Today in White Sox History: December 28
A piece of the ALCS starting quartet sticks around
1993
As part of an effort to replace free agent Ellis Burks, the White Sox inked journeyman outfielder Darrin Jackson to a contract. D.J. would fill a role with the White Sox just fine, with 10 homers, 51 RBIs, seven stolen bases and a .312 average in the shortened 1994 season.
Jackson moved into the team’s broadcasting booth years later, first on TV, then radio, where he remains to this day.
1995
Five years and five days after acquiring Tim Raines in one of his best trades as GM, Ron Schueler flopped in sending Rock to the Yankees for a player to be named later (pitcher Blaise Kozeniewski, shipped to the Sox in February).
Raines played another seven years (accruing 3.6 WAR over 402 games from ages 36-42) and won World Series in the Bronx in 1996 and 1998. Kozeniewski opted to retire at age 26 rather than report to the White Sox.
2005
The White Sox extended starter Jon Garland with a three-year, $29 million deal. Already due at least an estimated $7 million in arbitration, Garland agreed to a team-friendly contract. It’s amazing what a World Series win can do for team camaraderie and overall attractiveness.
The 2005 season was Garland’s fourth as a regular starter for the White Sox and in the majors, and was to date (and into the future) his best, with an 18-10 record, 3.50 ERA, 4.6 WAR, an All-Star appearance and sixth-place finish in Cy Young voting. The righthander would be brilliant in the two final seasons he’d play on the South Side, totaling 28 wins and 7.6 WAR. He was dealt to the Angels for the final year of this extension, and never came close to his White Sox heights.
Garland’s 18.4 WAR places him 24th all-time among White Sox pitchers and 58th among all players.