Larry Himes
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Austin Himes was a general manager for two Major League Baseball
teams: the Chicago White Sox
(from 1986 until 1990) and the Chicago Cubs
(from 1991 until 1994). He is best known for trading for Sammy Sosa
during each tenure. Prior to becoming a general manager, he was the California Angels scouting director from 1981 through 1986. During his nine-year playing career (1961–1969), Himes was a catcher
in minor league baseball
, batting
.249 in 725 games played.
to succeed Ken "Hawk" Harrelson
in 1986. Harrelson, a longtime broadcaster for the White Sox, had a tenure of just under a season, and Himes was charged with rebuilding the franchise.
Himes built the White Sox farm system, drafting All-Stars Jack McDowell
, Robin Ventura
, Frank Thomas
and Alex Fernandez
in the first round in consecutive years (from 1987 until 1990). By late 1990, all four were integral parts of the White Sox.
Himes also traded one of the Sox franchise's most popular players, Harold Baines
, in July 1989. With the White Sox so far out of the pennant race, Baines and second baseman Fred Manrique
were sent to the Texas Rangers
for second baseman Scott Fletcher, pitcher Wilson Alvarez
and a 20-year-old player named Sammy Sosa
. Baines' bat wasn't enough to lift the Rangers to an American League West
title, and Fletcher and Sosa found starting jobs with the White Sox in 1990. Alvarez made his Major League debut in 1991, no-hitting the Baltimore Orioles
in his first start. He later became a key member of the White Sox' staff. Sosa blossomed into a star several years later, causing then-Rangers managing partner George W. Bush
to muse that his approval of the trade was one of the worst mistakes he ever made.
Thanks in part to Himes' moves, field manager's Jeff Torborg's performance, and strong seasons from veterans like Iván Calderón, Ozzie Guillén
, Carlton Fisk
and Bobby Thigpen
, the White Sox won 90 games in 1990, contending with the eventual American League
champion Oakland Athletics
into the final week of the season. The season was the last in old Comiskey Park
, as the White Sox were scheduled to move into a new ballpark with the same name across the street (now named U.S. Cellular Field
. Himes was not there to see the White Sox make the move, as he and his director of scouting Al Goldis were fired after the 1990 season.
as general manager on the same October 1991 day that he fired Frey. The Cubs had come off of a season where three expensive free-agent acquisitions (George Bell, Danny Jackson
, and Dave Smith) failed to lift the Cubs over .500.
Himes immediately hired his field manager, former Oakland Athletics
coach Jim Lefebvre
.
. While this trade has been mentioned as one of the Cubs' best in franchise history, it did not look so lopsided when it was made. Sosa had struggled in 1991, spending some time with the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate. White Sox brass questioned if Sosa would ever harness his raw talent. Meanwhile, Bell is a former American League MVP and was a National League All-Star in 1991.
After battling injuries in 1992, Sosa quieted criticism of the trade by hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in 1993 and 1994. Meanwhile, Bell was out of baseball by 1994.
following the 1992 season, a season in which Maddux won 20 games and his first of four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards
.
Maddux had emerged back in 1988, when he made the National League All-Star team for the first time and won 18 games. He won 19 games in 1989 and 15 in 1990 and 1991, staking his claim as the Cubs' ace, and one of the National League's best pitchers. As he was eligible for free agency in 1992, Himes negotiated with Maddux and his agent Scott Boras
during the first half of 1992. In July 1992, Himes offered Maddux a contract that would pay him more than $5 million per year. Maddux indicated that he wanted to test the free agent market first, so the offer was withdrawn.
After Maddux filed for free agency, he fielded offers from the New York Yankees
and the Atlanta Braves
. After he received his offer from the Braves, he contacted Himes to see if Himes would match the offer. Himes declined, stating that he spent Maddux's money on Randy Myers
, José Guzmán
, Dan Plesac
and Candy Maldonado
.
Maddux made his Braves' debut on Opening Day 1993 at Wrigley Field
, beating the Cubs and his former teammate Mike Morgan
1-0. He went on to play in every postseason from 1993 until 2003, win three more Cy Young Awards, three National League pennants and one World Series. Guzmán's Cubs career was marred by injuries and Maldonado and Plesac did not make significant contributions to the club either. Myers became the Cubs' relief ace, and he helped the Cubs finish .500 in 1993.
Maddux's departure is regarded as one of the Cubs' franchise's worst moves, on par with the trading of future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Lou Brock
to the St. Louis Cardinals
for sore-armed pitcher Ernie Broglio
.
. Right fielder Andre Dawson
was not offered a contract after 1992 and signed on with the Boston Red Sox
, playing four more seasons.
Catcher Joe Girardi
was left unprotected during the 1992 expansion draft, allowing the Colorado Rockies
to select him. Girardi later helped the New York Yankees
win the 1996, 1998 and 1999 World Series.
, now a member of the Hall of Fame, abruptly announced his retirement. Sandberg had slumped the first two months of 1994, and days after announcing his retirement, his wife filed for divorce. Still, Sandberg cited Himes' draconian clubhouse rules and management style as one of the reasons for his departure in his autobiography 'Second to Home,' co-authored by Barry Rozner.
Sandberg came out of retirement to play in 1996 and 1997. By then, Ed Lynch was general manager and Andy MacPhail
team president.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
teams: the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(from 1986 until 1990) and the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(from 1991 until 1994). He is best known for trading for Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
during each tenure. Prior to becoming a general manager, he was the California Angels scouting director from 1981 through 1986. During his nine-year playing career (1961–1969), Himes was a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.249 in 725 games played.
Tenure with White Sox
Himes was hired by White Sox chairman Jerry ReinsdorfJerry Reinsdorf
Jerry M. Reinsdorf is a CPA, lawyer and an owner of the MLB's Chicago White Sox and the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. He has been the head of the White Sox and Bulls for over 20 years.He made his initial fortune in real...
to succeed Ken "Hawk" Harrelson
Ken Harrelson
Kenneth Smith Harrelson , nicknamed "The Hawk" due to his distinctive profile, is a former All-Star first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball...
in 1986. Harrelson, a longtime broadcaster for the White Sox, had a tenure of just under a season, and Himes was charged with rebuilding the franchise.
Himes built the White Sox farm system, drafting All-Stars Jack McDowell
Jack McDowell
Jack Burns McDowell is a former Major League Baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, McDowell won the American League Cy Young Award in 1993. He was nicknamed "Black Jack."...
, Robin Ventura
Robin Ventura
Robin Mark Ventura is the current manager of the Chicago White Sox. He is a former professional baseball player, a third baseman who played for four major league teams, most notably for the Chicago White Sox...
, Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (AL baseball player)
Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....
and Alex Fernandez
Alex Fernandez (baseball)
Alexander Fernandez is a Cuban American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 11-year baseball career, he pitched for the Chicago White Sox and Florida Marlins...
in the first round in consecutive years (from 1987 until 1990). By late 1990, all four were integral parts of the White Sox.
Himes also traded one of the Sox franchise's most popular players, Harold Baines
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach...
, in July 1989. With the White Sox so far out of the pennant race, Baines and second baseman Fred Manrique
Fred Manrique
Fred Eloy Manrique Reyes [man-RE-kay] is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago White Sox , Texas Rangers , Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics...
were sent to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
for second baseman Scott Fletcher, pitcher Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Alvarez
Wilson Eduardo Álvarez Fuenmayor is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
and a 20-year-old player named Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
. Baines' bat wasn't enough to lift the Rangers to an American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
title, and Fletcher and Sosa found starting jobs with the White Sox in 1990. Alvarez made his Major League debut in 1991, no-hitting the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in his first start. He later became a key member of the White Sox' staff. Sosa blossomed into a star several years later, causing then-Rangers managing partner George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to muse that his approval of the trade was one of the worst mistakes he ever made.
Thanks in part to Himes' moves, field manager's Jeff Torborg's performance, and strong seasons from veterans like Iván Calderón, Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
, Carlton Fisk
Carlton Fisk
Carlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
and Bobby Thigpen
Bobby Thigpen
Robert Thomas "Bobby" Thigpen is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is noted for setting the major league record of 57 saves during the season, which has since been broken by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Francisco Rodríguez...
, the White Sox won 90 games in 1990, contending with the eventual American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champion Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
into the final week of the season. The season was the last in old Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
, as the White Sox were scheduled to move into a new ballpark with the same name across the street (now named U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field is a baseball ballpark in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, it is the home of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball's American League. The park opened for the 1991 season, after the White Sox had spent 81 years at old Comiskey Park...
. Himes was not there to see the White Sox make the move, as he and his director of scouting Al Goldis were fired after the 1990 season.
Tenure with Cubs
Cubs chairman Don Grenesko hired Himes to succeed Jim FreyJim Frey
James Gottfried Frey is a former manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He led the Kansas City Royals to their first American League championship in 1980, in his first year with the team...
as general manager on the same October 1991 day that he fired Frey. The Cubs had come off of a season where three expensive free-agent acquisitions (George Bell, Danny Jackson
Danny Jackson
Danny Lynn Jackson was a pitcher with a 15-year career from to . He played for the Kansas City Royals of the American League and the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, St...
, and Dave Smith) failed to lift the Cubs over .500.
Himes immediately hired his field manager, former Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
coach Jim Lefebvre
Jim Lefebvre
James Kenneth Lefebvre is a former second baseman, third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Lefebvre, the 1965 National League Rookie of the Year, was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1962. In 1965, his rookie year, he hit .250 with 12 home runs and 69 RBI...
.
Trading for Sammy Sosa, again
Himes' biggest move with the Cubs came just before the end of Spring Training 1992, when Himes sent Bell to the White Sox for Sosa and left-handed pitcher Ken PattersonKen Patterson
Kenneth Brian Patterson , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1988-1994. He is currently the pitching coach for the Arkansas Travelers, an AA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels on Anaheim...
. While this trade has been mentioned as one of the Cubs' best in franchise history, it did not look so lopsided when it was made. Sosa had struggled in 1991, spending some time with the White Sox' Triple-A affiliate. White Sox brass questioned if Sosa would ever harness his raw talent. Meanwhile, Bell is a former American League MVP and was a National League All-Star in 1991.
After battling injuries in 1992, Sosa quieted criticism of the trade by hitting 30 home runs and stealing 30 bases in 1993 and 1994. Meanwhile, Bell was out of baseball by 1994.
Contract Negotiations with Greg Maddux
While Himes' tenure with the Cubs will surely be remembered for the acquisition of Sosa, it will also be remembered for the departure of pitcher Greg MadduxGreg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
following the 1992 season, a season in which Maddux won 20 games and his first of four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
.
Maddux had emerged back in 1988, when he made the National League All-Star team for the first time and won 18 games. He won 19 games in 1989 and 15 in 1990 and 1991, staking his claim as the Cubs' ace, and one of the National League's best pitchers. As he was eligible for free agency in 1992, Himes negotiated with Maddux and his agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
during the first half of 1992. In July 1992, Himes offered Maddux a contract that would pay him more than $5 million per year. Maddux indicated that he wanted to test the free agent market first, so the offer was withdrawn.
After Maddux filed for free agency, he fielded offers from the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. After he received his offer from the Braves, he contacted Himes to see if Himes would match the offer. Himes declined, stating that he spent Maddux's money on Randy Myers
Randy Myers
Randall Kirk Myers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1985-1998 for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Career:Myers first began his major league career with...
, José Guzmán
José Guzmán
José Alberto Guzmán Mirabal , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from -....
, Dan Plesac
Dan Plesac
Daniel Thomas Plesac is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from to . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Candy Maldonado
Candy Maldonado
Candido Maldonado Guadarrama is a former Major League Baseball outfielder from to for the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, and Texas Rangers. Chris Berman, a fellow ESPN analyst, called him the "Candyman"...
.
Maddux made his Braves' debut on Opening Day 1993 at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, beating the Cubs and his former teammate Mike Morgan
Mike Morgan
Michael Thomas Morgan is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He competed for twelve different teams over 25 years, and is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have played Major League baseball over four decades...
1-0. He went on to play in every postseason from 1993 until 2003, win three more Cy Young Awards, three National League pennants and one World Series. Guzmán's Cubs career was marred by injuries and Maldonado and Plesac did not make significant contributions to the club either. Myers became the Cubs' relief ace, and he helped the Cubs finish .500 in 1993.
Maddux's departure is regarded as one of the Cubs' franchise's worst moves, on par with the trading of future Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Lou Brock
Lou Brock
Louis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league...
to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for sore-armed pitcher Ernie Broglio
Ernie Broglio
Ernest Gilbert Broglio is a former right-handed pitcher in American Major League Baseball from 1959-66. Broglio signed with the independent Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League after he attended West Contra Costa Junior College. He was acquired by the New York Giants in 1956...
.
Other Stars Depart
Himes also presided over the exodus of other popular stars on the club. Rick Sutcliffe departed after the 1992 season and managed productive seasons with the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Right fielder Andre Dawson
Andre Dawson
Andre Nolan Dawson , nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos and Chicago Cubs .An 8-time National League All-Star, he was named the...
was not offered a contract after 1992 and signed on with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, playing four more seasons.
Catcher Joe Girardi
Joe Girardi
Joseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
was left unprotected during the 1992 expansion draft, allowing the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
to select him. Girardi later helped the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
win the 1996, 1998 and 1999 World Series.
Disastrous 1994 Season
Himes' era reached a nadir during 1994. The Cubs started the year losing their first 10 home games, causing new manager Tom Trebelhorn to conduct a "Town Hall" meeting on a park bench in front of the fire station on Waveland Avenue. The Cubs floundered throughout the season before a strike mercifully ended it in August 1994.Sandberg Walks Away
The low point of the 1994 season came in June, when perennial All-Star second baseman Ryne SandbergRyne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg , nicknamed "Ryno" is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. During a 16-year baseball career, he played from 1981–1994 and 1996–97, spending nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named after relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best...
, now a member of the Hall of Fame, abruptly announced his retirement. Sandberg had slumped the first two months of 1994, and days after announcing his retirement, his wife filed for divorce. Still, Sandberg cited Himes' draconian clubhouse rules and management style as one of the reasons for his departure in his autobiography 'Second to Home,' co-authored by Barry Rozner.
Sandberg came out of retirement to play in 1996 and 1997. By then, Ed Lynch was general manager and Andy MacPhail
Andy MacPhail
Andy MacPhail is the former president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the president/CEO of the National League Chicago Cubs from September 9, 1994 until October 1, 2006...
team president.