Friday, August 30, 2024

The Chicago White Sox - Part 3

2009 season

During the 2009 offseason the White Sox declined a team option for Ken Griffey Jr. The White Sox also let Joe Crede become a free agent, who went on to sign with the Minnesota Twins, and signed closer Bobby Jenks to a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration(11). Pitcher Bartolo Colon was signed as a free agent on January 15th(11). Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan were traded to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Tyler Flowers, Brent Lillibridge, Jon Gilmore and Santos Rodriguez(12).

On June 4th, the White Sox called up number one draft pick (eighth overall), shortstop Gordon Beckham(13). It took Beckham only 364 days to reach the Major Leagues, as he was drafted on June 5th, 2008(14).

On June 9th, the White Sox called up another number one draft pick (2007, 25th overall), left-handed pitcher Aaron Poreda(13).

On July 23rd, White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game against the Tampa Bay Rays. It was his second career no-hitter, both with the White Sox, and the second perfect game in team history. After the game, Buehrle was in the middle of his press conference with the media when he received a phone call from President Barack Obama to congratulate him. It was the second time in two weeks that President Obama and Buehrle had contact, with the first being at the 2009 All-Star game in St. Louis, Missouri.

On July 28th Mark Buehrle established a new major league baseball record, by retiring Minnesota Twin (and former teammate) Joe Crede, Buehrle retired his 42nd consecutive batter, breaking the record held by teammate Bobby Jenks, and Jim Barr, Buehrle would retire three more batters. He holds the all-time record now at 45.

On July 31st, the White Sox traded 2007 number one draft pick (25th overall), pitcher Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard, Adam Russell, and Dexter Carter in exchange for Jake Peavy.

On August 10th, the White Sox claimed outfielder Alex Rios off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.

On August 31st, Jim Thome waived his no-trade clause, allowing the White Sox to trade him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and pick up center fielder Justin Fuller. The White Sox also traded Jose Contreras to the Colorado Rockies, in exchange for Brandon Hynick, a 24-year-old right-handed starter.

2010 season

On Opening Day, the White Sox shut out the Cleveland Indians 6 – 0. On that day, Mark Buehrle made an astounding play when he hurried and picked up a ball with his glove in foul territory and quickly underthrew backwards with his glove to Paul Konerko, who caught the ball barehanded to force out Lou Marson in the fifth inning for the second out. Paul Konerko broke the franchise record for the most home runs hit during the month of April with 11.

On May 11th, the Sox opened a two-game series at the new Target Field and took the victory 5 – 2 over Minnesota, but lost the next day 3 – 2.

On August 29th, the White Sox hosted Frank Thomas Day at U.S. Cellular field against the New York Yankees. Frank Thomas’s Jersey was retired that day. The White Sox organization also printed his face on the legendary wall in Left-Center field with other number retirees Billy Pierce to his left and Carlton Fisk to his right. Thomas’s image also appears under the printed words ‘The Catch,’ commemorating DeWayne Wise’s catch to preserve Mark Buehrle’s perfect game in 2009.

2011 season: “All In”

Following a busy off season, in which the White Sox signed big name free agent Adam Dunn and re-signed first baseman Paul Konerko and catcher A.J. Pierzynski the White Sox, the 2011 White Sox ended the season with a 79 – 83 record.

Some notable events for the 2011 season included: unveiling of a bronze statue of former White Sox slugger Frank Thomas and the catastrophically horrible season of Adam Dunn in his debut season as the White Sox designated hitter(15).

The end of the season was marked by the end of former World Series manager Ozzie Guillen who departed a few days before the end of the regular season, eventually signing as manager with the then Florida Marlins(16). Shortly after the 2011 season, the White Sox announced former third baseman Robin Ventura as their new manager, succeeding interim manager Don Cooper.

2012 season

On April 21st, Philip Humber threw the third perfect game in franchise history against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington, as the ChiSox won 3 – 0. It was the 21st perfect game in MLB history. The White Sox were leading the Central Division until the last three weeks of the season where they lost many games and ended up 3 games behind the eventual AL Champions, the Detroit Tigers. Their final record was 85 – 77(17).

2013 season

The Sox had the coldest opening day in 106 years, equaling the April 18th, 1907 record of 38o F (3.3o C)(4). They won the game 1 – 0(18). However, the White Sox finished last in the AL Central and had the second worst record in the American League, losing 99 games – their first season losing more than 95 games since 1976.

2014 season

In 2014, the White Sox had a 73 – 89 record and finished fourth in the AL Central. First baseman Jose Abreu was named the American League Rookie of the Year, winning the team triple crown with a .317 batting average, 36 home runs and 107 RBIs.

2015 season

The White Sox had an aggressive offseason following the 2014 season, signing free agents David Robertson and Melky Cabrera to multi-year contracts and trading for pitcher Jeff Samardzija(19)(20). However, the acquisitions seemed to have little effect on the team’s performance, as they finished the 2015 season in fourth place with a 76 – 86 record.

2016 season

The White Sox 2016 season on a strong note, leading the American League with a 23 – 10 record on May 9th. The success did not last, however, as the White Sox finished with a 78 – 84 record and again placed fourth in the AL Central. Robin Ventura resigned as the team manager after the season(21). He was replaced by Rick Renteria.

2017 season: Start of the rebuild

In the 2017 offseason, the White Sox began to trade players for prospects. On December 6th, 2016, the White Sox traded starting pitcher Chris Sale to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, pitcher Victor Diaz, pitcher Michael Kopech, and infielder Yoan Moncada(22). The following day, they traded outfielder Adam Eaton to the Washington Nationals for pitchers Dane Dunning, Lucas Giolito, and Reynaldo Lopez(23). During the season on July 13th, 2017, the White Sox traded starting pitcher Jose Quintana to the Chicago Cubs for pitcher Dylan Cease, infielder Bryany Flete, outfielder Eloy Jimenez, and utility player Matt Rose(24). In 2017, the White Sox fell to 67 – 95 and again finished fourth in the AL Central. Jose Abreu led the American League with 343 total bases.

2018 season

2018 was the worst season for the White Sox since 1970, as they finished with a 62 – 100 record and placed fourth in the AL Central for the fifth year in a row.

2019 season

In 2019, the White Sox finished third in the AL Central, their highest position since 2012, with a 72 – 89 record. Jose Abreu led the American League with 123 RBIs.

2020 Season: Back in the playoffs

In 2020, the White Sox went all in after a long rebuild. They signed big-time free agents like catcher Yasmani Grandal, pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez, and Edwin Encarnacion. The team finished second in the AL Central with a record of 35 – 25 in the pandemic-shortened season and clinched a playoff spot for the first time since 2008. The Sox unfortunately lost in the Wild Card Series against the Oakland Athletics 2 games to 1. Jose Abreu won the American League MVP award, becoming the fourth player in White Sox history to do so.(25)

2021 season

Central Division champs again and back-to-back playoff appearance

During the 2020 – 2021 offseason, the White Sox fired manager Rick Renteria and brought back Tony LaRussa to take his place. LaRussa had not managed a team since 2011 and became the oldest person to manage an MLB team at the age of 76. During the offseason, the White Sox made some big moves. They traded for Texas Rangers starting pitcher Lance Lynn and signed arguably the best closer in the league in Liam Hendricks to a four-year, $54 million dollar contract(26)(27). On June 6th, LaRussa won his 2,764th game as a manager, surpassing John McGraw for second on the all-time managerial wins list(28). On August 12th, the White Sox played in the first Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa against the New York Yankees. The White Sox won the game 9 – 8 on a walk-off home run by Tim Anderson. On September 23rd, the White Sox clinched the American League Central Division for the first time in 2008 while also clinching back-to-back postseason berths for the first time in franchise history. Overall, in 2021, the White Sox had a record of 93 – 69, their first 90-win season since 2006. The White Sox lost the ALDS to the Houston Astros in four games.

2022 season: Regression

Before the lockout, the White Sox signed Kendall Graveman on November 30th, 2021, to a three-year, $24 million dollar contract(29). After the lockout, the Sox signed pitchers Joe Kelly (two year, $17 million) and Vince Velasquez (one year, $3 million) on March 14th, 2022(30). The next day, they signed second baseman Josh Harrison to a one-year $5.5 million dollar contract(31). They picked up Craig Kimbrel’s option months before and on April 1st, the Sox traded Kimbrel to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder A.J. Pollock(32). On April 3rd, the Sox traded catcher Zack Collins to the Toronto Blue Jays for catcher Reese McGuire. The White Sox were not able to improve themselves with these transactions, however, as they finished the 2022 season with a record of 81 – 81, finishing second in the AL Central division.

2023 season: More Regression

On October 3rd, 2022, with 3 games left in the regular season, White Sox manager Tony La Russa announced he was stepping down as manager due to health concerns(33). On November 1st, 2022, the White Sox hired Kansas City Bench coach Pedro Grifol as their next manager(34). During the offseason, they signed pitcher Mike Clevenger to a one year, $12 million dollar contract(35) and outfielder Andrew Benintendi to a franchise record five -year, $75 million dollar contract(36). But the new management hires and signings have never panned out as the 2023 White Sox season has been a disaster. The White Sox started the first month of the season with a record of 8 – 21. At the point, fans began calling for ownership to sell the team and a White Sox fan called the local ESPN 1000 radio show hosted by Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman and went on a nearly 7-minute- long rant about the team(37)(38). By the All-Star break, the White Sox were 38 – 54 and were the 3rd worst team in the AL with underperformance and injuries plaguing the team. By late July, the White Sox began a fire sale in which they traded many key players for prospects. On July 26th, they traded pitchers Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez to the Los Angeles Angels. On July 28th, they traded pitcher Kendall Graveman to the Houston Astros and pitchers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Los Angeles Dodgers(39)(40). On August 1st, they traded pitcher Keynan Middleton to the New York Yankees and infielder Jake Burger to the Miami Marlins(41)(42). On August 22nd, the White Sox fired general manager Rick Hahn and executive vice president Kenny Williams after the team was 49 – 76 by the time of their firings(43). The White Sox promoted assistant general manager Chris Getz as the new Senior Vice President and general manager(44). The White Sox finished the season with their 5th 100 loss season in franchise history with a record of 61 – 101.

2024 season: Worst start in franchise history

In 2024, the White Sox started the season with the worst record through their first 25 games at 3 – 22 tying them with the 2003 Detroit Tigers and 2022 Cincinnati Reds behind the 1988 Baltimore Orioles who went 2 – 23 through their first 25 games. The team also broke their franchise record for consecutive losses at 14. The White Sox broke the MLB record for the most losses by the All-Star break as they were a league worst 27 – 71 by the All-Star break.


Copyright and citation links

1.     Spink, Alfred Henry (2000). The National Game
        (2nd ed.). SIU Press. p. 286. ISBN 0-8093-2304-4.

2.     James, Bill. The New Bill James Historical
    :   History". Archived from the original on
        2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-10-27.

4.     Jump up to:a b "Heading for White Sox opener?
        Bring cold-weather gear". Chicago Tribune.
        Retrieved 1 April 2013.

5.     A Fond Farewell To A Baseball Man Who
        Hecht, Sports Illustrated, August 25, 1986

6.     Zalusky, Steve (June 23, 2023). "Baseball
        moved to Chicago?". Daily Herald
     .  Retrieved June 1, 2024.

7.     The White Sox Shorts'The Ugly History'

8.     MLB.com

9.     Whitesoxinteractive.com

10.   Local112.com[permanent dead link]

11.   Jump up to:a b MLB.com

12.   MLB.com

13.   Jump up to:a b "Transactions". WhiteSox.com.

14.   MLB.com

15.   Dave Cameron, "Adam Dunn: Worst Season
        For A Good Player Ever?" Fangraphs, 
        August 30, 2011 http://www.fangraphs.com/
        a-good-player-ever/

16.   Ozzie parts with White Sox ABC News

17.   Liebeskind, Josh (2012-04-21). "MLB.com
        Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved 2013-01-27.

18.   April 1, 2013 Kansas City Royals at Chicago
        Baseball-Reference.com

19.   Jaffe, Jay. "White Sox make splash by getting
        Illustrated. Time Inc. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

20.   "Melky Cabrera Signs with White Sox". USA
        Today. Retrieved 8 March 2015.

21.   "Robin Ventura announces he won't return as
        White Sox manager". 2 October 2016.

22.   Merkin, Scott (December 6, 2016). "White
        MLB.com. Retrieved December 6, 2016.

23.   Merkin, Scott (December 7, 2016). "White
        MLB.com. Archived from the original on 
        August 28, 2017. Retrieved
        December 7, 2016.

24.   Wittenmyer, Gordon (July 13, 2017).
        Sun-Times. Retrieved January 16, 2019.

25.   "Abreu overcome by first career MVP Award"
   .    MLB.com. November 12, 2020. Retrieved
        November 13, 2020.

26.   Passan, Jeff (December 7, 2020). "Chicago
        ESPN. Archived from the original on March 1,
        2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.

27.   "White Sox Sign Closer Liam Hendriks To
        January 15, 2021. Archived from the original
        on March 4, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.

28.   "La Russa moving up all-time wins list"
        MLB.com. Retrieved 2021-07-31.

29.   "White Sox agree to terms with reliever
        2021-11-30.

30.   Merkin, Scott (March 14, 2022). "White Sox
        MLB.com. Retrieved March 14, 2022.

31.   "White Sox and Josh Harrison agree to terms
        MLB.com. March 15, 2022. Retrieved
        March 15, 2022.

32.   Gonzalez, Alden (2022-04-01). "Los Angeles
        ESPN.com. Retrieved 2022-04-02.

33.   "Tony La Russa stepping down as Chicago
        October 3, 2022.

34.   "White Sox name Pedro Grifol as manager".
        MLB.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.

35.   "White Sox and Mike Clevinger agree to
        December 4, 2022. Retrieved 
        December 4, 2022.

36.   "White Sox announce signing of Benintendi".
        3 January 2023.

37.   'Sell the team': White Sox's embarrassing
        seven-minute radio rant". April 27, 2023.
        Retrieved May 2, 2023.

39.   "Astros reunite with Graveman in trade with 
        Chicago". MLB.com. July 28, 2023.
        Retrieved July 28, 2023.

40.    Anderson, R. J. "Lance Lynn trade grades:
         CBSSports.com.

41.   Sblendorio, Peter (August 2023). "Yankees
        White Sox". NYDailyNews.com.

42.   De Nicola, Christina. "Marlins trade for White
         GM Rick Hahn". ESPN.com. 2023-08-22.
         Retrieved 2023-08-23.

44.   "White Sox promote Chris Getz to general
        manager role". 31 August 2023.
        Retrieved August 31, 2023.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2024

The Chicago White Sox - Part 2


1976 – 1981: The Return of Veeck and the South Side Hitmen

On December 10th, 1975, Bill Veeck regained ownership of the team, and he vowed to make the White Sox an exciting team again. Besides his customary promotions, Veeck introduced retro uniforms and shorts. The shorts were only worn three times. The first time was during the initial game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals at Comiskey Park on August 8th, 1976, followed by appearances on August 21st and August 22nd(7). The 1976 team was one of the worst White Sox teams ever, winning only 64 games (.398), drawing fewer than 915,000 fans.

Veeck’s strategy to make the team competitive quickly, dubbed “rent-a-player” by sports writers, involved acquiring star players entering the final years of their contracts. The theory was that the players would strive to put up huge numbers in hopes of getting a big contract at the end of season, and carry the club with them. The first of these acquisitions was made prior to the 1977 season and the last prior to the 1978 season. While this approach had the virtue of not having been tried, it was unsustainable. The Sox had to give up several young prospects in exchange for veteran players who invariably signed with other clubs after their single season in Chicago.

During this period the Sox acquired several players who were once stars but were past their primes. One was Don Kessinger, a shortstop who had his best years with the crosstown Cubs. Kessinger served as a player-manager in 1979. Another was outfielder Ralph Garr, who had his best seasons with the Atlanta Braves. A once-notable pitcher was John “Blue Moon” Odom, a former Oakland Athletics star. On July 28th, 1976, Odom combined with Francisco Barrios on a no-hitter against Oakland, which proved to be Odom’s last major league victory. The Sox also brought in Clay Carroll, a right-handed relief pitcher who was a key member of the Cincinnati Reds championship teams in the mid-1970’s.

Unlike most of his fellow owners, Veeck had no income apart from the White Sox. More or less out of necessity, Veeck looked for any edge he could find. The club held open tryouts during spring training in 1978. They looked at pretty much anyone who showed up. Each player’s name was sewn on his uniform, ostensibly to prove that the tryouts were legitimate and not just a stunt. This approach was the subject of an article in Sports Illustrated. The spring training tryout became a White Sox tradition that continues to this day.(8)

1977

The 1977 season was a memorable one for the South Siders, led by off-season acquisitions Oscar Gamble (.297 AVG, 31 HR, 83 RBI), Richie Zisk (.290 AVG, 30 HR, 101 RBI) and American League Comeback Player of the Year Eric Soderholm (.280 AVG, 25 HR, 67 RBI). The team, known by the press and fans as the “South Side Hitmen” hit a since-broken team record 192 home runs and were in first place in the American League West as late as August en route to a third-place finish (90 – 72). They also drew a team-record 1,657,135 fans to Comiskey (since broken as well). Manager Bob Lemon was named AL Manager of the Year by United Press International (UPI) for his efforts.(9)

1978

After the 1977 season Gamble and Zisk signed with other teams – Gamble with the San Diego Padres and Zisk with the Texas Rangers. Veeck’s attempt to replace them with Bobby Bonds and Ron Blomberg fizzled as the 1978 team lost 90 games. Bonds appeared in only 26 games for the Sox before dealing dealt to the Texas Rangers, and Blomberg’s major league career ended with the season’s final game.

Lemon was fired June 30th but landed on his feet less than a month later when he was hired by Yankees owner George Steinbrenner to replace his beleaguered manager, Billy Martin. Under Lemon’s cool hand, the Yankees erased a 14-game deficit in the American League East and defeated the Red Sox in a one-game playoff for the division championship, dispatched the Royals for their third consecutive pennant, and downed the Dodgers to repeat as World Series champions.

1979 – 1981

Two tough years followed: 87 losses in 1979 (including the infamous July 12th forfeit on Disco Demolition Night) and 90 losses in 1980. A bright spot emerged in August 1979 when Veeck replaced player-manager Don Kessinger with 34-year-old coach Tony LaRussa, who embarked on a Hall of Fame career which lasted over three decades.

Veeck began building a farm system that produced several noteworthy players including Harold Baines and Britt Burns. But Veeck could not compete in the free agent market of afford what he called “the high price of mediocrity”. By 1980, the White Sox were looking for new ownership. Veeck favored Ohio real estate tycoon Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., whose family owned the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins and had tried to buy several MLB teams and move them to New Orleans. DeBartolo pleaded to be allowed to but the White Sox and he promised to keep the team in Chicago. Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn blocked the deal, because he though DeBartolo would be bad for baseball.

1982 – 2004: The early Reinsdrof era

Instead, Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by accountant Jerry Reinsdrof and television producer Eddie Einhorn. The new owners moved quickly to show that they were committed to winning by signing All-Star catcher Carlton Fisk from the Red Sox as well as power-hitting outfielder Greg Luzinski from the defending champion Phillies during the 1980 – 1981 offseason. They also retained the club’s young, relatively unknown manager, Tony LaRussa.

1983: “Winning Ugly”

In 1983, the White Sox enjoyed their best success in a generation. After a mediocre first half, the White Sox decided that they needed speed at the top of their lineup. The Sox traded second baseman Tony Bernazard to the Mariners for Julio Cruz. With Cruz’s speed, they went 60 – 25 to close out the season, clinching the AL West title, which earned manager Tony LaRussa his first Manager of the Year Award.

Doug Rader, then-manager of the Texas Rangers, derisively accused the team of “winning ugly” for their style of play, which reflected a tendency to win games through scrappy play rather than strong hitting or pitching. Rader also thought that if the White Sox played in the Eastern Division, they would finish fifth behind powerhouses such as Baltimore, New York, and Milwaukee. Chicago media and White Sox fans picked up on the phrase, and turned “Winning Ugly” into the team slogan. While they had a great run in the regular season, they were not able to carry that over into the postseason as they lost to a powerful Baltimore Orioles team three games to one in the AL Championship Series. LaMarr Hoyt led the White Sox to a 2 – 1 victory in Game 1, but the Orioles clinched the series with a 3 – 0 tenth inning victory in Game 4. White Sox pitcher Burns pitched a “gutsy” game, throwing 9 ­1/­3 shutout innings before a home run before Tito Landrum broke up the game and the hearts of the Southside faithful.

The 1984 season was remembered for two games at Comiskey, one bad (Jack Morris throwing a no-hitter for the Tigers in a nationally televised game) and one good (a 25-inning victory over the Brewers, a game which took eight hours, six minutes over two days and is still the longest in American League history by innings and time) for the White Sox.

1985 -1989

The club slid back into mediocrity for the rest of the 1980’s, contending only in 1985. Before the 1985 season began, the White Sox traded pitcher LaMarr Hoyt to the San Diego Padres in exchange for flashy shortstop Ozzie Guillen. Guillen would win the AL Rookie of the Year award. In 1986, broadcaster-turned-general manager Ken “Hawk” Harrelson fired LaRUssa after a poor start. The club would not contend again until 1990, the final year in Comiskey Park.

1990’s: “Good Guys Wear Black”

1990

That season, most of their young talent blossomed. Closer Bobby Thigpen established a then record 57 saves. In addition to that, first baseman Frank Thomas, pitchers Alex Fernandez and Jack McDowell, and third baseman Robin Ventura would make their presences felt on the South Side. The White Sox of 1990 won 94 games, but finished 9 games behind the powerful Oakland Athletics.

On July 11th, as part of the celebration of Comiskey Park, the White Sox played a Turn Back the Clock game against the Milwaukee Brewers; the Brewers won 12 – 9 in 13 innings after posting a 6-run rally in the 8th inning to tie the game. The White Sox wore their 1917 home uniforms. This was the first Turn Back the Clock game in the major leagues and started what has become a popular promotion. New Comiskey Park opened in 1991, and was completed at a cost of $167 million.

1993

The team reached the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in 1993. The White Sox were led by Thomas, Ventura, multi-sport star Bo Jackson, Cy Young Award winner McDowell and All-Star closer Roberto Hernandez and won the last AL West before realignment with a 94 – 68 record. However, the White Sox were a big disappointment in the ALCS, losing to the defending World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in six games. The Jays would go on to win the World Series again in 1993.

1994

The White Sox led the new American League Central at the time of the 1994 players’ strike.

1995 – 1999

Although struggling in the 1995 season, the Sox maintained some consistency through the rest of the 1990’s, managing to finishing in second place every year after, including 1997, the year of the notorious White Flag Trade.

2000 – 2004

2000: The Kids Can Play

Under manager Jerry Manuel, the White Sox fielded a talented but chronically under-achieving team. In 2000, however, the White Sox had one of their best teams since the 1983 club. This team, whose slogan was “The Kids Can Play”, won 95 games en route to an AL Central division title. The team scored runs at a blistering pace, which enabled them to overcome the effects of a mediocre pitching staff, led by Mike Sirotka and James Baldwin. Frank Thomas nearly won his third MVP award with his offensive output; he was helped by good offensive years from Magglio Ordonez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Lee and Jose Valentin.

As in 1983 and 1993, the 2000 team could not carry its success over into the postseason, getting swept by the wild-card Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Despite new club records for hits (1,615) runs scored (978), RBI (926), home runs (216), and doubles (325), the White Sox hit only .185 in the American League Division Series (ALDS) and failed to score a run after the third inning in any of the three games.

2003 – 2004

In 2003, Comiskey Park was renamed after cell phone company U.S. Cellular bought the naming rights at $68 million over 20 years, a very unpopular move among fans. In 2003, the All-Star Game was held for the first time at their new park. Although briefly leading the central in September (the first time since 1906 both Chicago teams were in first place at the same time), the Sox ­­ultimately finished four games behind the Twins.

In 2004, the team named Ozzie Guillen as the 37th manager in team history. Although again finishing in second place, losing streaks in August and September, along with various injuries, sunk the team. Several changes were made in the offseason, including Carlos Lee to the Brewers for Scott Podesedenik. Although Magglio Ordonez was nearly traded to the Red Sox for Nomar Garciaparra, the deal fell through and Ordonez left as a free agent to sign with the Tigers.

2005: The drought ends

The changes made an immediate impact on the team. In 2005, the White Sox posted the best record in the major leagues for much of the year, before a late season slump saw the St. Louis Cardinals overtake them (100 wins vs. 99 wins). Though a serious challenge for their dominance of the division was mounted late in the year by the Cleveland Indians (the Tribe actually reduced what was once a 15-game lead for the White Sox down to a 1 ½ games at one point only to lose the last 7 games), Chicago scored a 4 – 2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on September 29th to win their first AL Central Division title since 2000. Finishing at 99 – 63 (.611) tied their 1983 record, and won the division by six games. The last time they had a higher percentage than that was 1920, when they finished second league thanks to the late-season “Black Sox” suspensions. The combination of the league’s best record with the American League victory in the All-Star Game gave the White Sox the home field advantage throughout the 2005 postseason (perhaps unnecessary as the White Sox won ever post-season road game they played in 2005).

The ALDS also set the tone for what would be an unusually suspenseful post-season; while their first game was considered a blow-out, the remaining games saw the White Sox making the most of rare opportunities and hanging on to narrow leads. In the first inning of game 1, the White Sox put up 5 runs, and never looked back. A late inning three-run home run by Scott Podesedenik – his first home run of the season, was the icing on the cake n the game 1 blowout. In game 2, the White Sox were actually down 4 – 2 when Red Sox second baseman Tony Graffanino, formerly playing for the White Sox, let Juan Uribe’s potential inning-ending, double-play grounder go through his legs; one out later, Tadahito Iguchi hit a three-run homer to left that clinched the game for the White Sox. In game 3, Orlando Hernandez entered the game with the bases loaded and nobody out with the White Sox ahead by only one run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Based on their regular season performance, it was later calculated that the Red Sox’s probability of winning at that point was .662, even though they were trailing by one run. Instead, the first two batters, Jason Varitek and Tony Graffanino, bot popped out, and Johnny Damon struck out swinging on a breaking ball. Hernandez went on to retire six of the next seven batters, and the White Sox’s rookie reliever Bobby Jenks closed out the game.

2005 ALCS

The White Sox then moved on to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the ALCS. The Angels won game 1, 3 – 2, the White Sox’ only post-season loss.

In game 2 on October 12th, the teams were involved in one of the most controversial endings in baseball playoff history. With the score tied 1 – 1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, A.J. Pierzynski apparently struck out to end the inning. At first Pierzynski headed back to the dugout but ran to first base upon realizing that umpire Doug Eddings had ruled that Angels catcher Josh Paul (a former White Sox player) did not field the ball cleanly, meaning he would have to either tag the batter or throw to the first baseman to record the out (see uncaught third strike). Despite vehement protests from various members of the Angels, including Mike Scioscia, Pierzynski was awarded first base. Pinch-runner Pablo Ozuna replaced Pierzynski and stole second base. Third baseman Joe Crede then delivered a double on the third pitch to give the White Sox a 2 – 1 win. Overshadowed by that play was the 1-run, 5-hit complete game pitched by Mark Buehrle. Buehrle’s excellent effort allowed the White Sox to capture their first-ever home victory in ALCS history.

Buoyed by their win, the White Sox traveled to Anaheim, California, where starters Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras (who had dropped game 1 to the Angels in Chicago) pitched three more complete game victories consecutively over the Angels, giving the White Sox their first American League pennant since 1959. White Sox slugger Paul Konerko was named the ALCS MVP, on the strength of his two home runs, 7 RBI, and .286 average.

Especially in light of the evolution of the game, the White Sox four straight complete games was considered an unbelievable achievement. In fact, since Jose Contreras pitched 8 2/­3 innings in game 1, the White Sox bullpen saw a total of 2/3 of an inning pitched (by Neal Cotts) in the entire series. The last time four consecutive complete games had been pitched in a championship series was the 1956 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees, and the 1928 Yankees were the last team to win four consecutive complete games in a championship series. In fact, the last time any major league pitching staff had hurled four straight complete game victories was near the end of the 1983 regular season, when the Texas Rangers accomplished the feat.

2005 World Series

The White Sox now advanced to the World Series, where they would take on the National League champion Houston Astros. The White Sox’ appearance in the World Series was bittersweet for longtime franchise star Frank Thomas. One of the most popular and productive players in the franchise’s long history. Thomas would finally be going to a World Series in his 16th major league season. However, due to injury, Thomas would be unable to participate except as an observer, and his contributions to the White Sox in 2005 were limited.

Game 1 saw Astro’s ace Roger Clemens leave the game with a hamstring injury, leaving Jose Contreras to finish up the Astros and Chicago took advantage of its opponents’ weakness, winning 5 – 3. Joe Crede, especially made an impressive showing with his stellar defensive plays at third base.

Game 2 of the ALCS, saw the White Sox again involved in a controversial play. With the White Sox down 4 – 2 in the seventh inning with two outs and two runners on base, the home plate umpire ruled that Jermaine Dye had been hit by a pitch, while the Astros argued (and TV replays confirmed) that the ball had actually hit the bat. Dye was given a free pass to first, and the next batter, Paul Konerko, launched a grand slam into left field to give Chicago a 6 – 4 lead. Houston tied the game on a two-run single with two outs in the top of the ninth, but in the bottom of the ninth, Scott Podesedenik hit a walk-off solo home run off Brad Lidge to give the White Sox a thrilling 7 – 6 victory and a 2 – 0 lead in the Series. Podesedenik was the first player in major league history to hit a home run in the World Series after not having hit any during the regular season. (He did, however, have a home run in Game 1 of the ALDS against Boston, making the World Series home run his second of the playoffs.)

The World Series then shifted to Houston for Game 3, in which Astros’ starter and NLCS MVP Roy Oswalt cruised with a 4 – 0 lead until the wheels totally came off for him with a five-run fifth by the White Sox. The Astros managed to tie the game in the eighth, but repeatedly blew scoring opportunities in the next few innings. Finally, in the top of the 14th, former Astro Geoff Blum hit a tie-breaking home run; the White Sox took a commanding 3 – 0 Series lead with a 7 – 5 victory in the longest World Series game in history (in terms of time; tied for most innings). Ozzie Guillen sent Mark Buehrle in to get the last out in the bottom of the 14th to get the save after he had started Game 2, and later remarked that he was set to send Pablo Ozuna (a position player) in to pitch if the Astros somehow extended the game.

Game 4 was a pitcher’s duel between Freddy Garcia and Brandon Backe. The game was scoreless until Jermaine Dye singled to center off of Brad Lidge, driving in Willie Harris for what turned out the be the winning run. This was the second game of the series in which Lidge had given up the game-winning run (Podesednik’s home run in Game 2). Game 4 also saw a spectacular defensive play by Juan Uribe, as the Chicago shortstop fell two rows into the stands in order to retire Chris Burke for the second out in the bottom of the ninth. Uribe also earned the assist in the final out of the Series on the next play, as he narrowly threw Orlando Palmeiro out at first to give the White Sox their first World Series crown since 1917.

Here’s the 1 – 2 pitch to Palmeiro. A ground ball, past Jenks, up the middle of the infield, Uribe has it, he throws – OUT! OUT! A WHITE SOX WINNER! AND A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! The White Sox have won the World Series, and they’re mobbing each other on the field! and the White Sox radio announcer John Rooney calling the final play on WMVP 1000.

Dye was named the World Series MVP in the four-game sweep.

Only the 1927 Yankees and the 1984 Detroit Tigers were able to achieve such a feat. Their 11 – 1 postseason record was tied with the 1999 Yankees as the best single postseason mark. (Only the Cincinnati Reds in 1976 had a better winning percentage by going 7 – 0). Also, their 8-game winning streak (the four games over the Angels and the sweep against the Astros) is tied with the Boston Red Sox (who won 8 games in a row en route to their 2004 World Series championship) and the Kansas City Royals (who won the 2014 Wild Card Game and swept the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS/ALCS) for the longest postseason winning streak in Major League history. The White Sox also became the first team to win all three post-season victories on the road. Amazingly, during their 105-year history, this was only the franchise’s third World Series championship, (following victories in 1917 and 1906). It also marked their first pennant since the advent of divisional play in 1969 (the White Sox won the inaugural American League pennant in 1901, but this was 2 years prior to the first modern World Series).

2006 – Present: Post – World Series

2006 season

After leading the wild card race for much of the season, the White Sox faltered, losing 15 of 24 at the beginning of September to eliminate them from playoff contention, ending their chances of becoming the first repeat winner of the World Series since the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. The nonetheless finished with a 90 – 72 record, the season’s best record by a non-playoff team.

This was the first year a White Sox manager had led the AL All-Star squad since 1994, when Gene Lamont led the team. In addition to manager Ozzie Guillen, the White Sox had six representatives at the 77th – All-Star Game at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, the most among any club: starting pitcher Mark Buehrle, closer Bobby Jenks, catcher A.J Pierzynski, first baseman Paul Konerko and Jim Thome, and right fielder Jermaine Dye. Jose Contreras was originally selected to pitch in the All-Star Game, but was replaced by Francisco Liriano. Guillen removed Contreras from the roster after a 117-pitch performance in a 19-inning game against Boston on the last day before the All-Star Break.

Pierzynski was the last White Sox player to be named to the team after winning the year’s Final Vote, in which the fans select the 32nd and final player on both the AL and NL squads. Pierzynski is the second White Sox player to be selected, following Scott Podsednik’s nomination in 2005. Dye competed in the 2006 CENTURY 21 Home Run Derby; he managed to hit 7 home runs in the first round, but David Ortiz and Ryan Howard both surpassed that total to knock Dye out of the competition.

The White Sox drew 2,957,414 fans for an average of 36,511, third in the AL. There was a total of 52 sellouts, breaking the previous team record of 18. The White Sox also drew 75 crowds in excess of 30,000, another franchise record.

2007 season

On April 18th, Buehrle pitched a no-hitter against the Texas Rangers, 6 – 0. Buehrle’s only blemish was a walk to Sammy Sosa in the fifth, but Buehrle would promptly pick Sosa off during the next at-bat. Buehrle secured his spot in the MLB record books when he forced Rangers catcher Gerald Laird to ground out to third baseman Joe Crede at 9:14 p.m. CDT, sending the crowd of 25,930 at U.S. Cellular Field into a frenzy. He would face the minimum of 27 batters using 106 pitches (66 strikes), with the one walk to Sosa and eight strikeouts. Jermaine Dye hit a grand-slam and Jim Thome added solo homers in the history-making night.

On July 6th, the White Sox announced the signing of Mark Buehrle to a contract extension worth $56 million over four years. The move came after weeks of rumors of Buehrle possibly being traded.

Overall, the White Sox season was hampered by injuries and a team-wide hitting slump. However, the season was not a complete failure with Mark Buehrle’s no hitter, Jim Thome’s 500th home run, and closer Bobby Jenks 41 consecutive batters retired (tying Jim Barr’s all-time record and breaking the American League record.) Jenks would later fall short of the all-time record when Kansas City Royal’s player Joey Gathright slapped a ground ball into left field just out of the reaches of third baseman Josh Fields and shortstop Juan Uribe.

The White Sox finished the season fourth in their division with a 72 – 90 record, behind the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins.

2008 Season: Central Champs again and a “blackout game”

On July 31st, the day of the trade deadline, the White Sox traded relief pitcher Nick Masset and minor leaguer 2nd baseman Danny Richar for Ken Griffey Jr. of the Cinicinnati Reds(10).

On August 14th, Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, Alexi Ramirez, and Juan Uribe combined to hit four consecutive home runs against the Kansas City Royals off pitchers Joel Peralta and Rob Tejeda, something that has been only been done six other times in the history of Major League Baseball.

On September 29th, 2008, Ramirez hit his fourth grand slam of the season, setting a major-league single-season record for a rookie, off Detroit Tigers pitcher Gary Glover in an 8 – 2 White Sox victory to qualify the White Sox for a one-game playoff against the Minnesota Twins for the AL Central title. This also broke the team record for most grand slams in a single season.

On September 30th, 2008, the White Sox won a tiebreaker 1 – 0 against the Minnesota Twins for the American League playoff spot after a diving catch from Brian Anderson. A game saving throw to home plate from center-fielder Ken Griffey Jr. to catcher A.J. Pierzynski on a flyout to keep Michael Cuddyer from scoring would keep the Twins scoreless through the top of the 5th inning. John Danks pitched on only three days rest and threw 103 pitches for 2 hits and no runs in eight innings. Bobby Jenks would close the game with a perfect 9th. The only run of the game came from a Jim Thome home run, the 541st of his career. This was the lowest scoring tiebreaking game in MLB history. The White Sox are also the only team in MLB history to beat three different teams on three consecutive days; the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Minnesota Twins. They lost to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series (ALDS), 3 games to 1.


Part 3 of the Chicago White Sox Story
 will be posted on Friday August 30
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