Chicago White Sox - The Clinton Years (1990-1999)

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1990

Decade

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Titles: 1993 Western Division Champs (Lost to Toronto)

Top White Sox Players during the Nineties

1994 Were in First Place when season ended due to strike

Pitchers:

BallPark: New Comiskey Park

Jack McDowell (19.64) - 56

Alex Fernandez (20.42) - 51

Team Name: White Sox

Roberto Hernandez (10.8) - 43

Wilson Alvarez (17.45) - 40

Owner: Jerry Reinsdorf / Eddie Einhorn

James Baldwin (4.78) - 30

Bobby Thigpen (2.7) - 28

General Managers:

Jason Bere (1.73) - 20

Larry Himes (1990)

Greg Hibbard (3.99) - 20

Ron Schueler (1990-2000)

Mike Sirotka (5.94) - 17

Jamime Navaro (3.65) - 15

Managers:

Kirk McCaskill (0.42) - 10

Jeff Torborg (1990-1991)

Doug Drabek (0.44) - 8

Gene Lamont (1992-1995)

Keith Foulke (5.88) - 4

Terry Bevington (1995-1997)

Jerry Manuel (1998-1999)

Catchers:

Ron Karkovice (12.37) - 40

Hall of Famers:

Carlton Fisk (6.43) - 21

Carlton Fisk

Frank Thomas

First Basemen:

Tim Raines

Frank Thomas (52.82) - 86

Harold Baines

Second Basemen:

No Hitters:

Ray Durham (10.69) - 38

Wilson Alvarez (1991)

ShortStop:

Rookie of the Year:

Ozzie Guillen (5.83) - 33

None

Craig Grebeck (8.81) - 12

MVP:

Third Base:

Frank Thomas (1993)

Robin Ventura (39.33) - 53

Frank Thomas (1994)

Outfield:

Cy Young:

Lance Johnson (20.71) - 65

None

Tim Raines (16.61) - 42

Albert Belle (8.59) - 23

Notable Events:

Dave Martinez (10.05) - 18

Mike Cameron (5.91) - 18

1990 - General Manager Larry Himes and Scouting Director Al Goldis had an

Dan Pasqua (4.69) - 16

incredible hot streak at the end of the previous decade. After Himes

Magglio Ordonez (7.56) - 11

had been hired on as GM replacing Hawk Harrelson, who had been

Harold Baines (4.03) - 10

broadcaster turned GM turned back to broadcaster, he proceeded to

Sammy Sosa (1.13) - 9

draft the following in four successive first rounds of the draft (from

Chris Singleton (4.79) - 10

87 - '90): Jack McDowell, Robin Ventura, Frank Thomas and Alex

Tony Phillips (4.31) - 9

Fernandez. To boot, he also dealt outfielder Harold Baines to Texas

Bo Jackson (0.69) - 1

for two brilliant young prospects: Sammy Sosa and Wilson Alvarez,

Michael Jordan (0) - 0

He also stole outstanding young centerfielder Lance Johnson from the

Cards for journeyman pitcher Jose DeLeon and stole future

Notable Events:

ace reliever Roberto Hernandez from the Angels for minor league

outfielder Mark Davis. All of these acquisitions turned the Sox from

1991 - Relief pitcher Roberto Hernandez, a late bloomer at twenty

doormats to contenders thru the first half of the Nineties.

six years old comes up to the Sox as a rookie. He becomes one of

For his troubles, Himes (and Goldis) were fired by owner Jerry

the top relievers in the game during his tenure in Chicago which

Reinsdorf after the 1990 season. You can't make this stuff up.

ends when he's traded away in 1997.

1990 - After four awful losing seasons, Chicago picks up twenty

1991 - The Sox acquire 32 year old outfielder Tim Raines in a salary

five games in the standings and finishes second in the West behind

dump trade by the Montreal Expos. Raines goes on to have five

the powerful A's. The Sox will continue to be a factor in the Division

productive seaons with Chicago, altho' at a level a bit lower than

for the next four seasons led by a group of excellent young players.

his all star days at Montreal.

This was the season when all of the young talent that Himes and Goldis

had been putting together came to fruition.

1991 - The new Comiskey Park opens in 1991 and 2.9 million fans

come to see it. It is the first new ballpark in Chicago in 77 years

1990 -Twenty Two year old First Baseman Frank Thomas is a

rookie. He goes on to play nineteen years and is inducted into the

1993 - Twenty two year old righthander Jason Bere comes up and

Baseball Hall of Fame. The first sixteen of those seasons are with

goes 12-5, a major factor in the Sox push to a title. He follows that up

Chicago where he is one of the most feared sluggers in the game.

posting a 12-2 mark in the strike shortened 1994 season,

establishing him as one of the top young pitchers in the game.

1990 -Twenty Two year old Third Baseman Robin Ventura

However, he hurt his arm in '95, underwent Tommy John surgery,

plays his first full season in the bigs. He'll go on to be one of the

and was never the same pitcher after that.

top players in the game at his position for the next fourteen years,

many with Chicago. He is both an exceptional hitter and fielder

1993 - Chicago wins the Western Division in 1993 behind MVP Frank

Thomas and Cy Young Jack McDowell. They lose in the ALCS to

1990 -Twenty one year old Outfielder Sammy Sosa plays his

Toronto.

first full season in the bigs. He'll go on to be one of the top sluggers

in the game altho' not with the Sox, who trade him away to the

1994 - The Pale Hose lead the newly formed AL Central in 1994

crosstown Cubs for outfielder George Bell in 1992. In Chicago's defense,

when the player's strike hits. White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf

this was the pre-roid version of Sosa that they traded away

along with Milwaukee Brewers owner and Commissioner Bud Selig

are at the forefront of the hostilities against the players union.

1990 - Centerfielder Lance Johnson's first season as a starter in

The Sox were 67-46 at the time of the strike.

the big leagues as a twenty six year old. He was obtained two

years earlier from the Cards. Lance would go on to have a

1995 - In thirty one more games played than the previous season,

fourteen year career, eight with Chicago, as a good defensive

Chicago totals only one more win. A large part of Chicago's decline

center fielder and one of the top base stealers in th the game

could be attributed to the toxic atmosphere that owner Jerry

Reinsdorf created during the strike. It's hard putting out maximum

1990 - Twenty four year old Jack McDowell comes back

effort for a team whose owner publicly thinks that most of your salary

from missing the previous season with injury. 1990 is his first .

is money essentially stolen out of his pockets

big season in the bigs, winning fourteen games. He goes on to

a twelve year career as one of the better starters in the game.

1997 - Reinsdorf signs free agent Albert Belle. Bad move.

Talk about toxicity. It's almost like Reinsdorf wants to punish his

1990 - Twenty six year old relief ace Bobby Thigpen has a

players by putting poison in the clubhouse.

sensational season saving 57 games with a 1.83 ERA. Altho'

he pitches in the majors for nine years, this is the only season

1997 - With Chicago floundering but still close to the also floundering

where he is anywhere close to being a lights out closer.

first place Indians, Reinsdorf impulsively trades away Roberto

Hernandez, Wilson Alvarez and Danny Darwin to the Giants

1990 - Twenty year old righthander Alex Fernandez is a rookie.

at the trade deadline. Bad move. If the Sox had kept these guys,

He spends the next seven years as a mainstay of the Sox rotation.

they almost certainly would have taken the division.

On the other hand, the deal did land them pitching prospects Bobby

1990 - The Pale Hose are no-hit by Andy Hawkins of the Yankees, but

Howry and Keith Foulke. Reinsdorf has been behaving bizarrely

still win the game 4-0

since the strike ended with his side losing.

1990 - The Sox play their last game in original Comiskey Park

1998 - The Sox hit a team record 198 home runs

1991 - Twenty one year old lefty Wilson Alvarez is a rookie. He had

1999 -Chicago loses Albert Belle to injury

been acquired two years earlier in a trade with Texas that also

brought Sammy Sosa. He becomes a mainstay in the Chicago

1999 -The Sox lose Robin Ventura to free agency

rotation until traded in 1997