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SportsNation Biggest Blunders from Neyer


Wanne

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13) What is the biggest blunder in White Sox franchise history?

 

1917: Sox replace first baseman Jacques Fournier with Chick Gandil.

Gandil was the lesser player and the Black Sox ringleader.

 

1959-1960: Bill Veeck trades prospects for veterans.

Off went Norm Cash, Johnny Callison, and others, and away went three or four pennants.

 

1981: Letting broadcaster Harry Caray get away.

Cubs win! Sox lose!

 

1985: Hiring broadcaster Hawk Harrelson as general manager.

In just one season, Harrelson managed to turn Carlton Fisk into a left fielder AND fire Tony La Russa.

 

1992: Trading Sammy Sosa to Cubs for George Bell.

Must anything else be said?

 

 

Got some more to add?.....

 

The only one that pops into my head at the moment is Kip Wells, Josh Fogg and Lowe for Todd Ritchie :puke

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QUOTE(Wanne @ May 23, 2006 -> 03:41 PM)
13) What is the biggest blunder in White Sox franchise history?

 

 

1981: Letting broadcaster Harry Caray get away.

Cubs win! Sox lose!

 

\

 

1992: Trading Sammy Sosa to Cubs for George Bell.

Must anything else be said?

Got some more to add?.....

 

The only one that pops into my head at the moment is Kip Wells, Josh Fogg and Lowe for Todd Ritchie :puke

These both look like great moves to me.

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I still don't see where Hawk Harrelson was that bad. LaRussa I think is overrated. He did win a WS but look at the teams he's managed. Hawk got Bonilla in the rule 5, traded him for DeLeon, who eventually was traded for Lance Johnson. He also traded Scott Bradley for Ivan Calderon, who was a huge part of a fun 1990 team, and who was eventually turned into Tim Raines. That 1986 team was doomed from the start. Seaver was crying to get back on the east coast. Hawk did trade Britt Burns to NY, who wound up with a bad hip and never pitched in another regular season game. Bob James was a great closer in 1985 but ate his way to being horrible in 1986 and done after 1987. Hawk was criticized for firing a bunch of scouts but these same scouts one year earlier recommended drafting Kurt Brown when Barry Bonds was available. Moving Fisk to LF was crazy, but the mistake was admitted and Fisk moved back behind the plate.

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QUOTE(Wanne @ May 23, 2006 -> 01:41 PM)
13) What is the biggest blunder in White Sox franchise history?

 

1917: Sox replace first baseman Jacques Fournier with Chick Gandil.

Gandil was the lesser player and the Black Sox ringleader.

 

1959-1960: Bill Veeck trades prospects for veterans.

Off went Norm Cash, Johnny Callison, and others, and away went three or four pennants.

 

1981: Letting broadcaster Harry Caray get away.

Cubs win! Sox lose!

 

1985: Hiring broadcaster Hawk Harrelson as general manager.

In just one season, Harrelson managed to turn Carlton Fisk into a left fielder AND fire Tony La Russa.

 

1992: Trading Sammy Sosa to Cubs for George Bell.

Must anything else be said?

Got some more to add?.....

 

The only one that pops into my head at the moment is Kip Wells, Josh Fogg and Lowe for Todd Ritchie :puke

Technically speaking, Wells had about 2 solid seasons and none of the other guys in that deal ever did anything (fogg had about 1-2 solid seasons as well).

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I realize I may get grilled for this... but I'll say it:

 

The biggest blunder is actually non-baseball related: The New Comiskey.

 

Sure we all loved it that first year... but it's nowhere close to the special place the old comiskey was. Take into account that it was (before the changes) a pretty sterile environment, and that the architects didn't have the forsight to predict the cathedral-like wave of ball parks after it, or use the city's skyline as a backdrop that the whole stadium could see during the game.... compared to the old comiskey, it IS a disappointment

 

Even though its my favorite place to see a game, I'd say it was actually the sox biggest blunder.

 

As far as trading away sammy, I'll never regret that because the sox could not have predicted that he would load up on steriods and produce the most fraudulent career in history. Plus its not like he was a team guy that carried the cubs on his back or anything....

Edited by AbeFroman
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Letting Harry go was sad indeed. But for those who only remember him as the voice of the flubs, then I imagine that it's no big deal.

 

No doubt the sausage king got it right - the new comiskey. I like it, but it could have been, and should have been, so much more.

 

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ May 23, 2006 -> 02:26 PM)
Technically speaking, Wells had about 2 solid seasons and none of the other guys in that deal ever did anything (fogg had about 1-2 solid seasons as well).

 

isn't Fogg pitching for Colorado?

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QUOTE(AbeFroman @ May 23, 2006 -> 04:34 PM)
I realize I may get grilled for this... but I'll say it:

 

The biggest blunder is actually non-baseball related: The New Comiskey.

 

Sure we all loved it that first year... but it's nowhere close to the special place the old comiskey was. Take into account that it was (before the changes) a pretty sterile environment, and that the architects didn't have the forsight to predict the cathedral-like wave of ball parks after it, or use the city's skyline as a backdrop that the whole stadium could see during the game.... compared to the old comiskey, it IS a disappointment

 

Even though its my favorite place to see a game, I'd say it was actually the sox biggest blunder.

 

As far as trading away sammy, I'll never regret that because the sox could not have predicted that he would load up on steriods and produce the most fraudulent career in history. Plus its not like he was a team guy that carried the cubs on his back or anything....

 

I agree with the sausage king also. But only because the Sox turned down basically the same design of Camden Yard in favor of the current stadium. Camden Yards is a great place to watch a ball game.

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QUOTE(fathom @ May 23, 2006 -> 05:19 PM)
Dick Allen brought up the biggest blunder by far. Passing on Bonds in the draft. Forget about what's happened in the last 5 years with him. Before the steroids, he was still one of the greatest all-around players in baseball history.

The baseball draft is such a crapshoot that, that doesn't count imo.

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QUOTE(fathom @ May 23, 2006 -> 05:19 PM)
Dick Allen brought up the biggest blunder by far. Passing on Bonds in the draft. Forget about what's happened in the last 5 years with him. Before the steroids, he was still one of the greatest all-around players in baseball history.

 

heres why that is not the biggest blunder

 

whitesox=1 world series

bond=0 world series

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QUOTE(WCSox @ May 23, 2006 -> 07:09 PM)
Interesting that the trade made on July 31, 1997 wasn't listed.

It would not qualify as a blunder. In the long run we probably won that trade. as expected. No one knows if we would have caught the indians. I was mad about it back then though.

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QUOTE(rangercal @ May 23, 2006 -> 05:14 PM)
It would not qualify as a blunder. In the long run we probably won that trade. as expected.

 

The Sox sacrificed their pride and lost millions in ticket revenue to get swpet in the ALDS three years later. I don't think it was worth it.

 

And speaking of not-so-fond memories of 1997, passing up on Clemens to sign Lamie Navarro has to rank up there as well.

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QUOTE(GoRowand33 @ May 23, 2006 -> 08:13 PM)
heres why that is not the biggest blunder

 

whitesox=1 world series

bond=0 world series

Never use that argument again. First, you are comparing a player with a team. Second, you are comparing team accomplishments, not individual ones. Third, Timo Perez has a ring. Is he better than Bonds?

 

 

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned hiring Hawk Harrelson as broadcaster :P (perhaps SSH hasn't seen this thread yet ;))

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QUOTE(WCSox @ May 23, 2006 -> 07:23 PM)
The Sox sacrificed their pride and lost millions in ticket revenue to get swpet in the ALDS three years later. I don't think it was worth it.

 

Yeah, I personally think we lost that trade based on the intangibles alone.

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QUOTE(WCSox @ May 24, 2006 -> 04:32 AM)
Wilson Alvarez, Roberto Hernandez, and Danny Darwin for Mike Caruso, Keith Foulke, Bob Howry and, IIRC, three others.

 

You forgot about the best prospect in the 100+ year history of the Chicago White Sox organization: Lorenzo Barcelo

 

BTW, do the Giants enjoy getting ass-raped? That trade is crazy enough, but Nathan/Liriano/Bonser for AJ Pierzynski? Good God. Talk about retarded.

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QUOTE(hammerhead johnson @ May 23, 2006 -> 09:48 PM)
You forgot about the best prospect in the 100+ year history of the Chicago White Sox organization: Lorenzo Barcelo

 

Right, how could I forget the "can't miss" prospect with the 100 mph fastball that later blew out his elbow or something in the minors. He and Caruso were supposed to be our future studs. :puke

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although the timing sucked the white flag trade wasnt that bad. none of the pitches we gave up never really did a whole lot more anywhere else. Foulke helped in 2000 IIRC, and curruso DID hit that homerun to sweep the cubs, which sent their season into a tailspin IIRC.

 

i guess it sorta worked

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