Chicago White Sox
C Carlton Fisk - Post-Red Sox prime, but still had a lot of great years on the South Side. Another HOFer in Ray Shalck for backup, who was with White Sox longer, but not as elite as Fisk.
1B Paul Konerko - Frank Thomas another option here. **** Allen also had some good years, but I don’t think he was with Chicago long enough. Konerko was solid but never really elite; however, he is second to Thomas in many franchise marks like HRs and RBIs, so difficult to leave him out.
2B Eddie Collins - Nellie Fox would make most other teams (and is #4 in franchise career WAR for position players), but Collins probably one of the top 5 all-time to play the position.
3B Robin Ventura - Pretty close between Ventura and Willie Kamm. Coin toss to Ventura because it gives me an excuse to post the video of Nolan Ryan pummeling Robin Ventura.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljO5T8lmxS0
SS Luke Appling - An excuse to post the video of Appling hitting a home run at 75 years old off Warren Spahn in an Old-Timers game.
https://twitter.com/bsmile/status/1152181808152403968?s=21. Luis Aparacio another HOFer who deserves an honorable mention.
LF Shoeless Joe Jackson - It is either a Black Sox or “Mr. White Sox,” Minnie Minoso. Probably the toughest choice. I really wanted to go with Minoso, but Jackson put up pretty incredible numbers for the deadball era. Minoso getting left out gives me two players in top 5 career franchise WAR position players that don’t make the list.
CF Johnny Mostil - Despite long history and HOFers all around the lineup, White Sox don’t seem to have a lot here. Injuries and depression seemed to derail Mostil’s career (including a suicide attempt). Chet Lemon and Lance Johnson among those next up.
RF Harold Baines - Another one that could stick at DH.
DH Frank Thomas - Could have put him at 1B, but I’ll place at DH, so Konerko in my lineup. Jim Thome another option here.
SP Ted Lyons
SP Ed Walsh
SP Red Faber
SP Eddie Cicotte
SP Billy Pierce
RP Hoyt Wilhelm
White Sox have had a lot of great arms in their arms in their history, and pretty hard to narrow down. I’ve probably switched between these pitchers about a dozen times. I’d like to throw in someone like Chris Sale or Mark Buehrle to give a modern arm in the rotation, but I can’t think of which of the five I’d leave out. Billy Pierce gives the squad its lone representative from the 1959 Go-Go Sox team (due to leaving out Fox and Aparacio above). Also tried finding space for Wilbur Wood, who was an innings beast and had two 10+ WAR seasons.
Wilhelm played with the Sox in his 40-45 age years, but they were some of his best years. An ERA of 1.92 over six seasons. Bobby Thigpen holds the saves record and would be a good alternate, as would Goose Gossage for his 1975 season.