Kittle was a weird, under-the-radar prospect. He had been released by the Dodgers, I believe, after he broke his neck, and he went to work in a steel mill. Sox signed him more as filler and then he exploded. I’m pretty sure they didn’t believe the results. Also, this is before the era of 3 true outcomes. He simply didn’t have the skill set of ideal outfielders in that era. Remember, the White Sox we’re trying to build a dream outfield out of power/speed guys just a few years before like Chet Lemon, Claudell Washington, and Thad Boseley. Harold Baines was a rookie in ‘82 and he was their priority prospect. Kittle was like a giant softball player it took them a while to warm up to.