All-Time White Sox Third Baseman

So WU finally wins one and Luke Appling wins one of our biggest blow-outs yet to become the shortstop for our team.  Our All-Time team now looks as such: DH-Frank Thomas, C-Carlton Fisk, 1B-Paul Konerko, 2B-Nellie Fox, and SS-Luke Appling.  Today's installment ends the infield as I'll be covering the hot corner.  We actually have 5 candidates that I feel deserve a blurb about them, so here we go:

Lee Tannehill

So yeah, there's this guy.  He was one of our first regular third basemen, and also the first player to hit a home run in Old Comiskey Park.  That's really his only interesting fact.  So here are the numbers he put up in his ten year career on the South Side: 1090 games, 331 runs, 833 hits, 135 doubles, 27 triples, 3 homers, 346 RBI, 63 stolen bases, and a slash-line of .220/.269/.273/.542.  Look at that OPS, that's freaking awesome!

Pete Ward

He's French-Canadian, so that's cool.  He also played seven seasons for the Pale Hose.  But unfortunately, he's another one I couldn't find much info on.  Fortunately, we have Jim.  Everything in quotes following this is all him.  "Ward was a great-hitting, unremarkable defensive third baseman until his car was rear-ended leaving a Blackhawks game of April 1965. He got whiplash, and his neck was never the same. He never got his bat back, and he also developed some weight issues after the injury.Al Lopez tried moving him off third, but he never hit enough to play any less important defensive positions, so they traded him when Melton came up." So we'll just jump to the numbers: 557 games, 541 hits, 101 doubles, 64 homers, 279 RBI, and a slash-line of .267/.342/.424/.766.

Bill Melton

Beltin' Bill Melton was the franchise leader in home runs until Harold Baines passed him in 1987.  Eventually, he would fall to seventh on the list with JD most likely passing him if he's still on the team this year.  He was an All-Star in 1971, the best year of his career.  He never got the chance to reach his full potential as he slipped and ended up with a herniated disc.  He know commentates before and after our games on Comcast Sportsnet.  And he seems like a nice person.  Here are the numbers from his eight seasons with us: 864 games, 815 hits, 122 doubles, 133 homers, 471 RBI, and a slash-line of .260/.342/.431/.773.

*Very Off-Topic Moment*

So the image that popped up when I ran Melton's P-I was of Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown.  So I got curious as to if any pictures of this three-fingered hand were out there.  

There is.  Sorry bout that, just felt like sharing.

Robin Ventura

Next up is the man Bill James named the best third baseman of the 90's, Robin Ventura.  Robin Ventura was the Sox third baseman for ten seasons.  And he was good.  Surprisingly, he was only an All-Star once with us (1992).  He did, however, rack up five Gold Gloves.  And he hit 10 grand slams for us, two on 9/4/95.  He also came to bat to Nancy Faust's renditions of "Rockin' Robin" and the theme from the old Batman TV show.  Robin ranks sixth in the franchise in home runs, eigth in RBI, and fourth in walks.  He also holds a memory as the first gruesome sports accident I remember seeing on television.  Back in 1997, he seriously fucked his ankle up on a slide into home plate in a spring training game.  I still remember Mark Giangreco warning the squeamish not to watch.  To the disappointment of many, Robin was allowed to leave as a free agent and never wound up playing for us again.  Here are his numbers: 1203 games, 1200 hits, 214 doubles, 167 homers, 715 RBI, and a slash-line of .273/.364/.441/.804.  It would be nice to have a third basemen like him again.

Joe Crede

What can I say about Joe that everyone on here doesn't already know?  The answer is probably nothing.  But seeing as he won a ring, he's gonna get a nice(ish) paragraph written about him.  Joe Crede is one hell of a good defender.  The amount of amazing plays he's made over the past few seasons (including the post-season and the no-hitter) probably could only have been made by very few players.  If his back hadn't gotten destroyed, he'd probably be just as amazing with the leather now.  Unfortunately, his back is pretty bad.  Joe won the Silver Slugger in 2006 (somehow) and was an All-Star (once again, somehow) this last season.  I do not dislike Joe Crede, there were just better choices than him for both of those.  Joe seemed to have a knack for coming up with the timely hit (that homer against Cleveland in 05 was awesome).  He killed the Angels in the 05 ALCS.  We might not have won it all in 2005 without him over at the hot corner.  He will most likely be leaving us this off-season, potentially ending his nine-year career with us.  Here are his numbers, thanks again for 05 Joe: 780 games, 708 hits, 143 doubles, 125 homers, 419 RBI, and a slash-line of .258/.306/.449/.755.