In 1983, the Chicago White Sox were struggling through another tough season.  Even with some pretty good ballplayers on the roster like Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk and Greg Luzinski, the Sox were 29-32 on June 15th and looking like they were going to be left behind by the Texas Rangers.  Enter Julio Cruz.

On June 15, 1983, the Sox traded their second baseman, Tony Bernazard to Seattle for second baseman Julio Cruz.  What happened then became legend, as Cruz led the Sox with his bat, his glove and his speed to a 55-18 record the rest of the way and the White Sox first ever Western Division championship (there were only two divisions back then.  Ask your grandpa, he knows.)

While his numbers are a bit pedestrian, Cruz became the spark that ignited the fire and got the Sox out of their doldrums.  Where at one point it looked pretty bleak, Cruz came to town and helped lead the team to a runaway divisional championship.  Cruz even scored the winning run in the division clincher.  If not for the boneheaded base running of shortstop Jerry Dybzinski and several questionable managerial moves by White Sox Manager Tony LaRussa in the ALCS (apparently he wasn't a genius back then), the White Sox would have celebrated a World Series win in 1983.

As you would figure with the White Sox, Cruz was signed to a fat extension following the season, but could never match what he had done for the team in the second half of 1983.  He was released by the team at the end of August, 1986.

The story begs the question, is Alejandro De Aza the 2011 resurrection of Julio Cruz?  In his first at-bat after being called up to replace the traded Mark Teahen on the White Sox roster, De Aza made the most of it, hitting his first major league home run and provided the White Sox with the only runs they would get all day in a critical 2-1 victory over the division leading Tigers.  Sox fans will see a lot more of De Aza, as he most likely will be more productive than the incumbent, Alex Rios who, while being paid $12 million, is hitting .208.  The Sox patience with Rios has run out and De Aza will play as long as he can produce.

If this is the spark, I can't wait for the flame.