Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Features on each member of the 1990 Sarasota White Sox, high-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, as included in that year's team set.  Sarasota White Sox (31) Clemente Alvarez  finally made the majors after 14 seasons Wayne Busby  set high standards, saw six seasons, made AA Darrin Campbell  wanted to catch as pro, saw seven seasons Mark Chasey  got into rhythm, saw 4 seasons, AA Don Cooper  coached pitchers over 3 decades, 2 in bigs Nandi Cruz  ran hard, saw five pro seasons, made high-A Fred Dabney  saw confidence grow in 10 seasons, made AAA Mike Davino  worked on velocity, saw 3 pro seasons, AAA Steve Davis  served as trainer at Birmingham for Jordan Daniel Flath worked as a batboy in Sarasota; Later appears to have gone into real estate, coaching his kids , 1/22/22 Tony Franklin spent more than four decades in game, as player, then as manager, coach , 1/18/22 Horace Gaither  made adjustments at plate in third pro season, di...

South Bend manager Rick Patterson's young hurler Jose Ventura turned in a gem this night in July 1989 as he threw a two-hit shutout, The South Bend Tribune wrote . His manager Rick Patterson explained to The Tribune how Ventura did it, after a slow start. "Ventura was timid early," Patterson told The Tribune . "He was feeling his way. He didn't turn it loose until he got a couple runs and got some confidence, then he got a little more aggressive." Ventura picked up nine other starts for South Bend that year, to go with 19 relief appearances. He went on to make AA Birmingham two seasons later. But, in a career that spanned six campaigns, he didn't make it higher. Ventura's career began in 1988, signed by the White Sox out of his native Dominican Republic. Ventura started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League. he went 3-3, with a 2.62 ERA over 12 starts. He then moved to South Bend for 1989 and turned in a 1.57 mark over those 29 outing...

The White Sox imposed a hitting style on their players, but Ed Smith felt it wasn't for him, The South Bend Tribune wrote in 1991. After a trade to the Brewers, Smith recalled to The Tribune how he felt like an outcast when he chose not to hit the way the team wanted him to. "Now, I've got a fresh start," Smith told The Tribune after the trade. "I'm swinging the bat the way I was a couple years ago." Smith spoke to The Tribune in his fifth season as a pro. He went on to see time in four more. He briefly made AAA , but he didn't make the majors.  Smith's career began in 1987, taken by White Sox in the seventh round of the draft out of Pemberton Township High School in New Jersey. Smith started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He hit .237 over 32 gamers. He then arrived at South Bend for 1988 and stayed there for 1989. He hit .232 his first year there and .246 his second. In an August 1988 contest, the third baseman robbed ...

Daniel Flath took to the field with the Sarasota White Sox as a batboy in 1990 .  He then continued with the club in that role two seasons later, in 1992. He's right there in the front row of the team photo with fellow batboys in both years' shots, as well as making the 1990 Star batboy card. Further direct information on Flath's time with the team could not be found, either during or after his stint with the club. But a Sarasota-native Daniel Flath appears to have gone on to a career in real estate and ( like his fellow batboy Scott Serbin ) in music. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune later identified Daniel Flath in 2006 as the bassist with a band called Strength Thru Discipline and then, in 2008, as the bassist for the Sarasota-area band Nous Rapport . That Daniel Flath is also listed in 2022 as a real estate agent in Sarasota. The bio on his website indicates he graduated from the University of South Florida, worked in different jobs before becoming a realtor. HE earned hi...

The Sarasota Herald-Tribune looked back on Michael Jordan's 1994 spring with the White Sox and one of the people they asked for recollections from was White Sox batboy Scott Serbin. Serbin described the atmosphere as circus-like, according to The Herald-Tribune . "They talk about it being a circus and it was," Serbin told The Herald-Tribune . "Every day, some big name — Charles Barkley, Ahmad Rashad — would be hanging out in the clubhouse after the game. To be honest, I think some of the Major League players were star-struck, also." The Herald-Tribune spoke to Serbin 20 years after Jordan played with the White Sox and identified Serbin simply as a former batboy. Serbin started as a Sarasota batboy by 1990. That year, he shared a card with fellow batboy Daniel Flath. Serbin then continued on in a batboy capacity through 1994, the year Jordan came to town. He appears in team photos in both 1990 and 1992 , photos each sponsored by Serbin Printing. Since his batbo...

Ray Payton started off 1988 strong for the single-A South Bend White Sox as he hit safely in his first seven games of the season, The South Bend Tribune wrote . Payton, in his second pro season, credited work he'd done in the previous fall's instructional league with getting him going, according to The Tribune . "Instructional ball, that's where I built up my courage," Payton told The Tribune that April. "My hitting instructor worked with me a lot. When I wouldn't play, I would go out to the cage." Payton's courage went on to take him to two more pro seasons. He he made high-A , but couldn't make it higher. Payton's career began in 1987, taken by the White Sox in the 19th round of the draft out of Southern University and A and M College. Payton started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He got into 13 games and hit .182. He moved to South Bend for 1988. He got into 122 games and he hit .267, with nine home runs. He s...

South Bend White Sox hitter Jimmy Hurst had been struggling at the plate, but his manager Tony Franklin stepped in to help, Hurst recalled to The South Bend Tribune after this April 1993 game. "Tony said just stay back and relax," Hurst told The Tribune after a night that included a big home run. "I did and I hit the ball good my last three at bats." By that point, Franklin had helped young players for more than a decade, mostly as a manager in the minors. He went on to spend more than two decades more in that role and similar ones. He also later even got a brief look at the bigs. Franklin's long career in the pros began as a player himself in 1970, signed by the Reds out of Los Angeles City College . Franklin started with the Reds at single-A Tampa . He made AA Trois-Riveres in 1972 and then AAA Indianapolis in 1975. He hit .235 over 99 games at Indianapolis. He continued playing through 1978, but he didn't make the bigs. He then started his coaching ca...

Scott Middaugh made it to a major league field before he even got out of high school, The Los Angeles Times wrote . He pitched at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego for his high school league championship and lost. He even returned later in college, with San Diego State - and he won, The Times wrote . "I thought about it and I knew I had a chance to do something about it," Middaugh told The Times after his May 1986 win, referencing his first loss. "I didn't want to be denied again." Middaugh went on from San Diego State to turn pro. But he wouldn't get the opportunity to pitch on a major league mound as a major leaguer. He saw four pro seasons and topped out at AA. Middaugh's career began in 1988, taken by the White Sox in the 13th round of the draft out of San Diego State. Middaugh went to San Diego State out of Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, along with two teammates. He explained to the Times in May 1985 that their decisions were all indepe...

Clemente Alvarez found it hard to believe, he told The Wilmington News Journal in September 2000. He'd played professionally since 1987 - over 14 seasons - and he'd finally made the major leagues . "The only thing I know is I'm here," Alvarez told The News Journal . "I'm going to enjoy every day I'm here. ... It's like a movie." Alvarez ultimately got into games on two of those days. He got to the plate five times and, after 14 seasons, picked up one major league hit . Alvarez' career began in 1987, signed by the White Sox out of his native Venezuela . Alvarez started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He moved to single-A South Bend and short-season Utica for 1988. The catcher hit .197 over 68 games. He returned to South Bend for 1989, then split 1990 between high-A Sarasota and South Bend. He hit .199 over 85 games that year.  But his manager at South Bend, Rick Patterson, called Clemente possibly the best catcher ...

Ramon Garcia pitched into the seventh inning of this July 1991 contest and allowed three hits for the White Sox, but came away without the win, The Munster Times wrote . Garcia, though, still just eight appearances into his young career, just looked ahead to his next appearance, The Times wrote . "No luck," Garcia told The Times . "I try to do the best I can do. Next time I'll try the same thing and do the best I can do." Garcia went on to see 15 total starts for the White Sox that year, and pick up four wins. He then returned to the majors for two more seasons - five years later - with the Brewers and the Astros.  Garcia's career began in 1987, signed by the White Sox as a free agent out of his native Venezuela. Garcia started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He played his first three seasons there. before getting to move up to high-A Sarasota in 1990. He went 9-14 at Sarasota, with a 3.92 ERA over 26 starts. He also got an appearanc...

Coming off a season in 1987 where he'd hit just .228, Carl Sullivan seemed to hit his stride in 1988, The Tampa Tribune wrote . At single-A Tampa, Sullivan had a .310 mark by early June. He also had 21 RBI and 12 stolen bases, The Tribune wrote . "I think I've become a lot more patient as a hitter," Sullivan told The Tribune . "That's the kind of thing that comes with experience."  Sullivan used that experience in his third season as a pro. He went on to see time in six. He topped out at AA . Sullivan's career began in 1986, taken by the White Sox in the second round of the draft out of Brenham High in Texas. Sullivan started with the White Sox at single-A Appleton and in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He hit .223 over 61 games. He moved to single-A Daytona Beach for 1987, where he hit that .228. He then remained in the Florida State League at Tampa in 1988 and finished with a .285 mark, but hit .237 in 1989 at Sarasota. Sullivan then started 1990...

The South Bend White Sox needed a hit in this August 1988 game to end it and Javier Ocasio came through, The South Bend Tribune wrote . In bottom of the 12th inning, Ocasio picked up that base hit to knock in the game-winning run, The Tribune wrote . "It was a fastball inside," Ocasio explained afterward to The Tribune . "I was looking for a base hit anywhere to get the game over." Ocasio picked up that hit in his third professional season. He went on to play in a total of six . He topped out at AA. Ocasio's career began in 1986, signed by the White Sox as a 16-year-old free agent out of his native Puerto Rico. Ocasio started with the White Sox in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw 39 games there in 1986 and 29 there in 1987. He hit .343 there his second year. He moved to single-A South Bend for 1988. He went on a run that July where he picked up 9 hits in 14 at bats. He hit .272 overall and won team MVP honors that August. Ocasio made single-A Sarasota ...

The South Bend Tribune highlighted the local single-A White Sox relievers and some of their quirks, including reliever Rob Resnikoff . Relievers had to be a little strange, Resnikoff explained to The Tribune in May 1988. "You watch for 8 2/3 innings and all of a sudden you're in a spot where one pitch  you throw will make you a hero or a goat," Resnikoff told The Tribune . "You've got to be different and like the excitement." Resnikoff ended up enjoying relief work over a total of five professional seasons . He made it to AA, but didn't make it higher. Resnikoff's career began in 1987, signed by independent Boise out of Queensborough Community College. Resnikoff started off with short-season independent Boise . He saw 17 games, 15 starts and ended with a 4.55 ERA. He also went 5-6. He then signed with the White Sox for 1988 and played at South Bend . He also turned full-time reliever. He went 5-4, with a 2.25 ERA and eight saves. He made single-A ...

Ohio Wesleyan's Scott Tedder had just helped his team to a Division III tournament semifinal win as he hit 13 of 22 from the field and sunk eight free throws, The Lincoln Star wrote . His coach Gene Mehaffey couldn't help but talk up Tedder afterward to The Star . "I've coached long enough to know that it's not the offense, it's the people you have running it," Mehaffey told The Star . "If Tedder gets out in the open floor, you're not going to stop him many times." Tedder eventually helped Ohio Wesleyan on to the title that year. He also soon helped himself on to the pros - in baseball. Tedder worked on his baseball offense over eight seasons. He made AAA, but missed the bigs . Tedder's career began that year in 1988, taken by the White Sox in the 21st round of the draft out of Ohio Wesleyan . At Ohio Wesleyan, Tedder averaged 24.3 points per game over his four years playing basketball. He also won All-American honors twice and earned ...

Louisiana Tech's Mike Galvan pitched into the ninth inning of this April 1988 game, giving up five hits along the way and striking out 11 for the win, The Shreveport Journal wrote . He improved as the game went along, The Journal wrote , but he also ran out of gas in the ninth inning to fall short of the complete game. "I had nothing left," Galvan told The Journal afterward. Galvan had enough left that year to turn pro. His pro career ended up lasting four seasons. He topped out at high-A. Galvan's career began that year in 1988, taken by the White Sox in the 22nd round of the draft out of Louisiana Tech. He picked up a March 1988 win for Louisiana Tech , a shutout where he faced the minimum through five. Galvan started with the White Sox at short-season Utica . He saw five outings, three starts. He gave up nine earned runs over 17 innings. Galvan then made single-A South Bend for 16 relief outings in 1989. He also saw two back at Utica. He picked up four wins at ...

Greg Perschke bailed out his South Bend White Sox in this late-August 1989 playoff game, The South Bend Tribune wrote . The relief pitcher came on with two outs in the seventh, got out of a threat, then pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings for the South Bend win, The Tribune wrote . "I threw curves and change-ups and a few fastballs,," Perschke told The Tribune afterward. "I had control of my three pitches." Perschke spoke to The Tribune at the close of his first professional season. He went on to see seven more campaigns. He made AAA, but missed the bigs . Perschke's career began that year, taken by the White Sox in the 24th round of the draft out of the University of New Orleans.  Perschke started with the White Sox at short-season Utica and single-A South Bend. He went 0-2, with a 2.41 ERA and 10 saves between them. He made high-A Sarasota and AA Birmingham in 1990. He went 10-4 that year, with a 1.49 ERA in 46 outings, 14 starts. He also saved nin...

Mike Davino looked ahead to the 1992 season with hopes of making it to AAA or even the majors, The Asbury Park Press wrote that February. With three pro seasons under his belt, Davino pointed to his work as helping him, The Press noted . "Every year my velocity has increased and the sharpness of my breaking ball has increased," Davino told The Press . "I've been working on my changeup." But, no matter what work Davino had put in, he didn't get onto a regular season field again. He didn't make AAA or anywhere else that season. His pro career ended with three seasons played and a single game at AAA. Davino's career began in 1989, taken by the White Sox in the 42nd round of the draft out of the University of South Carolina Aiken . Davino played his high school ball in New Jersey, at Brookdale High. He went 10-3 there in 1987-1988 He started with the White Sox in 1989 at short-season Utica . He went 6-1, with a 2.82 ERA over 19 outings, one start. H...