'95 Tribesmen on the ChiSox

[aclayman]

While talking with a friend of mine (a Sox fan) en route to the fog covered shit storm of a game last night, we came to an interesting realization: almost every position player from the mighty 1995 Indians wound up playing for the White Sox in the years that followed-- mostly past their prime and useless, but not always. There is no rhyme or reason to it, nor is it remotely important. It's just kind of odd.

Kenny Lofton - 2002
Omar Vizquel - 2010-Present
Albert Belle - 1997-98
Jim Thome - 2006-09
Manny Ramirez - 2010
Sandy Alomar - 2001-04, 2006
Tony Pena - 1997
Herb Perry - 2000-01

Too bad Carlos Baerga flamed out before he got his turn.

[redneckofsc]

Speaking of Baegra, he is supposed to represent the Indians at the draft next month.

[phutatorius]

The thing that blows me away about the '95 team is that 4 players from the lineup could end up in the HOF: Murray, Thome, Ramirez (if he hasn't DQ'd himself by now), and Vizquel, and the three best hitters on the team at the time were Lofton, Baerga, and Belle.

[tecs]

Black sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf has made his admiration of the Indians mid-90's players and scouting staff well known on numerous occasions. I seem to remember him stating in '95 that the Indians were so far ahead of everyone else in the division talent wise that it would take a decade for his team to catch up. Hyperbole, yes, but not too many years off from what eventually transpired.

It doesn't surprise me that he had no problems paying those guys some big FA money, even after they were will past their prime.

[Dellucci TailGator]

I guess Reinsdorf being in awe of the Indians talent might partially explain the white flag deals of 1997.

[JCoz]

The thing that blows me away about the '95 team is that 4 players from the lineup could end up in the HOF: Murray, Thome, Ramirez (if he hasn't DQ'd himself by now), and Vizquel, and the three best hitters on the team at the time were Lofton, Baerga, and Belle.

Is lofton a no go for the hall for sure?

I know he's only got about 2500 hits.......if he didn't he'd have to be right up there with the best that weren't in.

[FUDU]

As good as Lofton he was at his best for too short a period of time IMO to garner any HOF considerations, and was considered the best at what he did for what maybe 2 years at most, if he was at all. Love him, very very good player, but no way in the hall IMO.

[aclayman]

Nope, Kenny has no chance. It's interesting to remember, though, that in 1995, the guy who probably had the best odds of being a Hall of Famer (outside of the obvious Eddie Murray) was Baerga. He was doing stuff no second baseman had done in 80 years or so.
Another interesting thing: we all remember Baerga falling into the abyss and getting traded in the middle of the '96 season, but it's not like he was hitting a Posada-ish .178 or something. When he traded him, he was only 27 years old and was hitting .267 with 10 homers and 55 RBIs through 100 games. So, on pace for his pretty standard 16 HR, 90 RBI. As it turned out, John Hart smelled the stench of imminent career death and dealt him for a guy who actually wound up being the Hall of Fame second baseman (probably) that Baerga was supposed to be-- Jeff Kent. Go figure.

[motherscratcher]

Nope, Kenny has no chance. It's interesting to remember, though, that in 1995, the guy who probably had the best odds of being a Hall of Famer (outside of the obvious Eddie Murray) was Baerga. He was doing stuff no second baseman had done in 80 years or so.
Another interesting thing: we all remember Baerga falling into the abyss and getting traded in the middle of the '96 season, but it's not like he was hitting a Posada-ish .178 or something. When he traded him, he was only 27 years old and was hitting .267 with 10 homers and 55 RBIs through 100 games. So, on pace for his pretty standard 16 HR, 90 RBI. As it turned out, John Hart smelled the stench of imminent career death and dealt him for a guy who actually wound up being the Hall of Fame second baseman (probably) that Baerga was supposed to be-- Jeff Kent. Go figure.

And I distinctly remember being pissed when we traded Bearga for Kent. I was bitching to my Dad and called Kent a "stiff" about half a dozen times. To this day my Dad likes to bust my balls about that. Mention Kent and he says "you mean the stiff?"

Another in a long line of fantastic calls by yours truly.

[JCoz]

Nope, Kenny has no chance. It's interesting to remember, though, that in 1995, the guy who probably had the best odds of being a Hall of Famer (outside of the obvious Eddie Murray) was Baerga. He was doing stuff no second baseman had done in 80 years or so.
Another interesting thing: we all remember Baerga falling into the abyss and getting traded in the middle of the '96 season, but it's not like he was hitting a Posada-ish .178 or something. When he traded him, he was only 27 years old and was hitting .267 with 10 homers and 55 RBIs through 100 games. So, on pace for his pretty standard 16 HR, 90 RBI. As it turned out, John Hart smelled the stench of imminent career death and dealt him for a guy who actually wound up being the Hall of Fame second baseman (probably) that Baerga was supposed to be-- Jeff Kent. Go figure.

Didn't he go in the tank after Mesa slept with his wife or something?

Thought I vaguely remembered something like that...

Anyways, yah, I guess I'm not surprised, the Hall really doesn't give you much for being a great leadoff man.

Kenny still is the best leadoff man since Henderson IMO.