The White Sox have seen several second basemen and shortstops who have bucked the trend of the “light-hitting middle infielder.” The team has had four of its middle infielders get inducted into the Hall of Fame and all of them rank high in team history in several statistical categories.

The Best Middle Infielders in Chicago White Sox History

Second Basemen

Honorary Mentions – Don Kolloway was in Chicago for eight seasons (1940-43 and 45-49) while the team worked its way back into contention. In 1942, “Butch” hit .273 with 60 runs batted in while posting career highs with 72 runs scored, 164 hits, 40 doubles (which also led the American League), and 16 stolen bases. Despite missing two years during World War II, Kolloway totaled 708 hits and 246 RBIs in 683 games.

Gordon Beckham started his career at third base for a year before moving to his more customary position. His best season was 2012 when he drove in 60 runs and set career highs with 62 runs, 123 hits, and 16 home runs. Beckham was a great fielder, posting a .985 fielding percentage in seven seasons with the White Sox (2009-14 and ’15) and also earning the Wilson Defensive Player Award at second base in 2013. In 839 games, he had 681 hits, 67 homers, and 296 RBIs.

5. Minter “Jackie” Hayes – He spent nine years with the White Sox (1932-40) and helped the team achieve a winning record in his final four seasons. Hayes’s best year was 1933 when he reached career highs with 65 runs and 138 hits to go along with 47 runs batted in. A solid fielder, he had 820 hits, 384 RBIs, and a .264 average in 809 games.

4. Jorge Orta – He was a solid hitter and fielder with Chicago for eight seasons (1972-79). Orta was an All-Star in 1975 when he hit .304 with 165 hits, 26 doubles, 10 triples, 11 home runs, and 83 runs batted in. Overall, he batted .281 and had 442 runs, 1,002 hits, 79 homers, and 456 RBIs in 990 games. After leaving the White Sox, he went to the Royals and was part of the team’s run to the championship in 1985.

3. Ray Durham – The two-time All-Star was a solid fielder who had 150 or more hits six times, scored more than 100 runs and had 20 or more doubles five times apiece, and stole more than 30 bases four times in eight seasons with Chicago (1995-2002). Durham ranks fifth in team history in stolen bases (219) and ninth in both runs (784) and doubles (249). In addition, he has 1,246 hits, 53 triples, 106 home runs, 484 RBIs, and a .278 average in 1,146 games.

2. Eddie Collins – He started and ended his 25-year career with the Philadelphia Athletics, but he had a 12-year run with the White Sox in the middle (1915-26). Collins was the reigning MVP when he was purchased by Chicago for $50,000, and he soon showed he was well worth the investment. Despite missing half of the 1918 season due to service with the Marine Corps during World War I, Collins was essential to the team’s success. In the 1917 World Series victory, he had nine hits, four runs scored, two runs batted in and three stolen bases.

Two years later, amidst the “Black Sox” Scandal, he had seven hits and scored two runs. However, the White Sox locker room was split between those in favor of Charles Comiskey’s ownership (which Collins, as team captain, was seen as their leader) and those who were against his penny-pinching ways (most notably, first baseman Chick Gandil). Even after the scandal took effect, Collins proved to be a stellar player. In 1920, he scored 117 runs, and added 13 triples and 76 RBIs while setting career highs with a .372 average, 38 doubles, and 224 hits, which is also a team record.

A six-time fielding champion, Collins recorded his 3,000th hit in 1925, becoming the sixth player in Major League history to reach the mark. He hit .300 or better ten times, had nine seasons with at least 80 runs scored and 150 hits, eight with at least 20 doubles and six with double-digit triples and at least 40 stolen bases (he led the league three times).

Nicknamed “Cocky” for his Ivy League education and overabundance of self-confidence, Collins is the all-time franchise leader with 360 stolen bases, and he ranks second in batting average (.331), tied for third in triples (102), fifth in hits (2,007) and runs (1,065), sixth in total bases (2,570), seventh in doubles (266) and RBIs (803) and tied for seventh in games played (1,670). He is also the all-time Major League leader with 512 sacrifice bunts. Collins was released and went back to the A’s in 1927 and spent his final four seasons with Philadelphia. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

1. Nellie Fox – After being traded by the Athletics to the White Sox, he become one of the best fielders of his (or any) era, winning three gold gloves in 14 seasons (1950-63). Fox finished in the top ten of the MVP voting six times and was named MVP in 1959 after posting 84 runs, 191 hits, 34 doubles, 70 RBIs, and a .306 average to beat out teammates Luis Aparicio and Early Wynn for the award. “Mighty Mite” had 12 straight seasons with at least 160 hits (and was a four-time league leader), had 20 or more doubles 11 times, at least 80 runs scored nine times, and hit over .300 in six seasons.

Fox was a 15-time All-Star (three times, he went twice in a season when the MLB had two games), and he had nine hits, four runs scored, and three runs batted in during the 1959 World Series. He hit .291 during his White Sox tenure, and he ranks second in hits (2,470), tied for second in triples (104), third in games (2,115) and runs (1,187), fourth in doubles (335) and tenth in RBIs (740). Fox was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1997.

Shortstops

Honorable Mentions – George “Buck” Weaver started his career with four seasons as a shortstop and played a fifth at the position in 1918. He had 672 hits, 201 RBIs and 91 stolen bases in 694 games at shortstop, but he was suspended for life in 1920 as part of the “Black Sox” Scandal.

George Davis was a star with the New York Giants in the 1890s before jumping to the American League. He played with Chicago in 1902 and 1904-09, with a four-game stint with New York mixed in thanks to some legal back-and-forth between the two teams. Davis had 15 triples, 69 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases in 1904, and he drove in 80 runs two years later, his best total with Chicago. He had 785 hits, 377 runs batted in, and 162 steals in 856 games Davis had four hits, three doubles, four runs scored and six RBIs in the 1906 World Series. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1998.

Current starter Tim Anderson has earned two All-Star selections and the 2020 silver slugger award during his eight seasons with the White Sox (2016-present). He led the league with a .335 average in 2019 and 45 runs in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but his best year was 2021, when he was an All-Star after hitting .309 with a career-best 94 runs to go along with 163 hits, 17 home runs and 61 runs batted in. So far, Anderson has batted .283 with 514 runs, 988 hits, 173 doubles, 98 home runs, 334 RBIs, and 115 stolen bases in 863 games. However, his detractors will note his attitude issues and temper as strikes against him.

5. Alexei Ramirez – Before Anderson, there was Ramirez, who began his career as a second baseman before moving one spot to his right. He hit .290 with 21 home runs and a career-best 77 runs batted in to win Rookie of the Year in 2008. Ramirez earned his only All-Star selection in 2014 when he hit .273 with 82 runs, 170 hits, 35 doubles, 15 homers, 74 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases. He was also a two-time silver slugger and a Wilson Defensive Player Award winner in 2012. Over eight seasons (2008-15), Ramirez had 563 runs, 1,272 hits, 227 doubles, 104 home runs, 542 RBIs, and 135 stolen bases in 1,226 games. He went 3-for-12 with two RBIs in a loss to the Rays in the 2008 Division Series.

4. Alfonso “Chico” Carrasquel – He was a four-time All-Star (and the first Latin-born player to appear in an All-Star Game) who also won three fielding titles in six seasons with the White Sox (1950-55). Carrasquel’s best season was 1954 when he set career highs with 106 runs, 158 hits, 12 home runs, and 62 runs batted in. Overall, he hit .265 with 410 runs, 825 hits, and 307 RBIs in 837 games.

3. Ozzie Guillen – Before he led the team to the 2005 World Series championship as a manager, he spent 13 years with the White Sox as a player (1985-97). Guillen was a three-time All-Star and a 1990 gold glove winner who began his career by winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1985. In the 1993 ALCS, he had six hits, four runs, and two RBIs in a loss to the eventual-champion Blue Jays. Guillen hit .265 with 693 runs, 240 doubles 565 RBIs, and 163 stolen bases in his Chicago tenure. He ranks sixth in games played (1,743), seventh in hits (1,608), and tenth in total bases (2,056) and triples (68).

2. Luis Aparicio – He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1956 after hitting .266 with 56 runs batted in and a league-leading 21 stolen bases. “Little Louie” was an eight-time All-Star and a seven-time gold glove winner who led the American League in steals each of his first seven seasons, had 150 or more hits six times, and scored at least 80 runs five times.

Aparicio finished second in the MVP voting in 1959 after totaling 157 hits and 51 RBIs and setting career highs with 98 runs and 56 stolen bases. He had eight hits, a run scored, and a stolen base in the World Series loss to the Dodgers. In 10 seasons (1956-62 and 68-70), Aparicio hit .269 with 223 doubles, 54 triples, and 464 RBIs. He ranks second in franchise history in stolen bases (318), seventh in runs (791), eighth in hits (1,576), and ninth in games played (1,511). Aparicio became the first player from Venezuela to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.

1. Luke Appling – He was nicknamed “Old Aches and Pains” due to his penchant for complaining, usually to excuse his average defense. However, he was the club’s best offensive weapon for two decades and, despite missing the 1944 season due to World War II, he still put together a 20-year career with the White Sox (1930-50). The seven-time All-Star and two-time batting champion hit better than .300 an astounding 16 times. He also had 13 seasons with at least 20 doubles, 11 with 150 or more hits and eight with at least 80 runs scored.

Appling finished second to Lou Gehrig in the American League MVP race in 1936 when he set career highs with 111 runs, 204 hits, 128 runs batted in, and a .388 average, a mark that also led the league and is a team record. He is the all-time franchise leader in games played (2,422) and hits (2,749), and he ranks second in runs (1,319) and doubles (440), third in RBIs (1,116), tied for third in triples (102), eighth in stolen bases (179) and tied for eighth in batting average (.310). Appling was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.

Previous Series

A look back at the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops
Chicago Cubs Outfielders
Chicago Cubs Pitchers

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

Source

Many teams up to this point (Braves, Red Sox, and Cubs) have seen the outfielders as the stars on offense, that will not be the case with the White Sox. Their best players come mostly from the infield, especially first base, where they have had three bona fide stars over the past 30 years.

The Best Corner Infielders and DHs in Chicago White Sox History

First Basemen

Honorable Mentions – Joe Kuhel was a starter during some of the club’s down years in the 1930s and ’40s. His best season was in 1940 when he set career highs with 111 runs and 27 home runs to go along with 169 hits, 94 runs batted in, and a .280 average. In eight seasons with the White Sox (1938-43 and 46-47), Kuhel totaled 523 runs, 874 hits, 75 home runs and 382 RBIs in 899 games.

Greg Walker was a starter for Chicago for nine seasons (1982-90). He had a sold year in 1985 and set career bests with 85 runs scored, 27 home runs, and 94 runs batted in two years later. Walker had 746 hits, 113 homers, and 444 RBIs in 841 games. He went 1-for-3 for the White Sox during the 1983 American League Championship Series.

5. Frank Isbell – He was the starter during the White Sox’s first decade (1901-09), which includes the team’s first championship. Nicknamed “Bald Eagle,” Isbell’s best season was the club’s first. He set career highs with 93 runs, 70 runs batted in, and a league-leading 52 stolen bases in 1901. In 1,074 he amassed 484 runs, 1,019 hits, 447 RBIs, and 250 steals (third-most in team history). Isbell had eight hits, four runs scored, four doubles, and four runs batted in during the team’s World Series victory over the Cubs in 1906.

4. Earl Sheely – He took over for Chick Gandil after the “Black Sox” Scandal and had six straight seasons with at least 150 hits and 80 runs batted in. Sheely’s best season was 1925 when he set career highs with 93 runs, 189 hits, 43 doubles, and 111 RBIs. “Whitey” played seven seasons with the White Sox (1921-27) and had 479 runs, 1,051 hits, 580 RBIs, and a .305 average in 948 games.

3. Jose Abreu – The Cuban-born slugger earned three All-Star selections and three silver slugger awards during his nine years in Chicago (2014-22). Abreu hit .317 with 80 runs, 176 hits, 36 home runs, and 107 RBIs in 2014 to win the Rookie of the Year award. He led the league with 123 RBIs in 2019 and won the MVP and Hank Aaron awards the following year after leading the league with 76 hits and 60 runs batted in to go along with 43 runs, 19 home runs, and a .317 average in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. “Oso” (Spanish for “Bear”) hit .292 in 1,270 games with the White Sox. He ranks third in franchise history with 234 home runs and also is fifth in RBIs (868), sixth in doubles (303), seventh in total bases (2,509), and tenth in both runs (697) and hits (1,445). Abreu had nine hits, a home run, and five RBIs in seven playoff games with the White Sox. He signed with the Astros for the 2023 season.

2. Frank Thomas – Although many fans remember him as a first baseman, he actually played more games as a designated hitter, so he gets the top spot at that position. The “Big Hurt” led the American League with 46 home runs in 1992 then won back-to-back MVP awards. In 1993, he totaled 106 runs, 174 hits, 36 doubles, 41 home runs, 128 runs batted in, and a .317 average. The following year, he hit .353, equaled his run total (which also led the league), and he added 34 doubles, 38 homers, and 1,010 RBIs. Thomas made the All-Star team five times in seven seasons at first base (1992-97), won the 1995 All-Star Home Run Derby, earned two silver slugger awards, and went 6-for-17 with a home run and three RBIs in the 1993 ALCS.

In his 16-year career (1990-2005), he hit over .300 and drove in at least 100 runs ten times each, scored over 100 runs and had at least 30 doubles nine times apiece and had 150 or more hits and smacked 30 or more home runs eight times each. Thomas is the all-time franchise leader in runs (1,327), doubles (447), home runs (448), and RBIs (1,465). The Hall of Famer also ranks second in total bases (3,949), fourth in both games played (1,949) and hits (2,136) and is tied for tenth in average (.307).

1. Paul Konerko – Thomas was able to shift to designated hitter because of Konerko’s production at first base. In 16 years with the White Sox (1999-2014), Konerko had 150 or more hits 11 times, had at least 30 doubles eight times, scored more than 80 runs and hit at least 30 home runs seven times apiece, drove in at least 100 runs six times and hit better than .300 in four seasons.

The six-time All-Star and 2014 Roberto Clemente Award winner was especially good in the playoffs, totaling 18 hits, seven home runs, and 17 RBIs in 19 postseason games. Konerko earned the ALCS MVP award in 2005 after going 6-for-21 with two home runs and seven runs batted in, and he followed that up with a homer and four RBIs in the World Series sweep of the Astros. He is the all-time franchise leader in total bases (4,010) and he ranks second in games played (2,268), home runs (432) and RBIs (1,383), third in hits (2,292) and doubles (406) and fourth in runs (1,141).

Third Basemen

Honorable Mentions – Lee Tannehill started as a shortstop and moved to the “hot corner” during his 10-year stint in Chicago (1903-12) which included the team’s first championship in 1906. The light-hitting Tannehill had 833 hits and 346 RBIs while hitting just .220 in 1,090 games. George “Buck” Weaver was a good fielder who saw his career come to a premature end due to his part in the “Black Sox” Scandal (he didn’t take bribes, but he knew about the others and said nothing).

Weaver spent his nine-year career (1912-20) split between shortstop and third base. His best season was his last, driving in 74 runs and setting career highs with a .331 average, 102 runs, 208 hits, and 34 doubles in 1920. Weaver hit .272 with 623 runs, 1,308 hits, 198 doubles, 420 runs batted in, and 173 stolen bases in 1,254 games. He had seven hits, three runs, and an RBI in the 1917 championship victory and 11 hits and four runs scored in the World Series two years later. Weaver became a pharmacist in Chicago after he received his lifetime ban from baseball.

Pete Ward also spent time in left field during his seven-year run in Chicago (1963-69). He finished second to teammate Gary Peters in the 1963 Rookie of the Year voting, then put together his best season the following year, hitting .282 and adding career-bests with 23 home runs and 94 runs batted in. Ward had 753 hits, 97 homers, and 407 RBIs in 899 games played.

Current White Sox star Yoan Moncada was known to the baseball community before he came up to the big leagues. He was the MVP of the MLB Futures Game in 2016 after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning. Moncada’s best season was 2019 when he set career highs with a .315 average, 83 runs, 161 hits, 34 doubles, 25 homers, and 79 runs batted in. In seven seasons (2017-present), he has 351 runs, 655 hits, 86 homers, and 317 RBIs in 690 games. Moncada also has five hits and three runs scored in seven postseason contests.

5. Joe Crede – He spent just five of his nine seasons (2000-08) as a starter but one of those was the team’s championship campaign. Crede won a silver slugger award in 2006 after batting .283 and setting career highs with 76 runs, 154 hits, 30 home runs, and 94 runs batted in. The 2008 All-Star totaled 712 hits, 125 homers, and 403 RBIs in 798 games. Crede hit .289 with 13 hits, three doubles, four home runs, and 11 RBIs during the 2005 playoffs.

4. Jimmy Dykes – He started as a second baseman and played all four infield positions during his 15 years with the Philadelphia Athletics (which included two titles), and he continued to be a versatile player in seven seasons with the White Sox (1933-39). Dykes was a two-time All-Star who appeared in the first game in 1933. He had his best season the following year when he hit .269 with 52 runs, 122 hits, seven home runs, and 82 runs batted in. Overall, Dykes batted .272 with 551 hits and 307 RBIs in 580 games.

3. Bill Melton – He was a solid power hitter during his eight-year stint in Chicago (1968-75). “Big Bill” had back-to-back seasons with 33 home runs, and he led the American League and earned his only All-Star selection during his second of those years in 1971. He hit at least 20 home runs five times and drove in 80 or more four times with the White Sox. Overall, Melton had 448 runs, 901 hits, 154 homers (ninth-most in team history), and 535 RBIs in 976 games.

2. Willie Kamm – He was a solid fielder who played with only two winning teams in his nine seasons (1923-31) with the post “Black Sox” team in Chicago. Kamm had five seasons with at least 30 doubles, and he drove in 80 or more runs four times. He totaled 545 runs, 1,136 hits, 243 doubles, 67 triples, 588 runs batted in, and a .279 average in 1,171 games.

1. Robin Ventura – He was known for his slick fielding and timely hitting during his ten seasons with the White Sox (1989-98). The 1992 All-Star and five-time gold glove winner had his best season in 1996 when he hit .287 with 105 runs batted in and career highs with 96 runs scored and 34 home runs. Ventura had six seasons with at least 80 RBIs and five with more than 80 runs scored and 20 home runs.

He ranks seventh in team history with 171 home runs and sits ninth with 741 RBIs, while also totaling 658 runs, 1,244 hits, 219 doubles, and a .274 average in 1,254 games. Ventura homered and drove in five runs in the 1993 ALCS, but his three greatest moments were winning the gold medal with Team USA in the 1988 Summer Olympics, his “fight” with Nolan Ryan during a game in 1993, and his game-winning “grand slam single” for the Mets against the Braves in Game 5 of the 1999 National League Championship Series.

Designated Hitters

5. Greg Luzinski – The four-time All-Star with the Phillies earned two Designated Hitter of the Year awards (now called the Edgar Martinez Award) with the White Sox. His best season was 1982 when he batted .292 with 170 hits, 18 home runs, and 102 runs batted in. Luzinski had 496 hits, 84 homers, and 317 RBIs in 992 games with Chicago. He went 2-for-15 with a double in the 1983 ALCS loss to the Orioles.

4. Adam Dunn – His career seemed to usher in the “all or nothing” era we have seen in the past few years. “Big Donkey” hit just .201 in four seasons with the White Sox (2011-14), but he showed plenty of power. In 2012, he was an All-Star despite hitting .204 due to his 41 home runs and 91 runs batted in, plus league-leading totals of 105 walks and 222 strikeouts (also a career-high). Dunn had 106 homers, 278 RBIs, and 720 strikeouts in 528 games with Chicago.

3. Jim Thome – He was coming off elbow and back injuries when he was traded from the Indians to the White Sox after the 2005 season. Thome responded in 2006 with 108 runs scored, 42 home runs, and 109 runs batted in to win the Comeback Player of the Year award and earn his only All-Star selection with Chicago. He played four seasons with the White Sox (2006-09) and totaled 335 runs, 469 hits, 134 home runs, and 369 RBIs in 529 games. Thomas was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.

2. Harold Baines – He split his 14 seasons with Chicago (1980-89, 96-97, and 2000-01) evenly between right field and designated hitter. As a DH in the later part of his White Sox tenure, Baines was selected to a pair of All-Star games, was a two-time Designated Hitter of the Year winner, and was named a silver slugger in 1989.

Although his numbers tailed off at the end of his career, he totaled ten seasons with 20 or more doubles, eight with at least 80 runs batted in, and seven each with at least 150 hits and 20 home runs. Baines hit .288 and ranks fourth in franchise history in home runs (221) and RBIs (981), fifth in doubles (320), sixth in hits (1,773), tied for seventh in games played (1,670) and eighth in runs scored (786). He also had a double and a run scored during the 2000 Division Series. Baines was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 2019, a move that has led to many an argument over Hall of Fame induction standards.

1. Frank Thomas – While his full career was discussed in his first base profile, he spent nine of his 17 seasons as a designated hitter (1991 and 98-2005). In that time, Thomas won two silver slugger awards and had three seasons with at least 30 home runs and four with 100 or more runs batted in. Despite not being an All-Star at the position, he hit .285 and totaled 646 runs, 1,053 hits, 232 doubles, 223 homers, and 720 RBIs in 1,041 games. The “Big Hurt” saw his final two seasons marred by a foot injury, which led to his retirement. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, his first year of eligibility.

Previous Series

A look back at the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops
Chicago Cubs Outfielders
Chicago Cubs Pitchers

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

Source

The Chicago White Sox began play when the American League declared itself a major league in 1901. However, the club got its start a few years earlier. Charles Comiskey, a first baseman who played and managed against the other Chicago team, the Cubs (then known as the White Stockings) in the World Series in 1885 and ’86 as a member of the American Association’s St. Louis Browns, bought the Sioux City franchise in the Western League in 1895. He moved the team first to Minneapolis for five years and then to Chicago. 

While his father, a former city council member, was disappointed in his son’s career choice (John wanted him to become a plumber), Charles turned baseball into a lucrative business, at least for himself. The White Sox were competitive right away, winning the pennant in the American League’s first season. The early hitting was not great, but the pitching was spectacular, with starters Ed Walsh and Doc White carrying the light-hitting bunch called the “Hitless Wonders” to a World Series title over the crosstown rival Cubs in 1906.

Comiskey showed love to the fans and the city of Chicago, building a new stadium in 1910 (which he, of course, named after himself) and also buying the best talent in the game, but he did his best to hold down player salaries, including forcing the players to pay their own uniform cleaning fees in 1916. That incident, NOT the far worse one three years later, was the first use of the term “Black Sox” because their uniforms turned black from the dirt after a while. The White Sox won the World Series again in 1917, with Comiskey taking the uniform cleaning fee from their bonus. 

The penny-pinching ways of their owner divided the locker room into rival cliques, with the less-educated, blue-collar players such as Eddie Cicotte and Chick Gandil demanding better treatment and established leaders like Ray Schalk and captain Eddie Collins siding with Comiskey. As the story goes, eight players (although there is some question about at least two) turned to gamblers and agreed to lose the 1919 World Series to the Reds in exchange for $100,000. However, the full amount was never paid and some of the players reconsidered before the gamblers turned to death threats to get their point across, and the Reds won the series 5 to 3. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson tried to alert Comiskey of the fix, but the owner refused to meet with him. All the players were tried and acquitted of conspiracy charges, but new baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned all eight players for life in late 1921. 

Comiskey’s team didn’t win another pennant after the Scandal for 40 years. Although he alienated many of his players, he was beloved by other owners and executives, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Comiskey died in 1931 and his son, Lou, passed away in 1940. When a trust run by First National Bank tried to sell the team, Lou’s widow, Grace, took control, giving 54 percent to her daughter, Dorothy, and 46 percent to her son, Chuck. Dorothy wanted to sell to her brother in 1959 but sold to longtime executive Bill Veeck instead after Chuck low-balled an offer to his own sister. On the field, Chicago went from a team unwilling to run to the “Go-Go” White Sox, a team that led the league in stolen bases 11 straight seasons and challenged for the pennant several times in the 1950s, finally going to the World Series in 1959, where they lost to the Dodgers. 

Veeck and former Tigers great Hank Greenberg sold their controlling stake in the team to businessmen brothers Arthur and John Allyn in 1961. Chuck Comiskey refused to sell to the Allyns, but he did sell his share of the team to Bill Bartholomay and the LaSalle Corporation, with the understanding that they would be able to buy out the Allyns. When that was proven not to be possible, Bartholomay sold the shares to the Allyns and used the money to buy the Milwaukee Braves instead. 

Arthur Allyn sold his shares to his brother, John, who then sold a majority interest in the team for $10 million back to Veeck and Greenberg in 1975. Veeck wanted to sell to Eddie DeBarolo in 1981, but the other owners declined because he lived in Ohio instead of Illinois. DeBartolo instead bought the NFL’s 49ers, who have had far more success than the White Sox. Instead, the team was sold to Chicago Bulls owner and real estate developer Jerry Reinsdorf and former sports television executive Eddie Einhorn for $50 million.

In the 45 years from 1959 to 2004, the White Sox went to the playoffs just three times, with American League Championship losses in 1983 and ’93, as well as a loss in the Division Series in 2000. Chicago finally broke its 88-year championship drought in 2005 when former shortstop Ozzie Guillen led his team to 99 wins and a sweep of the Astros in the World Series. Since that time, the White Sox have been to the playoffs three times, with losses coming in the Division Series in 2008 and 2021 and a defeat in the Wild Card round in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. 

Throughout the upcoming articles, there will be players from all eras of White Sox baseball, especially from the team’s high points in its first two decades and the recent era around the 2005 championship. 

The Best Catchers and Managers in Chicago White Sox History

Catchers

Honorable Mention – Billy Sunday was with the team for its first 13 years (1901-12 and 13), playing 1,052 games and registering 692 hits and 325 RBIs in that span. His best season was his first with the club, hitting .245 and posting career highs with 90 hits and 56 runs batted in. Sunday was a starter on the “Hitless Wonders” when they won the World Series in 1906 and he certainly personified that nickname. He hit just .207 for his career and went 0-for-21 in the series against the Cubs. 

5. Mike Tresh – He was with the White Sox during their 40-year playoff drought and spent 11 seasons in Chicago (1938-48). Tresh was a 1945 All-Star who had 788 hits and 297 RBIs in 989 games. His best season was 1940, when he totaled career highs with a .281 average, 62 runs, 135 hits, and 64 runs batted in. 

4. A.J. Pierzynski – He was a solid contributor for eight seasons (2005-12) and became popular during Chicago’s run to the 2005 World Series (even appearing in matches for NWA-TNA Wrestling). Pierzynski was an All-Star in 2006 and earned a silver slugger in 2012 when he hit .278 with 27 home runs and 77 runs batted in, both career highs. Overall, he hit .279 with 1,087 hits, 198 doubles, 118 homers, and 460 RBIs in 1,068 games. Pierzynski had 16 hits, three home runs, and 10 RBIs in 16 career playoff games and drove in three runs in the sweep of the Astros in the 2005 World Series. 

3. Sherm Lollar – He was another backstop who appeared in the World Series after a long playoff drought. Lollar was an eight-time All-Star and a three-time gold glove winner during his 12 seasons in Chicago (1952-63). His two best seasons were 1956 when he drove in 75 runs and set career highs with 28 doubles and a .293 average, and 1959 when he posted career bests with 134 hits, 22 home runs, and 84 runs batted in. Overall, Lollar had 1,122 hits, 124 homers, and 631 RBIs in 1,358 games. He homered and drove in five runs in the loss to the Dodgers in the 1959 World Series. 

2. Ray Schalk – His long run in Chicago lasted 17 years (1912-28) and saw the franchise through the “Black Sox” scandal. In fact, he was the player who first suspected something was amiss and notified manager Kid Gleason. When everything hit the fan in 1920 Schalk, like many others on the team, had a career year, hitting .270 and setting career highs with 64 runs scored, 131 hits, 25 doubles, and 61 runs batted in. Despite his reputation as a defensive standout, he was also a solid offensive player, recording 579 runs, 1,345 hits, 593 RBIs, and 177 stolen bases (a mark that is ninth-best in team history and includes 30 in 1916) in 1,757 games played (which ranks fifth on the all-time franchise list). “Cracker” hit .286 with two RBIs in 14 World Series Games. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1955. 

1. Carlton Fisk – He was a four-time All-Star and a three-time silver slugger winner who followed his Red Sox career with 13 more solid seasons with the White Sox (1981-93). “Pudge” had his best season for Chicago in 1985, when he scored 85 times, had 129 hits, and set career highs with 37 home runs and 107 RBIs. His 33 homers at catcher that season set a single-season record for the position at the time. Fisk broke the Major League record for career home runs by a catcher by hitting his 328th in 1990, and he set the games played record by a catcher when he reached 2,226 in 1993. During his time with the White Sox, Fisk had 649 runs, 1,259 hits, and 214 doubles. He also ranks fifth on the franchise list in home runs (214, including four seasons with 20 or more), eighth in RBIs (762), ninth in total bases (2,143), and tenth in games played (1,421). Fisk had three hits in the loss to the Orioles in the 1983 American League Championship Series. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.

Managers

Honorable Mentions – Rick Renteria went 239-309 in four seasons with the White Sox (2017-2020), and he led them to the Wild Card round in 2020. Gene Lamont spent parts of four seasons in Chicago (1992-95), and his clubs produced a 258-210 record and a trip to the American League Championship Series in 1993. William “Kid” Gleason had the unfortunate distinction of being the manager during the “Black Sox” scandal. Over four seasons (1919-23), he went 392-364, took the team to the World Series in 1919, and led the team to 96 wins the following year despite all of the distractions (the very public trial, a new commissioner and the continued cheap and miserly decisions of the team’s owner). Paul Richards led the White Sox during their return to respectability. His teams went 406-362 over five seasons (1951-54 and 1976) but never finished higher than third. Jerry Manuel ranks fifth in team history in victories, going 500-471 over six seasons (1998-2003). He took the White Sox to the Division Series in 2000. Tony LaRussa is tied for third on the all-time franchise list with a 678-644 mark, and he is one of only two managers to lead the White Sox to the playoffs twice. He spent 10 years in Chicago in two stints (1979-86 and 2021-22), leading the club to 99 wins and an ALCS berth in 1983, and also overseeing the club’s run to the Division Series in 2021. However, by that time, it was clear that the game had passed him by at age 77. The 1983 Manager of the Year and the man who ranks second in Major League history with 2,901 victories was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Expansion Era Committee in 2014. 

5. Jimmy Dykes – An infielder-turned-manager, Dykes is the all-time franchise leader in victories, having amassed an 899-940 record in 13 seasons (1934-46). The White Sox finished at .500 or better six times during that span but never finished better than third in the American League.

4. Clarence “Pants” Rowland – Although he was only a Major League manager for four seasons (1915-18), he led the White Sox to some of their best performances. Rowland steadily led Chicago up the standings, setting a franchise record with 100 wins in 1917 and leading the team to a World Series victory that would end up being their last for a very long time. He finished with a 339-247 record. 

3. Fielder Jones – Like many teams of the day, the White Sox employed a player-manager strategy in the early 1900s. Jones played center field and led the team to a 426-293 record during his five seasons at the helm (1904-08). Under his watch, the “Hitless Wonders” won 93 games and defeated their crosstown rivals the Cubs in the 1906 World Series. 

2. Ozzie Guillen – The slick-fielding former White Sox shortstop turned into a fiery, outspoken manager for the team. In eight seasons (2004-11), he led Chicago to a 678-618 record (tied for third in team history), and he is the only other manager besides LaRussa to lead the team to multiple playoff appearances. The White Sox went to the Division Series in 2008, but Guillen is best remembered for helping the team break their 88-year championship drought in 2005. That year, Chicago went 99-63, then swept Houston for their first World Series title since before the “Black Sox” Scandal. Guillen also was named Manager of the Year for his team’s performance. Guillen’s one drawback was his mouth. He was suspended for making comments about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro while he was managing the Marlins. 

1. Al Lopez – A two-time All-Star catcher, he led the Indians to 111 wins and the pennant in 1954 and took over the White Sox three years later. The nervous, jittery Lopez brought the long-struggling franchise back to the top of the American League, leading the White Sox to a winning record in each of his first nine seasons and reaching 90 wins five times in that span. The club’s best season was 1959 when the “Go Go White Sox” won 94 games and reached the World Series, where they lost to the Dodgers in six games. Lopez retired due to a chronic stomach condition in 1965, and he spent the next two years as team vice president. He returned to the bench during the 1968 season, but an appendectomy and other health issues forced him to retire for good in May of the following year. Lopez ranks second in team history with an 840-650 record in 11 seasons (1957-65 and 68-69), and he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1977.

Previous Series

A look back at the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops
Chicago Cubs Outfielders
Chicago Cubs Pitchers

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

Main Image: The Enquirer/Fred Straub, Cincinnati Enquirer via Imagn Content Services, LLC

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America’s Pastime Is Back With Vengeance

Dwindling Numbers

From 1876, America and its people have been fascinated and lives were intertwined with baseball. Baseball was beloved, it was second to none. A baseball game, a hot dog, and a beer were part of American Culture.

But as the years rolled on, leagues such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL have also grown. The NFL took over as the most popular sport amongst Americans. They’re sitting at 17.1 and 16.7 million viewers for the regular season over the last two years. All while baseball and the MLB slipped. Today’s baseball stars were not household names compared to football or even basketball stars.

The attendance numbers for MLB from 2012 through 2022 (minus 2020 COVID-19 Year) has gone down. The average attendance per game dropped over that time from 30,806 to 26,566. Viewership numbers followed suit. The game was deemed “boring” by the casual fans.

Sometimes Change Is Good

In recent years and largely to start 2023, commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB had made big changes to the game. With rule changes and additions such as a shift ban, pitch clock, and bigger bases, the dynamic of the game changed a bit and the pace of play has been sped up drastically.

More action on each pitch, less downtime, and less so-called “wasted” time for the viewers. Helping make the game more enjoyable for the average person, bringing attendance and TV viewership numbers sky-high.

The league has become dynamic and ever-changing. New players and new championship-contending teams each year have helped. Teams like the Cincinnati Reds, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, and Texas Rangers making playoff pushes has helped energize fan bases that have been left to dream of good times for a few years now.

The proof is in the numbers. Overall the average game attendance stands at 29,120 currently which is about a 10% increase so far in one season. Viewership numbers are also increasing by about 11% for the regular season. 2023 Opening Day viewership was up as much as 10% to 42% on certain platforms.

Superstars Growing The Game

MLB has become loaded with young stars and superstars. The influx of young players has been a breath of fresh air. This has been a driving point for the young fans/kids interested in the game. Having these energetic, electric, and captivating stars are key to growth.

Players like Aaron Judge chasing down the American League Home Run record in 2022, Ronald Acuña Jr. and his historic 2023 season, Adley Rutschman, Corbin Carroll, Julio Rodríguez, Elly De La Cruz, and the unicorn that is Shohei Ohtani.

The game is littered with excitement, energy, and light that had previously been dimmed. The average age of baseball fans in 2017 was about 57 years old. That was the highest of any of the major sports. But the numbers are starting to even back out.

The younger kids and young adults are finding themselves back into baseball. Recently, MLB had the most attendees between the ages of 12-17 per attendance number per each franchise.

So, baseball never really left, the fans were still there, but the feel, and energy that has come rushing back is special. More and more people are talking about baseball again. The game has all the tools to continue to build off of these things and to continue to prove their point of being America’s Pastime, but also be both America’s and the rest of the World’s future.

Main Image: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

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The list of the best right-handed starting pitchers in Chicago Cubs history includes no less than five Hall of Famers. There are so many good options that the list will spill over the five-person limit. The lefties may not have the same depth, but they are solid at the top, and the team also boasts two Hall of Fame closers.

The Best Pitchers in Chicago Cubs History

Right-Handed Starters

Left-Handed Starters

5. Dick Ellsworth – He played for the Cubs before Holtzman and Jenkins, going 84-110 in eight seasons (1958 and 60-66). Ellsworth was an All-Star in 1964, but his best season was the one before, when he set career-bests with a 22-11 record, a 2.11 ERA, 19 complete games, 185 strikeouts in 290 2/3 innings. Ellsworth had 905 strikeouts and 71 complete games with the Cubs, but he led the league with 22 losses in 1966 and was traded to the Phillies after the season.

4. Larry French – He amassed a 95-84 record while pitching on two pennant-winning teams in his seven seasons with the Cubs (1935-41). French won 15 or more games four times and led the league in shutouts twice, but his only All-Star season came in 1940, when he went 14-14 with a 3.29 ERA and a career-high 107 strikeouts. He went 0-2 in five postseason appearances with the Cubs and sits in a tie for tenth in franchise history with 21 shutouts.

3. Ken Holtzman – He played second fiddle to Jenkins during his nine seasons with Chicago (1965-71 and 78-79), posting double-digit wins four times including back-to-back 17-win seasons. His best year with the Cubs was 1970, when he went 17-13 with 15 complete games and a career-high 202 strikeouts in 287 2/3 innings. Overall, Holtzman went 80-81 with 988 strikeouts in 1,447 innings.

2. Jon Lester – He was part of two championship teams with the Red Sox and starred for the Cubs during their own run to the World Series in 2016. Lester went 19-5 with a 2.44 earned run average and 197 strikeouts in the regular season, then went 3-1 in the postseason, helping the Cubs break their championship drought and winning NLCS co-MVP along the way. Two years later, he earned his second All-Star selection after leading the league with an 18-6 record to go along with a 3.32 ERA. In six seasons with the Cubs (2015-2020), Lester went 77-44 with 940 strikeouts in 1,002 2/3 innings.

1. Hippo Vaughn – After two subpar seasons, he came to Chicago in 1913 and won 17 or more games in seven straight years and won at least 20 five times. In 1918, he won the pitching Triple Crown after leading the league in wins (22-10), ERA (1.74) and strikeouts (148). Vaughn was involved in what may have been the greatest pitching duel of all-time, going out for out with Cincinnati’s Fred Toney on May 2, 1917. Each had a no-hitter going through nine innings, but Vaughn gave up a run on two hits in the tenth, while Toney retired the Cubs in order to preserve the no-no and the 1-0 win. Vaughn ranks second in team history in shutouts (32), tied for seventh in complete games (177), eighth in wins (151-105), innings (2,216 1/3) and strikeouts (1,138) and ninth in ERA (2.33) and games started (270). Despite only allowing three runs in 27 innings, Vaughn went 1-2 in the 1918 World Series loss to the Red Sox. His weight ballooned to near 300 pounds at the end of his career (which gave Jim Vaughn his nickname), and he went 3-11 with a 6.01 ERA in 1921 before being released and never pitching in the Major Leagues again.

Relief Pitchers

Honorable Mentions – Ryan Dempster was a started with the Marlins at the beginning of his career, went to the bullpen when he came to the Cubs and then converted back to the rotation halfway through his nine-year Chicago tenure (2004-12). He ranks fifth in team history with 87 saves (with a high of 33 in 2005) and eight with 374 games pitched. Dempster’s only All-Star selection came in 2008, his first after re-converting to being a starter. He posted career-bests with a 17-6 record and a 2.96 ERA. Overall, he went 67-66 with a 3.74 ERA and 1,070 strikeouts in 1,118 2/3 innings.

Hector Rondon was the closer during the team’s resurgence in the middle part of the last decade. In five seasons (2013-17), he went18-13 with 77 saves. His best season was 2015, when he went 6-4 with a 1.67 ERA and 30 saves in the regular season, then posted two more saves in five postseason appearances. The next year, Rondon had 29 saves but was pushed back to the setup role in the playoffs when the Cubs acquired Aroldis Chapman to help them win the title.

5. Carlos Marmol – He spent eight of his nine big league seasons with the Cubs (2006-13), amassing a 23-32 record with 117 saves (third in team history) in 483 games pitched (second). In addition, he struck out 703 batters in 542 1/3 innings for a rate of 11.7 per nine innings. Marmol was an All-Star as a setup man in 2008 and two years later, he had a 2.55 ERA and a career-high 38 saves. He had 34 the following year, but his ERA steadily rose until he was traded to the Dodgers in 2013.

4. Don Elston – He pitched in an era before specialized reliever and was an innings eater out of the bullpen. “Every Day” led the league in games pitched twice and threw more than 90 innings in five straight seasons. He was a two-time All-Star whose best season was 1959, when he went 10-8 with a career-high 14 saves in a league-leading 65 games. In nine seasons with the Cubs (1953 and 57-64), Elston had a 49-54 record with 64 saves in 449 games (fourth-best in team history).

3. Randy Myers – He spent just three years with the Cubs but was named an All-Star twice and the year he wasn’t, he set the team’s single-season record for saves with 53 in 1993. He added 21 the following year and 38 more in 1995, his second time leading the league while in a Cubs uniform. Overall, he went 4-11 and his 112 saves rank fourth in team history.

2. Bruce Sutter – He was an All-Star and had at least 25 saves in four of five seasons with the Cubs (1976-80). Although he was the unquestioned closer, Sutter routinely pitched multiple innings to get his saves. He went over 80 innings in all five seasons with Chicago and reach 100 three times. In 1979, he became the third reliever to win the Cy Young Award after going 6-6 with a 2.22 ERA, a league-leading 37 saves and 110 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings. Sutter finished his Cubs tenure with a 32-30 record, a 2.39 ERA, 494 strikeouts in 493 innings and 133 saves, which rank second in team history. He spent four years with the Cardinals and three with the Braves before retiring in 1988. Sutter was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

1. Lee Smith – One of the most feared pitchers of the last half-century was called up to the Cubs in 1980 after five years in the minor leagues. Once Sutter went to the Cardinals, Smith took over as the closer and his eight-year Cubs career (1980-87) included five straight seasons with at least 25 saves. Like Sutter, he pitched a lot of innings and racked up even more saves. Smith earned his first All-Star selection in 1983, when he went 4-10 with a 1.65 ERA, a league-leading 29 saves and 91 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings. He had 33 saves in each of the next two seasons and had a save in the 1984 NLCS, which was Chicago’s first playoff appearance since 1945. Smith used his 6-foot-6 frame and intimidating scowl on the mound to earn two All-Star selections and amass a 40-51 record, a 2.92 ERA, 644 strikeouts in 681 1/3 innings and a club record 180 saves. After leaving the Cubs in 1988, Smith pitched for seven teams over the next 10 seasons and retired after spending the 1997 season with the Expos. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019.

The next series will feature Chicago’s other team the White Sox.

Previous Series

A look back at the Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops
Chicago Cubs Outfielders

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

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If you are a fan of baseball history and the Chicago Cubs, this is the story to read. Although there is plenty of depth in terms of talent, the list of all-time best outfielders in Chicago Cubs history does not contain very many modern players. What it does have is six Hall of Famers, including the man who holds the Major League record for RBIs in a season.

The Best Outfielders in Chicago Cubs History

Left Fielders

Center Fielders

Honorable Mention – The center field has been a black hole for the Cubs in recent years. In fact, in the 73 seasons since 1950, the team has had 47 different players as primary starters. The one with the most productivity was Rick Monday, who patrolled the position in Wrigley Field from 1972-76. He was a steady hitter and a solid fielder whose best season with the Cubs was his last. In 1976, he posted career bests with 107 runs scored, 32 home runs, and 77 runs batted in, but it was a “defensive” play that made him a household name.

On April 25 against the Dodgers, a few would-be protesters decided to come onto the field at Dodger Stadium and light the American Flag on fire, but Monday ran in and scooped up the flag before that could happen. In 702 games with the Cubs, Monday hit .270 with 690 hits, 106 homers, and 293 RBIs.

5. Andy Pafko – He was a five-time All-Star during his nine seasons with Chicago (1943-51). Pafko’s best season was in 1948 when he posted career highs with a .322 average, 171 hits, and 30 doubles to go along with 26 home runs and 101 runs batted in. Other good seasons included 1945 (with a career-best 110 RBIs) and 1950 (career highs with 95 runs and 36 home runs). Overall, Pafko hit .294 with 1,084 hits, 126 homers, and 584 RBIs in 719 games. In the 1945 World Series, he scored five runs and drove in two more, but the Cubs lost in seven games to the Tigers.

4. George Gore – The run-scoring machine was a main piece on five pennant-winning teams during his eight-year tenure (1879-86). In 1880, Gore led the National League with a .360 average, and he topped the league in runs scored the following two years (86 in 1881 and 99 in 1882). However, his best season was 1886, when he drove in 63 runs and scored 150 despite only having 135 hits (he also led the league with 102 walks). Gore actually had more runs (772) than games played (719) with the White Stockings, and he also had 933 hits, 60 triples, 380 RBI, and a .315 average (with six seasons at .300 or better). In the National League vs. American Associated World Series contested in 1885-86, he had four hits and a home run.

3. Bill Lange – He was a converted second baseman who gave up his baseball career when he was in his prime. Lange was one of the first of what we now call a “five-tool player”. He was a career .330 hitter (a mark that ranks fifth in team history and includes a .389 average in 1895) who also had 691 runs, 1,056 hits, 80 triples, and 479 RBIs in 813 games. Lange also had five consecutive seasons with 80 or more RBIs and three straight in which he had at least 110 runs and 150 hits. However, his speed was his biggest asset. Lange ranks second in team history with 400 stolen bases, and his total includes six seasons with 60 or more, a team-record 84 in 1896, and a league-high 73 the following season.

Lange’s seven-year career came to an end after the 1899 season. The team was now called the Orphans after Cap Anson was let go as manager, and Lange lost his biggest supporter. He was traded to the Dodgers and was a holdout. He fell in love with the daughter of a wealthy insurance company owner, who refused to let her marry a ballplayer and gave Lange an ultimatum to leave baseball, which he did. The marriage lasted until 1915 and Lange became a coach and later a YMCA athletic director who was responsible for bringing sporting equipment to troops in Europe during World War I as well as looking for baseball talent on foreign soil.

2. Jimmy Ryan – He was a temperamental player who had a good eye at the plate and a strong arm in the outfield. Ryan had 100 or more hits in 14 of his 15 seasons with the White Stockings, and he hit over .300 in 10 seasons. His best campaign was in 1888, when he hit .325, had a career-high 60 steals, and led the league with 182 hits, 33 doubles, and 16 home runs. Ryan is the all-time franchise leader in triples (142), and he ranks second in runs (1,410), third in steals (370), eighth in hits (2,084) and doubles (362) and ninth in total bases (3,027) and runs batted in (914).

In the 1886 World Series, he had five hits and drove in two runs in a losing effort. Ryan had issues with reporters and had physical altercations with several. He also missed about half of the 1893 season after being involved in a serious train accident in which the sleeper car he and several other players were in flew off the tracks and crashed into a parked train on another track. Most of the other players were able to return to play fairly quickly but three other passengers died. After his playing career, Ryan was a bailiff and deputy sheriff in Illinois.

1. Hack Wilson – He could have been one of the all-time greats if not for his penchant for heavy drinking and bar brawling. Lewis Wilson was nicknamed “Hack” because his short and stocky build resembled George Hackenschmidt, a famous bodybuilder and champion wrestler in the early 1900s. The only person who Wilson seemed to listen to was Joe McCarthy, the Cubs manager and a future Hall of Famer. Under McCarthy’s watch, Wilson became one of the game’s best power hitters, leading the league in home runs four times and RBIs twice in his six seasons (1926-31).

His best year was in 1930 when he led the league with 105 walks, 56 home runs (a National League record that stood until 1998) and 191 runs batted in, a Major League record that still stands. In addition to homers and RBIs, Wilson also posted career bests that season with a .356 average, 146 runs, and 208 hits. Overall, he hit .322 (eighth-best in team history with five seasons at .300 or better), and he totaled 652 runs, 1,017 hits, 190 home runs, and 769 RBIs in 850 games.

McCarthy left to manage the Yankees in 1931 and Wilson’s production dropped dramatically. He was traded to the Dodgers and had a rebound year before falling off again once his alcoholism had taken its toll on his baseball skills. After his playing career, Wilson fell into obscurity. He gave an interview to the CBS radio show We, the People in 1948 where he warned about the effects of alcohol, and a little more than a week later, he died after a fall in his apartment. Wilson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1979.

Right Fielders

Honorable Mention – Bill Nicholson was a five-time All-Star who hit 20 or more home runs six times in 10 seasons with the Cubs (1939-48). He led the National League with 29 home runs and 128 RBIs in 1943 and repeated the feat the following year with 33 homers and 122 runs batted in (along with a league-best and career-high 116 runs scored) while finishing a VERY close second in the National League MVP race. Overall, Nicholson had 738 runs, 1,323 hits, 295 home runs (ninth in team history), and 833 RBIs in 1,349 games. He also had eight RBIs in the seven-game loss to the Tigers in the 1985 World Series.

After two seasons in the short-lived Federal League, Max Flack joined the Cubs, where he spent the next seven seasons (1916-22). He started all six games in a loss to the Red Sox in the 1918 World Series, but his best season was in 1920 when he set career-highs with 85 runs, 157 hits, 49 RBIs, and a .302 average. Flack batted .277 with 833 hits, 209 runs batted in, and 108 stolen bases in 796 games with Chicago.

5. Kiki Cuyler – He showed flashes of talent with the Pirates, but he became a star after coming over to the Cubs in 1928. Hazen Cuyler earned his nickname from infielders repeatedly calling out “Cuy” when a fly ball was hit to him, and newspapers shortened it to Kiki (although still pronounced with a long I like his last name). Cuyler led the league in stolen bases his first three years in Chicago, and he also had a league-best 42 doubles in 1934 to help him earn his only All-Star selection (the game had just started the year before).

His best season was 1930 when he hit .330 with 13 home runs and career highs with 155 runs scored, 228 hits, and 134 runs batted in. In eight seasons (1928-35), Cuyler hit .325 (sixth-best in team history) with 665 runs, 1,199 hits, 79 home runs, 602 RBIs, and 161 stolen bases in 949 games. He played in two World Series with the Cubs, amassing 11 hits and six RBIs in nine games. Cuyler was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veteran’s Committee in 1968.

4. Frank Schulte – He was a solid performer for 13 seasons (1904-16), and he was also a key piece of four pennant-winning clubs. Schulte got his nickname due to his fandom for Lillian Russell, an actress on stage and screen at the time. The team saw her in a play called “Wildfire,” and visited with her at the after-party. Schulte owned horses, named one after her and eventually was given that nickname himself by the Chicago press.

He earned the MVP award in 1911 after hitting .300, leading the league with 21 home runs and 107 RBIs and also posting career highs with 105 runs, 173 hits, 30 doubles, 21 triples (tied for the single-season franchise record), and 23 stolen bases. Schulte had 827 runs, 1,590 hits, 254 doubles, and 117 triples (third in team history). 91 home runs, 713 RBIs, and 214 stolen bases in 1,564 games. He had 26 hits and nine RBIs in 21 World Series games and helped the Cubs win two titles.

3. Andre Dawson – He was known for his power and determination to overcome a dozen knee operations to forge a 21-year Major League career. Dawson only spent six seasons with the Cubs (1987-92), but he earned five All-Star selections, two gold gloves, and a silver slugger award during that time. In 1987, he did something that was unheard of at the time. He led the league with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs, added 90 runs and 178 hits, and won the MVP award with the last-place Cubs, the first time that had ever happened (Alex Rodriguez matched the feat with the 2003 Rangers). In his Chicago career, “Hawk” hit .285 with 929 hits, 174 home runs, and 587 RBIs in 867 games. He retired in 1996 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.

2. Mike “King” Kelly – He was a larger-than-life star who played baseball during the day and was a hard drinker and partier at night. During his seven-year run with the White Stockings (1880-86), Kelly led the league in runs scored three times and doubles and batting average twice each. His best season was 1886 when he led the league with a .388 average and 155 runs and set a career-high with 175 hits in just 118 games. Kelly totaled 728 runs, 899 hits, and 480 RBIs in just 681 games.

He was a member of five pennant-winning teams and had 14 hits and a home run in two early World Series appearances. However, Kelly’s best asset was his abilities as a baserunner. The National League only started keeping track of stolen bases in 1886, his ninth season and last with Chicago. However, he had 53 that year and 368 overall in his career.

Kelly was so popular that he held out for the highest salary and had a song written about him called “Slide Kelly, Slide”. However, his partying lifestyle was expensive and after his playing career ended, he went into vaudeville. Kelly caught pneumonia on a ship ride to a show in Boston and had trouble breathing. As he was being brought into the hospital, the stretcher he was on tipped, and Kelly was dumped to the floor, with him saying, “This is my last slide.” He died three days later. Kelly was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.

1. Sammy Sosa – During his 13-year run with the Cubs (1992-2004), he put on an incredible power display. Sosa had five straight seasons with at least 100 runs scored, amassed 150 or more hits eight times, drove in at least 100 runs nine times, and hit 30 or more home runs in 11 seasons. The Home Run Chase in 1998 between Sosa and Mark McGwire was the most captivating in nearly 30 years and some people say its impact saved the sport after the 1994 lockout.

Sosa hit a Major League record 20 home runs in June and finished with a franchise-record 66 on the season. McGwire may have won the chase with 70, but Sosa was the MVP with a league-leading 135 runs and 158 RBIs along with career highs in home runs as well as hits (198). He is the only player in Major League history to hit 60 home runs in three seasons, but he didn’t lead the league any of those times (McGwire won 65-63 in 1999 and Sosa hit 64 in 2001 only to lose out to Barry Bonds, who hit a record 73). Sosa also led the league and set career highs with 143 runs and 160 RBIs.

Sosa was a seven-time All-Star and a six-time silver slugger who led the league in runs three times, and homers and RBIs twice each. He is the franchise record-holder with 545 home runs, and he ranks third in RBIs (1,414), fourth in total bases (3,980, including a team-record 425 in 2001), sixth in runs (1,245), ninth in hits (1,985) and tenth in games (1,811). However, his ties to the steroid controversy of the late 1990s and early 2000s may forever keep him out of the Hall of Fame. He maintains his innocence, but his highest vote total was 18.5 percent in his 10 years on the writer’s ballot, leaving his hands in the fate of the Today’s Game committee.

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops
Chicago Cubs Pitchers – coming soon

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A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
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A look back at the Atlanta Braves

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First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

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First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

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Second base and shortstop have been defense-first positions throughout baseball history. However, the starters at both spots for the Chicago Cubs have so much power and productivity that they ended up in the Hall of Fame. Also on these lists are two players who were part of a double-play combination that was so memorable that the players were immortalized in a poem.

The Best Middle Infielders in Chicago Cubs History

Second Basemen

Shortstops

Honorable Mentions – Billy Jurges was a member of three pennant-winning teams during his 10 years with Chicago (1931-38 and 46-47). He earned his only All-Star selection with the Cubs in 1937 when he hit .298 with 134 hits, 10 triples and a career-high 65 runs batted in. Shawon Dunston spent 12 seasons with the Cubs (1985-95 and 97) and was the starter on the 1989 team that went to the National League Championship Series. The two-time All-Star had 563 runs, 1,219 hits, 107 home runs, 489 RBIs and 175 stolen bases in 1,254. However, he lost nearly two seasons with a herniating a disc in his back that occurred while he was picking up his daughter. Starlin Castro was a three-time All-Star in six seasons with the Cubs (2010-15). He hit .281 with 991 hits (including a league-leading 207 in 2011) and 363 RBIs in 891 games with Chicago. Castro also played in nine games during the 2015 playoffs as the Cubs advanced to the National League Championship Series.

5. Don Kessinger – He spent his first 12 Major League seasons with the Cubs (1964-75), earning six All-Star selections and two gold gloves. Kessinger’s best performance came in the heartbreaking 1969 season, when he set career highs with 109 runs, 181 hits, 38 doubles and 53 runs batted in. He scored 769 runs, had 1,619 hits and drove in 431 runs in 1,648 games with the Cubs. Kessinger won the Lou Gehrig Award for spirit and character in 1978.

4. Bill Dahlen – Over eight years with the Cubs (1891-98), he hit .299 with 897 runs, 1,170 hits, 106 triples (fourth in team history), 561 RBIs and 286 stolen bases in 987 games. Dahlen scored at least 100 runs in each of his first six seasons, and he topped 150 hits four times. His best season was 1894, when he set career highs with a .359 average, 150 runs, 182 hits, 32 doubles, 15 home runs, 108 RBIs and 43 stolen bases.

3. Javier Baez – He was a two-time All-Star who also earned gold glove and silver slugger honors during his eight-year stint with Chicago (2014-21). In 2018, Baez set career highs with 101 runs, 176 hits, 40 doubles, nine triples and 34 home runs, and he also led the National League with 111 RBIs. Overall, he had 754 hits, 140 homers and 433 RBIs in 815 games with the Cubs. Baez was the 2016 NLCS co-MVP after hitting .318 with seven hits and five runs batted in against the Dodgers., and he hit a home run in the World Series win over the Indians.

2. Joe Tinker – Not only was he a key player on four pennant-winning teams, he also was a major part of one of the most famous baseball-related poems. Tinker was not a good fielder in his early years, but improved greatly and led the league in fielding percentage four times. In 12 seasons with the Cubs (1902-12 and 1916), he had 670 runs, 1,439 hits, 93 triples, 673 RBIs and 304 stolen bases in 1,539 games. Tinker had 16 hits, six RBIs and eight stolen bases in 21 career postseason games, and he homered and drove in four runs in the 1908 World Series win. He played with the Chicago Whales in the short-lived Federal League and was brought back to the Cubs for one final season as a player-manager in 1916. Tinker went into the Hall of Fame with Evers and Chance in 1946.

1. Ernie Banks – While his accolades at first base were looked at in a previous article, his entire career will be the focus here. Banks played 19 years in Chicago (1953-71) but somehow never went to the playoffs despite earning 14 All-Star selections, driving in 100 runs eight times and hitting 30 or more home runs seven times. “Mr. Cub” also won back-to-back National League MVP awards. In 1958, Banks won his first, posting career highs in runs (119), hits (193), home runs (47) and batting average (.313), and leading the league in both homers and RBIs (129). The following year, he hit .304 with 45 home runs and a league-leading and career-high 143 RBIs. Add in his 1960 season and he has a three-year total of 133 homers and 389 runs batted in. Known for his famous line, “It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame. Let’s play two today,” Banks is the all-time franchise leader in games (2,528) and total bases (4,706) ranks second in hits (2,583), home runs (512) and runs batted in (1,636), third in doubles (407), fifth in runs (1,305) and seventh in triples (90). A 1967 Lou Gehrig Award recipient, Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.

Upcoming Stories

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen
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A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
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Pitchers

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The lists of the best first and third basemen in Chicago Cubs is littered with slick fielders and productive hitters. Among those on the list are a pair of players from the 2016 championship team, along with two first basemen who were also managers of the team and arguably the greatest player of the 19th century.

The Best Corner Infielders in Chicago Cubs History

First Basemen

Honorable Mentions – Derrek Lee was a power hitter and a slick fielder during his seven-year stint in Chicago. He was a two-time All-Star who won two gold gloves and a silver slugger award while playing on two Cubs playoff teams. Lee finished third in the MVP voting in 2005 after leading the league with a .335 average, 199 hits, and 50 doubles, to go along with career-high totals of 120 doubles and 46 home runs as well as 107 RBIs. Despite missing time in 2006 with two broken bones in his wrist, Lee had five seasons where he amassed at least 90 runs, 160 hits, 30 doubles, 20 home runs, and 80 runs batted in. He hit .298 with 1,046 hits, 179 homers, and 574 RBIs in 924 games.

Before he led the Cubs to three World Series appearances as a manager, Charlie Grimm was a productive hitter who was arguably the best fielding first basemen of the 1920s. After stints with the Athletics, Cardinals, and Pirates, he came to the Cubs in 1925 and spent 12 years with Chicago, reaching 150 hits five times and driving in at least 80 runs three times. Grimm batted .296 with 1,454 hits, 61 home runs, and 696 RBIs in 1,334 games.

Phil Cavarretta followed Grimm and gave the Cubs another stellar defender at first base for 11 of his 20 seasons (he also played all three outfield positions during his tenure, which lasted from 1934-53). Cavarretta led the league with 197 hits and added 106 runs in 1944, then followed that up with his best season. He won the National League MVP award in 1945 after hitting a league-best .355, to go with 94 runs, 177 hits, and a career-high 97 runs batted in. Cavarretta hit .292 with the Cubs and ranks fifth in franchise history in triples (99), sixth in games (1,953), and tenth in runs (968), hits (1,927), and RBIs (896). He had 20 hits in 17 World Series games and hit a home run and drove in five runs in a seven-game loss to the Tigers in 1945. Cavarretta retired in 1955 and spent the next 25 years as a scout, coach, and minor league manager.

5. Anthony Rizzo – After one season with the Padres, he joined the Cubs in 2012. Rizzo hit 30 or more home runs four times and drove in 100 runs four straight seasons. He was a three-time All-Star, a four-time gold glove winner in his ten seasons with Chicago, also earning the silver slugger award in 2016. Rizzo was even better in the playoffs, hitting two home runs against the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, then amassing seven runs scored, nine hits, one homer, and five RBIs to help the Cubs beat the Indians in the World Series. Overall, Rizzo hit .272 with 721 runs, 1,311 hits, 784 RBIs, and 242 home runs, a total that ranks sixth in franchise history. He was sent to the Yankees at the 2021 trade deadline.

4. Frank Chance – During his playing career, Chance was not a fan of sportsmanship. He ran into and over opposing players on the base paths, got in several fights, and threw beer bottles at fans. He was also extremely strict as a manager and would release players for not following his instructions. However, there is no doubting Chance’s abilities as a player. He had a knack for getting on base and, once that happened, coming around to score. “Husk” had uncommon speed for a first baseman, leading the league in stolen bases twice and amassing a team-record 402 steals in 15 seasons (1898-1912). The two-time champion batted .297 with 795 runs, 1,269 hits, and 590 RBIs in 1,275 games. However, the final four years of his Cubs tenure saw his play decline sharply due to hearing loss and blood clots in his brain, the result of him crowding the plate and getting hit by a pitch 137 times. Chance passed away in 1924 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

3. Ernie Banks – Despite being known for his time as a shortstop, the Hall of Famer actually spent more time at first base (1,259 games to 1,125). Banks won two MVP awards, was a nine-time All-Star, and earned a gold glove, but his range diminished in the early 1960s, so he was moved across the diamond. In 10 seasons at his new position, Banks was a five-time All-Star who hit 20 home runs and drove in 80 runs six times. “Mr. Cub” totaled 1,228 hits, 214 homers, and 778 RBIs in 1,312 games during that time before retiring in 1971.

2. Mark Grace – He was yet another in a long line of stellar fielding first basement for the Cubs. A solid contact hitter, Grace earned three All-Star selections and four gold gloves in 13 years with Chicago (1988-2000). He had 160 or more hits 10 times in the Windy City and hit better than .300 in nine seasons. Overall, Grace hit .308 with the Cubs and ranks second in team history in doubles (456, including 51 in 1995), fifth in hits (2,201), seventh in total bases (3,187), eighth in RBIs (1,004) and ninth in games (1,910) and runs (1,057).

1. Adrian “Cap” Anson – Although his role in keeping black players out of the major leagues dropped him in the manager’s ranking, it did not as a player. Anson actually played third base in the National Association and the early years of the National League before moving across the infield in the late 1870s. He spent 22 seasons as a player-coach with the White Stockings and was arguably the greatest player of the 19th century. Anson hit over .300 an amazing 19 times, led the league in hitting in four seasons, including 1881, when he hit .399 (which is the second-best single-season mark in team history to Ross Barnes, who hit .429 in 1876). He topped the National League in doubles twice, hits once, and RBIs eight times, with a high of 147 in 1886. He is credited with perfecting the hit-and-run, and he also earned five fielding titles.

Anson is the all-time franchise leader in hits (3,012), runs scored (1,722), doubles (529), and runs batted in (1,880), and he ranks second in games (2,277) and triples (124), third in total bases (4,080), tied for third in average (.331) and tenth in stolen bases (247), despite the statistic not being kept for his first 10 seasons. He was also the first player in Major League history to reach 3,000 hits and, counting his time in the National Association, he ended his career with 3,435. Although he had a reputation as a disciplinarian, Anson earned his nickname when his teammates named him as the franchise’s first captain. The fans were so distraught after he was let go as both player and manager in 1897 that the team became known as the Orphans. Anson had failed forays into business and politics before his death in 1922. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Third Basemen

Honorable Mention – Trivia time! Who held the Major League single-season home run record before Babe Ruth hit 29 in 1919? How many guesses would it take (with “internet cheating,” of course) for you to come up with Chicago’s Edward “Ned” Williamson? He had the benefit of playing at Lake Park, with a right field fence that was a reported 230 feet from home plate. If that wasn’t strange enough, teams in that era were allowed to set their own ground rules. In 1883, the White Stockings said that any ball hit over the short fence would be considered a ground-rule double, and Williamson led the league with 49. The following year, club management, seeing how good their players were in navigating the short side of the field, decided to change the rule to make balls hit over the fence a home run. Williamson dropped to 18 doubles, but his home runs jumped from two to a league-leading 27 (he never reached double-digits other than in 1884). The White Stockings moved into West Side Park (which had normal foul line distances but was spacious in center field to say the least). In 11 seasons in Chicago (1879-89), he was a member of five pennant-winning teams and totaled 744 runs scored, 1,050 hits, and 622 RBIs in 1,065 games.

5. Tom Burns – He started as a shortstop and utility infielder before replacing Williamson in 1886. Burns was a solid fielder in an era without adequate gloves, and he was a good contact hitter, having more hits than games played in eight of his 12 seasons with Chicago (1880-91). The five-time National League champion amassed 715 runs, 1,299 hits, 679 RBIs, and 161 stolen bases in 1,239 games.

4. Kris Bryant – He began his career as the National League’s Rookie of the Year after hitting .275 with 26 home runs and 99 RBIs in 2015. Everything came together in his second season as well. Bryant hit .292 with career highs in runs scored (a league-leading 121), hits (176), homers (39), and runs batted in (102) and won the MVP award. He followed that by hitting three home runs and driving in eight runs in the playoffs to help the Cubs with the World Series. During his seven-year tenure in Chicago, Bryant had 564 runs, 865 hits, 160 homers, and 465 RBIs in 833 games. The four-time All-Star was sent to the Giants at the trade deadline in 2021.

3. Aramis Ramirez – He was a clutch hitter who helped the Cubs get to the playoffs three times in his nine-year tenure (2003-11). Ramirez was a two-time All-Star who hit 20 or more home runs seven times and drove in 100 runs four times with Chicago. His 239 homers in a Cubs uniform rank seventh in franchise history, and he also batted .294 and had 1,246 hits and 806 RBIs in 1,124 games. Ramirez had four home runs and 10 RBIs in the 2003 playoffs, but the Cubs fell to the Marlins in the National League Championship Series.

2. Stan Hack – He certainly was no hack as a player, having been a contributor to four pennant-winning teams during his 16-year career (1932-47). Hack was a stellar leadoff hitter who walked more than twice as many times as he struck out. He was also an excellent fielder who led the league in hits twice and stolen bases twice. Hack was a five-time All-Star who scored 100 or more runs in six straight seasons (1936-41), had more than 150 hits nine times, and hit over .300 six times. He batted .301 and drove in 642 runs in his career, and he also ranks sixth in team history in hits (2,193), seventh in games (1,936), runs (1,239), and doubles (363), ninth in triples (81) and tenth in total bases (2,889). Hack hit .348 with 24 hits and five RBIs in 18 World Series games, but the Cubs lost all four times.

1. Ron Santo – He spent his entire 15-year career in Chicago with 14 of those seasons coming with the Cubs (1960-73). Santo showed he was a star both on offense and defense, earning nine All-Star selections and five gold glove awards. He smashed 20 or more home runs and drove in at least 80 runs 11 times each, scored 80 or more runs eight times, and had 150 or more hits in seven seasons. Santo led the league in walks four times and topped the National League with 13 triples in 1964. He ranks fourth in franchise history in home runs (337), fifth in games (2,126) and runs batted in (1,290), sixth in total bases (3,667), seventh in hits (2,171) eighth in runs scored (1,109) and ninth in doubles (353).

Santo was known for his hustle and many people did not find out the reason for this until after his career ended. He suffered from diabetes, which he found out about while he was in high school and kept a secret from coaches, teammates, and the media for most of his career. After one season with the White Sox, Santo retired in 1974 and kept busy after his playing career by working as a broadcaster and owning several successful businesses. However, his condition worsened, with Santo having both legs amputated below the knee, having heart bypass surgery, and becoming stricken with bladder cancer. He spent his later years fundraising for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and starting his own organization to help increase awareness for diabetic alert dogs. Santo passed away in 2010 and overwhelming public support finally got him inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame two years later.

Upcoming Stories

Chicago Cubs Catchers and Managers
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A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
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A look back at the Atlanta Braves

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First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

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Much like the Red Sox, the Chicago Cubs saw quite a bit of prosperity in the early 1900s, then went on a long stretch without a championship that lasted into the 21st century. The team was a charter member when the National League began play in 1876, but there was a Chicago entry to the National Association five years earlier. The Cubs would have matched the Braves as the longest-running baseball franchise if not for the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that destroyed 3.3 square miles of the city, including Lake Front Park, causing the team to cease operations for two years. The then-White Stockings were owned by future Hall of Fame executive William Hulbert, and featured star players Adrian “Cap” Anson and Albert Spalding, who would take over as owner after Hulbert died until he decided to devote his full attention to his sporting goods company.

The team enjoyed early success on the field, winning six pennants in 22 seasons under Anson, who was a player-coach. After Spalding and Anson left, there were several changes, both in ownership and in the team’s name. The White Stockings became the Colts in 1890 and then the Orphans in 1898, the year after Anson left, and finally became the Cubs in 1903. The team returned to respectability under former Boston Beaneaters manager Frank Selee in the early 1900s, and then won four pennants and two World Series championships in a five-year span under player-manager Frank Chance from 1906-10. More ownership struggles followed in the next decade until the Wrigley family took over and the Cubs once again reached the World Series in 1918.

Chicago won the National League pennant five times from 1929-45 but fell in the World Series each of those years. The Cubs went on a nearly 40-year playoff drought, finally making it back to the playoffs in 1984. The team’s biggest failures during this time included the 1945 World Series, when Billy Sianis, the owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, bought him and his goat, Murphy, to Game 4. Other spectators complained about the smell of the goat and ushers told Sianis to leave. He did so, but not before yelling that the Cubs would never win the World Series again, an incident that became known as the “Curse of the Billy Goat”. The other major Cubs failure came in 1969. Chicago was leading the new National League East by eight games on August 19, but the Cubs were falling apart, allowing the Mets to get back in the race. New York was only 1 1/2 games back on September 9, when a black cat ran in front of the Cubs’ dugout during the game. Chicago lost the game and continued their spiral, giving the “Miracle Mets” the division title, which they later turned into the championship.

In the 25 years from 1984 to 2008, the Cubs made the playoffs six times, but never were they closer to getting back to the World Series than in 2003. Chicago was leading the Florida Marlins 3 games to 2 in the NLCS and was up 3-0 with one out in the eighth inning when Luis Castillo hit a fly ball down the left-field line. The ball was close enough to the field for Moises Alou to try and catch it, but it was deflected by Cubs fan Steve Bartman, who was trying to snag himself a souvenir. The umpire ruled it wasn’t fan interference and Chicago gave up eight runs and then lost to Florida in Game 7.

Chicago finally broke through under manager Joe Madden, who led the team to four straight playoff appearances from 2015-18. In 2016, the Cubs ran way with the Central Division crown, then beat the Giants and Dodgers and outlasted both the Indians and the weather to win the World Series for their first title in 108 years!

The Best Catchers and Managers in Chicago Cubs History

Catchers

Honorable Mention – Frank “Silver” Flint was a member of five pennant-winning teams in 11 seasons with the White Stockings (1879-89). He amassed 625 hits and 276 RBIs in 680 games.

5. Randy Hundley – While he didn’t have the home run power of his son, Todd, Randy was a solid fielder and a steady presence behind the plate for the Cubs. Hundley won a gold glove in 1967 and earned his only All-Star selection two years later when he hit .255 with 18 home runs and 64 runs batted in. He played 10 seasons with Chicago (1966-73 and 76-77), totaling 758 hits, 80 homers, and 364 RBIs in 947 games.

4. Jody Davis – He was a two-time All-Star and a 1986 gold glove winner during his eight seasons in Chicago (1981-88). Davis’ best seasons were in 1983 when he hit .271 with 24 home runs and 84 runs batted in, and the following year, when he posted a .256-19-94 stat line. Davis had 834 hits, 122 homers, and 467 RBIs in 990 career games with the Cubs. He hit two home runs and drove in six runs in the five-game loss to the Padres in the 1984 National League Championship Series.

3. Willson Contreras – Solid both at the plate and behind it, Contreras earned three All-Star selections and hit at least 20 home runs four times in his seven years with the club. He totaled 636 hits, 117 homers, and 365 RBIs in 734 games with the Cubs. Contreras also hit three home runs and drove in seven runs in 30 career postseason games, and he was the starter when Chicago won the World Series in 2016. Contreras signed with the rival Cardinals before the 2023 season.

2. Johnny Kling – He was a solid hitter at the position (something that was not expected in the early 1900s) and he was arguably the best defensive catcher in the first decade of the 20th century. Kling hit .272 in his 11 seasons with Chicago (1900-08 and 10-11), and he drove in 50 or more runs four times. He had 963 hits, 438 RBIs, and 119 stolen bases in 1,025 games. Kling started for the Cubs when they played in four World Series in five years, collecting 12 hits in 21 games. He was a successful real estate businessman both during and after his career, and he missed the 1909 season to win the world pocket billiards championship and start his own pool emporium.

1. Gabby Hartnett – Charles Hartnett got his nickname from newspaper reporters for his shyness and reluctance to talk to them. He was the best player at his position for nearly two decades and spent 19 of his 20 seasons with the Cubs (1922-40). In an era when catchers were not expected to be good hitters, Hartnett was a revolutionary. He topped .300 six times, drove in 80 or more runs six times, and hit 20 home runs three times. Hartnett put up a strong case for best player in the league in 1930, hitting .339 and posting career highs with 84 runs, 172 hits, 37 homers, and 122 RBIs. However, teammate Hack Wilson hit .356 with 56 home runs and a league-record 191 RBIs that same season. Hartnett succeeded in becoming the first catcher to win the MVP award in 1935 when he hit .344 with 13 home runs and 91 RBIs to edge out Dizzy Dean.

Although the All-Star Game was not contested until 1933, Harnett appeared in the first six. In an era before gold gloves, he led the league in fielding percentage six times. After three years as Chicago’s player-manager, Hartnett was fired and signed with the Giants, where he spent his final season in 1941. In Cubs history, he ranks sixth in doubles (391) and RBIs (1,153) and eighth in games (1,926), total bases (3,079), and home runs (231). Hartnett also scored 847 runs and hit .297. Hartnett also had 13 hits, two home runs, and three RBIs in 16 World Series games (Cubs losses in 1929, 32, 35, and 38). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Managers

Honorable Mentions – Jim Frey went 196-182 in parts of three seasons (1984-86). The Cubs lost a heartbreaking NLCS to the Padres under his watch in 1984. Speaking of heartbreaking losses, Dusty Baker went 322-326 in four seasons in Chicago (2003-06), which was highlighted by the collapse against the Marlins in the 2003 NLCS. Although he is best known for his memorable scuffle with Pedro Martinez as a Yankees coach in the 2003 ALCS, Don Zimmer spent two decades (1972-91) as a manager with four teams. Zimmer went 265-258 in four seasons in Chicago (1988-91). He earned the Manager of the Year award after leading the Cubs to the NLCS (a loss to the Giants) in 1989. Fred Mitchell went 308-269 in four seasons (1917-20). In 1918, he led the Cubs to an 84-45 record and an NL pennant, but they lost to the Red Sox in the World Series.

Jim Riggleman led Chicago to a 374-419 record in five years (1995-99). Under his watch, the Cubs won 90 games but lost in the National League Division Series in 1998. Lou Piniella had a 316-293 record in parts of four seasons (2007-10). He led the Cubs to the division titles in back-to-back years, but they got swept in the NLDS both times (including 2008, when they won 97 games in the regular season, and he was named Coach of the Year). Although Hall of Famer Leo Durocher could not replicate his earlier success with the Dodgers and Giants, he did lead the Cubs to a 535-526 mark in six-plus seasons (1966-72). Chicago had at least 80 wins five times with “The Lip” at the helm, but they never made the postseason, finishing second twice, third twice, and fourth in those seasons.

5. Joe McCarthy – The Hall of Famer went 442-321 in five seasons (1926-30), and the Cubs won at least 82 games each year. However, they only took home one pennant in 1929, when they won 98 games but lost to the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series.

4. Charlie Grimm – He has the second-most wins in franchise history, posting a 946-782 mark in 14 seasons over three stints in Chicago (1932-38, 44-49, and 1960). Grimm led the Cubs to three pennants, but they lost all three World Series (a sweep by the Yankees in 1932, a 4-2 loss to the Tigers in ’35, and a 4-3 loss to Detroit in ’45). Chicago won 80 or more games nine times under Grimm, with a high mark of 100-54 in 1935.

3. Adrian “Cap” Anson holds the all-time franchise record for managerial victories, going 1,282-932-44 in 19 seasons as a player-manager (1879-97). Under his leadership, the White Stockings won six pennants and played in two worlds championship series against the American Association (a 3-3-1 tie with the St. Louis Browns in 1885 and a 4-2 loss to the Browns the following year). Anson’s teams won 80 or more games four times, with a 90-34-2 mark in 1886 being the best. Although he was a Hall of Fame player, his morals leave a lot to be desired, and that is why he is at this spot. Anson was arguably the best player of the 19th century and a manager, so his voice carried extra weight. So, when Anson said his White Stockings would not play against black players (such as Moses Fleetwood Walker and George Stovey), umpires and league officials removed and later banned them. By 1890, there were no black players left in the Major Leagues, and there wouldn’t be for more than 50 years.

2. Joe Maddon was a tactical and analytical mind who was the leader of the team that broke a 108-year championship drought. He went 471-339 in five seasons (2015-19) and the Cubs went to the playoffs four times under his watch. Chicago went 103-58 and won the World Series in 2016, with Maddon winning the Manager of the Year award. The Cubs went to the NLCS in 2015 and ’17 as well during his tenure.

1. Frank Chance – The Hall of Fame first basemen led Chicago to a 768-389-19 in parts of eight seasons (1905-12) as a player-manager. Chance and the Cubs won four pennants and two World Series in a five-year stretch (1906-10) that included the top four single-season victory totals in franchise history. The club set a Major League record with 116 wins (since tied by the 2001 Mariners) and a .763 winning percentage but lost 4-2 to the crosstown White Sox in 1906. The Cubs went 107-45 and beat the Tigers 4-0-1 for their first World Series championship in 1907, then posted a 99-55 record the next year and topped Detroit for the title again, this time 4-1. Chicago won 104 games in each of the next two years, finishing second in the National League to the 110-win Pirates in 1909 and losing 4-1 to the Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series the following year.

Upcoming Stories

Chicago Cubs First and Third Basemen – coming soon
Chicago Cubs Second Basemen and Shortstops – coming soon
Chicago Cubs Outfielders – coming soon
Chicago Cubs Pitchers – coming soon

Previous Series

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Boston Red Sox Pitchers

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

Source

The Red Sox outfielders might get a lot of credit for the team’s success, but Boston’s pitchers are no slouches. Included on these lists are a handful of Hall of Famers (including the all-time Major League leader in victories), along with one player who is having a little trouble with off-the-field issues and two top-notch closers.

The Best Pitchers in Boston Red Sox History

Right-Handed Starters

Honorable Mentions – Josh Beckett was a three-time All-Star during his seven seasons with Boston (2006-12). He reached double-digit wins five times, including a league-leading 20-7 mark in 2007, when he finished second in the Cy Young voting to CC Sabathia. Beckett was the MVP of the 2003 World Series with the Marlins and he added ALCS MVP honors to his resume with two wins against the Indians in 2007. He was 5-1 in eight postseason starts and went 89-58 in the regular season with 1,108 strikeouts (sixth-most in team history).

Bill Monbouquette was a four-time All-Star who went 96-91 in eight seasons with the Red Sox (1958-65). His best season was in 1963 when he set career highs with a 20-10 record, 174 strikeouts and 13 complete games. “Monbo” ranks seventh in franchise history in innings (1,622) and games started (228), and he sits tenth in strikeouts with 969.

Joe Dobson went 106-72 in nine seasons with the Red Sox, and he would have been better had he not missed two years of service in World War II. Dobson was an All-Star in 1948, but he had his best season the year before, going 18-8 with a 2.95 ERA. He ranks ninth in innings (1,544) and tenth in wins, games started (202), and tied for tenth with 17 shutouts.

The Red Sox have too many good righties, so sadly, Tim Wakefield lands just off the top five. The knuckleballer played 17 years in Boston (1995-2011) and was a part of two championship teams. Wakefield won 15 or more games three times, but his lone All-Star appearance came in 2009 when he went 11-5. In the postseason, he made 16 appearances, posting a 3-1 record against the Yankees and an 0-6 mark against everybody else. Wakefield is Boston’s all-time franchise leader in games started (430) and innings (3,006), and he ranks second in games pitched (590) and strikeouts (2,046) and third in wins (186-168).

5. Luis Tiant – He struggled in his first season after signing with Red Sox but bounced back to go 15-6 with a league-leading 1.91 earned run average in 1972. Over the next four years, he reached the 20-win mark three times and had two All-Star selections. “El Tiante” went 18-14 in 1975 and then added three more wins in the playoffs, but the Red Sox fell to the Reds in the World Series. Known for his unique delivery, Tiant fooled plenty of batters over his eight seasons in Boston. He sits fourth on the all-time franchise list in innings (1,774 2/3) and shutouts (26), fifth in wins (122-81) and games started (238), tied for sixth in complete games (113) and seventh in strikeouts (1,075).

4. “Smoky” Joe Wood – Nicknamed for his blazing fastball, Wood used two fantastic seasons to make his legacy. After three average seasons to start his career, he found success in 1911, winning 23 games and striking out 231 batters. The following year, Wood was even better, winning 16 straight games en route to a 34-5 mark (a single-season team record for victories) with 258 strikeouts and league-leading totals in wins and shutouts (10, which is tied for the team record).

In the 1912 World Series, he went 3-1 to help the Red Sox beat the Giants. In July 1913, Wood slipped and broke his right thumb while fielding a ground ball and was not as dominant after he returned, although he went 15-5 with a league-best 1.49 ERA in 1915. Wood holds the all-time team record with a 1.99 career ERA, and he ranks third in shutouts (28), fourth in complete games (121), sixth in wins (117-56) and ninth in strikeouts (986).

3. Pedro Martinez – Every team has that one move that changes the course of history. For the Red Sox, that could very well be a late 1997 trade with the Expos. Martinez was the key piece, coming off a 17-8 record and a Cy Young award. He went right to work, winning at least 16 games in five of his seven seasons with Boston. After finishing second in the 1998 Cy Young voting (to Roger Clemens, more on him in a minute) with a 19-7 record and 251 strikeouts, he won the next two.

Martinez won pitching’s Triple Crown in 1999, going 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA and a team-record 313 strikeouts. He nearly repeated the feat the following year, leading the league with a 1.74 ERA and 284 strikeouts while posting an 18-6 record and winning the Cy Young award unanimously. Martinez went 6-2 in 13 postseason appearances and won a game in the 2004 World Series to help the Red Sox win their first title in 86 years. He went to four All-Star Games and was the MVP of the 1999 contest. Martinez ranks third in franchise history in strikeouts (1,683), tied for sixth in wins (117-37), and tenth in earned run average (2.52). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.

2. Cy Young – Denton True Young earned his nickname due to his fastball resembling the speed and damage of a cyclone. He spent 11 seasons in the National League before the turn of the 20th century, amassing 286 victories with the Cardinals and Cleveland Spiders. Young joined the Americans in 1901 and immediately showed the upstart American League how dominant he was by winning the pitching Triple Crown with a 33-10 record, a 1.62 earned run average and 158 strikeouts.

Young went 93-30 in his first three seasons in Boston and added two more victories in the 1903 World Series. He won 26 games with a 1.97 ERA for the pennant-winners in 1904 but did not get to pitch in the World Series because the Giants refused to recognize the “junior” league. Young threw two no-hitters with Boston, including the American League’s first perfect game in 1904.

With Boston, Young is tied at the top of the leaderboard in wins (192-112) and shutouts (38, including 10 in 1904 which is tied for the best single-season mark in team history), and he holds the top spot by himself in complete games (275, which includes 30 or more in a season five times and a team-record 41 in 1902). He also ranks second in ERA (2.00, including a 1.26 mark in 1908), third in games started (297) and innings (2,728 1/3, including a team-record 384 2/3 in 1902), and fifth in strikeouts (1,341).

Young retired after the 1911 season with Major League records in wins (511), losses (315), games started (815), complete games (749), and innings pitched (7,356), none of which will probably ever be approached. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937 and passed away in 1955. Major League Baseball named the award for best pitcher after him the following year.

1. Roger Clemens – How do you top the guy who had the best pitcher award named after him? You find someone who won it seven times, including four with the Red Sox. Clemens had two decent seasons before breaking out with an incredible 1986 campaign that saw him win both the MVP and Cy Young awards after posting league bests with a 24-4 record and a 2.48 ERA along with 238 strikeouts (including a record 20 in a game). He made five starts in the postseason, helping the Red Sox reach the World Series before falling to the Mets.

The following year, Clemens won the Cy Young award again after leading the league in wins (20-9), complete games (18), and shutouts (7) to go along with 256 strikeouts. He led the league in complete games and shutouts once again in 1988 and also posted an American League-high 291 strikeouts. From 1986-92, Clemens made five All-Star teams and won at least 17 games in all seven seasons. He won his third Cy Young award in 1991 with an 18-10 record and a league-best 241 strikeouts.

Clemens finished his Red Sox tenure tied with Young for first on the all-time list in wins (192-111) and shutouts (38) and in first by himself with 2,590 strikeouts. He sits second in games started (382) and innings (2,776) and ninth in complete games (100). After four down seasons from 1993-96, Clemens left Boston. He went on to win two Cy Young awards with the Blue Jays (1997-98) and one each with the Yankees (2001) and Astros (2004). However, despite all the accolades, Clemens may never get into the Hall of Fame due to his temper and his ties to performance-enhancing drugs.

Left-Handed Starters

Honorable Mentions – Bill Lee went 94-68 in 10 seasons with the Red Sox, and he won 17 games in three straight years (1973-75). The best of these seasons was the first, when he earned his only All-Star selection after going 17-11 with a 2.95 earned run average and a career-high 120 strikeouts. Nicknamed “Spaceman” for his antics and crazy quotes, Lee made two starts in the 1975 World Series but did not get a decision.

Bruce Hurst had an 88-73 record in nine seasons with Boston (1980-88). He won two games against the Mets during the 1986 World Series and was an All-Star the following season when he went 15-13 with a career-high 190 strikeouts. However, Hurst’s best season with the Red Sox was arguably 1988, when he went 18-6 and fanned 166 batters. He ranks eighth in team history in strikeouts (1,043) and is tied for eighth in games started (217).

When Chris Sale has been on the mound for the Red Sox, he has had moments where he is dominant. However, he has spent more time off the field than in the past four seasons. Sale’s first season in Boston was in 2018 when he finished second in the Cy Young voting after going 17-8 with a 2.90 ERA and a league-leading 308 strikeouts (a total that is the second-best in a single season in franchise history). The following year, he went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA and 237 strikeouts and was a part of Boston’s championship team. Sale dropped to 6-11 in 2019 and has had a litany of injuries since. He currently has a 45-27 record in six seasons with Boston.

5. Jon Lester – He was a three-time All-Star who won 15 or more games five times during his nine-year Boston tenure (2006-14). Lester’s best season was 2010 when he went 19-9 with a 3.25 ERA and 225 strikeouts. He went 3-0 in Boston’s two World Series victories (2007 and 2013) and had a 6-4 record in 13 postseason games with the Red Sox. Lester ranks fourth in team history in both strikeouts (1,386) and games started (241), and he is ninth in wins (110-63). The Red Sox traded Lester away during the 2014 season and after stints with four other teams, he retired before the 2022 season.

4. Babe Ruth – With the popularity of Shohei Ohtani, many people are looking at Ruth’s career as a comparison. Before he was the “Sultan of Swat,” George Herman Ruth was a top-notch pitcher, going 89-46 in six seasons with the Red Sox. From 1915-17, Ruth went 65-33 and led the league with a 1.75 ERA in 1916. Ruth ranks fifth on the franchise list in ERA (2.19), eighth in complete games (105) and tied for tenth in shutouts (17). He went 3-0 during Boston’s run of three championships in four years before converting to full-time outfielder.

Ruth led the league with 11 home runs in 1918 then shattered the single-season mark with 29 homers along with 113 RBIs the following year. Ruth had so much potential as a batter that owner Harry Frazee sold him to the Yankees to help get out of debt from his theater. After the move, the Red Sox didn’t win another title until 2004.

3. Dutch Leonard – A teammate of Ruth’s on two Boston championship teams, Hubert “Dutch” Leonard went 90-64 in six seasons with the Red Sox (1913-18). His best season was 1914 when he went 19-5 with 176 strikeouts and an otherworldly 0.96 ERA, a mark that set team and league records. Leonard reached the 15-win mark in four straight seasons, and he ranks fourth on the franchise list in ERA (2,13) and fifth in shutouts (25).

2. Lefty Grove – He began his career with the Athletics and won 195 games in nine seasons before Philadelphia traded him to Boston in 1933. Although he never matched his success with the A’s (he led the league in strikeouts seven times, ERA five times and wins four times), Robert “Lefty” Grove was still able to compete. After a down year in his first season with the Red Sox, Grove rattled off five straight All-Star seasons. During that stretch, he went 20-12 in 1935 and led the league in strikeouts and ERA four times apiece.

Grove did all this despite losing his fastball (the pitch that brought him success in Philadelphia), which allowed him to develop the “curve and control” he was known for in Boston. Despite losing effectiveness as he aged, Grove held on for two more years in Boston, gaining his 300th win on July 25, 1941. Lefty finished 105-62 with a 3.34 ERA and 743 strikeouts in his Boston career. He ranks fifth on the franchise list in complete games (119) and tenth in innings (1,539 2/3). Grove was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.

1. Mel Parnell – He used a plus curveball and slider to win 15 or more games five times in a six-year span (1948-53). Parnell earned his first All-Star selection in 1949 when he led the league with a 25-7 record, a 2.77 earned run average, and 27 complete games. He won 18 games each of the next two seasons, including an 18-11 mark in 1951 that got him his second and final All-Star honor. In 1953, he went 21-8 with a career-high 136 strikeouts.

However, the following year, Parnell was hit by a pitch that broke the ulna bone in his arm. Although he was never the same pitcher again, he had one final big moment when he pitched a no-hitter against the White Sox on July 14, 1956. He retired at the end of the season and ranks fourth in wins (123-75), fifth in innings (1,752 2/3), sixth in games started (232) and shutouts (20 and tied for sixth in complete games (113).

Relief Pitchers

Honorable Mentions – Jeff Reardon did not pitch even three full seasons with the Red Sox, but he went 8-9 with a 3.41 earned run average and 88 saves, including 40 in his All-Star 1991 season.

Derek Lowe converted to a starter midway through his 17-year career, but before that, he was a reliever with Boston, amassing 85 saves, with a career-best and league-leading 42 in his All-Star season in 2000. Lowe earned his other All-Star selection as a starter two years later when he went 21-8 with a 2.58 ERA. He went 70-55 overall in eight seasons with the Red Sox.

Tom Gordon went the opposite of Lowe, beginning his career as a starter and converting to a closer with Boston. After two seasons as a starter, “Flash” was brilliant at the back end of the bullpen, posting a team-record 46 saves to earn an All-Star selection and win the Rolaids Relief Award in 1998. Gordon missed the 2000 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and he signed with the Cubs in 2001. He finished his four-year Red Sox tenure with a 25-25 record and 68 saves.

5. Ellis Kinder – He was around at a time before there were specialized bullpen roles. Kinder began his career as a starter (he went 23-6 in 1949) and long reliever before moving to the back of the bullpen in the early 1950s. He led the league in saves with 16 in 1951 and topped the American League again two years later with a career-high 27. Kinder went 86-52 with a 3.28 ERA and 93 saves in 365 games (eighth-most in team history) over eight seasons (1948-55).

4. Dick Radatz – He was the first true closer in team history, and he earned two All-Star selections during his five-year run in Boston (1962-66). Radatz had four straight seasons with 120 innings, 120 strikeouts, and 20 saves, and he led the league in saves twice. Nicknamed “the Monster,” Radatz finished his Red Sox tenure with a 49-34 record, a 2.65 ERA, 627 strikeouts in 557 1/3 innings, and 102 saves, which ranks fourth in team history. He was traded to Cleveland in 1966 and bounced around a bit before ending his career with the expansion Expos in 1969.

3. Bob Stanley – No matter what role the Red Sox needed him to play, he was ready. Stanley was a starter 80 times during his 13-year career, and he also excelled as a long reliever (he ranks sixth on the franchise list with 1,707 innings), a middle reliever (377 games finished), and a closer (his 132 saves rank second in team history). Stanley went 15-2 as a long reliever in 1978 and had his first All-Star selection after posting a 16-12 mark as a starter the following year. Throughout the 1980s, he spent most of his time as a short reliever, and he made his only other All-Star team after saving a career-high 33 games in 1983.

Although Stanley is Boston’s all-time leader in games pitched (637) and ranks eighth in wins (115-97), he is best remembered for throwing a wild pitch that brought home the tying run in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the Mets. On the next pitch, Mookie Wilson hit the ground ball that went through the legs of Bill Buckner, allowing New York to improbably win the game and finish off the series victory the next night.

2. Craig Kimbrel – We already looked at his time in Atlanta, and while he wasn’t quite so dominant for quite so long in Boston, Kimbrel was still a top-notch closer. He was an All-Star in all three of his seasons with the Red Sox, but his 2017 season was the best (although not strictly in terms of saves). That year, Kimbrel went 5-0 with an Atlanta-like 1.43 earned run average and 126 strikeouts in just 69 innings (an incredible 16.4 K/9 rate). In 2018, he “dropped” to a 2.74 ERA and 96 strikeouts, but had 42 saves, which is tied with Lowe for second-most in team history.

Overall, Kimbrel went 12-7 with a 2.44 ERA, 305 strikeouts in 184 1/3 innings, and 108 saves. He added six more saves in the playoffs and had one in Boston’s 2018 World Series victory. Kimbrel signed with the Cubs the following year.

1. Jonathan Papelbon – He was a four-time All-Star who topped the 30-save mark in six of his seven seasons with Boston (2005-11). He went 4-2 with a nearly unhittable 0.92 ERA and 35 saves to finish second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Justin Verlander in 2006. Papelbon was just as dominant in the playoffs, going 2-1 with seven saves and a 1.00 ERA in 18 postseason games, including three saves during Boston’s 2007 World Series win.

Overall, he went 23-19 with a 2.33 ERA and a team-record 219 saves, and he also ranks fourth in franchise history with 396 games pitched. Papelbon signed with the Phillies in 2011 and continued to be one of baseball’s best closers for the next four years. He was sent to the Nationals during the 2016 season and was released the following year after a declining performance and an intercostal (rib muscle) strain.

Upcoming Stories

The next team to be featured will be the Chicago Cubs.

Previous Series

A look back at the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox Catchers and Managers
Boston Red Sox First and Third Basemen
Boston Red Sox Second Basemen and Shortstops
Boston Red Sox Outfielders and Designated Hitters

A look back at the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Catchers and Managers
Baltimore Orioles First and Third Basemen
Baltimore Orioles Second Basemen and Shortstops
Baltimore Orioles Outfielders and Designated Hitters
Baltimore Orioles Pitchers

A look back at the Atlanta Braves

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks

Catchers and Managers
First and Third Basemen
Second Basemen and Shortstops
Outfielders
Pitchers

Source