Who's on your Mt Rushmore of Sox bench players

[HomeFish]

I think Leury Garcia has played his way onto that mountain. He's been on the team forever, can play any position, what more can a utility guy do?

The other guy from my lifetime I'd nominate is Pablo Ozuna. Only played 3 seasons but was on the 05 team and had so many memorable moments, from his mind games with Zambrano in the crosstown classic to his suicide squeeze to win Frank Thomas's first game back as an Oakland A.

The other guy that came to mind - Tony Graffanino - doesn't make the cut IMO. He was JR's favorite player they said but ran off to Kansas City for a slight raise and his greatest contribution to the White Sox came in a Red Sox uniform.

Old timers - who from your time belongs up there?

[LITTLE NELL]

Sammy Esposito had a great glove and filled in at 2nd, 3rd and Short from the mid 50s to early 60s. Of course he didn't play much at second base with Nellie hardly ever missing a game. Didn't hit much but when he was in there he always seemed to get a key hit in a tight game. He was a fan favorite as he was born on the Southside and graduated from Fenger High School.


Another guy from the GO GO era was Bubba Phillips, more of a platoon player than a sub but had a great glove and was a steady .270 line drive hitter, he hit .300 in the 1959 World Series.
2 others from that era get honorable mention, Earl Toregson and Billy Goodman.


Totally agree on Luery, hard to believe he's been with the Sox for 9 years.

[Foulke You]

Not exactly an old timer but I'd have to put Pablo Ozuna on that list. He played a lot of middle infield, corner outfield, and was usually the first pinch runner off the bench for Ozzie during the mid-2000s including the World Series team.

[Chez]

Jerry Hairston was one of the best pinch hitters to ever play on the Southside. And though he had a couple of seasons as a starter, Steve Lyons could play almost any position, was fast and a decent left-handed hitter.

[Hitmen77]

Craig Grebeck - aka "The Little Hurt"
Mike Squires - aka "Spanky" (not the one just DFA'd)

Agreed about Leury Garcia.

[Hitmen77]

I think Leury Garcia has played his way onto that mountain. He's been on the team forever, can play any position, what more can a utility guy do?

The other guy from my lifetime I'd nominate is Pablo Ozuna. Only played 3 seasons but was on the 05 team and had so many memorable moments, from his mind games with Zambrano in the crosstown classic to his suicide squeeze to win Frank Thomas's first game back as an Oakland A.

The other guy that came to mind - Tony Graffanino - doesn't make the cut IMO. He was JR's favorite player they said but ran off to Kansas City for a slight raise and his greatest contribution to the White Sox came in a Red Sox uniform.

Old timers - who from your time belongs up there?

Who can forget that jerk Chris Berman moaning "Oooohhhhh Nooooooo!!!!! Everybody is safe!!!!! "

[Brian26]

Jerry Hairston, The Deacon Warren Newson, Willie Harris, and Leury Garcia.

[HomeFish]

Willie Harris is an interesting choice. He scored the run that won the Sox the World Series as a pinch runner. He had a great nickname - "Wee" Willie Harris. He was a favorite of female fans who found him cute: when I moved to the Washington DC area in 2010, I was surprised to find many female Willie Harris fans there as a result of his stint with the Nationals post-Sox.

But I would rank Pablo Ozuna over Willie Harris for that era. First, because Ozuna simply produced more memorable moments for me. Second, because I think of him more as a failed starter than a utility guy. Few remember this, but Willie Harris was nicknamed "Hollywood" in the Orioles minor leagues because they were sure he was going to be a star.

[Lipman 1]

Craig Grebeck

[KenBerryGrab]

Smokey Burgess
Jerry Hairston
Marc Hill
Dan Pasqua

[Lipman 1]

Smokey Burgess
Jerry Hairston
Marc Hill
Dan Pasqua

Smokey Burgess absolutely!

[Noneck]

Smokey Burgess absolutely!

I never remember Smoky doing anything but pinch hitting. I know he was a catcher but cant remember him behind the plate.

[KenBerryGrab]

I never remember Smoky doing anything but pinch hitting. I know he was a catcher but cant remember him behind the plate.

Yep. His all-star catching days were long gone when he joined the Sox.

[Tragg]

Had the Deacon begun his career a decade later, he'd have been a starter with a very productive career.

[Lipman 1]

I never remember Smoky doing anything but pinch hitting. I know he was a catcher but cant remember him behind the plate.

He occasionally caught but take a look at what he did as a pinch hitter, that qualifies as a "bench" player no?