*Unofficial Biggest Sox prospect busts of the past 10 years*

[Clembasbal]

Ummmm..

Jeff Abbot #1, Greg Norton, Craig Wilson, Kip Wells and Sammy Sosa (White Sox Busts), Lyle Mouton, Scott Ruffcorn, Mario Valdez, Jeff Inglin, Mitch Wylie, Almost any pitcher from the 1999 Class - Corwin Malone, Dan Ulacia, Rob Purvis, Jason Strumm, etc, I am sure our Providence Catholic Boy is about to become a bust, Jeff Liefer, Kevin Beirne, and so on.

Daryl Boston

[dpbyron]

Scott Ruffcorn

[SoxxoS]

Originally Posted by Clembasbal

Ummmm..

Jeff Abbot #1, Greg Norton, Craig Wilson, Kip Wells and Sammy Sosa (White Sox Busts), Lyle Mouton, Scott Ruffcorn, Mario Valdez, Jeff Inglin, Mitch Wylie, Almost any pitcher from the 1999 Class - Corwin Malone, Dan Ulacia, Rob Purvis, Jason Strumm, etc, I am sure our Providence Catholic Boy is about to become a bust, Jeff Liefer, Kevin Beirne, and so on.

You look at that list, and you just have to wonder...

Although Kevin Bierne, Inglin and Purvis really weren't "prospects" as much as just minor league "players."

[MikeW]

Here is a couple that I remember, although it is more than ten years. Tom Drees and Russ Morman. And several from many years back, Jim Otten, Ken Frailing, Dennis O'Toole, Hugh Yancy, Cleo Kilpatrick, Mike Colbern and a guy who was the number #1 pick twice, Danny Goodwin.(once by us the other time by the Angels.

[Whitesox029]

The Big Four:
Mike Caruso
Larry Thomas
Matt Karchner (still laughing about that trade, but maybe not much longer)
Jim Parque

[Clembasbal]

Originally Posted by SoxxoS

You look at that list, and you just have to wonder...

Although Kevin Bierne, Inglin and Purvis really weren't "prospects" as much as just minor league "players."

I will half-heartly argee with you.

I always thought they were prospects because they actually had baseball cards printed by Topps. Maybe that means nothing, but to have a card when you are in the minors might give the impression that you are supposed to make it.

[Rex Hudler]

Originally Posted by Clembasbal

I will half-heartly argee with you.

I always thought they were prospects because they actually had baseball cards printed by Topps. Maybe that means nothing, but to have a card when you are in the minors might give the impression that you are supposed to make it.

Bierne did make it, just not big. He spent parts of three seasons in the bigs, with the ChiSox, Toronto and the Dodgers. Inglin is/was a career minor leaguer (very good AA hitter), and Purvis has been hurt a lot. I doubt he would have made it anyway, but we'll never know.

[jackbrohamer]

Originally Posted by MikeW

Here is a couple that I remember, although it is more than ten years. Tom Drees and Russ Morman. And several from many years back, Jim Otten, Ken Frailing, Dennis O'Toole, Hugh Yancy, Cleo Kilpatrick, Mike Colbern and a guy who was the number #1 pick twice, Danny Goodwin.(once by us the other time by the Angels.

Mike Colbern was touted pretty heavily, IIRC.

Cecil Espy?

[MHOUSE]

In my time paying close attention to the Sox I would say:
Jon Rauch and Joe Borchard

I also vaguely remember a few guys from the mid-late 90s:
Mike Caruso, Brian Simmons, and Scott Ruffcorn

I don't think you can call Parque, Baldwin, Wells, Cameron etc. all "busts" because they have/will/did contribute at the major league level for some period of time for us and/or other teams. In the crapshoot that is minor-league prospects, I think if you get more than a full season of serviceable to decent production from a guy then you can't call him a bust.

[champagne030]

caruso gets a pass in my book.....he beat the dubs with a homer in the basket at the urinal. ruffcorn is my poster child of a bust.

[johnny_mostil]

Originally Posted by A. Cavatica

This is fun. Let's go by position.

C: I remember when the Sox called up first-round pick Rick Seilheimer for a cup of coffee. He was never heard from again.

Not only did they call him up, he was what, 19? He must have gotten hurt because he didn't even play minor league ball for long. He lives in Brenham, Texas, where he grew up. He's in the phone book, somebody oughta follow up.

[BigEdWalsh]

Originally Posted by ja1022

I remember a couple of highly touted CFs of the late 90s. Brian Simmons (2nd round pick) and McKay Christensen (6th pick overall for Angels in '94). As I recall, both these guys were can't miss types. They missed.

I have to agree about Christensen. I had high hopes for him and seriously thought he was gonna be a good hitter. As I recall he went to the Dodgers and started out well for them. Don't know what happened after that.
Simmons, I don't think was so much as a bust, as he was victim to a couple of freakish injuries.

[mikehuff]

Originally Posted by MHOUSE

I don't think you can call Parque, Baldwin, Wells, Cameron etc. all "busts" because they have/will/did contribute at the major league level

I agree with this. Baldwin and Parque were real fun to watch when they were on. Same with Kip Wells. I can't call these guys "busts," just inconsistent. These guys were very frustrating at times.
I used to love seeing Baldwin out there with that big hunk of chew in his cheek. The better he did that inning, the slower he would walk back to the dugout and he would do that slight fist pump too. Man he was great to watch.

[Fake Chet Lemon]

I didn't see the great Joel Davis mentioned, did I?