3 intriguing White Sox stories you may not know
Scott Merkin
@scottmerkinCHICAGO -- A new year usually brings new resolutions, and here’s one to start.
At just one week into 2025, with pitchers and catchers reporting to White Sox Spring Training in a little less than five weeks, I resolve to share a trio of interesting and enlightening stories going somewhat unnoticed at the close of ’24. Let’s take a look.
Talented Taylor has an award-winning baseball supporter
On the quick rise, right-hander Grant Taylor seems to be a vogue pick to watch during the upcoming campaign among White Sox Minor Leaguers. The club's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, struck out 25 over 16 innings covering four starts for Single-A Kannapolis last season, and he is healthy after dealing with a lat injury.
He also counts at least one important, accomplished friend who strongly believes in him: Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Rookie of the Year. The two knew each other from their collegiate days together at LSU.
“I’ll talk to him, and he’ll tell me different stuff that he notices throughout the league, and he’s like, ‘You can be here very soon, dude,’” Taylor said during a recent Zoom. “He’ll tell me basically from what he saw when we were kind of going after it with each other, he’s super confident in me -- and then seeing him do all the stuff and him being super confident believing in himself at the highest of the highest levels …
“He was one of the best in the league this year. It’s pretty cool for one of my really, really good buddies to believe I can be right up there with him, and he’s at the top of the league.”
The fiery side of Will Venable
The first ejection for Venable as a manager could come over the next 162 games, even though the new White Sox man in charge seems very level-headed and even keel. But it won’t be his first ejection overall.
That moment came on April 9, 2015, as a member of the Padres while pinch-hitting in the 12th inning.
“It was [umpire] Tripp Gibson, who is a great guy and so nice. And I felt bad,” Venable said. “I didn’t cuss at him too bad. He was the home plate umpire, and I had a checked swing.
“I didn’t think I went. He did. We talked about it, and he said it was time for me to go. But he’s great, and we laugh about it.”
Venable struck out against reliever Santiago Casilla in the 1-0 loss to the Giants. Padres manager Bud Black also was ejected after coming out to support Venable.
“As a manager, all I can say is I know I’ll be fighting for our players and sticking up for our players,” Venable said. “Beyond that, I don’t know. We’ll see how it goes.”
Bradley’s Chicago connection
Scott Bradley has an influence on the White Sox rebuild as Venable’s trusted baseball coach and mentor at Princeton. The 64-year-old also recorded the last hit in the history of old Comiskey Park.
Bradley, who was with Seattle on Sept. 30, 1990, pinch-hit against White Sox closer Bobby Thigpen and recorded an infield single to open the ninth. Thigpen then retired Omar Vizquel, Pete O’Brien, and Harold Reynolds to close out the 2-1 victory, the historic stadium and maintain Bradley’s place in baseball lore.
“We were out of it. The White Sox were out of it,” said Bradley, who considers himself a baseball historian. “In my mind, I’m thinking to myself, ‘I need this game to end right now, and I don’t want anybody else to get another hit.’
“Nobody is going to ever know me for doing anything in baseball. This is my one chance to be part of baseball history, and it worked out that way.”
During his nine-year playing career, Bradley played for managers Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, and Tony La Russa. He was a part of the White Sox for nine games in 1986 during the season when Ken "Hawk" Harrelson, the iconic Hall of Fame broadcaster, served as the team’s general manager.
“A lot of memories,” Bradley said. “And to be able to play with future Hall of Famers [Carlton Fisk, Tom Seaver and Harold Baines], I loved every second. I still try to remind people, ‘Yes, I did play for the White Sox for a short time.’”