Sorting out the Sox

Minnie Minoso in 1976

Heading nowhere other than to a last-place finish in the American League, the Chicago White Sox 47 years ago today decide to employ a lineup in Anaheim against the California Angels based not on ability but by field position, starting with catcher Brian Downing leading off and following with first baseman Lamar Johnson.

Second baseman Bill Stein bats third, followed by third baseman Kevin Bell, shortstop Bucky Dent, left fielder Alan Bannister, center fielder Chet Lemon and right fielder Jerry Hairston hitting eighth.

Since pitchers – those, of course, being No. 1 in your fielding chart – no longer hit in the American League at that point, the White Sox use their designated hitter as the No. 9 hitter.

In this case, that No. 9 hitter is 52-year-old Minnie Minoso, whom the White Sox dust off earlier in September 1976 so he can make the claim of playing in all or parts of four decades in the majors.

Alas for the White Sox, the lineup of manager Paul Richards does little against California pitchers Sid Monge and John Verhoeven as Chicago totals just seven hits before losing 7-3 in front of a Thursday night crowd of 6,859 at Anaheim Stadium.

As for Minoso, the seemingly ageless one and future Hall of Famer, he grounds out to second baseman Jerry Remy in his first at-bat and then flies out to center fielder Rusty Torres in his second and final at-bat of the game.

Minoso plays in three games for the White Sox in 1976, batting .125 with one hit in eight at-bats.

He then goes back into retirement for a few years before again joining the White Sox in 1980 for a pair of pinch-hitter appearances that produce no hits.

At the time, Minoso is 56.

Hardly enough, though, to slow down Minoso as he makes two more appearances in pro baseball – both for the independent league St. Paul Saints with a pair of at-bats in 1993 and again in 2003.

Minoso’s final at-bat in 2003, at the age of 79, ends with a walk.