Card #43 - American League Central Champions

An amazing season was capped of by an improbable last minute run for the crown, in which everything went right. This may not be the most dominant team in White Sox history, but it may be one of the luckiest.

After losing five in a row, the White Sox won their last two games to force a one game playoff against the Twins, which they won to become AL Central champions. The last three games featured three wins against three different opponents, on three consecutive days, all at U.S. Cellular Field. This will truly be a season to remember.

I chose this photo to illustrate the celebration on the field after the final out of the regular season. Injuries and domes hurt the White Sox in the playoffs, but none of that mattered at this moment. It was a time to celebrate the impossible.

This is the last card for the 2008 virtual White Sox cards. I hope that you enjoyed them as much as I did. These 43 cards feature one celebration, one manager, two All-Stars and all thirty nine players who appeared in a game for the White Sox in the 2008 season. Look for another virtual card set during the 2009 season.

Card #42 - Jermaine Dye

The resurgence of Jermaine Dye has been one of the reasons that the White Sox stayed in first place for so long in 2008. JD helped carry the team when Carlos Quentin and A.J. Pierzynski started to cool off and before the late season pushes of Jim Thome and Paul Konerko.

Dye stepped up his game in the field too. While other outfielders his age are starting to slow down, Jermaine is playing just below peak levels. He routinely runs, dives and plots out his routes to any ball that dares enter the space near right field.

I chose this photo because of the old school eighties uniform. This was a special day on many accounts, even though the White Sox ended up losing a see saw battle against the Royals.

This was the Sunday that Harold Baines received his statue. This was also the only 2008 game that I personally attended. During this game, Jermaine was hit by a pitch on the knee and had to be removed from the game. The injury looked serious enough to possibly end his season. As luck would have it, Jermaine was back in action in a matter of days. He was able to continue the season and help the White Sox to the American League Central crown.

Card #41 - Lance Broadway

Lance Broadway may be the White Sox starter of the future, but he is not quite there yet. He did show some chutzpa on the mound in a relief role. Lance needs a little more seasoning and experience before he can truly take control of a game.

2008 was a great start to a promising career. With his Major League debut out of the way, Lance has an opportunity to learn from that experience and grow as a pitcher. Will he be in the mix for 2009? Only time will tell.

I chose this photo of Lance because I think it shows the makeup of his character. He seems laser focused on the task at hand, but he also seems relaxed just enough to be effective. Hopefully, Broadway can build on his 2008 appearances.

Lance seems to be on the right track with his career. If the Sox handle him right, then he should be a Jason Bere type pitcher, before Jason's injuries.

Card #40 - D.J. Carrasco

D.J. brought some unexpected life into the bullpen when it was at a low point in 2008. He started out exceptionally and gave the bullpen the boost that it needed, at the right time. D.J. will definitely be remembered for that, but there was a bigger story on the horizon.

Carrasco's 2008 would be remembered for a fight between him and Kansas City's Miguel Olivo after Olivo was hit by a pitch. Tensions ran high and there were many ejections. D.J. should be remembered for swapping between the bullpen and spot starter duties, but Miguel Olivo made sure that wouldn't happen.

This photo was taken right after the fight had died down. I like the candid moment captured. It shows a human side to these ridiculous blow ups on the field.

It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world in the Sox retained Carrasco. Even though he was a little inconsistent at times, he was solid as a rock when he was needed.

Card #39 - Joe Crede

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. 2008 would mark Joe Crede's first All-Star appearance and a return to form after his ailing back nearly derailed a promising career. Soon, the back problems resurfaced and another season split between starting and the disabled list passed.

Joe is expected to look elsewhere to play in 2009, but never count out the White Sox to make a surprising move. If Crede is the best option available, Joe may not have finished his South Side legacy.

This photo reminds me of the best of Joe Crede. Pure joy and playing for the love of the game. This is the Joe that helped the White Sox win it all in 2005. It's a shame that things have gotten so muddied between Joe, Joe's agent and the White Sox.

This is probably a parting image. If so, then I think it's the best photo to exhibit the high point of Crede's tenure with the White Sox. Fly away, Joe. I hope you land somewhere decent.

Card #38 - Gavin Floyd

Gavin had the most successful season of his big league career in 2008. This was the year that everything clicked and turned around for him. Exceeding expectations, Floyd was one of the most consistent starters the entire year. Outpacing veterans like Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez, Gavin stepped up his game and the scoreboard returned the favor.

Gavin had a nasty habit in 2008. He kept losing no-hitters in the late innings. Only time will tell if there is a no-hitter in Floyd's future. One thing is for sure. If he keeps on pitching like he did in 2008, there will be many more chances for one.

I chose this photo of Gavin because of the hug. This was taken in the dugout after he lost his no-hit bid in May. This shows how much the White Sox players care for each other, even in a market where players jump from team to team.

This close knit team amazes me with each public display like this. It shows that in a sport full of "me" type players, there are those who still believe in the team ethic. I think this is a wonderful display of what baseball should be about... the team.

Card #37 - Pablo Ozuna

Pablo did everything to stay on the club, but someone had to be the odd man out. When he was released from the White Sox in July 2008, he had been having a pretty average season as a super-sub utility infielder. He stepped up when Joe Crede started to have problems, but ultimately lost to Juan Uribe at third.

With one or two options blocking Pablo at his three infield positions, the Sox had no choice but to release him. Ozuna quickly signed on with the Dodgers and had moderate success with them in 2008. Pablo was an imortant part of the 2005 World Champion White Sox team.

I love this photo of Pablo. It shows the enthusiasm that he can have on the field. He played with no regard for his own safety in pursuit of the ball. I think the Sox squeezed all the potential from Ozuna before they let him go.

Still, he keeps getting involved in special moments that keep the ballclub moving forward. I like the "look what I have" pose that Pablo displays in the photo.

Card #36 - Horacio Ramirez

Horatio had a below average stint with the White Sox in 2008. If the the Sox do not retain him for their 2009 roster, this would make the only team in his career where he has not hit a batter while pitching. Horatio hit two batters, in 2008, while with Kansas City. The only year that he has not hit a batter was 2004, with Atlanta.

This is another in a long line of former Kansas City pitchers that Kenny Williams thinks will magically transform into a miraculous pitching machine. Yes, these pitchers all have flashes of brilliance, but a change of uniform will not fix these damaged goods.

This was the best picture of Horatio that I could find. It shows him in Baltimore, I believe, during the continuation of the rained out game from Chicago. I remember Horatio being much better than the numbers say, or what everyone else thinks.

I doubt that Horatio will be on the Major League roster in 2009, but he is a left hander, so that could sneak him into the bullpen. It all depends on how the winter dealings progress. It should tell you how ineffective Horatio was, if the hit by pitch angle was the best blurb that I could come up with for the card.

Card #35 - DeWayne Wise

DeWayne surprised a lot of people in 2008. Once considered an afterthought as a fifth outfielder, DeWayne showcased his fielding skills and timely hitting. When the big names falter, the rest have to step up. Wise has stepped up beyond his expectations.

During the 2008 ALDS, DeWayne provided the majority of the offense, which is remarkable on a team with Thome, Griffey and Konerko. Wise is a gamer, who is not afraid to give it his all. It may seem a stretch, but the White Sox may not have made the postseason in 2008 without the contributions of Dewayne Wise.

I chose this photo of DeWayne because he is completely in midair, in the beginning stages of catching a ball that is a few feet from him. It reminds me of a Chicago legend that once tried playing for the White Sox.

I certainly hope that Dewayne will find a spot on the 2009 team. In my opinion, he certainly earned it with his 2008 season.

Card #34 - Octavio Dotel

Octavio was part of the master plan Kenny Williams had in mind for the bullpen in 2008. For the most part, that plan worked. The only flaw in the plan was injuries to key players in the bullpen. That forced the other relievers into other positions, which caused ineffectiveness.

Dotel rebounded when the bullpen was healthy. He did the role he signed on for without any further inconsistencies. Octavio is lights out for the one inning of work that he is prepared to do. Stretching him over an inning, causes the teams to catch up to him, resulting in very unflattering numbers. It should be interesting to see how he responds in 2009.

Sorry for the delay in the Photoshop cards. Other areas of this blog and my life have taken my time the past few weeks. I hope to finish up the remaining cards by the end of the month.

I chose this photo for two reasons. It shows a pitcher covering home plate, which isn't seen too often on cards. It also shows Negro League uniforms, which look very different than the regular uniforms.

Card #33 - Paul Phillips

Paul is another castoff from the Kansas City Royals. He has been stuck behind A.J. Pierzynski and Toby Hall on the White Sox, so Paul has spent most of the year in the minors. Paul has impressed the Sox enough to get a September callup in the middle of a pennant race.

Phillips has only appeared in four games, mostly for late inning defense, but he is the first in line if an injury happens to either Pierzynski or Hall. He has shown enough promise to stick around.

This was the best picture I could find of Paul Phillips in a White Sox uniform. It's a bonus that the picture is not from a Spring Training game. The other photo I found of Phillips was unusable for this type of a project. It showed him being bowled over, at the plate, with no distinguishing marks.

I'm not that surprised that he is pictured talking to Lance Broadway in a game. They were battery mates in the minors this season.

Card #32 - Esteban Loaiza

Can a team bring a name from the past and plug him into the lineup for a spark? Sometimes yes, but mostly no. It usually doesn't bode well trying to recapture magic from an aging pitcher. It didn't help much here either.

The White Sox tried to bring a starting pitcher, in Loaiza, and plug him into the long relief role in the bullpen. While the experiment wasn't a complete failure, Esteban ended up going on the DL and effectively ended his second stint with the Sox. He didn't pitch badly, but he didn't pitch well either.

Why did I choose this photo? Frankly, because I couldn't find any others of Esteban in a White Sox uniform. At least none that were from 2008. You'd think that if a player is coming back to a team he was successful with and he made three appearances that there would be one photo of him. Sadly, no.

I tried to find a photo that didn't show his number, but I couldn't find a good enough image to use. Esteban wore the number 21 during his first tour with the White Sox. In his brief cameo in 2008, he wore number 48.

Card #31 - Jason Bourgeois

After slowly climbing the ladder of minor league levels, Jason Bourgeois finally made his MLB debut in 2008. His time may have passed to become a bonafide star, but he has the makeup to become a star backup utility player.

Jason is a big man, but don't let his size fool you. He can run. Jason was called up in September 2008, after infielder Chris Gets broke his wrist.

The only photos I could find of Jason were from Spring Training games. Even though he's been a few games with the Sox this year, I couldn't find any photos of him with the big club.

This photo was taken from a game against the Cubs. Jason is sliding in safely into second base.

Card #30 - Paul Konerko

Paul has been one of the most consistent hitters that the White Sox have had in the new millennium. He usually goes through slumps during the season, but 2008 really took the cake. Konerko has had one of the worst hitting slumps in major league history.

From the start of the season until mid-August, Paul literally couldn't buy his way on base. A funny thing happened in August though. Konerko started to get really hot. He may be getting hot at the right time to carry the White Sox down the home stretch.

I chose this photo of Konerko because he looks like he's auditioning for a chorus line of some sort. I also like the way that he's looking up with optimism. The crowd also seems to be looking in the same direction. Maybe it was a long ball close to the foul line.

Card #29 - A.J. Pierzynski

What can be said about A.J. that hasn't already been stated? He knows how to squeeze the most out of a game. If he's on your team, you love him. If A.J. happens to be playing against your team, he is the most hated man on the field.

A.J. has a knack of getting into sticky situations and making them turn to his favor. He leaves everything out on the field. There are no regrets in his style of play. When things go awry, you can usually hear a teammate say, "That's another heads up play by A.J.".

I chose this photo of A.J. because he's sticking his tongue out. This is his reaction to a throw not getting a baserunner. You can see the emotion of each play in his face. He reacts, then moves on.

This is another thing that you don't normally find on a baseball card. The negative reaction. Usually if a player is showing any type of emotion, it's of the celebratory variety. Players are just like us, they have a wide array of emotions.

Card #28 - Jerry Owens

Jerry has had some bad breaks in 2008. He was supposed to be the starting left fielder, until he was injured during Spring Training. Then his replacement, Carlos Quentin, produced monster numbers. So, with no room in the majors, Jerry was forced to play out 2008 in the minors.

Owens was called up in September when the rosters expanded. He has been in a few games and has responded well. His biggest contribution in 2008 is a perfectly executed suicide squeeze in a game against the Blue Jays on September 10th. Jerry is a player who does the little things and does them right.

I love this photo of Jerry Owens. I saw this in the game yesterday and knew I had to seek it out. I'm just lucky that someone was there to capture it. At this point of the at-bat, Jerry is down on one knee with the ball still a good ten feet away. This is exactly the style of play that is sorely missing from the 2008 team. Plus, Jerry almost beat it out. This is the type of play that can spark an offense.

Card #27 - Jose Contreras

Jose is one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors. Unfortunately, 2008 has been a down year for Contreras. This season was marred by inconsistency and injury. When he was healthy, Jose was lights out.

After a trip to the disabled list, Jose was the victim of a freak accident that put this season on hold indefinitely. His career is threatened by the injury as well. While covering first base on a play, Jose stepped wrong and injured his Achilles tendon. Hopefully, this wont be a career ending injury for Contreras.

I chose this photo of Jose because he looks so intimidating. You can definitely tell that he's focused in on getting the batter out. No visible emotion, just focus.

The filters make him seem to jump out from the background. His mound presence is definitely missed during the home stretch of September.

Card #26 - Chris Getz

Chris is the second baseman of the future. The future may be as soon as 2009, depending on a few key moves during the off season by the Sox. Either way, Chris should enjoy a permanent home of the South Side shortly.

Chris is a great defensive player. He will get almost anything that is hit his way. The bat is impressive too. He makes solid contact and is seeing the ball very well. His average should jump up with more consistent playing time in the majors.

I'm not happy with this photo of Chris Getz. The image is fine, but despite playing in a few games and making key plays, I could not find one image of Chris wearing number 39. This shot was taken during a Spring Training game.

I like the photo because there is an optical illusion going on. Chris has just caught the ball with a sliding Brad Eldred backing him up. Yet, there is a white blur right by Brad's glove. I'm not exactly sure what that out of focus mess is, but it's not the ball. You can clearly see that in Chris' glove.

Card #25 - Clayton Richard

Clayton joined the Sox this year to help with the fifth spot in the rotation. He has stuck around, due to an injury to Jose Contreras. Clayton has made the most of his time by showing off the skills that brought him up in the first place.

Clayton is still adjusting to being in the big league rotation, but he seems to be improving with each outing. He is starting to get away from the "big inning" that dooms most rookie starting pitchers. If he can learn from his time with the parent club, there may be no telling what the future might hold for Clayton Richard.

I chose to crop this photo, instead of showing the pitching arm. The camera caught the hand at the perfect time to make it one blurry mess. Everything else was fine with the photo, so I cropped out the blurry mess and focused on the face.

I love the emotion in the face. The ball was just released and this is the natural reaction of throwing the ball. You can see all the intensity in Clayton's face.

Card #24 - Mike MacDougal

Mike is a bit of an enigma. He can pitch with the best of them, yet he seems to be plagued with these long stretches of ineffectiveness. When Mike is "on", he can mow through an opposing lineup. When he's "off", Mike can blow games wide open for the other team.

Mike spent most of 2008 in the minors. He was recently called up and has pitched effectively. Hopefully, Mike can use this as a springboard towards a great 2009 season.

I chose this photo of Mike because I think it captures his 2008 season perfectly. He seems to be saying, "You've got to be kidding.", as another inning went south by way of a lucky bounce or an error.

Even though the eyes are shaded, you can still make out the confusion and disappointment in his stare.