Ten crazy connections between Manny Machado and the White Sox

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Manny Machado created a buzz Monday when he began his free-agent tour at Guaranteed Rate Field. It will probably be a while before he selects a team, so we have some time to dream.

I will attempt to tell the story of Manny Machado’s career through 10 former and current White Sox players. I will willingly admit that some (meaning most) of this is a stretch, but play along and enjoy the ride.

Chris Sale

Sale (drafted 13th overall) has the most career WAR of anyone drafted in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft, with 43.1. Machado (third overall) is second with 33.8.

Chris Getz

The White Sox director of player development, Getz was the Royals’ starting second baseman in Machado’s MLB debut Aug. 9, 2012.

Wilson Betemit

Machado was the Orioles' starting third baseman in his MLB debut Aug. 9, 2012. The Orioles' starting third baseman the day before was Betemit, a former White Sox infielder. The next day, Betemit was the first teammate Machado ever drove in (his second RBI overall, his first career RBI was on a solo home run).

Andruw Jones

On Oct. 10, 2012, Machado became the second youngest player in MLB history to homer in a postseason game, only older than former White Sox outfielder Jones (with the Braves in 1996). Two days later, Bryce Harper bumped Machado down to third.

Earl Webb

Webb played 58 games for the White Sox in 1933, but his claim to fame is hitting 67 doubles for the Red Sox in 1931, which is a MLB single-season record. Machado had 38 doubles through 83 games in 2013 (on pace for 74), but he cooled off and finished with 51. Webb’s record is still safe to this day.

Yonder Alonso

As you might have already heard, Alonso is Machado’s brother-in-law. Alonso’s sister, Yainee, married Machado in 2014.

Todd Frazier

Four players in American League history who played at least 50 percent of their games at third base have had a season of at least 35 home runs and 15 stolen bases: Frazier (2016), José Ramírez (2018), Alex Rodriguez (2004-08) and Machado (2015).

Paul Konerko

Konerko hit three home runs July 7, 2009, at Guaranteed Rate Field. Since then only one other player has had a three-homer game on the South Side: Machado, on Aug. 7, 2016.

Carl Reynolds

Reynolds is one of two players in MLB history to hit a homer in the first, second and third inning of a game (for the White Sox on July 2, 1930, in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium). The other player to do it is Machado in the aforementioned Aug. 7, 2016, game.

Albert Belle

Machado played in 162 games in 2018, as he also did in 2015. The last White Sox player to play in (at least) 162 was Belle, who played in 163 in his incredible 1998 campaign. Belle also signed the biggest contract (at the time) in MLB history when he signed with the White Sox. Is that something else the two might soon have in common?

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