WHITE SOX HEADLINES OF NOVEMBER 21, 2017 “Thome joins Hall hopefuls in 1st time on ballot” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “Sox add top prospect Jimenez to 40-man” … Scott Merkin, MLB.com “The youngest coach in baseball manages some of the White Sox top minor leaguers” … Chuck Garfien, NBC Sports Chicago “Potential first-ballot guy and Blackout Game hero Jim Thome headlines group of former White Sox on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot” … Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago “White Sox adjust 40-man roster – including adding Eloy Jimenez – ahead of Rule 5 Draft deadline” … Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago “Three months till baseball’s back as White Sox announce spring training schedule” … Vinnie Duber, NBC Sports Chicago “Eloy Jimenez among players added to White Sox 40-man roster” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “White Sox release 32-game spring training schedule” … Mark Gonzales, Chicago Tribune “Omar Vizquel in line to manage White Sox’s Class-A team” … Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune “White Sox add Eloy Jimenez to 40-man roster” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “White Sox’ spring-training schedule announced” … Daryl Van Schouwen, Chicago Sun-Times “Which ex-Cubs and White Sox could make the Hall of Fame?” … Staff, The Athletic “White Sox add Eloy Jimenez, others to 40-man roster in advance of Rule 5 Draft” … Staff, CBS Chicago “Cubs, White Sox announce Spring Training schedules” … Staff, CBS Chicago “Omar Vizquel to manage White Sox’s Class-A Affiliate” … Staff, CBS Chicago “White Sox tab Vizquel to manage Class A Winston-Salem” … Scot Gregor, Daily Herald “White Sox release 2018 spring training schedule” … Staff, Daily Herald Thome joins Hall hopefuls in 1st time on ballot Slugger among 7 players with White Sox ties to appear on 2018 list By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | Nov. 20, 2017 CHICAGO -- Joe Crede played alongside Jim Thome during three of the slugger's four seasons with the White Sox. Aaron Rowand was traded to Philadelphia for Thome following the White Sox 2005 World Series championship season. But if Crede and Rowand -- two accomplished players in their own right -- had their way, Thome would have long ago been specially inducted into the Hall of Fame prior to waiting the requisite five years after his retirement and making his first appearance on the 2018 Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot as announced Monday. Their thought process centered more upon Thome as a teammate and human being, rather than his impressive statistics amassed over more than two decades. "He's the epitome of a baseball player," said Crede in a 2015 interview of Thome, who was one of seven players on this year's ballot with some sort of White Sox connection . "Just the greatest dude ever," said Rowand in that same interview. Manny Ramirez (second appearance) and Sammy Sosa (sixth) represent the returning players on the Hall of Fame ballot who once suited up for the White Sox. Joining Thome for the first time with White Sox ties are Andruw Jones, Omar Vizquel, Carlos Lee and Orlando Hudson. Lee had the longest White Sox tenure from this group, knocking out 152 of his 358 home runs and 957 of his 2,273 hits during six years on Chicago's South Side from 1999-2004. Ramirez had the shortest stint, playing 24 games in 2010 and hitting just one of his 555 career homers after being claimed off waivers from the Dodgers. Thome had the greatest impact of the group. He finished with 612 homers overall, joining with Sosa as two of nine players to surpass the 600 plateau. Thome's resume also featured 1,699 RBIs, 1,583 runs scored, a .402 on-base percentage, a .554 slugging percentage, 2,328 hits and 1,747 walks during a 22-year career, statistics that should stand up as a strong first-ballot Hall of Fame case with an induction announcement coming on Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. CT on MLB Network. Thome, who joined the White Sox front office on July 2, 2013, as a special assistant to general manager Rick Hahn, produced 134 home runs, 369 RBIs, a .933 OPS and a 138 OPS+ over four years with the White Sox. 9/16/07: Jim Thome hits the 500th home run of his Major League career, a walk-off winner for the White Sox Thome's 500th home run came at U.S. Cellular Field in walk-off fashion against the Angels in 2007. His solo home run off of Minnesota's Nick Blackburn provided the lone run in arguably the most exciting single game in franchise history, a 1-0 White Sox victory over the Twins in a 2008 American League Central tiebreaker to decide the division title, known as the Blackout Game. 9/30/08: Jim Thome crushes a solo homer to center field to give the White Sox the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning Being elected to the Hall of Fame was referred to by Thome as a "special thing" during a 2016 interview after he was inducted into the Indians Hall of Fame and the Phillies Wall of Fame. But it was not all-consuming for the humble and affable individual. "Winning a World Series, I've always said, is the pinnacle for every player to try to accomplish," Thome said. "And then that honor to go in that great fraternity is through longevity and playing a long time. Just having somebody recognize you for what you've done for the game, it would be very cool." Sox add top prospect Jimenez to 40-man Team also protects Gillaspie, Adolfo, Basabe and Clarkin from Rule 5 Draft By Scott Merkin / MLB.com | Nov. 20, 2017 CHICAGO -- Eloy Jimenez, the White Sox No. 1 prospect per MLBPipeline.com and No. 4 overall, was one of five players added to the White Sox 40-man roster with their contracts purchased Monday. Major League Baseball had a 7 p.m. CT deadline to add players to the 40-man and avoid their exposure to Rule 5 Draft selection on Dec. 14 at the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. First baseman Casey Gillaspie (No. 11 White Sox prospect), outfielder Micker Adolfo (No. 14), outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe (No. 17) and left-handed pitcher Ian Clarkin (No. 21) also were added. Right-handed pitchers Tyler Danish and Chris Beck were outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A Charlotte, leaving the White Sox 40-man at 39. Jimenez, who turns 21 on Nov. 27, recently finished action in the Dominican Winter League with a .368 average, five doubles, four home runs and 21 RBIs. He completed the 2017 season with three home runs and seven RBIs for Double-A Birmingham, following a promotion from Class A Winston-Salem, and figures to start the '18 season with the Barons. With continued offensive prowess, Jimenez could force his way to the big leagues at some point during the upcoming campaign after being acquired on July 13 from the Cubs as the centerpiece of the five-player Jose Quintana deal. Adolfo, 21, turned in his best performance as part of the White Sox by hitting .264 with 16 home runs, 28 doubles and 68 RBIs for Class A Kannapolis. Gillaspie, 24, had six home runs and 18 RBIs for Triple-A Charlotte after coming over from the Rays in the Dan Jennings trade, but might figure into the '18 White Sox plans. The switch-hitting Basabe, 21, came to the White Sox as part of the Chris Sale deal and hit .221 with five homers, 36 RBIs, five triples and 17 stolen bases for Winston-Salem. Clarkin, 22, becomes the fourth player added Monday from an in-season White Sox trade after the southpaw, acquired from the Yankees in a seven-player deal, had a solid and healthy Instructional League. Danish, 23, was the team's second-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of Plant City, Fla. He picked up Major League victory No. 1 during his lone start for the White Sox in '17, striking out six and walking six over five innings, and made three relief appearances in '16. Danish finished 4-14 with a 5.47 ERA over 26 games and 25 starts for the Knights, and survived a car accident in Jacksonville, Fla., with minor injuries after his car was hit by a semi on his way home following the '17 Minor League season. Beck, 27, was a second-round pick in the 2012 Draft. He has a career 6.38 ERA over 83 career appearances with the White Sox, while posting a 3.79 ERA over the first half of this past season but finishing with a 9.63 ERA over his final 24 games. The youngest coach in baseball manages some of the White Sox top minor leaguers By Chuck Garfien / NBC Sports Chicago | Nov. 20, 2017 Most minor league managers have graying sideburns, wrinkled skin and a birth date well before 1980. They’ve been through the battles of baseball and life, placed in rural dugouts across the country to teach the younger generation how to play the game. But in a town outside Charlotte, North Carolina, the White Sox are bucking this trend with a fresh-faced millennial who one day could be sitting in a major league manager’s office with his name on it. Justin Jirschele is the manager of the Kannapolis Intimidators, the White Sox Class-A affiliate. At 27 years old, he is the youngest manager in all of professional baseball. Jirschele (pronounced JIRSH-ah-lee) goes by “Jirsh” to those who know him and who play for him, which last season included top prospects like Jake Burger, Alec Hansen, Dane Dunning and Dylan Cease.