Tag / 2005 World Series

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World Series Batting Leaders

2005worldseriesLast night, the Cubs made their first World Series appearance since 1945 when they squared off against the Indians.  To mark the appearance, let’s look at the offensive leaders in the 1 World Series game I have attended, game 2 of the 2005 World Series between the White Sox and the Astros.

Home Runs

Name Total
Morgan Ensberg 1
Scott Podsednik 1
Paul Konerko 1

Hits

Name Total
Willy Taveras 2
Aaron Rowand 2
Brad Ausmus 2
Juan Uribe 2
Carl Everett 2

Runs

Name Total
Willy Tavares 2
11 tied with 1

RBI

Name Total
Paul Konerko 4
Lance Berkman 3
Jose Vizcaino 2
Joe Crede 1
Juan Uribe 1
Scott Podsednik 1
Morgan Ensberg 1

Doubles

Name Total
Juan Uribe 2
Lance Berkman 1
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All Time Playoff Team Records

baseballs3As the Cubs prepare for their second consecutive post-season appearance, it’s time to take an updated look at the team records for the now 20 playoff contests I have attended.  These contests come from the ALDS in 2000, 2005, and 2008, the NLDS in 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2015, the NLCS in 2003 and 2015, the ALCS in 2005, and, of course, the 2005 World Series.

Post-Season Team Records
Team Name Won Loss Winning Pctg
Florida Marlins 3 0 1.000
Seattle Mariners 2 0 1.000
New York Mets 2 0 1.000
Los Angeles Dodgers 2 0 1.000
Arizona Diamondbacks 1 0 1.000
Chicago White Sox 5 4 0.556
Tampa Bay Rays 1 1 0.500
Los Angeles Angels 1 1 0.500
Atlanta Braves 1 1 0.500
Chicago Cubs 2 9 0.182
St. Louis Cardinals 0 1 0.000
Houston Astros 0 1 0.000
Boston Red Sox 0 2 0.000
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#66 – Willie Harris

wharrisName: Willie Harris

Rank: 66

Position: 2B/CF

Years With White Sox: 2002-2005

Willie Harris was acquired by the White Sox in January of 2002 from the Orioles in exchange for Chris Singleton.  Harris spent most of 2002 in Triple A Charlotte, but managed to appear in 49 games following the trade of Ray Durham.  In his extended audition, he hit .233 with 2 home runs and 12 RBI while stealing 8 bases without being caught.

Harris spent more time in Chicago during the 2003 season, but, despite appearing in 30 more games than the year before, his at bats decreased by 26.  He was mostly used as a defensive replacement in center field for Carl Everett.

2004 saw Harris getting his first extended opportunity to start, appearing in 129 games, starting 101 of them, and putting up the best numbers of his career.  He hit a career high .262 with 2 home runs and 27 RBI.

Following the acquisition of Tadahito Iguchi to take over second base, Harris split time between Chicago and Charlotte in 2005 for the first time since 2003.  He appeared in only 56 games for the White Sox, his lowest total since 2002.  He did, however, manage to make the playoff roster, as the White Sox reached post-season play for the first time since 2000.  Harris got only 2 at bats during the White Sox title run, but made the most of them with 2 hits and scoring the winning run in Game 4 of the World Series against the Astros.  Following the year, he became a free agent, ending his White Sox career.

Harris’ numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#81 – Geoff Blum

geoff-blum

Name: Geoff Blum

Rank: 81

Position: 1B/3B

Year With White Sox: 2005

Acquired at the trade deadline from the Padres in 2005, Geoff Blum made little impact for the White Sox during the regular season, hitting an even .200 in 31 games.  He went 0-1 during his sole ALDS appearance, pinch hitting in the Game 1 blowout against the Red Sox.

Blum sat on the bench until the 14th inning of Game 3 of the World Series, when he pinch hit for Bobby Jenks.  On a 2-0 count, Blum pulled the next pitch from Ezequiel Astacio into the right field stands, giving the White Sox a 6-5 lead.  Later that day, the White Sox clinched their first World Series title in 88 years.  4 days later, Blum became a free agent.

Blum’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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iTunes Top 200: #1 – 10

itunes_image3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 songs in my iTunes library.  Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact.  So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2016.

We wrap things up today with the top 10, which includes only 1 new song since we first looked at the top 100 3 years ago.  The remaining 9, all of which are, or were, part of my White Sox victory playlists, have simply moved around in order, including a surprising tie for the top spot.

#10: Harry Caray – Take Me Out To The Ballgame
iTunes stats: 17 plays, most recently on 9/30/2015
Previous ranking: #11

Moving up one spot into the top 10 is this mid-1970s recording of the Hall of Fame broadcaster, along with organist Nancy Faust, leading the Comiskey Park crowd during the 7th inning stretch.

#9: 2008 White Sox Central Division Champs Montage
iTunes stats: 106 plays, most recently on 5/12/2015
Previous ranking: #9

Radio highlights, courtesy of The Score, of the 2008 White Sox season, culminating in the team’s Division Series loss to the Rays.

#8: Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
iTunes stats: 115 plays, most recently on 7/19/2015
Previous ranking: #8

The rallying cry for the 2005 White Sox after A. J. Pierzynski and teammates heard it being sung in a bar in Baltimore, it finally dropped off my playlist for the 2015 season.

Sox Win#7: Queen – We Are The Champions
iTunes stats: 120 plays, most recently on 7/19/2015
Previous ranking: #7

Reaching #4 on the Billboard charts in the late 70s, the song made it on to my White Sox playlist following their 2005 World Series championship.

#6: sox05_montage
iTunes stats: 126 plays, most recently on 10/24/2015
Previous ranking: #6

Radio highlights, courtesy of ESPN 1000, of the 2005 White Sox season, culminating in the team’s first World Series title since 1917.

#5: Gordon Beckham Intro
iTunes stats: 139 plays, most recently on 5/18/2015
Previous ranking: #2

The Outfield’s hit Your Love featuring Gene Honda introducing the former White Sox third baseman.

#4: Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye
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#87 – Carl Everett

everett-wsName: Carl Everett

Rank: 87

Position: DH/CF

Years With White Sox: 2003, 2004-2005

Carl Everett was acquired by the White Sox on July 1, 2003 from the Rangers for Frank Francisco, Josh Rupe, and Anthony Webster.  Two weeks later, he appeared in the All Star Game at his new home stadium, going 0-1 as one of 3 White Sox representatives.  Everett continued his all star ways in the second half, hitting .301 with 10 home runs after the trade, but the White Sox faded down the stretch and finished the year in second place.

After signing with the Expos as a free agent for the 2004 season, Everett was reacquired by the White Sox on July 18, two weeks after Frank Thomas went down with a broken left foot, for Gary Majewski and Jon Rauch.  In more limited playing time, Everett hit .266 with only 5 home runs and the White Sox again finished in second place.

With Thomas still recovering from his foot injury, Everett went into 2005 as the primary designated hitter.  He appeared in 135 games, hitting .251 with 23 home runs and 87 RBI.  Everett added 12 hits during the post-season as the White Sox won their first World Series title since 1917.  Following the season, Everett again left as a free agent.

Everett’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#90 – Neal Cotts

neal-cotts-whitesoxName: Neal Cotts

Rank: 90

Position: P

Years With White Sox: 2003-2006

Neal Cotts was acquired by the White Sox, along with Billy Koch and Daylan Holt, from the A’s in exchange for Keith Foulke, Mark Johnson, and Joe Valentine in December of 2002.  He made his major league debut on August 12, 2003, lasting only 2 1/3 innings in a start against the Angels, walking 6 and giving up 2 hits and 2 runs.  He made 3 additional starts, finishing the year with an 8.10 ERA in only 13 1/3 innings pitched.

Under new manager Ozzie Guillen, Cotts moved to the bullpen in 2004.  Appearing in 56 games, he managed to lower his ERA somewhat, to a still-horrid 5.65.  He did manage to pick up his first major league hit, against the Expos on June 18.

Things clicked in 2005, both for Cotts and the White Sox.  He appeared in 69 regular season games and posted a sparkling 1.94 ERA as the White Sox took the AL Central crown.  He faced one batter in the ALDS, getting Trot Nixon to flyout in Game 1 of the sweep against the Red Sox.  He was the only White Sox reliever to appear in the ALCS, getting the final 2 outs in the Game 1 loss to the Angels.  As the White Sox moved on to their first World Series since 1959, Cotts appeared in all 4 games, winning Game 2 and giving up only 1 hit in an inning and a third.

Cotts reverted back to his previous form in 2006, appearing in 70 games and seeing his ERA balloon back up to 5.17, though he did earn his first career save.  Following the season, he was traded across town to the Cubs for fellow relief pitcher David Aardsma.

Cotts’ numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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#99 – Brian Anderson

Name: Brian Anderson

Rank: 99

Position: CF

Years With White Sox: 2005-2009

Brian Anderson joined the White Sox organization as the 15th overall pick in the 2003 draft.  He made his major league debut on August 16, 2005, going 2-7 in a 9-4 loss to the Twins at US Cellular Field.  He appeared in only 13 games for the big league club in 2005, as the White Sox battle for the division crown went down to the final weekend.  Anderson was left off the playoff roster, but still spent the time with the team, joining Aaron Rowand in doubting the walk-off home run Scott Podsednik hit in Game 2 of the World Series.

When Rowand was traded to the Phillies prior to the 2006 season, Anderson became the new starting center fielder.  Unfortunately, he was unable to reproduce his minor league success at the major league level, eventually losing playing time to Rob Mackowiak.  He finished the year with a .225 average, striking out 90 times in only 365 at bats.

2007 turned in to a lost season for Anderson, as he lost his starting job to Darin Erstad and appeared in only 13 games, with an anemic .118 average, before being sent back to Triple A Charlotte.  He managed to boost his average back up in the minors, but an injury ended his season early.

Anderson returned to the big leagues in 2008 with a renewed focus, but it did not translate to better results in the field.  He spent most of the year as a backup and as a late inning defensive replacement for Ken Griffey Jr.  The highlight of his season was the diving catch he made to end the tiebreaker game 163 that sent the White Sox to the playoffs.  This time, Anderson made the playoff roster, but he went hitless in 5 at bats across 3 games in the White Sox loss to the Rays in the ALDS.

Anderson found himself in the same position in 2009, until the trade deadline approached, when he was traded to the Red Sox for Mark Kotsay.

Anderson returned to the White Sox organization on January 15, 2015, signing a minor league deal, but he was released on April 2nd, ending his professional career.

Anderson’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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A Quarter Century Of Memories

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of US Cellular Field, the White Sox are asking fans to vote for the top moment in US Cellular Field history, broken down into 4 brackets: Postseason Perks, Memorable Moments, Records and Milestones, and Honors and More.  Today, we shall take a look at the first 2 groupings of these moments and decide which is the best.

postseason_peaksThe Postseason Peaks region boasts 6 entries from or related to the 2005 World Series champions plus another 2 from the team’s last division winner in 2008.  The disappointing post-season appearances from 1993 and 2000 are left out altogether.  As an added plus, I attended all of the games in this region.

The first match-up is a no-brainer, with Scott Podsednik’s walk-off home run to win Game 2 of the World Series pitted against Alexei Ramirez’s grand slam against the Tigers to force game 163 against the Twins for the division crown.  With all due respect to Alexei, Podsednik takes this with ease.

The next battle is between the aforementioned game 163, the Blackout Game that sent the White Sox to the playoffs, against Joe Crede’s walk-off single against the Angels in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS.  While the Blackout was great fun, it was just a regular season game.  Crede’s hit, following the A.J. Pierzynski drama, would have blown the roof off the place, if it had one.

Next, we have the unfair fight of Paul Konerko’s grand slam in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series versus Tadahito Iguchi’s go-ahead home run against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the ALDS.  No real contest here.

The final match-up is again from Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS, when Pierzynski struck out and somehow managed to get the umpires to let him take first base, going up against the second game of the 2006 season, when the White Sox received their World Series championship rings.  While the ring ceremony was indeed cool, it can’t beat the game action of one of the smartest players in baseball using his wits to outduel the opponent.

memorable_momentsWe now turn our attention to the Memorable Moments region, a more varied group of games, only 5 of which I managed to attend.

We begin with the second to last day of the 2014 season, when the White Sox honored their retiring captain with a special ceremony, doing battle against the July 7, 1999 contest against the Royals where Chris Singleton hit for the cycle.  Once again, I’ll have to give the nod to Konerko.

The next match-up pits Frank Thomas, hitting the first White Sox home run at the then-New Comiskey Park on April 22, 1991 against Bo Jackson’s home run in the division-clinching game on September 27, 1993.  You can’t really go wrong with either of these, to be honest.

The next battle is between Mark Buerhle’s kick save followed by a flip between the legs which Paul Konerko barehanded for the putout on Opening Day 2010 and the 10 year reunion of the 2005 champions last summer.  I’ll give the nod to Buehrle.

The last match-up features the White Sox game against the Yankees on September 18, 2001, the first game after the tragedy of 9/11 versus Carlos Lee’s 10th inning walk-off grand slam off Courtney Duncan in the June 8, 2001 victory over the Cubs.  While Lee’s hit is obviously the better baseball moment, the meaning of the return to the field after the attack on New York and the Pentagon have a greater meaning overall.

Coming out of these brackets, you have either Konerko or Podsednik’s home run from Game 2 of the World Series going up against Buehrle’s play against the Indians on Opening Day 2010.  We’ll check out the remaining 2 regions next week.

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White Sox All Time Leaders – Through 2015

cws_logoWith the return of Chicago baseball right around the corner, I thought it would be interesting to look at the all time leaders in both offensive and defensive categories for all 30 teams. We finish things off today with the hometown Chicago White Sox.

I’ve seen the White Sox play 472 times at 10 different stadiums in 6 different cities, including every home playoff appearance in 2000, 2005, and 2008 except for Game 1 of the 2005 World Series.

Home Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 93
Jermaine Dye 39
Alexei Ramirez 34

Hits

Name Total
Paul Konerko 366
Alexei Ramirez 299
A.J. Pierzynski 231

Runs

Name Total
Paul Konerko 200
Alexei Ramirez 133
A.J. Pierzynski 104

RBI

Name Total
Paul Konerko 235
Alexei Ramirez 138
Jermaine Dye 107

Doubles

Name Total
Paul Konerko 57
Alexei Ramirez 49
A.J. Pierzynski 41

Triples Continue reading →