THIS DATE IN SOX HISTORY: DEC 15-17/Catching up!

[StatManDu]

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 17TH/Richards ... Jenks!

 

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RICHARDS RETURNS

1975: On the day his group officially took majority control of the franchise from John Allyn’s Artnell Company, Bill Veeck announced the hiring as Paul Richards as the White Sox manager for the 1976 season. The announcement was made in the venerable bards room at Comiskey Park. Richards was the manager at the dawn of the White Sox “Go Go” era in 1951 and posted 342 victories in just over three seasons before taking the helm in Baltimore. Richards’ stint with the 1976 Sox did not go as well as his first one. The team went 64-97 and finished last. According to White Sox historian Rich Lindberg, “The talent wasn’t there but neither was the direction or motivation. The game has passed Richards by. His daring strategy in the 1950s helped transform the White Sox. But in 1976 he held few team meetings. There was little evaluation of personnel and, moreover, there was a generation gap … Richards’ most significant 1976 statement was that Jesse Jefferson ‘looked a mite goofy.’" (Who’s On Third). Richards was not retained after the 1976 campaign.

 

WAIVING HELLO TO BOBBY

2004: In one of the great moves in team annals, the White Sox claimed enigmatic relief pitcher Bobby Jenks off waivers from the Anaheim Angels. The pudgy right-hander was unable to consistently harness his 100 mph in the Angel organization. Upon joining the Sox, the team immediately showed faith in the 23-year-old native of Mission Hills, Calif. in spring training. The Sox made him a fulltime reliever and success followed. After going 1-3 with a 2.85 ERA with 19 saves for Double-A Birmingham, the Sox called him up on July 5. He quickly ascended to the closer’s role after Dustin Hermanson’s back gave out on him. The unflappable Jenks responded with six saves in the regular-season, two in the Division Series and two more in the World Series. His improbable season ended on the mound as the White Sox won Game 4 of the World Series in Houston making Jenks the first rookie in history to earn the save in the clinching game of the Fall Classic. To show that 2005 was no fluke, Jenks posted 41 saves and struck out 80 batters in 69.2 innings making him one of the great waiver pickups in the history of the game.

 

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 16TH/Joe D's pal ... Cotts

 

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JOE D’S BOYHOOD BUDDY COMES ABOARD

1940: The White Sox acquired infielder Dario Lodigiani, Joe DiMaggio’s double play partner at San Francisco’s Lowell Junior High, from the Philadelphia Athletics for pitcher Jack Knott. Lodigiani was a part-time player for the Sox in 1941 and 1942 before missing the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons while in the military. After an injury-plagued (elbow) in 1946, he eventually became a Sox scout and served the team into the 1990s.

 

COTTS COMES ABOARD … FINALLY

2002: The White Sox received Neal Cotts and Daylon Holt from Oakland as the players to be named later to complete a trade of 13 days earlier. In that deal, the Sox sent pitchers Keith Foulke and Joe Valentine and catcher Mark Johnson to the A’s for reliever Billy Koch and the two players to be named later.

 

SISCO KID IS NOW A FRIEND OF MINE

2006: The White Sox acquired mammoth left-handed pitcher Andrew Sisco from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for first baseman-outfielder Ross Gload. The 6-foot-10 Sisco had a phenomenal rookie season with the Royals (3.11 ERA, 76 Ks/75.1 IP, 67 appearances) after he was acquired from the Cubs in the Rule V Draft. In 2006, Sisco was 1-3 with a 7.10 ERA in 65 games. Unfortunately for the Sox, Sisco flashed his 2006 form in his first year in Chicago (0-1, 8.36 ERA). Gload served the Sox well and was a fan favorite as bench player from 2004 to 2006.

 

THIS DATE IN WHITE SOX HISTORY: DECEMBER 15TH/Terrible trade, bye Tony!/Franco signed

 

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MET MESS

1967: In one of the worst deals in franhise history, the White Sox sent outfielder Tommie Agee and infielder Al Weis to the New York Mets for outfielder Tommy Davis, pitchers Jack Fisher and Billy Wynne and catcher Buddy Booker. The bad news was that the Sox got rid of one really good player in Agee and one solid performer in Weis and didn’t get much in return. The good news is that Agee and Weis both helped the Mets overtake the Cubs in the infamous season of 1969.

 

HE’LL BE BACK … TO MANAGE

1976: The White Sox sent minor league infielder Tony LaRussa to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitcher Randy Wiles. LaRussa was signed by the White Sox in April of 1975 after he was released by the Pirates. LaRussa spent 1975 at the Sox Triple-A affiliate in Denver and hit .280 with seven homers and 46 RBIs as part of the Bears’ Western Division winning team. The following year, LaRussa hit .259 with four homers and 34 RBIs for the Sox Triple-A team at Iowa. This time in the White Sox organization was crucial for LaRussa. It was at these two stops that LaRussa played for manager Loren Babe. It was Babe who recommended LaRussa for the Sox managerial post at Double-A Knoxville in 1978. After one full season in Knoxville and part of a season at Triple-A Iowa, LaRussa was hired by the Sox to replace Don Kessinger as manager and one of the great managerial careers in big league history was born.

 

HELLO JULIO

1993: General manager Ron Schueler made one of his shrewdest moves when he signed free agent Julio Franco to a one-year contract. The designated hitter provided MVP Frank Thomas with the best protection of his career, hitting .319 with 20 home runs and 98 RBIs in just 112 games in the strike-shortened season. Franco lasted just the one year with the Sox. With no end in sight to the strike that cost the Major Leagues the World Series, Franco signed to play with Chiba Lotte in Japan for the 1995 season.

 

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Sisco is still a young pup... With a little bit of work on his release point consistancy, he could still be a force in this league.