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Emil Rothe Chicago Chapter DECember 2019 | Volume 10 | Edition 12 Rich Hansen, Chair - Richard Smiley, Vice Chair David Malamut, Secretary - Peter Yee, Treasurer - Bill Pearch, Newsletter Editor PAUL KONERKO BALLOT BRIEFING By: CHRIS KAMKA Paul Konerko debuts on the 2020 Hall of Fame ballot. He probably won’t get in, but I’m going to lay out his case regardless. It’s easy to pull up his baseball-reference page, cite his 27.7 career wins above replacement and immediately dismiss him. But basing everything strictly off a WAR number is lazy analysis. And he deserves better than that. Paul Konerko was a very highly touted prospect, reaching #2 on the Baseball America top 100 prospects list (behind Ben Grieve) in 1998. His November 1998 trade to the White Sox (from the Reds) was already his second time traded since being drafted by the Dodgers (as a catcher!) in 1994. When he joined the White Sox he began to realize his prospect potential. By the time he was finished, he was synonymous with White Sox baseball. Konerko finished his career with 439 home runs. Only 43 players in the history of Major League baseball have more. During a 14-year run Paul Konerko pumps his fist after belting a seventh-inning grand (1999 to 2012), he hit at least 20 home runs 13 times; “Paulie” is one slam off of Chad Qualls during Game Two of the 2005 World Series. of only 34 players in MLB history with at least 13 seasons of at least 20 (Photo: José M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune) dingers. The six-time All-Star finished with 1,412 career RBI, and if you look right below his name on the all-time list, you’ll run into a flurry of Hall of Famers, including Robin Yount (1,406), Johnny Bench (1,376), Orlando Cepeda (1,365), Brooks Robinson (1,357), Johnny Mize (1,337), Mike Piazza (1,335), Duke Snider (1,333), Iván Rodríguez (1,332), Ron What’s Inside? Santo (1,331) and Carlton Fisk (1,330). When he hung up his spikes, Paul Konerko had become an icon on Chicago’s South Side. His 432 home runs with the White Sox rank 2 / WRIGLEY FIELD: A VIEW FROM THE STREET(CAR) second to only Frank Thomas (448). In fact, Konerko (twice) & Thomas (five times) are the only two players in White Sox history with multiple 3 / CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2020: THE QUEST FOR AN AL CENTRAL CROWN ... 40-home run seasons; Konerko’s were consecutive (41 in 2004, 40 OR JUST A .500 FINISH in 2005). His 81 round-trippers in 2004-05 stand as the most in Sox history over a two-year span. Nobody in White Sox history can match 4 / WHITE SOX OWNER HANK GREENBERG GETS COLD FEET Konerko’s 29 career multi-homer games. He ranks highly on several career White Sox lists; no small feat for a team which has been around 5 / scoreboard puzzler; SPORCLE QUIZ; for well over 100 years. He’s 2nd in RBI (1,383), 3rd in Hits (2,292), 4th WHAT MAKES A HALL OF FAMER (IN MY BOOK) in Runs (1,141), 3rd in Doubles (406), and 1st in Total Bases (4,010); the only player in White Sox history with 4,000 or more. With his 40 home 6 / Top 10: most games played for chicago teams (2010-2019); - continued on page 6 - did you know?; chicago random tandem 7 / making the cooperstown case for “sweet Lou” whitaker 8 / history hunters 9 / WHAT’S ON DECK?; PASTIME PASSAGE 10 / ZEMAN’S ZINGERS: dec. 2019 11 / 2020 chapter newsletter schedule; collector’s corner; START PLANNING YOUR 2020 SEASON WRIGLEY FIELD: A view from the street(car) 2 By: BILL PEARCH Perusing social media at work typically involves looking for project opportunities, discovering the latest industry trends and making business connections along the way. It rarely opens nostalgic baseball rabbit holes to meander through. But earlier this year, that happened. Recently, a colleague from the railroad industry discovered more than 500 photographs from his company’s archives. These images are primarily from the 1950s and 1960s and feature old Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) buses, rail vehicles, stations and general infrastructure. While all of the pictures are amazing and capture a bygone era, one image caught my attention—a streetcar passing Wrigley Field at the corner of Clark and Addison near the iconic marquee with its original color scheme. I enjoy finding undated baseball photos (like the images of Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park featured in November 2019’s Scoreboard SEE Puzzler) and discovering some nugget of NOVEMBER’S information to determine an exact date. Geeky, I know. While this is not a photo SCOREBOARD from a game, we can certainly determine PUZZLER a date range. After examining the ad on the side of the streetcar, it’s not clear, but it does say 1957. The photographer captured this image at some point during the Chicago Cubs’ 17-game road trip in July. After splitting a Fourth of July doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Cubs departed Wrigley Field to play the Milwaukee Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers. While on that road trip, the Cubs compiled a 5-12 record and managed a 3-game losing streak and two 4-game losing streaks. During 1957, the Cubs did not play inspired baseball. A youthful Ernie Banks was on the cusp of winning his first of two consecutive National League Most Valuable Player awards (1958-1959). At best, the Cubs would reach third place in an 8-team Senior Circuit, but that was during the first week of the regular season. From April 28 through the end of Top: An old Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) streetcar passing Wrigley the campaign, the Cubs lingered in the doldrums bouncing between Field during the 1957 season. (Photo: Tim Collins) seventh and eighth place. The North Siders would conclude the season tied with the Pirates (62-92, .403) in last place. They finished 33 games Bottom: A photo from approximately the same vantage point taken behind the eventual World Series-winning Milwaukee Braves. during the 2016 season. (Photo: Bill Pearch) While the Cubs were away from the Friendly Confines, the team was pushing tickets for the upcoming 3-game series against the New York Giants. The Giants were three seasons removed from the franchise’s last World Series title, and six seasons removed from Bobby Thomson’s sabr Member “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.” Following the late-July series, the Giants would only return to Wrigley Field once more (a doubleheader on September 15) before abandoning the famed Polo Grounds and spotlight relocating to San Francisco. We all have great baseball stories to share. We like to highlight SABR Chicago Chapter members. Contact Bill Pearch, - continued on page 8 - newsletter editor, via email at [email protected] to schedule a brief interview. CHICAGO WHITE SOX 2020: 3 THE QUEST FOR AN AL CENTRAL CROWN ... OR JUST A .500 FINISH By: SCOTT LAMORTE Attention, White Sox fans: Don’t expect Gerrit Cole Bobblehead Day in 2020. Ditto for Stephen Strasburg 1979 Throwback Jersey Day (Chris Sale scissors not included). Despite moving the rebuild forward with the recent signing of Yasmani Grandal, the 2020 White Sox will likely have second-tier acquisitions to plug gaps. This becomes another glass half full versus glass half empty proposition for Sox fans. Without glitzy signings like Cole, Rendon or Strasburg, can you be happy with Grandal, Wheeler and someone like Kole Calhoun? I simply cannot see the Sox landing enough firepower to seriously compete in 2020, knowing that 2021 is the more sensible target. Starting pitching will be the biggest issue, as usual. Last year’s use of Covey, Banuelos, Despaigne, Detweiler, Santana, Santiago, Covey, Fulmer, etc., was an embarrassing carnival of starters. After Lucas Giolito, Ivan Nova’s 4.72 ERA was second lowest in the starting rotation. As bad as the AL Central was last year, you just cannot compete without the horses. Landing a second-tier guy like Zach Wheeler would certainly be helpful, but it would still leave the rotation short of being able to compete with the Indians and Twins. On the field, Luis Robert becomes The Most Interesting Man in the World for the Bridgeport Bombers in 2020. A legitimate stud prospect in center field, his acclimation to the big leagues will also drive or stall the Sox in the standings. He will step in with a lot of pressure, both offensively and defensively. If GM Rick Hahn fails to obtain a right fielder who can handle the position, Robert will be saddled in between two subpar defensive corner outfielders. That is asking a lot from an inexperienced, but seemingly capable, 22-year old. Defense up the middle also gets interesting in the infield. Gold Glove second basement and resident clubhouse goofball Yolmer Sanchez may not return to the club, as his salary after arbitration may be cost prohibitive. Nick Madrigal stands poised to take his position, but may not be ready at the start of the season. After failing to get Manny Machado despite signing most of his extended family and several guys who work out at his gym, Tim Anderson remains at shortstop. He has a knack of making the flashy plays, but also not making the routine ones. Top: The Chicago White Sox inked Yasmani Grandal to a four-year, That does not help Sox pitching. $73 million contract, the largest in franchise history. (Photo: Matt Slocum / AP) Bottom: Prospect Luis Robert will shoulder significant pressure at the plate and in the field during the 2020 campaign.

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