posted on Friday, December 29, 2006 11:58 PM
by
Jim
Greatest White Sox single seasons: No. 10-1
No. 10: Eddie Collins, 1923
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
145 |
505 |
89 |
182 |
22 |
5 |
5 |
67 |
42 |
84 |
8 |
.360 |
.445 |
.453 |
Chew on that bat control. It's a shame he doesn't get as much publicity as his 1919 Sox brethren, because he was a unique talent.
No. 9: Jermaine Dye, 2006
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
145 |
539 |
103 |
170 |
27 |
3 |
44 |
120 |
7 |
59 |
118 |
.315 |
.385 |
.622 |
We
know what Jermaine did for the Sox in 2006. Considering he hit for
most of the season behind Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, who combined for
77 homers and 222 RBI themselves, Dye was actually robbed of some run
production. He made a run for the Sox's all-time home run record and
ended up second only behind Albert Belle; he also finished second in
the American League in homers behind David Ortiz.
No. 8: Frank Thomas, 1991
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
158 |
559 |
104 |
178 |
31 |
2 |
32 |
109 |
1 |
138 |
112 |
.318 |
.453 |
.553 |
The Big Hurt hit the ground running, finishing third in MVP voting in his first full season.
No. 7: Dick Allen, 1972
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
148 |
506 |
90 |
156 |
28 |
5 |
37 |
113 |
19 |
99 |
126 |
..308 |
.420 |
.603 |
Until Frank Thomas came along, no Sox slugger hit the snot out of the ball like Dick Allen. He dwarfed the American League, winning the MVP while finishing only .10 points in batting average away from winning the Triple Crown. His OPS+ was a whopping 200, and his nearest competitor in slugging percentage, Carlton Fisk, finished 65 points behind.
No. 6: Frank Thomas, 1993
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
153 |
549 |
106 |
174 |
36 |
0 |
41 |
128 |
4 |
112 |
54 |
.317 |
.426 |
.607 |
Frank cracked 40 homers for the first time in his career and took home his first MVP. He never struck out less than he did in '93, with more than twice as many walks as whiffs. Blue Jays pitchers were terrified to pitch to him in the ALCS, as he walked 10 times in six games, and batted .353 when they did put it over the plate.
No. 5: Joe Jackson, 1920
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
146 |
570 |
105 |
218 |
42 |
20 |
12 |
121 |
9 |
56 |
14 |
.382 |
.444 |
.589 |
The
last year of Shoeless Joe's career was also his best in a Sox uniform.
His banishment was especially unfortunate because baseball was just
about to enter the slugging era, and Jackson was considered among the
premier power hitters of his day.
No. 4: Frank Thomas, 1997
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
146 |
530 |
110 |
184 |
35 |
0 |
35 |
125 |
1 |
109 |
69 |
.347 |
.456 |
.611 |
Frank won his only batting title by a wide margin, with Edgar Martinez his nearest competitor at .330. He also led the league in OPS despite being overshadowed by Ken Griffey Jr.'s chase of Roger Maris' home run record.
No. 3: Frank Thomas, 1996
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
153 |
527 |
110 |
184 |
26 |
0 |
40 |
134 |
1 |
109 |
70 |
.349 |
.459 |
.626 |
It's scary how nearly identical his 1996 season was to his 1997. Exact same walk, hit and run totals, three less at-bats, just a shade better in all the rate stats. His .349 average was (and likely is) his career best.
No. 2: Albert Belle, 1998
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
163 |
609 |
113 |
200 |
48 |
2 |
49 |
152 |
6 |
81 |
84 |
.328 |
.399 |
.655 |
Belle was the only player to hit 50 doubles and 50 homers in a season when he did it in Cleveland in 1995, and he almost did it again in 1998. He turned it on in the second half, slugging .816 after the All-Star break. He set single-season franchise records in home runs and RBI, and his timing couldn't have been better. He opted out of his contract to receive more money from the Baltimore Orioles, and two years later he began to feel the effects of a degenerative hip. If he doesn't have that season in 1998, the Sox don't win the division in 2000.
No. 1: Frank Thomas, 1994
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
113 |
399 |
106 |
141 |
34 |
1 |
38 |
101 |
2 |
109 |
61 |
.353 |
.487 |
.729 |
It's Frank's second MVP season, as if it were any surprise. The numbers do the talking. Since he played in all 113 games, we can extrapolate them to a full 162. Here's what they look like (franchise record in red):
|
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
BB |
K |
AVG |
OBP |
SLG |
|
162 |
572 |
152 |
202 |
49 |
1 |
54 |
145 |
3 |
156 |
87 |
.353 |
.487 |
.729 |