Today in White Sox History: November 23
Infielder in his forties? The South Siders are All-In
1966
Tommie Agee was named AL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America, in a blowout vote. Agee earned 16 of 18 first-place votes, far outpacing the runner-up, pitcher Jim Nash of the Kansas City A’s.
Agee had gotten cups of coffee in four previous seasons, playing 41 games from 1962-65 with Cleveland and the White Sox, but used his first year as a regular in the majors to outstanding effect: 22 homers, 86 RBIs, 44 steals, a .773 OPS and a Gold Glove in center field. Agee ranked third in the AL in WAR and second in position player WAR (6.4), third in runs (98), fourth in hits (172), fifth in total bases (281), 10th in doubles (27), fourth in triples (eight), third in steals, and first in power-speed (29.3).
Agee’s 6.4 WAR led the 83-79-1 White Sox and is tied for 21st all-time in team single-season history. He became the first player in franchise history with 20 homers and 20 steals.
The five-tool player came to the White Sox in one of the franchise’s all-time best deals (with Cleveland, in 1965) and left in a really terrible one with the Mets (1967).
1977
In a case of the rich getting richer, or at least Rich, the New York Yankees signed former White Sox relief ace Rich Gossage to a six-year, $2.75 million deal. Gossage had been traded a year earlier from Chicago to Pittsburgh due to the certainty he’d demand just this sort of contract for 1978, well out of Bill Veeck’s price range. The trade did yield one unforgettable season from Richie Zisk, but no more than that.
2009
The White Sox signed veteran infielder Omar Vizquel to a one-year, $1,375,000 deal. At 42, the 11-time Gold Glove shortstop was added to fill a complementary role in the infield for the White Sox — and in fact he ended up seeing more time at second and third base than shortstop during his first season on the South Side.
Vizquel sought and was granted permission from fellow Venezuelan Luis Aparicio to “un-retire” Vizquel’s favored No. 11.
Vizquel was a 0.2 WAR player over 391 plate appearances for the 2010 White Sox. Naturally, the White Sox being the White Sox, the front office brought the veteran back for the 2011 season — with a raise!
In retirement, Vizquel came back to the White Sox, managing for two years in their minor league system. His managing contract was not renewed after his season in Birmingham in 2019, the White Sox leaving unsaid that his dismissal came on the heels of Vizquel’s sexual harassment of the Barons’ bat boy.