1957
While this was only the 11th best season of his career according to WAR, Warren Spahn was a near-unanimous pick to win what would be the only Cy Young of his career. He earned 15 of 16 votes in what was then an award given in the MLB, not by league. The stellar southpaw led the majors with 21 wins and 18 complete games, posting a 4.8 WAR and an ERA of 2.69. He also substituted in four games and earned saves in three of them! Spahn’s 18 CGs also began a seven-season stretch of leading the NL in complete games, and in six of those seasons he led the entire MLB.
Spahn’s unanimous bid was spoiled by the White Sox pitcher Dick Donovanwho stole a voice away. Like Spahn, Donovan would have at least one better season under his belt (1961), but 1957 was the closest he got to a Cy. In fact, this was the only year the righty would ever earn Cy Young votes. Donovan posted a WAR of 3.9 and led the majors with a .727 winning percentage (16-6 record). His 16 complete games led the American League.
Donovan finished 13th in the AL MVP voting, while Spahn finished fifth in the NL tally.
1960
After a mediocre season spent largely in Triple-A, catcher Dick Brown was sold to Milwaukee. Brown had come to the White Sox the previous offseason as a small part of the trade that entailed Minnie Minoso back to Chicago. In 16 games on the South Side in 1960, Brown had just seven hits (four of which stayed in the park) and shot just 1 of 7 runners stealing.
1961
The White Sox sent a slugger Roy Sievers to the Phillies for jug Johnny Buzzardt and third baseman Charley Smith.
Buzhardt would become part of the great Sox starting rotation in the mid-1960s and was especially good against the Yankees (7-0 against between 1962 and 1967). He won 48 games in 5 ½ years, with an ERA of 3.37, and in his standout season of 1963, he posted a 2.32 ERA and 3.2 WAR in just 19 games!
Smith played a bad corner for the White Sox in 1962, spent almost all of 1963 in Triple-A and was dumped to the Mets April 1964.
The White Sox and Phillies have been good partners this offseason, making a second trade in just 17 days on December 15.
1977
After making his Major League debut in 1976 with the Texas Rangers but then spent all of 1977 in Triple-A with the Yankees, Greg Pryor sensing the available playing time in Chicago, he signed with the White Sox. The infielder would spend four years on the South Side before being traded to Kansas City as Spring Training 1982 came to a close.
Pryor proved to be a better defender than a hitter, but to his credit he had a strong 2.8-WAR season in his lone year as a regular with the White Sox, 1979.
#Today #White #Sox #history #November