Chicago White Sox

Catchers & Infielders:

• C – Carlton Fisk
• C – Sherm Lollar
• 1B – Frank Thomas
• 2B – Eddie Collins
• SS – Luke Appling
• 3B – Robin Ventura (1B)
• MI – Tim Anderson (SS)
• MI – Ray Durham (2B)
• CI – Jose Abreu (1B)
• CI – Paul Konerko (1B)

Outfielders:

• LF – Minnie Minoso (3B/RF)
• CF – Joe Jackson (LF/RF)
• RF – Magglio Ordonez (CF)
• LF/RF – Carlos Lee

Starting Pitchers:

• SP – Ed Walsh
• SP – Doc White
• SP – Red Faber
• SP – Eddie Cicotte
• SP – Jim Scott
• SP – Joe Horlen

With every team, we started building their all-time 25-man and 40-man rosters by using the Hall of Fame as a starting point, figuring that a player enshrined in baseball’s immortal Hall would certainly qualify to make his team’s all-time roster. Almost all the Hall of Fame members are easily identifiable with one team so it’s a simple way to start every roster with near-inarguable selections.

The only player the White Sox had to fight for was Carlton Fisk:

Carlton Fisk

Boston Red Sox: 11 years, 7-time All-Star, 0 MVPs, 39.5 WAR, .284 AVG, 627 Runs, 568 RBI, 162 HR, 61 SB

Chicago White Sox: 13 years, 4-time All-Star, 0 MVPs, 28.9 WAR, .257 AVG, 649 Runs, 762 RBI, 214 HR, 67 SB

I think it’s fair to say that Fisk was more productive in Boston, but the overall time he spent in Chicago tips the scales to the White Sox. Chicago also keeps Chris Sale, at least for now. A couple more seasons and that may tip to Boston, but for now – hide the scissors on the South Side.

As with every team, we are trying to build an active roster with 13 position players and 12 pitchers, and then a 15-player inactive roster of guys who just missed the cut, but remain valuable as callups in case of slumps or injuries.

The 13 active position players are usually two catchers, six infielders, and five outfielders. The stats are built around the average of the player’s best three consecutive seasons.

One important thing to mention here – Eternal Baseball is considering all players for inclusion on the all-time rosters, and that includes players on the ineligible list.

This means the eight “Black Sox” placed on baseball’s ineligible list by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis (for taking money to intentionally lose the 1919 World Series) are candidates for the all-time White Sox team. Of these eight players, only outfielder “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and pitcher Eddie Cicotte have statistics bearing roster consideration.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame gives us a good start here. Cooperstown gives us Carlton Fisk, Frank Thomas, Eddie Collins, Luke Appling, Ed Walsh, Hoyt Wilhelm, Red Faber, Ted Lyons, Harold Baines, Nellie Fox, Ray Schalk, and Luis Aparicio.

The Hall of Fame gives us 12 of our 40-man roster, and WAR (Wins Above Replacement), a great stat for looking at the all-around contribution to a team for both hitters and pitchers, can help us with the rest.

We get lots of help here, as we find: Minnie Minoso, Robin Ventura, Fielder Jones, Paul Konerko, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Willie Kamm, Sherm Lollar, Magglio Ordonez, Johnny Mostil, Alexei Ramirez, Bibb Falk, Ray Durham, Carlos Quentin, Lance Johnson, Buck Weaver, and Jose Abreu.

Chicago is building with a talented young core right now, and new stars Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, and Eloy Jimenez were given consideration as well. Carlos Lee had a tremendous run in the 2000s so he was included in the candidates.

Once plugged into the simulation software, we looked at their OPS (on-base + slugging percentage) and their defensive rankings and they break down like this:

CATCHER: Carlton Fisk, Sherm Lollar
FIRST BASE: Frank Thomas, Jose Abreu, Paul Konerko
SECOND BASE: Eddie Collins, Ray Durham
SHORTSTOP: Luke Appling, Tim Anderson
THIRD BASE: Robin Ventura, Minnie Minoso (sometimes)
LEFT FIELD: Minnie Minoso, Carlos Lee
CENTER FIELD: “Shoeless” Joe Jackson
RIGHT FIELD: Magglio Ordonez

Chicago’s going to use a designated hitter on most days too, so Jose Abreu, Paul Konerko, Carlos Lee, and Robin Ventura will see some at-bats there too. That leaves inactive roster options Alexei Ramirez, Carlos Quentin, Nellie Fox, Ray Schalk, Eloy Jimenez, Harold Baines, Luis Aparicio, and Bibb Falk.

For the pitching staff we’re looking for six starters and six relievers. Bear in mind that across the whole game you will see dynamic, outstanding starting pitchers that can’t crack an all-time rotation but are better served as relievers on a team than sitting inactive.

Hall of Famers automatically belong, so four spots are reserved for Ed Walsh, Red Faber, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Ted Lyons. With the 25 players on the total roster we have room for 15 more pitchers.

Once we dug into the career WAR rankings (as White Sox) we came up with these names: Wilbur Wood, Eddie Cicotte, Billy Pierce, Mark Buehrle, Doc White, Chris Sale, Reb Russell, Jim Scott, Joe Horlen, Tommy John, Jack McDowell, Gary Peters, and Jose Quintana.

Dominant relievers Bobby Thigpen, Keith Foulke and Bobby Jenks were considered as well.

We looked at their overall numbers in the simulation software and leaned heavily on ERA to come up with these designations:

STARTING ROTATION: Ed Walsh, Doc White, Red Faber, Eddie Cicotte, Jim Scott, Joe Horlen
RELIEVERS: Wilbur Wood, Roberto Hernandez, Matt Thornton, Bobby Thigpen
SET-UP: Keith Foulke
CLOSER: Hoyt Wilhelm

The back end of that bullpen is really impressive. The inactive pitcher options are Chris Sale, Ted Lyons, Jack McDowell, Tommy John, Gary Peters and Billy Pierce.

So how did we do?

Who sits between Frank Thomas, Jose Abreu, and Paul Konerko?

Are you cool with Eddie Cicotte and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson being on the squad?

Should Tim Anderson have taken Alexei Ramirez’s spot?

What batting order would you suggest versus lefties and righties?

Let us know in the forums below and if you make a compelling case we will adapt it in-game. We want every squad to be the best they possibly can be and appreciate your help fine-tuning the White Sox for Eternal Baseball.

Photo Credits:

• Cornfield from the Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
• Comiskey Park by David Wilson
• US Cellular Field by Bryce Edwards