Nice piece on South Side Sox about the 1993 team

[doublem23]

Really nice read about the 1993 team which is somehow 20 years in the rear view mirror now.

http://www.southsidesox.com/2013/1/4...1993-white-sox

If you're a Millennial like me (late 20s, early 30s), this is probably your team. I can say personally, the 1993 team is probably the main reason I chose the Sox and not the Cubs.

[pudge]

Great recap. I'm a little older, and 1990 was my team. That team had more heart than just about any Sox team I've ever seen. I enjoyed 1993, but it was on the heels of two very underachieving seasons in '91 and '92, so '93 felt more like "well, it's about time". Nobody knows the fate of the '94 team. Cleveland was loaded and was nipping at the Sox heels. But many feel '94 was the best shot at a title.

[BigKlu59]

Yup, I thought we would clip the Jays and have a rematch of the 59 Series against the Dodgers.. It was also the third time we would have had a chance to face the Phils 64,83,93, but that was one gut wretching series with Toronto. It seemed like we were playing with one hand tied behind our backs with some of the managerial situational moves that I thought didnt take place, that cost us overall. This was the first time in along time we finally had some lumber in the line-up, only to come up impotent in that catagory..83 had some sticks, but in 93 the bats were left in the bat rack.. Who know's why the dugout drama existed at the most innoppourtune time..

BK59

[LITTLE NELL]

The last Sox game I saw in person before we moved to Florida was the division clincher when Bo Jackson hit that homer that took forever to land in the left field seats. We sat in the last row of the upper deck (row 29) before the lop-off looking right down the third base line. No one left the park as fans were singing and dancing in the aisles and then the Sox came out of the clubhouse for a victory lap to cap a great night.

[PaleHoser]

I had tickets for Game 6 of the World Series that year. Unfortunately you had to forfeit the tickets to get your cash refund, which I got at LaSalle Bank on Wacker Drive downtown the following day.

I walked into the bank, and there was Alex Fernandez cashing in a stack of his own tickets that had to be every bit of 4" tall. I congratulated him on a well-pitched game and a great season, and commented that it was a Sox fan's lot in life to finish a close second to anyone. I guess he took that to heart and went to south Florida a few years later.

Oh, if Bo Jackson could have only backed up the "we're a bat short" comment. Jackson, Karkovice and Pasqua a combined 0-31 with 15 K's. Ugh.

[Lip Man 1]

According to Jeff Torborg, whom I interviewed for WSI, the Sox were always a bat short during the early 90's.

They never could find a 3rd member to go along with Thomas and Ventura. Had some very nice complimentary pieces but never a 3rd big bat.

You wonder what might have happened had the Sox said yes to this proposed deal from the Yankees according to Jeff:

"The Yankees wanted to send us Bernie Williams and Hal Morris for Eric King and Steve Lyons. Now think about what would have happened to our team. Morris was a line drive hitter and a good glove man at first, we had Robin at third. Williams and Lance Johnson would have covered a lot of ground in the outfield and Frank would have been the DH. Think we would have won a few games?”

Larry Himes the Sox G.M., said no to it.

Lip

[pythons007]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

According to Jeff Torborg, whom I interviewed for WSI, the Sox were always a bat short during the early 90's.

They never could find a 3rd member to go along with Thomas and Ventura. Had some very nice complimentary pieces but never a 3rd big bat.

You wonder what might have happened had the Sox said yes to this proposed deal from the Yankees according to Jeff:

"The Yankees wanted to send us Bernie Williams and Hal Morris for Eric King and Steve Lyons. Now think about what would have happened to our team. Morris was a line drive hitter and a good glove man at first, we had Robin at third. Williams and Lance Johnson would have covered a lot of ground in the outfield and Frank would have been the DH. Think we would have won a few games?”

Larry Himes the Sox G.M., said no to it.

Lip

Hal Morris was from my hometown. He would have been a much bigger deal to me if he played for the Sox.

[Foulke You]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

They never could find a 3rd member to go along with Thomas and Ventura. Had some very nice complimentary pieces but never a 3rd big bat.

You are right for the most part however, in 1994 I feel the Sox finally addressed that 3rd "big bat" problem with Julio Franco. Julio was having a tremendous year and it was no coincidence that Frank Thomas was on pace to have one of his best seasons with Franco batting cleanup behind him. When the strike began in August, Julio Franco was batting .319 20HRs and 98 RBIs. The Big Hurt was hitting .353 38HR and 101RBIs. It's no coincidence that the 1994 team seemed World Series bound because they were more polished and balanced then the 1993 team was. Sadly, we will never know what that team could have done in October.

By the time the strike was resolved in 1995, the Sox turned to Chris Sabo and a washed up John Kruk to replace the lost power of Julio Franco who had gone to play a year in Japan. Obviously, that was a complete disaster along with the rest of the 1995 team. By the time the Sox addressed the 3rd "big bat" problem with Albert Belle, the pitching staff had eroded and then the White Flag trade happened.

[asindc]

Originally Posted by Foulke You

You are right for the most part however, in 1994 I feel the Sox finally addressed that 3rd "big bat" problem with Julio Franco. Julio was having a tremendous year and it was no coincidence that Frank Thomas was on pace to have one of his best seasons with Franco batting cleanup behind him. When the strike began in August, Julio Franco was batting .319 20HRs and 98 RBIs. The Big Hurt was hitting .353 38HR and 101RBIs. It's no coincidence that the 1994 team seemed World Series bound because they were more polished and balanced then the 1993 team was. Sadly, we will never know what that team could have done in October.

By the time the strike was resolved in 1995, the Sox turned to Chris Sabo and a washed up John Kruk to replace the lost power of Julio Franco who had gone to play a year in Japan. Obviously, that was a complete disaster along with the rest of the 1995 team. By the time the Sox addressed the 3rd "big bat" problem with Albert Belle, the pitching staff had eroded and then the White Flag trade happened.

I wholeheartedly endorse the post above, as it is full of truth. Franco was indeed the X-factor the Sox had been missing during the Frank/Ventura/McDowell years.