Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitesox
I'm loving this. Doesn't look like the White Sox are doing too great though. Any info on them? I haven't read everything to the exact letter (kind of busy), but I didn't see much info on them. I like that you put them and the cubs in the same division.
|
The White Sox have certainly taxed their fans' patience over the years. They have managed only three winning seasons (1920, 1922, 1926) and are still awaiting their first taste of the playoffs.
The 1931 club combined the third-best pitching staff in the majors with the worst offense in either league. Sox pitchers compiled a staff ERA of 3.30 and allowed only 4.0 runs per game, but their hitters were far and away the least productive in the game.
You may have noticed three White Sox pitchers on the latest list of the top 20 hurlers in the league. The long-time ace of the White Sox staff is
Eugene Wise, who's still going strong at age 34. Seventeen more wins in 1932 will give him 200 for his career.
Young
Ray Brown has all the makings of an ace. He battled through some injuries in 1931, but still managed to take a huge step forward.
Gordon Rhodes isn't as well-known as Brown, but he, too, is demonstrating the ability to get major league hitters out with regularity. Brown is 23 and Rhodes is 24, so the best is probably yet to come for both of them.
On the other hand, the White Sox offense was, in a word, pathetic. Eight of the 12 players who got the most at-bats finished the season with negative VORPs.
RF
Oscar "Ox" Eckhardt was the most productive White Sox hitter, as he has been during most of his 12-year career. The Ox hit .312, a little below his career .319 average, but his 20 home runs tied a career high and he drove in 96 runs. At age 29, Eckhardt has over 2200 career hits, and should have a very good chance for 3000.
The team's first round choice in the June 1931 draft came straight to the majors and made a positive impact right away. He's 19-year-old shortstop
Arky Vaughan, who hit .338-2-38 in 76 games. Vaughan is among the game's very best prospects, a potential future batting champion with line drive power and a better-than-average glove.
2B
Wilton Schmitt is the only other hitter who did anything worth mentioning in 1931. He hit .312, giving him eleven seasons with a batting average over .300 Schmitt doesn't hit for power, but in a better offense his ability to get on base regularly would produce a ton of runs. At 34, the stocky Baltimore native has retained much of his ability and should remain productive for a few more seasons.
If I were running the White Sox, I'd probably trade a pitcher for a power hitter. The team has absolutely nobody who can hit the long ball at any level (Eckhardt's Power rating of 8 is the best in the system). There are two good power hitting prospects in the 1932 draft class: first basemen
Hal Trosky and
Dolf Camilli. The Sox have the tenth pick in the draft, and if either Trosky or Camilli are still on the board when their turn comes around, the Sox should take him, and quick.
Thanks for your comments, Whitesox. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.
P.S. I'm sure you enjoyed the exploits of Messrs. Buehrle and Wise yesterday.
