Former Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander was fired after the 49-14 loss to Oklahoma at home.

There is hope of the 2023 season being much better for the Blackshirts as Tony White, the former defensive coordinator from Syracuse, was brought in to coach.

In 2022, Coach White had the Syracuse defense only allowing 23.1 points per game, which was 41st in the country. 

MORE: Offensive Nebraska players to watch in 2023

Coach White brings in the 3-3-5 defensive system and that should bring challenges for opposing offenses in 2023 and on.

With the resources at Nebraska, Coach White should be able to bring the players that he wants to beef up that side of the ball at a much higher level than at Syracuse. 

It’s already been seen with this past off-season with all of the talents picked up in the 2023 class and transfer portal class. 

With that being said, here are the five Blackshirts to watch for Nebraska in 2023.

Nebraska Defenders to Watch in 2023

Luke Reimer (Linebacker, Senior)

The senior linebacker has been the leading tackler for Huskers for the past two seasons, with 86 in 2022 and 108 in 2021.

He has had a heck of a story from being a walk-on in his freshman year to being the leading tackler for the past two seasons on scholarship.

Reimer has been honored as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention for the past two seasons and will be looking to build off past successes in 2023.

If Reimer can stay healthy in 2023, he is primed for a very successful season in Coach White’s 3-3-5 system.

Cameron Lenhardt (Defensive Lineman, Freshman)

Cameron Lenhardt was one of the most coveted defensive linemen coming out of IMG Academy. As a senior in Brandenton, Lenhardt recorded 21 total tackles, with seven tackles for loss.

Already as a freshman, Lenhardt will be competing for starting sport on the defensive line. Coach Matt Rhule said that he and sophomore Blaise Gunnerson are competing for the starting lineup.

Regardless, Lenhardt should get playing time as a true freshman and should be someone to watch in 2023.

Malcolm Hartzog (Cornerback, Sophomore)

Malcolm Hartzog had an impressive season as a freshman in 2022. Hartzog burst onto the scene with a blocked punt return touchdown against Indiana.

Hartzog would go on and lead the team in interceptions with three through all 12 games. He would accumulate 22 total tackles including one for loss.

With all of that, if Hartzog can build off his impressive 2022, he should have a successful 2023 season for the Blackshirts.

M.J. Sherman (Linebacker, Junior)

M.J. Sherman, a transfer from Georgia, comes to Nebraska with the experience of what it’s like to win two national championships in a row. 

Unfortunately for Sherman, he comes to Lincoln with limited experience, with only 14 total tackles from 2020-2022. Despite this, Sherman is expected to have a major role on the 2023 defense and is a part of one of the most talented positions on the defense as well. 

The junior linebacker is somebody to watch for a breakout season in 2023, especially with the aforementioned 3-3-5 defense. With his potential, he could be a force to be reckoned with in this upcoming season. 

Princewill Umanmielen (Defensive Line, Freshman)

Along with Lenhardt, Princewill Umanmielen is a freshman to watch for having an immediate impact on the Blackshirts. 

Umanmielen was a four-star coming out of Manor High School in Manor, Texas. He earned an invitation to the High School All-American Bowl after being named a consensus top 300 prospect in high school. 

In his final two seasons at Manor, Umanmielen accumulated 130 total tackles, including 47 for loss and 21 total sacks in 22 total games. He was named as the district defensive lineman as a senior and was ranked as a top 25 edge rusher by 247 Sports. 

The Season is Around the Corner

The 2023 season can’t come any faster and there is a lot to look forward to. With the additions in high school recruiting and the transfer portal, the defense should be improved in 2023. 

There will come some kinks that will be needed to be fixed, especially with implementing a new defensive system. Despite that, the 3-3-5 defense has the potential of being a very tough matchup for opponents every week. 

Main Image: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

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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

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Oh, right, that’s why you’re here. A strange season for the Blue Jays has left them out of the headlines throughout the majority of the season, but with the playoffs drawing closer, it’s clear to see that they are a talented bunch. But they might only finish third in their division. So, do they have what it takes to win in the postseason? Let’s jump into why this squad could truly be championship-caliber.

3 Reasons the Toronto Blue Jays Will Win in the Postseason

This Lineup is Deep and Really, Really Good

How many teams can boast Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as their fourth-best hitter by wRC+? That’s a pretty wild observation. Guerrero Jr has a 114 wRC+ on the season, which is still a good contribution to a competing team. But it isn’t the Guerrero Jr we know and love.

But a breakout is coming. The underlying metrics still point to a star player, lurking beneath the surface. He is hitting the ball as hard as anybody in the league, and hitting it hard just as often. He ranks in the 98th percentile for max exit velocity and 96th percentile for hard-hit percentage.

It’s quite possible that Guerrero has just been unlucky. His actual numbers (.265 batting average, .335 wOBA) are much lower than his expected stats (.301 batting average, .385 xwOBA). And for a little bonus, he’s striking out a little less and walking a little more.

One aspect of Guerrero’s game to watch going forward is his groundball rate. He has always had a higher groundball rate than league average, so as much as he mashes, sometimes he just mashes it into the ground. His flyball rate has remained relatively steady, however. Unless Guerrero Jr turns into a pumpkin, the Blue Jays will be content with a 114 wRC+ hitter, sit back, relax, and wait for him to start whacking those balls out of the park again.

As mentioned, Guerrero isn’t even the most productive player on his team this year. Bo Bichette, Brandon Belt, and Matt Chapman all have had more productive seasons. Bichette, specifically, has proven he is one of the best hitters in baseball this season.

This lineup has interesting players one through nine, besides the star names. Whit Merrifield and Kevin Kiermaier were fascinating additions over the past year. They are both in the latter portions of their career, but they provide on-base threat with solid defense.

Merrifield continues to be a great well-rounded player. He might not be praised as a star, but he fits into the lineup perfectly. He boasts a 113 wRC+ with a low strikeout rate, speed on the basepaths, and good defense. Kiermaier is still wrangling in flyballs all over the place and has been slightly better than league-average with the bat.

Cavan Biggio and Daulton Varsho are wonderful role players, as well. They are not going to carry this team, but they fill out the rest of the roster with credible options. Biggio’s season stats aren’t impressive, but he has a 120 wRC+ since May 1. Varsho is an incredible defender, tied for the league lead with 20 Outs Above Average. He is a below-average hitter but has enough peak power to sneak in some pop throughout the season.

The Blue Jay’s offense has not been a dominant force throughout the entire season, but the potential is easy to see. They have the seventh-best team strikeout rate in baseball, and second-best in the American League, only behind the Houston Astros. They have plenty of individual players capable of hitting a key homer or starting a rally. If they heat up for the playoffs, they will be as dangerous as anyone in the American League.

Starting Pitching Turnaround

The rotation looks quite different than expected after Alek Manoah‘s great 2022 season. Instead, Jose Berrios is looking like the guy the Jays expected when they first signed him. Hyun Jin Ryu is back from injury. Yusei Kikuchi could be an ace in the making. Chris Bassitt has been a heavy lifter, leading the team in innings while providing above-average pitching. Oh, and Kevin Gausman has a decent chance at winning the American League Cy Young award.

The Blue Jays have, at the very least, four starting pitchers that Toronto would feel happy about taking the mound. That’s much more depth than most Wild Card teams.

Let’s take a deeper look at Berrios’ resurgence. He has meaningfully improved in nearly every area of his game. He is striking out more batters than last season, giving up fewer barrels, and has drastically reduced his hard-hit percentage.

His pitch mix has changed significantly over the past season, as well. He is throwing his changeup at a career-high rate and cut his four-seam fastball usage from 27.7% to 21.7%. This swap has made a massive difference. Both pitches are performing better. In using his 4-seam fastball less often, the expected wOBA against it has dropped from .440 (yikes!) to .327. His changeup has become a great wipeout pitch, with the whiff percentage jumping from 24.3% to 34.1% this season.

Yusei Kikuchi went from being one of the worst pitchers in baseball to a truly valuable piece in this rotation. His biggest flaw was just how much hard contact he allowed last season. He was in the bottom 5% of pitchers in average exit velocity, maximum exit velocity, expected wOBA against, and hard-hit percentage…Okay, you get the idea.

His bounce back has been fueled by the ability to limit that hard contact. Once again, some changes to the pitch arsenal could be behind this. He virtually didn’t throw a curveball before this season, but now uses it almost 17% of the time. It’s been the pitch to induce the most whiffs for Kikuchi this season. His slider has seen some changes, as well. He now throws the pitch two miles per hour harder than last season. His fastball has been much more effective as he has been able to avoid the barrels on opponents’ bats more. The xwOBA against the pitch dropped from .423 to .309.

Calling for Backup

The Blue Jays might not even need their lineup to start hitting like their bats are on fire with the bullpen they have backing up their starters. As a group, the Jays’ relievers have the fourth-lowest ERA in baseball. They have one of the best relief corps in both racking up strikeouts and avoiding walks.

Here are the four key Blue Jays’ relievers and their season ERA.

Jordan Romano: 2.66 (along with 30 saves)
Erik Swanson: 3.23 ERA
Trevor Richards: 2.96 ERA
Tim Mayza: 1.05 ERA

There are even more contributors, like Jay Jackson, who flies under the radar.

Jordan Romano is one of the best closers in baseball. By Stuff+, a pitch quality metric, he has the third-best slider in all of baseball. And the sixth-best fastball. A lockdown bullpen is pretty useful in the playoffs, it turns out. With a starting rotation as deep and strong as Toronto’s, they could find themselves in situations where they could use their 1-2-3 relievers in multiple playoff games. An elite defense, a lockdown bullpen, and a roster that could explode at any moment seem like a fantastic foundation for a playoff team.

Main Image: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

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• New York Yankees – Eight losses in a row (60-64 record overall)
• Chicago White Sox – Seven losses in the last 10 games (49-75)
• Los Angeles Angels – 5-13 in August (61-64)
• St. Louis Cardinals – Four losses in the last five games (55-70)
• San Diego Padres – 4-10 in last 14 (59-66)

There’s a lot to discuss and word will fail to describe the letdown some of these teams have produced. But, it’s worth a try.

The Dog Days of August

New York Yankees

There are a lot of places to start with a team that was expected to compete for the World Series. Their team batting average is .230 which is second-worst in baseball behind only the hapless Oakland A’s. Only two batters have an OPS+ over 100 and only three active batters have one over 90. The rotation has only one pitcher with an ERA+ over 100. With one of the largest payrolls, .500 ball would be a disappointment; they are four games below the .500 mark. However, let’s look at the top-down of this team.

The Yankees at this point have all but given up. To be fair, with the front office doing nothing, the team has followed suit. The Yankees weren’t a playoff team before the trade deadline and the message that was sent was that there wasn’t going to be an effort to improve otherwise. Aaron Boone, their manager is starting to run out of excuses. Typically, he’ll say that they need to play better. The problem is, he says that after every loss. It’s getting old, like the antics that get him ejected and the roster that suits up on a daily basis.

This team is destined to finish below .500, something the Yankees haven’t done since 1992. It creates an offseason ahead where change will be demanded. Not just from the roster, but an overhaul of the franchise. This season was years in the making and now, the Yankees have to pay the price and start rebuilding from the top all the way down.

Chicago White Sox

What particularly hurts about the White Sox’s awful season is the wasted year Luis Robert is having. He is playing at an MVP level, slashing .270/.325/.563 with 33 home runs and 252 total bases along with a 4.7 WAR. Yet, his remarkable year almost goes unnoticed.

This in part is because of the rest of the team which is bad to put it lightly. The rotation entered the season with high hopes but a combination of underachievers and lack of depth left it in shambled. The lineup outside is Robert had one bat that provided power (Jake Burger, who was traded) but now there are only two active hitters with 10 home runs or more in the lineup. The team collectively can’t field, a problem amplified by power hitters (who are struggling at the plate) playing in the field every day.

The White Sox, while disappointing, have an avenue to contention. This year has made the future look bleak but there are a few things to look forward to. The core, which has been a letdown, is young, as five everyday players are 29 or younger. The other bright spot is playing in a division that is there for the taking any given year as the American League Central Division is the weakest in baseball. The White Sox have been awful this year and look at times like a minor league roster but at least for them, there is hope.

Los Angeles Angels

They made the bold decision to keep Shohei Ohtani and not trade him. On top of that, the Angels bought in, acquiring Lucas Giolito, Mike Moustakas, and Reynaldo Lopez ahead of the trade deadline. Yet, they got worse, winning only five games after signaling they were going all-in (making the Yankees’ decision to do nothing seem defensible).

Call the Halos cursed. Maybe this is a sign that they will never win. Maybe this was by design. The bottom line is that the Angels look like a franchise heading nowhere and their one hope to avoid that, was by possibly trading Ohtani, who is no longer available. Sure, they can re-sign him but this is a team that despite having a generational talent (two actually) that can’t reach the postseason. The best move would have been to trade him for a surplus of prospects and try to field a competitive team down the road but now, they have no path towards competitiveness.

St. Louis Cardinals

The irony is that the Cardinals have a good lineup this year. They average 4.61 runs per game and have a handful of batters putting together strong seasons. Unfortunately, being awful on the mound and in the field has given them their worst season of this century.

Almost every game the Cardinals play feels like a 6-2 or 7-3 one that they’ll cruise to a victory with. Then, they’ll allow a few runs in one frame, a lot of runs in another frame, and lose 10-6 or 11-7. The pitching can’t hold a lead from their rotation to their bullpen and even worse, their fielding makes any ball put in play, a likely rally builder for the opposition.

The Cardinals this year oddly reminds me of the San Francisco Giants last year. Specifically, one issue created a chain reaction that made them a hapless team. With the Cardinals, the pitchers pitch to contacts which requires a good field behind them to make the pitchers formidable. The pitching looks worse because of the fielding and with the shift ban, the fielding is easy to scrutinize this year. It makes every loss deflating and a season that looked confusing at first is now shaping up to be a symptom of a poorly designed club.

San Diego Padres

It’s crazy to think that Xander Bogaerts was seen by many as the missing piece, the player that would take the Padres and put them over the top. Beogarts in his defense has been playing well, slashing .265/.339/.395 and compiling a 2.5 WAR but it’s the depth, which was an issue entering the season that has been exploited.

The Padres have a top-heavy roster. The problem is when Juan Soto goes through a slump or Fernando Tatis Jr. deals with an injury, the team both relies on the stars to do too much and asks the depth, which isn’t there to step up. Gary Sanchez had to be brought in just to add stability to the lineup and the catcher position. Rich Hill, at 43 years old, was acquired at the trade deadline to add reinforcements to the rotation. Manny Machado has been asked to be a top-five player in the league, especially with the pile-up of injuries, he’s not even a top-five player on his team (he’s seventh in WAR for those keeping track).

Like the Yankees, they have invested in a team where .500 ball should be considered a disappointment. They are seven games below .500 and six games out of a wild card spot. Like the Angels, they are a team that can be seen as cursed and similarly, could have traded away key players like Blake Snell to plan for the future. However, they are left with a team that is overpriced and heading nowhere.

For the Padres, the future seems non-existent in large part because they went all-in this year and many people saw this roster as the one to win the World Series. Now, the clock is ticking on Soto, who becomes a free agent in a few years. Snell is a free agent this winter. Josh Hader, who remains one of the best relievers in the game, is approaching free agency soon as well. The Padres wasted a year they couldn’t afford to waste and the uphill battle to return to a competitive state got steeper.

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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

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This article is not to justify what he did, nor argue his guilt or innocence but to give reasons, between his talent and the situation he is in could put him in a prime spot to make a massive comeback.

The Case for Deshaun Watson to be Comeback Player of the Year

The first player I would like to discuss is Deshaun Watson. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past two and a half years, you know the issues that Watson has been dealing with. I will not go through the details of the off-the-field issues that he was dealing with. The main fact is that Deshaun Watson did not play football for a little over two years, on top of receiving an 11-game suspension from the NFL. He did not return to action until week 12 of the 2022 NFL season.

The Wonder Years

Before the last few games we saw from Watson last year, he was an elite talent. He was a smart quarterback with an outstanding arm and a running upside that he could also rely on when needed. The last full season Watson had with the Houston Texans was the best season in his career.

If you talk to people, a lot of them think that in the 2020 season, he still had DeAndre Hopkins as his alpha receiver, but Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals before the beginning of that season. Deshaun Watson posted a stat line of 382 completions on 544 attempts for a completion percentage of 70.2 for 4,823 yards and 33 touchdowns with only seven picks. He also posted 444 yards on the ground on 90 attempts and three touchdowns. If there were 17 games played two years ago, Watson would have more than likely surpassed 5,000 yards passing.

Six-Game Mirage of 2022

Fast forward to the last six games of 2022 for Watson. He did not look good at all, but it was to be expected being out for two years and having little to almost no time with the team because of the 11-game suspension that he had to serve. Watson is still young at age 27 and has a lot left in the tank. There were some underlining good takes that you can look at from last season’s performance, for instance, he is still a willing runner posting 36 attempts for 175 yards and one touchdown in six games.

The Team Around Him in 2023

This year, Watson has arguably a better cast for success around him than he had with the Houston Texans. He’ll play with Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, who was acquired in the offseason for a second-round pick, star running back Nick Chubb, and the big rookie prospect Cedric Tillman.

Another huge thing Watson did not have in Houston that he has here is a great offensive line. PFF has the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line ranked number two in the NFL right under the great offensive line of the Philadelphia Eagles. The organization has really put Deshaun Watson in a position to succeed and this Cleveland Browns team will at the least be a very competitive opposition in the AFC North at least as long as they can get at least 80 percent of the vintage Deshaun Watson.

The Cleveland Browns have shown the confidence that they have in Mr. Watson. The money that they paid him shows that they believe in his talent. With the pieces around him, he is set up for success. Can Deshaun Watson take advantage of this second chance or has he been away too long and is “washed”?

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Today let’s give some much-needed attention to three underrated Jets on defense.

Most Underrated Jets on Defense Going into 2023

D.J. Reed

The New York Jets enter the 2023 season with one of the best secondaries in football, and it is headlined by the cornerbacks. Sauce Gardner is the biggest name of the three top cornerbacks for the Jets but D.J. Reed deserves a lot more attention. Reed signed a three-year contract with the Jets in the offseason of 2022 and to say he was a pleasant surprise last year is an understatement.

Last season D.J. Reed put up a career-high in tackles (80) and passes defended (12). When you compare D.J. Reed to other top cornerbacks in the NFL, he was statistically better in many categories. One of those being QB Rating allowed when targeted, Reed had allowed a QBR of (81.9). That was better than Jalen Ramsey (84.5), Darius Slay (83.9), and Trevon Diggs (86.1). Ramsey, Slay, and Diggs all went on to make the Pro Bowl last season and D.J. Reed did not. Reed will have another big opportunity this season against some of the best receiver duos in the NFL to prove and further show his ability.

Quincy Williams

The Williams family was getting paid this past offseason with both Quinnen and Quincy receiving new contracts to remain with the Jets. Quincy Williams has been one of Joe Douglas’ best finds after getting cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars in August of 2021. The Jets picked him up a few days later and he has been a very solid starting-caliber linebacker for the Jets.

In his two years in Jacksonville, he played a combined 18 games and had a combined 59 tackles. When you compare that to his two years with the Jets his production has seen a major increase. Williams has ranked second on the team in tackles each of the past two seasons with 110 in 2021 and 106 last year in 2022. Last season Williams also put up a career-high in sacks (three) and was tied for the team lead in tackles for loss (12) which was also a career-high and he was tied with his brother Quinnen Williams. Not only does Quincy Williams’ ability show in the box score it also shows on the field with his sideline-to-sideline speed.

Bryce Huff

You can throw Bryce Huff into two different categories an underrated category and an underutilized category. This has been another under-the-radar find for Joe Douglas, signing Bryce Huff as an UDFA out of Memphis in 2020. Although his snap count is minimal and he only plays primarily on third and fourth down his pass-rush ability is special.

Last season Huff appeared in 14 games after being inactive for the first three games of the 2022 campaign. In those 14 games, he made his mark, Huff’s pass-rush get-off was 0.67 seconds, the fastest of any player in the last five seasons. He also led the NFL in pass-rush win rate last season with a 25.6% win rate. Huff was able to do this even though he was only ninth among Jets defensive linemen in snaps. Pairing Bryce Huff with other edge rushers such as Carl Lawson, Will McDonald, Jermaine Johnson, and John Franklin-Myers will continue to be a main factor in the Jets’ defensive success.

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Best Odds to Win 2023-24 NFL MVP

Patrick Mahomes (+650)

The Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites to win the Super Bowl so it’s only fitting that their superstar quarterback is the favorite to win the NFL MVP. Patrick Mahomes is going for his second connective award after putting up 5,250 yards with 41 touchdowns. His performance led Kansas City to a 14-3 record and their second Super Bowl victory in four years, winning the Super Bowl MVP in both.

Having the best connection in the league with Travis Kelce and a coach like Andy Reid by his side to add to an already gifted quarterback just elevates his play even more. If Mahomes won the award, he would be the second quarterback in a row to win back-to-back MVPs, with Aaron Rodgers doing so in 2021 and 2022.

Joe Burrow (+750)

There’s no surprise that Joe Burrow is right behind Mahomes in the race for NFL MVP. Burrow has done nothing but solidify himself as one of the best in the league since being thrust into action in 2020. He’s led the Cincinnati Bengals to the AFC Championship Game and a Super Bowl appearance. Burrow finished fourth in the MVP voting last year as he threw for 4,475 yards with 35 touchdowns and can put up even better numbers this year, that is if he can stay healthy.

He suffered a calf injury in team practice and all that was said was he’ll be out several weeks. With the talent in the hunt for the award, missing a couple of games could hurt his chances but if he’s able to start right out of the gate, you better believe he’ll come out swinging, especially with a receiving corps of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd.

Josh Allen (+850)

To open up last season, Josh Allen was the favorite to win the NFL MVP but fell short of doing so, finishing in third place. In fact, that’s been the theme of Allen’s career. He’s been the front-runner to win the MVP and Super Bowl for several years yet there’s always been someone standing in his way. Allen wants to reverse that trend and put the doubters to rest who have the notion that he and the Buffalo Bills are slowly fading away from the pack.

Allen is still one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league. He’s a dangerous duel threat as not only did he throw for 4,283 yards and 35 touchdowns but he also ran for 762 yards and 7 touchdowns. Just like the quarterbacks above him, he has a lethal connection with his top wide receiver. In this case, that would be Stefon Diggs, who had 1,429 yards. Allen is a great leader and he will have a chip on his shoulder this season to finally win his first NFL MVP.

Jalen Hurts (+1100)

Having by far the best year of his career so far in 2022-23, Jalen Hurts finished as the runner-up for the NFL MVP after throwing for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns with only six interceptions. He also tallied 760 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns on the ground. Hurts went 14-1 as the starter and led the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl, just falling short by three points to the Chiefs. 

He comes into this season with still one of the best wide receiver duos in the league and all-around talent around him, maybe even better than last year’s team. Hurts has improved in every season and now that he’s entering his fourth season, it’s expected that he takes his game to another level that just might be enough to win the MVP this season.

Justin Herbert (+1200)

Justin Herbert will be the one to be overlooked as an NFL MVP favorite but in reality, he shouldn’t be. Just like last season, he enters the season at number five on this list and there’s a good reason why. Herbert is one of the most talented quarterbacks in today’s game. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 2020 and followed that up with a 5,000-yard season the following year in 2021. His production did dip a little in 2022 but he still threw for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns. Keep in mind that Herbert was dealing with a rib injury throughout last season.

Like Hurts, Herbert is entering his fourth season at the helm with a great receiving group but features one of the best running backs in the league behind him. He’s healthy and ready to get the Los Angeles Chargers over the hump after a very disappointing loss in the Wild Card game last season. Herbert may have the biggest chip on his shoulder of any quarterback on this list to elevate his game and show why he deserves to be among the best.

Next Best Odds:

Lamar Jackson (+1500)
Trevor Lawrence (+1500)
Aaron Rodgers (+1600)
Justin Fields (+2000)
Tua Tagovailoa (+2200)
Dak Prescott (+2200)

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In the past, the offense has been held back by a multitude of different things. Penalties, injuries, turnovers, and questionable play-calling have held back the Huskers in the past few seasons.

With Coach Matt Rhule coming into his first season, there is hope to lessen the mistakes to help make the offense shine in the next few seasons.

With that being said, here are five players to watch on the Nebraska offense in 2023.

Players to Watch on Nebraska’s Offense in 2023

Jeff Sims (Quarterback, Junior)

There is no surprise that the transfer out of Georgia Tech will be one to watch. Jeff Sims brings in a strong arm and a good ability to scramble out of the pocket.

At Georgia Tech, Sims passed for a total of 4,464 yards and 30 touchdowns over three seasons. Sims also accumulated 1,152 yards on the ground with 11 touchdowns.

There are concerns about turnovers and injuries with Sims. In the three seasons in Atlanta, Sims threw 23 interceptions. In 2021 and 2022, Sims only played in less than nine games in both seasons due to injury.

Despite this, Sims can hopefully clean up the turnovers under Coach Rhule and it should help to have an experienced offensive line to protect him.

With that all being said, Sims is primed for a successful 2023 season.

Thomas Fidone (Tight End, Sophomore)

The former No. 1 tight end in the 2021 class is set to start for the first time in Lincoln. Thomas Fidone has been unlucky, tearing the same ACL twice in back-to-back seasons.

In his senior year at Lewis Central High School (Council Bluffs, Iowa), Fidone was a first-team All-America, getting 43 catches for 845 yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Fidone was the highest-rated recruit to sign to Nebraska since 2008 and he hasn’t gotten to showcase that talent. 

With the lack of depth at the tight end position, Fidone will be forced to play more. Despite that, with his potential Fidone is set for a very successful 2023 season.

Gabe Ervin Jr (Running Back, Sophomore)

Gabe Ervin Jr is one of many great running backs that Nebraska has on the roster for 2023. With a very deep position group, Ervin Jr should get his chance to shine in the new offense system.

Ervin Jr was the first freshman running back to start in the season opener in the modern era of Nebraska football in 2021 at Illinois. He would run for 133 yards on 37 carries and two touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury at No. 3 Oklahoma. 

In 2022, Ervin Jr played in eight games, rushing for only 94 yards on 20 carries 

Throughout the off-season, Ervin Jr has been working and getting stronger. With all the work he has done through the off-season, he has earned playing time and is worth a watch.

Ben Scott (Center, Junior)

Ben Scott, a center transfer from Arizona State, makes an immediate impact on Nebraska’s offensive line. He brings a veteran presence that the offensive line has needed in the past few years.

In three seasons in Tempe, Scott started 28 games. He started four games at right tackle in 2020 and all 13 games in 2021. Last season, Scott was moved to center and he started 11 games.

Scott has been watchlisted for the Rimington Award and is primed for a strong final year in his college career in Lincoln.

Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda (Wide Receiver, Junior)

Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda (IGC) transferred to Nebraska last season from New Mexico State. He would play in four games before utilizing his redshirt season. IGC caught five passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Most would think, why is IGC a player to watch? Well, IGC is trending to be a starter in 2023 because of the loss of Zavier Betts, who left the team.

With that being said, IGC should get more of an opportunity to make some noise and is somebody to watch for a breakout season.

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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

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