This Day In Sox History 1/15...

[Lip Man 1]

January 15, 1964 – Baseball owners voted to begin a free agent draft, beginning in 1965. What the owners approved is what we now regard as the amateur draft, held each summer.

That first draft, held on June 8, 1965, saw the White Sox selecting catcher Ken Plesha of the University of Notre Dame at No. 17 overall. Thirteen of the 20 picks in that first round eventually made it to the majors — just not Plesha, who lasted four years and three seasons (he sat out 1967) in the White Sox system, never making it past A-ball.

Drafts of the 1960s and 1970s tended to be ridiculous, with no set rounds; teams could just pick as long as they wanted. The inaugural 1965 draft went 72 rounds, with Baltimore and Houston making almost all of the picks of the final 10 rounds or so, and the Astros outlasting everyone, picking into the 70s.

The White Sox made 41 picks, with only five players ever seeing the Major Leagues and just one, pitcher Paul Edmondson (21st Round), having a positive impact. Edmondson had that production over just 14 games in 1969. He appeared destined for big things, if not for a car accident on the way to spring training 1970 that took his life.

 

January 15, 2003 – It was another bold stab by G.M. Kenny Williams as he acquired starter Bartolo Colon as part of a three-way deal with Montreal and the Yankees.

Colon had a good season for the Sox… 15 wins, 242 innings pitched and 173 strikeouts before inking a large deal with Anaheim where he’d win the Cy Young Award that season. Williams brought him back in 2009 hoping for the same but got little for his troubles. In fact, Colon got hurt, was overweight and when assigned to a minor league rehab stint never reported! It was rumored that Colon was distraught over the death of entertainer Michael Jackson, and when manager Ozzie Guillen heard such, he emptied out Colon’s locker and dumped the possessions in the hallway outside of the White Sox clubhouse!

 

January 15, 2021 – The White Sox continued to make strong moves to get back into serious contention for a championship. On this date they announced the signing to a free agent contract of Liam Hendriks, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball to a multi-year deal. The contract would net the Australian right hander 54 million dollars over three, possibly four years.

Since taking over as the A’s closer on June 21, 2019, Hendriks had recorded a 1.99 ERA over 68 innings pitched, with 39 saves, 111 strikeouts in 65 appearances. 

His contract had an unusual twist, perhaps the first of its kind in baseball. The fourth year of the deal had an option year, worth 15 million but included a 15-million-dollar buyout. If the White Sox declined the option, the buyout would be paid in 10 equal installments between 2024 and 2033.

Hendriks wouldn’t disappoint posting 38 saves, a 2.54 ERA and 113 strikeouts against only seven walks in his first year on the South Side winning A.L. Relief Pitcher of the Year honors. He followed it up in 2022 with 37 saves an ERA of 2.81 and 85 strikeouts vs. 18 walks.

At the end of that season however it was discovered that he had lymphoma which fortunately he was able to beat after cancer treatments. Then he had Tommy John surgery after making a remarkable comeback. Between the two events he missed most of the 2023 season. The Sox then declined the fourth-year option and Hendriks signed with the Red Sox missing the 2024 campaign, returning in 2025.   

Edited 12 minutes ago by Lip Man 1

[WestEddy]

Luis Alvarado born on this date in 1949. Alvarado was part of the return (along with Mike Andrews) from the Red Sox in 1970 for Luis Aparicio. 

Luis Alvarado Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

[Lip Man 1]

Have added another entry to the factoids for today.