MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Boston Red Sox Mt. Rushmore

The overplayed drought of championships from 1918 to 2004 and the Curse of the Bambino have overshadowed what has been a very successful franchise. By 1918 the team had won five World Series and another AL pennant in 1904, a year there was no Series. Dark days followed from 1922-33 when they finished in last place in nine of 12 seasons and next-to-last in another two. But Sox fans have had much to cheer for recently. Even going back to 1966, there have been just six losing seasons. They have finished worse than second place just twice since 1997. With a postseason berth almost assured in 2011, that would be the 13th postseason appearance in 26 seasons. However, the team has won 100 games in a season only three times, the last all the way back in 1946. The famous 1978 playoff game with the Yankees would have been the Sox 100th win had Bucky Dent not shattered Boston’s championship plans. The Red Sox pose the toughest test to date in selecting just four individuals. Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski are easy choices. The list of candidates for the last two spots is long, and filled with strong arguments.

Ted Williams
There is absolutely no doubt that Teddy Ballgame belongs here. The Splendid Splinter is also in the discussion for the MLB Hitters Mt. Rushmore. There may not have been a better hitter ever. His entire career was spent in Boston and was interrupted twice by stints in the U.S. Marine Corps — first in World War II then again during the Korean War. The 10 best on-base percentages in Boston history, ranging from .479-.553, all belong to Williams.

Carl Yastrzemski
It isn’t easy to step into a legend’s shoes, especially at the age of 21 and a legend the size of Williams. But that’s what was asked of Yastrzemski in 1961. But 3,308 games later, Yaz had cemented his place alongside Williams as the two greatest players in Red Sox history. Yastrzemski won three batting titles, a triple crown, made 18 All-Star teams and earned seven Gold Gloves. At ages 22 and 38 he finished 18th in MVP voting. In between, he had nine finishes that high or better, including winning the award in his triple crown season of 1967. Sadly, Yaz never won a World Series, but he batted .400 and hit three home runs in the 1967 Classic and hit .310 in the 1975 Series. Overall, he batted .369 in the postseason with 11 RBIs and 15 runs in 17 games.

David Ortiz
Ortiz doesn’t rank in the top 5 in any of the main offensive categories except slugging percentage. But Big Papi embodied the spirit of the Red Sox in the 2000s. Over his first five seasons with the team, he averaged .302 with 42 home runs, 128 RBIs, 105 runs and 41 doubles, and finished in the top 5 in MVP votes each year. And most importantly, the Sox won two World Series in that time. He has 12 postseason home runs and hit .321 with eight RBIs and seven runs in their two World Series sweeps.

Jim Rice
Rice is third on the Red Sox list in hits, total bases and RBIs. He and Hank Aaron (in 1959) are the only two hitters with as many as 400 total bases in a season between 1948 and 1997. From the mid-1970s to the mid-’80s, Rice was the most feared hitter in the American League.

Close Calls
You would think any player with a foul pole named for him would deserve a Mt. Rushmore honor. And Johnny Pesky remains a beloved player to fans of several generations.

The Game 6 home run in 1975 by Carlton Fisk certainly is on Boston’s Mt. Rushmore of moments, but the catcher had a tough breakup and spent too much time in white socks.

Third in career runs, fourth in hits and total bases, Dwight Evans was as good a rightfielder as we’ve seen since the 1970s.

Cy Young has an award named for him, but fewer than 200 wins in Boston.

Bobby Doerr made nine All-Star teams and drove in 100 runs six times. He missed a full season due to military service at age 27. He played only second base in his career and wore no other uniform.

From 1935 to 1947, Joe Cronin managed Lefty Grove, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr, among others, to a pennant, four second-place finishes and 10 .500 seasons or better in 13 years.

Tris Speaker won the 1912 MVP in a Boston uniform. In seven full-time seasons from 1909-15, he averaged .342-6-76 with 99 runs, 34 doubles and 15 triples and a .909 OPS.

Jimmie Foxx made six All-Star teams and won an MVP with the Sox.
 

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com
 

Other teams' Mt. Rushmores:

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Minnesota Twins Mt. Rushmore

The Minnesota Twins franchise began in Washington as the Senators (sometimes known as Nationals) in 1901. The team moved to Minneapolis in 1961 and became known as the Twins. The team is now in its 111th season and 51st in Minneapolis. There have been 14 first-place finishes, six pennants and three World Series titles. The Twins have just one 100-win season, which came in 1965, a year they lost the World Series in seven games to the Dodgers. The Twins hold the distinction of winning the first two AL West titles in 1969-70. They were also one of two teams in 1991 (along with the Braves) to turn a last-place team into a winner. The Twins defeated the Braves in an epic World Series, winning Game 7 1-0 in extra innings. While this season is a disappointment, the first nine seasons under current manager Ron Gardenhire produced six AL Central crowns.

Walter Johnson
The Big Train would be in the discussion for MLB Mt. Rushmore. Certainly he would appear on the Pitchers Mt. Rushmore. His 417 wins, 3,509 strikeouts and 2.17 ERA are all franchise bests — by far. He completed 531 games and pitched 110 shutouts, a major league record not likely to be broken. Of the nine 25-win seasons in team history, Johnson owns seven of them. He owns 11 of the team’s 13 best ERA seasons — all better than 1.90. No way to argue this selection.

Harmon Killebrew
The Killer’s career spanned Washington and Minnesota and began as an 18-year-old in 1954. Killebrew hit 559 home runs and reached base via hit or walk or HBP 3,576 times. The versatile Hall of Famer made 11 All-Star teams, but was conspicuously not selected in 1962, a year he hit 48 home runs and finished third in MVP balloting. He started six of those All-Star Games, one in left, two at third and three at first. He was the 1969 AL MVP and finished in the top 4 five other times. Killebrew owns six home runs titles.

Rod Carew
Carew played for the Twins for 12 seasons, and 12 times was selected to the All-Star team. He missed the 1970 game due to injury, but started the other 11, getting two triples in the 1978 game, his last in a Minnesota uniform. The Hall of Famer was named Rookie of the Year and MVP as a Twin and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting six times. He won seven batting titles and was hitting .366 in 1970 when a knee injury shortened his season to just 204 plate appearances. His .334 batting average ranks first in franchise history and his 2,085 hits, fifth. Of his 19 stolen bases in 1969, seven of them were steals of home.

Kirby Puckett
Before his career was cut short due to complications from glaucoma, Puckett was a favorite in Minnesota as he anchored the lineup on two World Series champs. The 10-time All-Star finished in the top seven in MVP voting seven times and was runner-up in 1992. He totaled 2,304 hits for the Twins and another 30 in 24 postseason games, including five home runs.

Close Calls
Sam Rice, a Hall of Famer, ranks first in runs and hits and second in games and total bases, but doesn’t carry the same excitement as the other members of the Hall.

Jim Kaat, whose career began in Washington, is second on the wins list with 190 and won 12 Gold Gloves while pitching for the Twins. He finished as high as fifth in MVP voting in 1966 with 25 wins.

One of the first stars in Minnesota, Tony Oliva was named Rookie of the Year, made eight All-Star teams, won three batting titles and was twice MVP runner-up. But he amassed just 1,917 hits and 220 home runs.

Along with Puckett, a stalwart of the 1987 and 1991 champions, Kent Hrbek had his No. 14 retired by the Twins in 1995

Recent Hall of Fame inductee, Bert Blyleven, began his career with the Twins and rejoined the team later. Now a broadcaster for the team, he won 149 games in a Minnesota uniform.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

Other teams' Mt. Rushmores:

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Tampa Bay Rays Mt. Rushmore

The Devil Rays spent nine of their first 10 years of existence languishing in last place, with seemingly no hope of competing with the heavyweights in New York and Boston. Then came a minor name change from Devil Rays to just Rays, and a major cultural change under manager Joe Maddon. The team wore shirts that said 9+9=8. Their motivation was that nine guys playing hard for nine innings equals one of eight teams playing in the postseason. Certainly a key to their success was that during the years spent in last place, the team was spending more than the big market teams on draft picks and player development. That strategy paid off, and the Rays are now going head-to-head with wealthier teams in the AL East.

Carl Crawford
There can absolutely be no argument here. The only category among the franchise’s all-time list that I could find without Crawford’s name at the top was home runs, and he is fourth in team history with 104. The team’s first real star, Crawford made four All-Star teams and stole 409 bases. From 2003 (the year he became a full-time starter) to 2010, he averaged .299 with 13 homers, 70 RBIs, 50 stolen bases, 93 runs and 12 triples. The fans’ warm reception upon his return to Tropicana Field this season in a Red Sox uniform spoke volumes to his popularity.

Evan Longoria
The popular third baseman is fifth on the team’s all-time list in runs and hits, and fourth in total bases and RBIs. He is currently the face of the franchise and under contract through 2013 with team options through 2016. I can’t imagine the team not picking those up. He has seven postseason home runs in 21 games.

Joe Maddon
The innovative manager is responsible for all the good seasons in team history. In his six seasons at the helm, he’s guided the Rays to their only four winning seasons, two division titles and an AL Pennant. He was recently voted the manager players would most like to play for in an SI poll of 291 major leaguers.

Andrew Friedman
In 2005, at the age of 28, Friedman was promoted from his position in player development to general manager. Under his leadership, the franchise saw its first success in 2008.

Close Calls
James Shields' 70 wins, six shutouts and 16 complete games are tops on the team’s all-time lists.

The former No. 2 overall draft pick may not be in a Rays’ uniform much longer, but B.J. Upton has been a fixture in centerfield since 2007 and was a key player in the Rays’ AL Championship in 2008.

Lefty David Price has the best ERA in team history (min. 500 IP) and is already third in wins with 41. And he was that 23-year-old on the mound when the Rays clinched the AL pennant in 2008.

Aubrey Huff is second or third on most of the franchise’s all-time lists.
 

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

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MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Texas Rangers Mt. Rushmore

The Washington Senators fumbled through the 1960s, beginning play in 1961 before moving to the Dallas area and becoming the Texas Rangers in 1972. It wasn’t until last season, when the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS, that the franchise won its first playoff series. In fact, it had won only one playoff game prior to last season. So, there isn’t a strong history of winning. The Senators/Rangers have won 90 or more games just four times and lost 100 games or more six times — four times in Washington, twice in Texas. There have been only three 20-game winners. There is brief flirtation with greatness, though. Alex Rodriguez played shortstop here in his prime. Hall of Famers Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins, Bert Blyleven and Nolan Ryan all spent some time as the ace of the pitching staff. Managing the Washington Senators was Ted Williams’ only managing job. He served one season in Texas after three in Washington. Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Whitey Herzog, Billy Martin, Bobby Valentine, Buck Showalter, Mickey Vernon and Eddie Stanky all had stints leading the team from the dugout. Yet, manager Johnny Oates and Nolan Ryan are the only players whose numbers have been retired by the organization. All that is to say that the Mt. Rushmore in North Texas is still maturing. Perhaps, we shouldn’t etch these faces in stone quite yet. Beyond Pudge and Young, the arguments begin to get interesting and dicey. Here’s our take, however temporary this may be.

Ivan Rodriguez
After spending his first 12 seasons in Texas, the nomadic catcher left prior to the 2003 season and has since won a World Series, lost a World Series, earned three Gold Gloves and made four All-Star teams. While he was with Texas, he made 10 All-Star teams, won 10 Gold Gloves and an MVP award. He has more than 1,700 hits and more than 800 runs and RBIs for the Rangers. A certain Hall of Famer, Pudge will go in the Hall as a Ranger.

Michael Young
There are probably no better examples of a company man in baseball. Young has excelled at three different positions, and been asked by the organization to move three times. After a couple of seasons as a second baseman, he was asked to move to short. After five All-Star seasons at the position, he was asked to move to third the year after winning a Gold Glove. He again made the All-Star team as a third baseman and was asked to assume a utility role. He’s done all that and has the most hits, runs, doubles and triples in franchise history.

Nolan Ryan
The Ryan Express represents the first update for any Mt. Rushmore published last summer. Now a part owner and CEO, Ryan pitched his sixth and seventh no-hitters for the Rangers, and his roughing up of Robin Ventura is reason enough to consider the Ryan Express. However, it's his leadership that built one of the best organizations in baseball. The Rangers appeared in back-to-back World Series and are favorites to return for a third time.

Juan Gonzalez
Gonzalez was in a Rangers’ uniform for 13 seasons, earning two MVP awards. He led the American League in home runs twice and hit more than 40 on three other occasions. He also topped the circuit in RBIs once. He leads the franchise in home runs, RBIs and total bases.
 

Close Calls
Perhaps, if he hadn’t shaken his finger at Congress, then tested positive for steroids, Rafael Palmeiro might well be on the list. He ranks high in most statistical categories, but he was in the top eight in MVP voting just twice as a Ranger.

Charlie Hough, with his knuckleball, is the all-time wins leader with 139.

Few fans in Dallas will remember the Capital Punisher, Frank Howard, since he spent only five months in a Rangers uniform. He was a feared hitter in the 1960s, spending the majority of eight seasons with the franchise. He was the Senators’ lone star and enjoyed back-to-back-to-back seasons of 44+ home runs in 1968-70, truly a second dead ball era. He finished in the top eight in MVP voting three times for the Senators.

Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins had the best season of any pitcher in a Ranger uniform with 25 wins in 1974. In six seasons spread over two stints, Jenkins won 93 games and pitched 17 shutouts.

Jeff Burroughs became the franchise’s first major award winner with the 1974 MVP.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

Other teams' Mt. Rushmores:

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Toronto Blue Jays Mt. Rushmore

The Toronto Blue Jays began play in 1977 along with the Seattle Mariners. It took the Jays six seasons to escape the cellar, but the team managed to win a division title in 1985. Having competed in the same division as the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox during their entire existence, the Jays have always had tough competition. Their five postseason appearances came in the span of nine years from 1985-93, culminating in back-to-back World Series titles. The Jays have finished above the breakeven mark in 19 of their 34 seasons. Success has been hard to come by in recent seasons. They’ve won as many as 88 games just once (1998) since the title seasons of 1992-93. Toronto was once the envy of all of MLB when it came to drawing fans. During the team’s heyday in the early 1990s, the Jays topped 4 million three successive seasons. Since the strike in 1994, attendance hasn’t reached 3 million.

Roy Halladay
Although he ranks behind Dave Stieb on most of the career lists, Halladay dominated the American League while he was Toronto. He made his debut in 1998, but joined the rotation full-time for good in 2002. From 2002-09, Halladay made six All-Star teams and was in the top five in Cy Young voting six times as well, winning the award in 2003 with 22 wins. Over that span, Doc Halladay averaged 16-7 and 214 innings.

Tony Fernandez
The slick-fielding shortstop made three All-Star teams, won four Gold Gloves and amassed 1,583 hits for the Blue Jays. He’s the Jays’ all-time leader in games and hits, fourth in runs and total bases. Fernandez was traded back to the Blue Jays in June of 1993, and teamed with Alomar to give the Jays one of the best defensive middle infields in baseball. Fernandez rapped out seven hits and nine RBIs in the six-game World Series win over Philadelphia.

Roberto Alomar
The Hall of Fame second baseman essentially launched his Hall of Fame career in Toronto. He spent just five seasons in Toronto, but made five All-Star teams and won five Gold Gloves. He finished sixth in MVP voting three times while with the Blue Jays. He averaged 90 runs and 41 steals in his five seasons and batted .307.

Joe Carter
The likeable Carter doesn’t rank in the top five in any category other than RBIs, but no Blue Jays fans will ever forget him jumping with joy after his walk-off home run off Mitch Williams to end the 1993 World Series. Carter anchored the lineup in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots in the batting order for the two championship teams.

Close Calls
Few GMs have had as positive an impact on a franchise as Pat Gillick had in Toronto. The recently inducted Hall of Famer built the team that captured the back-to-back titles in 1992-93.

The leader in franchise wins, Dave Stieb was the team’s ace throughout the 1980s and made eight All-Star teams.

Tom Henke is the all-time leader in saves with 217.

Carlos Delgado, the catcher-turned-first baseman, leads the franchise in runs, homers and RBIs.

Don’t laugh, but Vernon Wells is third all-time in games played and second in hits, runs and RBIs.

Cito Gaston managed the Jays to their two World Series titles.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

Other teams' Mt. Rushmores:

By Scott Henry (@4QuartersRadio)

If your team has an owner or owners who treat the fans with respect, be grateful.

If your team has an owner who spends within his/her/their means, but can still improve the team, enjoy it.

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

I am continuing the series of MLB Mt. Rushmores. The question was posed earlier this season whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore. That certainly piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that all MLB teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Let the arguments begin.

Oakland A's Mt. Rushmore

The Oakland portion of this franchise’s history is but a small part. The Athletics have won nine World Series titles, five in Philadelphia, four in Oakland. In between Philadelphia and Oakland, the organization spent 13 losing years in Kansas City before moving to the West Coast in 1968. For 50 seasons, Connie Mack led the team in his business suit from the dugout. There have been several short impressive stretches for the A’s. From 1910-14 the A’s won four AL pennants and three World Series, then finished in last place the next seven seasons. From 1925-33, the A’s were first, second or third with three consecutive pennants and a couple more World Series. From 1971-75, the A’s won five straight AL West crowns and three World Series in a row. From 1988-92 they won four of five division titles and went to the playoffs from 2000-03. Of their 10 100-win seasons, half of them came in Philadelphia, half in Oakland. Whether it was in Philadelphia or Oakland, the organization seems to have a knack for developing Hall of Famers who spend only parts of their careers with the franchise. That’s certainly the case for the four gentlemen selected for the mountain.

Al Simmons
Few, if any, fans living today remember watching Simmons for the Philadelphia A’s. From 1924-32 he was considered among the 10 best players in the American League. He still holds the franchise records for total bases, RBIs and batting average. He’s second in hits and fifth in runs.

Jimmie Foxx
Double X was a huge pain for opponents, winning back-to-back MVP awards in 1932-33 as a member of the Philadelphia A’s, and teamed with Al Simmons as a feared 1-2 punch in the lineup almost equal to Ruth-Gehrig. Simmons and Foxx hit 4-5 in the lineup for the 1929-30 World Champs. Foxx is second in average and RBIs, and third in total bases.

Rickey Henderson
The most prolific base stealer of all-time scored more runs than any other player in baseball. All of his stats weren’t accumulated with the A’s, but across his four stints with the club, the six-time A’s All-Star amassed 1,768 hits, 1,270 runs and 867 stolen bases over 14 seasons. He won an MVP award in 1990 and finished second in 1981.

Lefty Grove
The ace of the dominant Philadelphia teams from 1929-31, Grove spent just nine seasons with the A’s, but led the AL in wins four times, ERA five times, strikeouts seven times and even had what would have been nine saves had that been a statistic at the time to lead the league the same year he led in wins. He was 195-79 for Philadelphia, averaging 22 wins and six “saves” per season. He was named AL MVP in 1931.

Close Calls
Eddie Plank was the ace of the staff for its first 14 seasons. During that time he averaged 20 wins a season, totaling 284, most all-time for the franchise.

The franchise leader in games and hits, Bert Campaneris, must get some consideration. Besides, he once played all nine positions in one game.

Mr. October was a different player as No. 9 for the A’s before he became No. 44 in the Bronx. The athletic Reggie Jackson stole bases and was adept in right field with one of the strongest throwing arms in the game. His No. 9 is retired in Oakland.

A Hall of Famer and member of three World Series teams in Oakland, Catfish Hunter won 161 games and a Cy Young award in 10 seasons with the A’s.

One of the relief pitchers who defined the role of closer, Rollie Fingers appeared in more than 500 games and had 136 saves.

Dennis Eckersley redefined his career as a closer in Oakland under the tutelage of Dave Duncan. Eck notched 320 saves for the A’s, earning an MVP and Cy Young trophy along the way.

The Tall Tactician, Connie Mack, is most remembered for wearing a business suit in the dugout for 50 seasons. In many respects, Mack represents the face of the franchise — or at least he did for 50 years as owner/manager.

Sal Bando was the captain of five straight division winners in the 1970s, winning three World Series.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

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-by Braden Gall (@AthlonBraden on twitter)

No one should envy the American League Cy Young voters this year.

MLB Mt. Rushmores

by Charlie Miller

The question posed recently whether Derek Jeter should be considered as part of the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore piqued my interest. Not really the Jeter-Yankees part, but the idea that teams should have their own Mt. Rushmores. Who are the four individuals that have risen above all others for each organization? The question sounds simple. Even two guys sitting in a bar can figure that out, right? Not so fast. Let the arguments begin.

Chicago White Sox Mt. Rushmore

Since 1901, this franchise has been to the postseason just nine times. Nine. Surprisingly, Ozzie Guillen is the only manager in history to take the team to the postseason twice. The Sox have been to five World Series winning in 1906, 1917 and 2005; losing in 1919 and 1959. The two teams with the clearest identities are the Black Sox of 1919, famous for throwing the World Series, and the 1959 Go-Go Sox, famous for flashy defense and daring, exciting baserunning.

Frank Thomas
The Big Hurt inflicted pain on opposing pitchers for 19 years, 16 of them spent in a Chicago uniform. Thomas (above) was arguably the game’s best hitter for most of the 1990s, winning two MVP awards and finishing second once, third twice and eighth three times. During the decade, he averaged .320 with 30 homers and 104 RBIs. For eight seasons (1991-98) he had more than 100 runs, RBIs and walks in each season.

Luke Appling
Fans of my generation don’t remember Old Aches and Pains, but we do recall Appling leading off the Cracker Jacks Old-Timers All-Star Game in Washington in 1983 with a home run — at age 75. The shortstop was a fixture in Chicago in the 1930s and ’40s. He led the league in batting in 1943 and was second in MVP voting, then missed all of 1944 and most of ’45 while serving his country. He was 10th in MVP voting at age 40 in 1947.

Eddie Collins
The Hall of Fame second baseman played just 12 of his 25 seasons with Chicago, but his time in a White Sox uniform accounted for 59 percent of his games. He had 2,007 hits and 1,065 runs with Chicago and batted .331.

Paul Konerko
The heart of the White Sox has been at first base and in the heart of their lineup since 1999. As of mid-July, Konerko (right) had logged 1,866 games in Chicago and hit 381 homers and was one shy of 1,200 RBIs. This was an extremely close call over Nellie Fox, but by the time Konerko’s contract expires, this is probably a no-brainer.

Close Calls
Just edged out by Konerko, Hall of Famer Nellie Fox is second all-time in games and hits and third in runs.

Prior to making a brief cameo appearance in the dugout in 1968-69, Al Lopez managed the Sox from 1957-65, and led the team to winning seasons all nine years. Under his watch, Chicago won a pennant and finished second five times.

The poster boy for the Go-Go Sox in 1959 was shortstop Luis Aparicio. In two stints with the club, Aparicio was named Rookie of the Year and finished in the top 15 in MVP voting four times, including a runner-up finish in ’59. He led the AL in stolen bases his first nine season, the first seven spent in Chicago. Seven of his nine Gold Gloves were earned as a member of the White Sox.

Harold Baines could have been Mr. White Sox for all-time, but the team felt compelled to trade him during the 1989 season. The first overall pick in 1977, Baines hit better than .300 in a full season just three times for the Sox and drove in 100 twice.

Ed Walsh won 195 games in just 13 seasons in Chicago. He won 40 in 1908 and had three additional seasons of 24 or more. He led the AL in ERA twice, strikeouts twice and shutouts three times.

Ted Lyons won 260 games over a 21-season career spent entirely on Chicago’s South Side. He won as many as 12 games 13 times.

All 20 seasons of Red Faber’s career were in Chicago where the slender righthander won 254 games and tossed 29 shutouts.

Follow Charlie Miller on Twitter @AthlonCharlie or email him Charlie.Miller@AthlonSports.com

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