THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 6TH/Ozzie, Freddy

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THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 6TH

 

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1959: The White Sox welcomed Minnine Minoso back to the Southside but at what proved to be a steep cost. The Sox got pitchers Don Ferrarese and Jake Striker and catcher Dick Brown along with Minoso for promising youngsters John Romano, a catcher, and Norm Cash, an outfielder-first baseman, and third baseman-outfielder Bubba Phillips. The Sox didn’t get much out of their end of this trade and far from the repeat of the A.L. pennant they were seeking to cement. All three of the players they traded had their best years were in front of them. This was especially true for Cash, who was extremely productive into the 1970s for the Detroit Tigers.

 

1984: The White Sox acquired a little-known shortstop named Ozzie Guillen, infielder Luis Salazar and pitchers Tim Lollar and Bill Long from San Diego for LaMarr Hoyt, Todd Simmons and Kevin Kristan. The traded provided the franchise with a much-needed energy boost in the form of the scrawny Guillen, who would go on to win the American League Rookie of the Year Award to kick off a career that would lead to greatness. General manager Roland Hemond made the trade and while he didn’t know he was acquiring a World Series manager at the time, he said Guillen displayed leadership ability early in his professional career. “(White Sox) scouts Jerry Krause and Duane Shaffer told me how much (Guillen) loved to play,” Hemond said in an April 2006 interview. “When he showed up the next spring, I was stunned to see how small he was. (Manager) Tony LaRussa had a great chat with him in spring training (in 1985) and he went about his work real well. He took charge of the infield. He’d come in and talk to the pitcher. He was always very much into the game. He showed traits of leadership and managerial possibilities. When he was playing in the farm system of the Padres, he was the same way. He showed the attributes of being a manager. You can’t predict what happened (with the World Series) but it’s not surprising that he was Manager of the Year and had all that success.”

 

2006: The White Sox dealt pitcher Freddy Garcia to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Gavin Floyd and a player to be named later. The next day, the White Sox received pitcher Gio Gonzalez, whom they had dealt to Philadelphia as part of the Nov. 25, 2005 Jim Thome-Aaron Rowand deal. This deal signaled the continuing breakup of the 2005 World Series title team and began general manager Ken Williams’ plan of stockpiling young pitching.