Today in White Sox History: November 5
Ron Schueler takes the reins
1976
The White Sox lost five players in the American League expansion draft, with third baseman Bill Stein going fifth overall to the Seattle Mariners. Seattle also nabbed pitcher Roy Thomas (No. 31 overall). The Toronto Blue Jays took pitchers Pete Vuckovich (No. 19) and Jesse Jefferson (No. 47), and outfielder Sam Ewing (No. 57).
Stein was coming off of a 0.6 WAR season with the White Sox, and was Seattle’s Opening Day third baseman in 1977. He produced 2.1 total WAR for Seattle in mostly a starting role in 1977 and 1978. Thomas never played for the White Sox, but spent 1976 in Triple-A Iowa after coming over in trade from the Phillies.
Vuckovich was arguably the best pick of the entire expansion draft, ready to blossom into a star; every season from 1977-82 he earned at least 2.0 WAR, culminating in a fourth-place Cy Young finish for the Brewers in 1981 and taking the award outright in 1982. Jefferson had an awful year with the 1976 White Sox (-2.4 WAR) but rebounded with strong seasons for the Blue Jays in 1977 (2.0 WAR) and 1978 (2.3).
Yes, two of the five best Blue Jays pitchers in 1977 came from the White Sox. Think Vuckovich and Jefferson would have helped the South Side Hit Men push for a division title?
Ewing was the least impactful of all the players the White Sox lost, both before and after the draft. He played just 137 games for the Blue Jays in 1977 and 1978, and never again played in the majors.
The draft itself was driven by Seattle’s loss of the Pilots after the last round of expansion, in 1969. By 1970, the Pilots had moved to Milwaukee to become the Brewers. When anticipated relocations of the White Sox, Twins and Giants to Seattle all fell through in the early-mid 1970s, baseball expanded again in the American League. Joining Seattle were the Blue Jays (who beat out Washington D.C.) to keep the schedule even.
Toronto, placed in the AL East, finished in last place in 1977, 45 1⁄2 games out of first; at 54-107, the Blue Jays were 12 1⁄2 games behind sixth-place Milwaukee. Seattle fared better, finishing in sixth place in the AL West at 64-98, a half-game better than basement-dwelling Oakland.
1990
It was presumed that after dismissing GM Larry Himes in September, owner Jerry Reinsdorf would want someone to replace him more familiar to the organization — if not an outright “yes man.” And indeed, named as senior VP of MLB operations (whew that’s a long title for “GM”) was Ron Schueler, away from the team for a decade but a White Sox player in 1978-79 and pitching coach after retiring in 1979.
Schueler inherited the powerful foundation left behind by Himes and rode that into quick success, with the 1993 AL West title and lead in the division in 1994 when labor pains stopped the season. The remainder of his tenure was mostly painful, with the hiring of Terry Bevington as manager and infamous White Flag Trade in 1997.
It ended on a high note, with the 2000 AL Central title. After the season, Schueler moved upstairs as executive vice president of baseball operations upon the hire of Ken Williams as GM.
1993
After a disappointing performance in the ALCS punctuated by complaints over his playing time, Bo Jackson saw his contract option for 1994 declined by the White Sox.
After a year off to rehabilitate his artificial hip, Jackson had returned to baseball in dramatic fashion, homering on the first pitch he saw in the 1993 season. He played in 82 games, slashing .232/.289/.433 with 16 homers and 45 RBIs, for an 94 OPS+ and 0.6 WAR. Jackson went 0-for-10 with three walks in the 1993 ALCS, in what would be his only career postseason action.
Bo signed on with the Angels for 1994 and had a productive final year in the majors, upping his OPS to .851. He has returned to the White Sox family as a team ambassador.