Chicago White Sox All-Time Team

Aaaaannndd... we're back. Let's start the AL Central tour with a trip to the Windy City. Here's the Chicago White Sox all-time team.

Not long after Comiskey Park opened the White Sox played in two World Series, winning the title in 1917 and infamously losing to the Reds two years later.

 

Hall of Fame Manager Al Lopez piloted the "Go Go Sox" to the 1959 pennant. Here's his All-Time lineup:

The "Big Hurt" Frank Thomas is at the heart of this All-Time lineup, but Lopez has to DH him to open up first base for Paul Konerko -- or Jose Abreu. Meanwhile, Harold Baines has some competition in right field.

	White Sox stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Paul Konerko	29.3	0.281	0.356	0.491	0.847	120
	Jose Abreu	31.8	0.292	0.354	0.506	0.860	134
	*Harold Baines	24.7	0.288	0.346	0.463	0.809	118
	Magglio Ordonez	25.3	0.307	0.364	0.525	0.889	127

Abreu should probably get the nod, but Konerko's oWAR and 16 years of service in the South Side allow him to stay in the starting lineup. Ordonez bumps Baines to the bench.

Here's the rest of Chicago's bench bats...

Ray Schalk and Luis Aparicio are two of the lightest-hitting Hall of Famers you'll see on the same roster. A.J. Pierzynski would be the only other option behind the plate. Tim Anderson isn't quite ready to challenge Aparicio.

Jim Landis had a battle on his hands for the fifth outfielder/center field spot:

	White Sox stats	WAR	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
	*Jim Landis	19.8	0.250	0.346	0.385	0.731	101
	Chet Lemon	24.9	0.263	0.349	0.437	0.786	117
	Fielder Jones	32.0	0.269	0.357	0.326	0.683	112

Hard not to go with a guy named Fielder, who - as his name might suggest - was great with the glove. Lemon was equally adept at defense, and he provided more power than Jones. Chet gets the call.

Lopez got a long look at some starting pitching options in spring training, but the rotation is more talented than it appears.

	White Sox stats	WAR	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Eddie Cicotte	50.0	2.25	133	1.80	1.112
	*Red Faber	67.5	3.15	119	1.21	1.302
	Doc White	34.1	2.30	114	1.97	1.121
	Mark Buehrle	48.9	3.83	120	2.48	1.282

This is why White was on my list of top 100 non-Hall of Famers. Faber's White Sox WAR is nearly twice his challenger's - but White gets the edge in every other category. The doctor is in. 

Chicago has a unique luxury in Wilbur Wood - a swingman who led the majors in games started four straight seasons and twice led the AL in games finished. He may be the only lefty in the Pale Hose 'pen, as Terry Forster loses his spot to righty Roberto Hernandez. However that might make Bobby Jenks expendable.

	White Sox stats	SV	ERA	ERA+	K/BB	WHIP
	*Bobby Jenks	173	3.40	136	3.04	1.206
	*Terry Forster	75	3.36	111	1.86	1.370
	Matt Thornton	23	3.28	137	3.16	1.196
	Roberto Hernandez	161	2.87	153	2.63	1.223

Al Lopez tabs two new relievers - Thornton and Hernandez, who should have been on the original roster.

Yeah, that's my bad. Tampa Bay needed him more, but he only played three seasons for the Rays. Read your own rules, dummy!

Looking ahead, the White Sox have a handful of players who could push for All-Time roster spots in the not-too-distant future. Anderson is the most experienced of the group; he'll turn 30(!) in June. Robert hasn't played 100 games in a season yet and Jimenez has only done so once. This season is pivotal for the future of both players.

TL; DR: Four changes from the original roster. Landis, Faber, Forster, and Jenks out. Lemon, White, Thornton, and Hernandez in.

Come back tomorrow for our next All-Time team, the Cleveland Ind--Guard ians.

 

Thanks for reading!



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