 of anybody’s money. He stole everything but my infielders’ gloves.” After a stint in the army and with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues and the minor league Montreal Royals, Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier with Brooklyn in 1947. Robinson did not mention this tryout with the White Sox in his 1972 autobiography “I Never Had It Made,” Minnie Minoso broke the White Sox color barrier on May 1, 1951. I tweet about all things White Sox at @davemarran ... No money to be made just "appreciating the game!"

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 17TH BIG FRANK STANDING TALL 2005: White Sox designated hitter Frank Thomas testified, via satellite from Arizona, before the Committee on Government Reform, which convened at the United States House Representatives in Washington. The panel was entitled: "Restoring Faith in America's Pastime: Evaluating Major League Baseball's Efforts to Eradicate Steroid Use" and included Senators John McCain and Jim Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher, among others. Players or former players called to testify were, in order of appearance, Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Curt Schilling and Thomas. According to a Washington Post article, Thomas and Schilling were invited because of their vocal opposition to steroid use. The other players all had been connected to or accused of steroid use. Thomas did not take part in the questioning but did make the following statement (http://www.businessofbaseball.com/steroidhearings/ThomasTestimony.pdf): “Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee. I want to thank the Chairman and the Ranking member for allowing me to make this statement. My name is Frank Thomas and I am a baseball player for the Chicago White Sox — a team I am proud to have been part of since joining Major League Baseball in 1989. “First of all, Mr. Chairman, let me say that as an outspoken critic of steroids, I would like to work with this Committee, Major League Baseball, and the Players Association to warn everyone – especially young people – about the dangers of performance enhancing drugs. Steroids are dangerous and the public should be educated about them, and in particular, parents should make sure their children are aware that steroids can be bad for their health. “I also believe the League and the Players’ Association have done the right thing by reopening our collective bargaining agreement and strengthening our policy on drug testing. I support this new policy as a very good first step in eliminating steroid use from the sport I love. “I have been a major league ballplayer for 15 years. Throughout my career, I have not used steroids. Ever. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee.”

YOU’RE ON THE AIR! 1948: The White Sox will have their games put on that new-fangled device called television, it was revealed on this date. The plan was for WGN, which was billed a “new television station” in the Chicago Tribune, to air the White Sox home schedule in its entirety. Jack Brickhouse and Harry Creighton would call the games until 1954 when Vince Lloyd joined the team. This began a relationship which would have the White Sox exclusively on WGN through 1967 before they moved to WFLD. The Sox relationship with WGN resumed in 1981 for a year and again in 1990.

WHO NEEDS THE DH? 1994: White Sox ace Jack McDowell gave up one hit in four innings and delivered a run-scoring double in a 3-2 split squad loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in a Grapefruit League game in Bradenton, Fla. The reigning Cy Young Award winner drove in Mike LaValliere with a gapper in the fourth-inning for his first hit in seven spring training at bats. The next day’s Chicago Tribune pointed out that McDowell notched his first spring hit before Michael Jordan did. MARCH 6TH: BO DOESN’T KNOW FIRST BASE 1993: The White Sox gave Bo Jackson a look-see at first base in a 6-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Texas Rangers in Port Charlotte, Fla. Three quick errors may have showed the Sox that the Jackson was not cut out for first base. “I knew I stunk out there but I was having fun,” Jackson said in the Chicago Tribune. “I was lucky to get out of there with three errors.” Jackson never played a regular season game at first base in his eight-year career.

WHITE SOX SPRING TRAINING OPENING DAY STARTERS 2012—Today Phillip Humber 2011—Sox 6, Dodgers 5 Gavin Floyd 2010—Sox 4, Angels 4 John Danks 2009—Angles 12, Sox 3 Clayton Richard 2008—Rockies 7, Sox 3 John Danks 2007—Rockies 12, Sox 4 Mark Buehrle 2006—Rockies 6, Sox 0 Jose Contreras 2005—Rockies 8, Sox 4 Jon Adkins 2004—Sox 3, Rockies 0 Jon Garland Sox 4, D;backs 3 Mark Buehrle 2003--Dbacks 14, Sox 5 Dan Wright 2002—Dbacks 13, Sox 6 Jon Garland 2001—Dbacks 10, Sox 7 Jon Garland 2000—Dbacks 8, Sox 3 Tanyon Sturtze 1999—Dbacks 10, Sox 6 James Baldwin 1998—Dbacks 11, Sox 8 Mike Sirotka 1997--Sox 15, Twins 9 Jaime Navarro 1996—Sox 7, Rangers 2 Kevin Tapani 1995—Sox 13, Pirates 3 Alex Fernandez Sox 4, Royals 3 Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd 1994—Rangers 9, Sox 0 Alex Fernandez 1993—Pirates 11, Sox 10 Wilson Alvarez 1992—Sox 6, Pirates 1 Alex Fernandez 1991—Orioles 8, Sox 0 Jack McDowell 1990—Rangers 9, Sox 4 Jack McDowell 1989—Sox 3, Red Sox 2 Jerry Reuss

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: TAKE THAT, LOU 2007: The White Sox introduced new Cub manager Lou Piniella to the crosstown rivalry with a 13-2 Cactus League win over the Northsiders before 12,903 in Mesa, Ariz. The Sox launched five home runs: two from Paul Konerko, one of which was a three-run blast and one each from Rob Mackowiak, Jermaine Dye and Gustavo Molina.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: MARCH 3RD THE FORERUNNER TO THE DH 1967: The White Sox were given permission to use a semi-designated hitter during spring training. With the OK of the home club, teams will be permitted to use a “designated pinch-hitter” twice in a game. ONE LAST PACT FOR PUDGE 1993: Catcher Carlton Fisk signed what turned out to be his final contract with the White Sox when he signed a minor league agreement. The 45-year old Fisk entered the season 24 games shy of the all-time games caught record. He would eclipse the mark in June and then be released.

THE FIRST OF 207 GAMES 2005: The White Sox began their journey to the 2005 World Series title with an 8-4 loss to Colorado in their Cactus League opener before 2,864 at Tucson Electric Park. Scott Podsednik made a good first impression, going 3-for-3 with a stolen base.

SCOTT SANDERSON SIGNED 1994: Seeking a fifth starter, the White Sox signed veteran pitcher Scott Sanderson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, which was well under way, as a non-roster player. The 37-year-old right-hander earned a spot in the Sox rotation and got off to a searing start. Sanderson was 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA in April, 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA in May and 3-2 with a 3.55 ERA in June. Sanderson’s best outing with the Sox came in June. On June 19, the Glenbrook High School graduate held the Angels hitless into the seventh and took a shutout into the ninth before settling for a three-hit victory in a 3-1 triumph at Comiskey Park. Things went south for Sanderson in July when he went 1-2 with a 10.24 ERA. In his final stint with the Sox, Sanderson gave up two runs – both on homers – in one-third of an inning Aug. 6 at California. The outing turned out to be his last with the Sox because of the work stoppage. All told, Sanderson went 8-4 with a 5.09 ERA in 18 games (14 starts) for the 1994 Sox. The Vanderbilt product went the free agent route after the season and signed with the Angels.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: SPRING TRAINING END/BEGINNING THE BEGINNING OF THE END IN FLORIDA 1997: The White Sox began their final season in the Grapefruit League with a 15-9 win over the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Fla. In his White Sox debut, left fielder Albert Belle, who had signed a $55 million contract in the offseason, was 0-for-2 with a walk and a run-scoring groundout. TURN ON THE LIGHTS 1998: There wasn’t any Sox power in the franchise’s first home game at Tucson Electric Park in Arizona. The White Sox managed just three hits in a 3-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks before 6,642 fans on an unseasonably cold night in Tucson. The loss dropped the Sox to 0-3 in their first season in the Cactus League. This wasn’t the Sox first game in Tucson Electric Park. The day before the Sox lost as the visiting team to Arizona, their co-tenant.

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: A WAMPUM OF A CONTRACT 1973: The White Sox rewarded 1972 American League Most Valuable Player Dick Allen with the richest contract in Major League history. Allen signed a three-year contract for an estimated $325,000 after he hit .308 with 37 homers and 113 RBIs in the White Sox renaissance season of 1972. It would be a rocky three years for Allen and the White Sox. His 1973 campaign was cut short by a broken leg and he led the A.L. with 32 homers in 1974 but he retired on September 14. Allen was plagued by nagging injuries in 1974 and, according to White Sox historian Rich Lindberg, “crossed swords” with Ron Santo during the season. Allen came out of retirement for the next season but the Sox dealt him to Atlanta before the start of the 1975 season.

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY, FEB. 26: VEECK AS IN … HALL OF FAMER 1991: Former White Sox owner Bill Veeck was elected to the Hall of Fame through a vote of the Veterans Committee. Veeck had two stints as White Sox owner with the latter coming amidst reports that the team was headed out of Chicago in 1976. Veeck was in control of the club from 1959 to 1961 and from 1976 to 1980. In addition to the many wacky promotions which ranged from martian landings to blowing up disco records, Veeck gave White Sox fans two memorable teams. Under Veeck’s watch, the White Sox won the 1959 American League pennant and pounded their way into contention as the rollicking “Hit Men” in 1977. “Barnum Bill” or “Veeck as in Wreck” was elected to the Hall five years after his death. Veeck was the first person with White Sox ties to be voted into the Hall since pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm was approved in 1985. Yesterday ... 1917, Chick Gandil acquired; 1975, Steve Dunning acquired

THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY, FEB. 24: A BUM DEAL 1948: In what would become one of the worst deals in franchise history, the White Sox traded pitcher Eddie Lopat to the New York Yankees for catcher Aaron Robinson and pitchers Bill Wight and Fred Bradley. White Sox Historian Richard C. Lindberg rated this swap as the third-worst in club annals in “Total White Sox.” Lopat, a left-hander, went 50-49 for the White Sox between 1944 and 1947. Using a slow curve and a variety of deliveries shown to him by Ted Lyons during his days with the Sox, Lopat went on to star on the powerhouse Yankee teams of the 1940s and mid-1950s. The New York native won 113 games between 1948 and 1955 for the Yankees. He led the A.L. with a 2.42 ERA in 1953 and went 4-1 with a 2.60 ERA in seven World Series starts for the Yankees. Wight lost 20 games in his first year with the Sox but then recovered to have two decent years on the Southside (15-13, 10-16, 3.58 ERA). Bradley was barely a blip for the Sox while the best thing that can be said about Robinson’s tenure with the team was that he was used to acquire Billy Pierce after the 1948 season. Lopat was recently listed among the top changeup pitchers in baseball history on the MLB Network's "Prime 9" program. Lindberg lists a 1909 deal sending Gavvy Cravath to Washington and a 1932 swap moving Bruce Campbell and Bump Hadley to St. Louis.

Good call on the "White Flag" trade. But that lineup in the early to mid-1990s is something to think about and, who knows, the production and results of that lineup may have made a "White Flag" trade unnecessary.

Today, Bobby Bonilla celebrates his 49th birthday. I often wonder what the White Sox of the 1990s would have been like if the White Sox had kept Bonilla, Harold Baines, Doug Drabek and Bob Wickman. Played strictly by the book, this means Jose DeLeon, Lance Johnson, Sammy Sosa, Wilson Alvarez, Scott Fletcher, Roy Smalley, Steve Sax and George Bell would not have been members of the White Sox. These were players all acquired by the Sox for either Baines, Bonilla or Drabek. The most glaring absence from the aforementioned list would have been Lance Johnson, who is one of the most underrated players in franchise history, and Wilson Alvarez. Fletcher's absence would have made Joey Cora a regular quicker. Bell gave the Sox one good year and Sosa was erratic at best. This is not to say Himes could have gotten Johnson from the Cards for Floyd Bannister or Richard Dotson or Dave LaPoint and/or prospects. But, let's play it straight up: That lineup, without Johnson, would have been Raines LF, ???? in CF, Bonilla RF, 3B Ventura, SS Guillen, 2B Cora, 1B Thomas, C Fisk/Karkovice, DH Baines, SPs (at one time or another): McDowell, Drabek, Fernandez, Hibbard, Bere, Perez, Hough, Sanderson; Pen (at one time or another): Hernandez, Radinsky, McCaskill, Wickman, DeLeon (acquired in 1993), Assenmacher, Pall; Bench: Grebeck, Newson, LaValliere, Pasqua, Paco Martin, Bo Jackson, Huff Even with a below average CF, there is really no pitching around anyone in that lineup. Needles to say, I think, that roster would have netted the franchise more than the one AL West title it won during the 1990s.