Lip Man 1

December 3, 1979 - The Sox claimed first baseman Greg Walker from the Phillies in the Major League Rule 5 draft. Walker would make the big club for good in 1983 and have three seasons with at least 24 home runs and two years with at least 90 RBI’s. He’d then eventually become the Sox hitting coach after retiring. December 3, 2002 – It was a deal that didn’t work to well for the Sox as G.M. Kenny Williams traded closer Keith Foulke, catcher Mark Johnson and a third player to the A’s for pitchers Billy Koch, Neal Cotts and a third player. Koch never found the success he had in either Toronto or Oakland in part because of a rare illness. In a year and a half with the Sox, the former A.L. Fireman of the Year, only saved 19 games with an ERA over five! Cotts at least, would have a spectacular season in 2005 helping the Sox win the World Series. Foulke meanwhile, would save 44 games and make the All-Star team. Williams may have had his hands tied, by the fact that then manager Jerry Manuel had lost confidence in Foulke and refused to pitch him in key situations in the back half of the 2002 season as he went from 69 appearances in 2001 with 44 saves to only 35 appearances and 11 saves in 2002.

They can but Chuck to my knowledge hasn't worked regularly in TV since that stint at WGN-TV. Pretty hard to develop skills if you only do the job once every blue moon.

I remember Chuck when he was doing sports on WGN-TV. As a TV sportscaster he simply wasn't comfortable and was out of his element...but at least he was better than Sid Garcia! ?

December 2, 1971 - It was the trade that perhaps saved the franchise. Sox player personnel director Roland Hemond sent pitcher Tommy John and infielder Steve Huntz to the Dodgers for disgruntled slugger Dick Allen. Allen, one of the most prolific talents in the game, marched to his own drummer and was deemed difficult to handle by other teams and managers. Somehow Sox skipper Chuck Tanner, who knew the Allen family for years, got the best out of him. Allen would almost single handedly lead the team to the 1972 playoffs, winning the American League’s M.V.P. award. He’d win two home run titles in his three years on the South Side and be named to three All-Star teams. His popularity kept the turnstiles spinning and kept the White Sox solvent. An hour later Hemond, stole pitcher Stan Bahnsen from the Yankees for infielder Rich McKinney. Bahnsen would go on to win 21 games in 1972. https://www.southsidesox.com/2020/12/9/22164784/white-sox-dick-allen-remembered

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports-saturday/2023/12/2/23983019/white-sox-gm-chris-getz-open-for-business-at-winter-meetings

Which is why I wrote that they "may" have taken the Western title. Ed Speizio did a creditable job filling in for Bill as it turned out but shortstop was a real issue.

How about Mike North? LOL ?

From the MLB.com story today on every team's last rule 5 selection: White Sox: Dylan Covey, RHP (2016) A first-round pick out of high school in 2010 by the Brewers, Covey declined to sign after a post-Draft physical revealed he had diabetes and eventually turned pro as a fourth-rounder with the Athletics in 2013. He spent three seasons shuffling in and out of the White Sox rotation but finally found some success with the Phillies as a reliever in 2023. He has gone 7-32 with a 6.18 ERA in 307 1/3 innings, and both his ERA and winning percentage (.179) are the worst since World War II for pitchers with at least as many innings or decisions. Only in the world of the White Sox.

Honestly Helyar's book is a great read, recommend it highly. Have read it myself several times. You'd think a book on the history of labor relations in baseball would be boring but it was anything but.

This situation was pointed out in Helyar's book, how the Stanford economist pointed out numerous examples of MLB owners "cooking the books" in various ways to show income that was generated through concessions and broadcast revenue to cite examples was supposedly going to other businesses when in reality the funds were going to them. How Ted Turner was manipulating the Braves broadcast revenue was cited in detail. The MLBPA is the strongest union in the world, they will never agree to a salary cap, nor should they in my opinion. You beat odds of a 100,000 to one as Howard Cosell once said, to get to the top of your profession, you deserve to collect big. If an owner can't or isn't willing to play the game the way it is being played today by other owners trying to win, they need to sell to someone who does.

December 1, 1956 – It was the first of many awards he would win in his Hall of Fame career. Luis Aparicio became the first Latin to ever win the Rookie of the Year Award when he was named to that honor by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Aparicio led the A.L. in steals with 21 and played a stellar defensive game leading the league in putouts and assists as well as in games and innings played. Aparicio picked up 22 of the 24 possible votes. He beat out the Indians Rocco “Rocky” Colavito, who would join the Sox in 1967 and the Orioles John “Tito” Francona who also would be a member of the White Sox for part of the 1958 campaign. December 1, 1964 - The Sox traded pitcher Frank Baumann to the Cubs for catcher Jimmie Schaffer. It was only the second time the two Chicago clubs ever made a direct trade with each other. The first time coming in the 1940's. Baumann had one spectacular season with the White Sox in 1960, where he led all of baseball with a 2.67 ERA to go along with 13 wins and four saves. December 1, 1970 - For the second and final time, the White Sox traded Luis Aparicio. The future Hall of Fame shortstop was sent to the Red Sox for infielders Luis Alvarado and Mike Andrews. Those players helped the Sox in the early 70's but this is one Roland Hemond trade, that some have second guessed. In 1972, if the Sox had Aparicio to provide some stability to the infield, they may have taken the Western Division title. Lee “Bee-Bee” Richards, Alvarado and Rich Morales simply weren’t the answer at shortstop that season. December 1, 1975 – To many fans Nellie Fox was the heartbeat of the “Go-Go” Sox of the 1950’s. On this day he passed away far too soon, at the age of 48. Fox, acquired from the Philadelphia A’s, broke into the White Sox starting lineup for the 1950 season and remained at second base through 1963. He was an 11-time All-Star representing the Sox and made that game nine consecutive years starting in 1953. He had 14 All-Star hits and batted .368 in that affair. He was named the American League M.V.P. for 1959 helping to drive the Sox to the pennant and hit .375 in the loss to the Dodgers in the six-game World Series. Fox paired with Luis Aparicio to give the Sox the best middle infield in baseball during the 1950’s. Nellie himself won three Gold Gloves. He also batted over .300 six times and rarely struck out; only 201 times during his Sox career. He received his last honor posthumously when he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1997. December 1, 1998 - Popular and proficient third baseman Robin Ventura signed a free agent contract with the Mets. Ventura, who was an outspoken critic of the “White Flag” trade, won five Gold Gloves in his time on the South Side in addition to hitting 171 home runs. He had six seasons with at least 90 RBI’s and hit .280 or better for five seasons. He’d return in 2012 to become manager which lasted five seasons.

From Merkin: https://www.mlb.com/whitesox/news/white-sox-2023-winter-meetings-preview

I grant you things could have changed dramatically but I recall reading the details brought out in the book The Lords of the Realm by John Helyar about how the Stanford economist chosen by the owners and the MLBPA destroyed the myth that teams were losing money during the 1994-1995 impasse. Owners have never allowed their books to be examined by agreed upon professionals since then. MLB is now a 10 billion dollar industry by their own admission, that ranks right up there close to the NFL. Color my skeptical, very skeptical that owners are losing money and that owners can't by and large do more to invest in winning then many are doing. In my opinion it is a matter of choice. JR's own words this past summer about how finishing in third or fourth place doesn't mean you had a bad season was telling in my opinion.

Anderson was 14 million.

Very well said.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/11/30/23982721/chicago-white-sox-jason-benetti-bulls-adam-amin-mike-monaco-jon-boog-sciambi-sports-media

November 30, 1955 - It was the start of a new era at shortstop for the White Sox. On this date the team purchased the contract of young infielder, Luis Aparicio from Memphis. Aparicio would begin his Hall of Fame career the following season, winning the Rookie of the Year honor in the American League. He was the first Latin player to do so. Aparicio also brought back what was then the lost art of base stealing, swiping 269 of them for the Sox between 1956 and 1962. He’d go on to six All-Star appearances representing the White Sox. November 30, 1961 - After 13 years on the South Side, with 186 wins and seven All-Star selections, pitcher Billy Pierce was traded to the San Francisco Giants by G.M. Ed Short. Pierce and Don Larsen were sent west in exchange for knuckle-balling relief pitcher Eddie Fisher, pitcher Dom Zanni, outfielder Bob Farley and a player to be named later. The trade would revitalize Pierce’s career as he went 16-6, then win a game and save the pennant clinching game against the Dodgers in the three game N.L. playoff series, and then he tossed a three-hit complete game win in game #6 of the 1962 World Series against the Yankees. Fisher would become one of the top relief pitchers in baseball and would team with Hoyt Wilhelm to give the Sox great depth in that area. He’d make the All-Star team in 1965 and win the Relief Pitcher of the Year award. In an unrelated note, Fisher did a spot-on imitation of Donald Duck! November 30, 1970 - New Sox player personnel director Roland Hemond continued to rebuild a battered franchise. At the winter meetings he shipped Gold Glove winning outfielder Ken Berry, infielder Syd O’Brien and pitcher Billy Wynne to the Angels for pitcher Tom Bradley, catcher Tom Egan and outfielder Jay Johnstone. The deal would be a steal just based on what Bradley did, winning 15 games with a sub 3.00 ERA in both 1971 and 1972. Egan provided great back up help to Ed Herrmann and Johnstone was a quality outfielder and clubhouse comic.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal (subscription required), Chicago general manager Chris Getz has informed interested teams that he will likely wait until the top free-agent starting pitchers are off the board to move Cease.

https://www.mlb.com/news/luis-severino-mets-deal

But JR and the franchise will be making money hand over foot from all the local and national and international advertising, marketing and media deals.

November 29, 1963 – He had a spectacular 1963 season and because of it Gary Peters, Sox star left-handed pitcher was named the American League Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. Peters went 19-8 with a 2.33 ERA and had 189 strike outs in 243 innings pitched. He won 11 straight games at one point. He also hit .259 with three home runs and 12 RBI’s. Peters would go on to win 20 games in 1964, lead the league in ERA in 1966 and make the All-Star team twice. He got 10 of 20 first place votes beating out his teammate, power hitting third baseman Pete Ward. Ward, who would be named American League Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, hit .295 with 22 home runs, 84 RBI’s and had 177 hits that season. Ward got six first place votes among the baseball writers while Jimmy Hall of the Twins got the final four votes. November 29, 1967 - The Sox reacquired shortstop Luis Aparicio from the Orioles as part of a six-player deal. Aparicio would have his best seasons hitting-wise in the next few years but part of the cost was speedy Don Buford. He’d go on to have some of his best seasons with Baltimore and was a key part of their dynasty in the late 60's/early 70's. Aparicio hit .280 in 1969 and .313 in 1970 but even that couldn’t really help a team that was spiraling into one of the worst in baseball. November 29, 1972 – Sox G.M. Roland Hemond sent pitcher Tom Bradley to San Francisco for outfielder Ken Henderson and pitcher Steve Stone. Henderson was a Gold Glove winning, power hitting center fielder while Stone added depth to the pitching staff. Bradley never regained the form that he showed with the Sox in 1971 and 1972 when he won 15 games each year with a sub three ERA and was out of baseball by 1975. Henderson’s best year with the White Sox came in 1974 when he played in every game hitting .292 with 20 home runs and 95 RBI’s. Stone actually did his best Sox work in his second go-round when he won 15 games in 1977. November 29, 2022 – At a press conference in Houston the Astros officially announced the signing of long time White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu to a three-year contract. In nine years with the Sox Abreu hit 248 home runs, and drove in 863 RBI’s. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2014, won the M.V.P. Award in 2020, won three Silver Slugger Awards and was a three-time All-Star. But his age and the fact that the Sox had Andrew Vaughn, a former first round draft pick who also played first base, waiting in the wings, made Jose expendable in the minds of the organization. Like with another Cuban player, “Minnie” Minoso, when he was traded in 1958, the move was very unpopular with the fan base.

Starts talking about the White Sox situation at the 7:47 mark:

Santos may not even be able to pitch next year. Sox shut him down late with forearm soreness...that's usually not good ask Rodon, Dunning and Martin for example.

November 28, 1961 - The Sox sent slugging infielder Roy Sievers to the Phillies for two players including pitcher Johnny Buzhardt. Buzhardt would become part of the stellar Sox starting rotation in the mid 60's, have some fine years and was particularly good against the Yankees going 7-0 against them between 1962 and 1967. He’d win 48 games in five and a half years with the Sox posting an ERA of three or under in three seasons.

It was a three-run home run not a grand slam.