The
Chicago White Sox
are a
Major League Baseball
team based on the
South Side
of
Chicago
. They are one of eight charter members of the
American League
, having played in Chicago since the inaugural 1901 season. They have won six
American League pennants
and three
World Series
titles, most recently in 2005.
Establishment
[
edit
]
The team began as the minor league
Sioux City
Cornhuskers and played in the
Western League
. The WL reorganized itself in November
1893
, with
Ban Johnson
as president. The Cornhuskers won the Western League Pennant in their first season in 1894. Johnson, a Cincinnati-based reporter, had been recommended by his friend
Charles Comiskey
, former major league star with the
St. Louis Browns
in the 1880s, who was then managing the
Cincinnati Reds
. After the
1894
season, when Comiskey's contract with the Reds was up, he decided to take his chances at ownership. He bought the Sioux City team and transferred it to
Saint Paul, Minnesota
, renaming the team the St. Paul Saints, which enjoyed some success over the next five seasons.
In
1900
, the Western League changed its name to the
American League
. It was still officially a
minor league
, subject to the governing National Agreement and an underling of the
National League
. The NL gave permission to the AL to put a team in
Chicago
, provided they not use the city name in the team's branding. Comiskey moved his St. Paul club to the
Near South Side
and renamed it the
White Stockings
, grabbing a nickname that had once been used by the
Chicago Cubs
. The White Stockings won the 1900 American League pennant led by
player-manager
Dick Padden
,
[1]
[2]
the final WL/AL championship season as a minor league.
[3]
After the season, the AL declined to renew its membership in the National Agreement and declared itself a major league.
1901?1917: Early years
[
edit
]
After acquiring a number of stars from the older league, including pitcher and manager
Clark Griffith
, the White Stockings also captured the AL's first major-league pennant the next year, in
1901
. Headline editors at the
Chicago Tribune
sports department immediately began shortening the name to "White Sox", and the team officially adopted the shorter name in
1904
. The name change to the White Sox was brought on after scorekeeper Christoph Hynes wrote White Sox at the top of a scorecard rather than White Stockings, this scorecard was then seen by the press. The White Sox would continue to be built on pitching and defense in the following years, led by pitching workhorse
Ed Walsh
, who routinely pitched over 400 innings each season in his prime.
1906: The Hitless Wonders
[
edit
]
Walsh,
Doc White
and
Nick Altrock
paced
the White Sox
to their
1906
pennant and faced the crosstown rival
Cubs
in the
1906 World Series
. The Cubs had won a then-record 116 regular-season games and were an overwhelming favorite to defeat the White Sox, especially since the White Sox had the lowest team batting average in the American League that year. However, in a stunning upset, the White Sox took the Series, and intracity bragging rights, in six games. To this day, the 1906 White Sox are known as "the Hitless Wonders".
The White Sox spent the next decade alternating between solid and mediocre seasons. During this time, however, they acquired a solid core of players such as catcher
Ray Schalk
, shortstop / third baseman
Buck Weaver
, and pitchers
Eddie Cicotte
,
Red Faber
and
Reb Russell
.
April 18, 1907, was the coldest
Opening Day
ever, when the temperature was 38 °F (3.3 °C).
[4]
In
1915
,
Pants Rowland
became the manager and the White Sox added outfielder
Shoeless Joe Jackson
, second baseman
Eddie Collins
and outfielder
Happy Felsch
to the line-up.
The White Sox
finished in third place with a record of 93?61. In
1916
,
the White Sox
acquired pitcher
Lefty Williams
and finished 2nd at 89?65.
The 1917 world champions
[
edit
]
In
1917
, the White Sox put the final pieces of the puzzle together with the addition of first baseman
Chick Gandil
and shortstop
Swede Risberg
. Weaver was moved over to third base.
The White Sox roared through the American League in 1917 with a record of 100?54 ? still a franchise record for wins and winning percentage?and won the pennant by nine games over
the Boston Red Sox
. Their offense, led by Collins (.289, 91 runs), Felsch (.308, 102 RBI) and Jackson (.301, 91 runs), was 1st in runs scored. The White Sox pitching staff, led by
Eddie Cicotte
(28?12 1.53 ERA), Williams (17?8 2.97 ERA),
Red Faber
(16?13 1.92 ERA) and
Reb Russell
(15?5 1.95 ERA), ranked first with a 2.16 ERA.
1917 World Series
[
edit
]
The White Sox faced the 98?56
New York Giants
in the
1917 World Series
. The White Sox won Game one in Chicago 2?1 behind a complete game by Cicotte. Felsch hit a home run in the fourth inning that provided the winning margin. The White Sox beat the Giants in Game two by a score of 7?2 behind another complete game effort by Faber to take a 2?0 lead in the series.
Back in New York for Game three, Cicotte again threw a complete game, but the White Sox could not muster a single run against Giants starter
Rube Benton
and lost 2?0. In Game 4 the White Sox were shut out again 5?0 by
Ferdie Schupp
. Faber threw another complete game, but the Series was going back to Chicago even at 2?2.
Reb Russell started Game 5 in Chicago, but only faced 3 batters before giving way to Cicotte. Going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Chicago was down 5?2, but they rallied to score three in the 7th and three in the 8th to win 8?5. Red Faber pitched the final two innings for the win. In Game six, the White Sox took an early 3?0 lead and on the strength of another complete game victory from Faber (his third of the Series) won 4?2 and clinched the world championship. Eddie Collins was the hitting hero, batting .409 over the six-game series while Cicotte and Faber combined to pitch 50 out of a total 52 World Series innings to lead the staff.
1918?1920: The Black Sox
[
edit
]
After an off-year in the war-shortened season of
1918
, the club bounced back to win the pennant in 1919 and entered the
World Series
heavily favored to defeat the
Cincinnati Reds
in a best-of-9.
However, just before the Series, it became known that some big money was being bet on the Reds, fueling talk that the Series was
fixed
. The White Sox lost to the Reds in eight games.
1920
[
edit
]
Rumors of a fix continued unabated through the
1920
campaign, even as the White Sox roared through the season and appeared well on their way to a third pennant in four years. The team's pitching was particularly strong that year; the 1920 White Sox pitching staff was the first in the majors to feature four 20-game winners.
Black Sox Scandal
[
edit
]
In September 1920, an investigation into a fixed Cubs game eventually turned in the direction of the 1919 Series. During the investigation, Cicotte and Jackson confessed. Comiskey, who himself had turned a blind eye to the rumors, was compelled to suspend the remaining seven players (Gandil, eventually perceived as the ringleader, the one "connected" to the gamblers, had retired after the 1919 season) before their last season series against the
St. Louis Browns
. The suspensions ground the team to a halt; they lost two out of three games to the Browns and finished second, two games behind the
Cleveland Indians
. However, the evidence of their involvement (signed confessions) disappeared from the
Cook County
courthouse. Lacking that tangible evidence, a criminal trial (whose scope was limited to the question of defrauding the public) ended in acquittals of all the players. Regardless, newly installed
Commissioner of Baseball
Kenesaw Mountain Landis
banned all the accused from baseball for life. He argued that even though the players had been acquitted, there was no dispute that they had broken the rules of baseball, and they could not ever be allowed to return if the game was to regain the trust of the public.
1922?1950: The lean years
[
edit
]
From 1901 to 1920, the White Sox won four out of a possible 19 pennants. However, they were severely crippled by the loss of seven of their best players in their prime. With a depleted roster, the
White Sox
dropped into seventh place in
1921
and would not contend again until
1936
. During that stretch, only the
1925
and
1926
teams even managed to top .500. During this period, the White Sox featured stars such as third baseman
Willie Kamm
, shortstop
Luke Appling
, outfielder
Leo Najo
and pitcher
Ted Lyons
. However, an outstanding team was never developed around them, or a deep pitching staff. Ironically, the White Sox almost landed
Babe Ruth
; they offered to trade Jackson to the
Red Sox
for Ruth after owner
Harry Frazee
put his troublemaking star on the market. The White Sox offered Jackson and $60,000; however, the
New York Yankees
offered an all-cash deal of $100,000. Between the dumping of star players by the
Philadelphia Athletics
and the Red Sox, and the decimation of the White Sox, a "power vacuum" was created in the American League, into which the Yankees would soon move.
The White Sox finally became competitive again under popular manager
Jimmy Dykes
, who led them from 1934 to 1946 ? still the longest managerial tenure in team history. However, the White Sox did not completely recover from their malaise until the team was rebuilt in the 1950s under managers
Paul Richards
,
Marty Marion
, and
Al Lopez
.
1950?1967: The Go-Go Era
[
edit
]
Following Charles Comiskey's death in 1931, the team continued to be operated by his family ? first by his son
Lou
, then by Louis' widow
Grace
, and finally by their daughter
Dorothy Rigney
. Not until
1959
did the team pass out of the family (thanks in part to a feud between Dorothy and her brother
Chuck
) to a new ownership group, led by
Bill Veeck
, who had run the
Cleveland Indians
and the
St. Louis Browns
.
During the 1950s, the team had begun to restore its respectability with manager
Paul Richards
utilizing an offensive philosophy emphasizing speed and a spectacular style of defense.
[5]
Perennial All-Star
Minnie Minoso
, a former Negro leaguer who became the White Sox' first black player in
1951
, personified both aspects, leading the league in stolen bases while hitting over .300 and providing terrific play in left field. The additions of rookie shortstop
Luis Aparicio
in 1956 and manager
Al Lopez
in 1957 continued the strengthening of the team, joining longtime team standouts such as
Nellie Fox
at second base, pitchers
Billy Pierce
and
Virgil Trucks
, and catcher
Sherm Lollar
. The White Sox would lead the American League in stolen bases every year from
1951
to
1961
.
Although the White Sox had winning records every season from 1951 through 1967, the Yankees dynasty of the era often left the White Sox frustrated in second place; they were league runner-up five times between 1957 and 1965. Health problems forced Veeck to sell the team to brothers
Arthur
and
John Allyn
in
1961
, and while the team continued to play well, many of the ballpark thrills seemed to be missing. The White Sox had several outstanding pitching staffs in the 1960s, with pitchers who had the best ERA in four different seasons --
Frank Baumann
, 2.67 (
1960
),
Gary Peters
, 2.33 (
1963
), and again with 1.98 (
1966
) and finally
Joe Horlen
, 2.06 (
1967
).
1959
[
edit
]
In
1959
, the team won its first pennant in 40 years, thanks to the efforts of several eventual Hall of Famers ? Lopez, Aparicio, Fox (the league MVP), and pitcher
Early Wynn
, who won the
Cy Young Award
at a time when only one award was presented for both leagues. The White Sox would also acquire slugger
Ted Kluszewski
, a local area native, from the
Pittsburgh Pirates
for the final pennant push. Kluszewski gave the team a much-needed slugger for the stretch run, and he hit nearly .300 for the White Sox in the final month. Lopez had also managed the
Cleveland Indians
to the
World Series
in
1954
, making him the only manager to interrupt the New York Yankees pennant run between 1949 and 1964 inclusive.
1959 World Series
[
edit
]
After the pennant-clinching victory, Chicago Mayor
Richard J. Daley
, a lifelong White Sox fan, ordered his fire chief to set off the city's
air raid sirens
. Many Chicagoans became fearful and confused since 1959 was the height of the
Cold War
; however, they relaxed somewhat upon realizing it was part of the White Sox' celebration. The White Sox won Game 1 of the World Series 11?0 on the strength of Kluszewski's two home runs, their last postseason home win until
2005
. The
Los Angeles Dodgers
, however, won three of the next four games and captured their first World Series championship since moving to the west coast in 1958. 92,706 fans witnessed Game 5 of the World Series at the
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
, the most ever to attend a World Series game, or for that matter any non-exhibition major league baseball game. The White Sox won that game 1?0 over the Dodgers' 23-year-old pitcher
Sandy Koufax
, but the Dodgers clinched the series by beating the White Sox 9?3 two days later at Comiskey Park.
Veeck ownership
[
edit
]
Due to Veeck's arrival in 1959, Comiskey Park instantly became a ballpark filled with a series of promotional stunts which helped draw record crowds, the most obvious being the exploding
fireworks
Veeck installed in the scoreboard to celebrate home runs and victories. And in 1960, they became the first team in the history of sports to wear last names on the back of their jerseys, a Veeck innovation. Unlike Charles Comiskey, Veeck was considered a player-friendly owner, and players enjoyed playing for him.
1964
[
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]
The
1964
season was especially frustrating, as the team won 98 games, four more than 1959, including their last nine in a row ? yet finished one game behind the pennant-winning
Yankees
, who had a late-season 11-game win streak that opened up just enough room to stave off the White Sox's final charge.
1967
[
edit
]
The White Sox were also involved in one of the closest pennant races in history in
1967
. After leading the American League for most of the season, on the final weekend, the White Sox,
Red Sox
,
Minnesota Twins
and
Detroit Tigers
all had a shot at the pennant. However, the Red Sox would assert themselves in the final weekend, beating the Twins to take the pennant by a single game. The White Sox finished in fourth place at 89?73, three games behind.
1968?1975: Threats of relocation
[
edit
]
In
1968
,
Bud Selig
, a former minority owner of the
Milwaukee Braves
who had been unable to stop the relocation of his team three years earlier, contracted with the Allyn brothers to host nine home games (one against each of the other American League clubs) at
Milwaukee County Stadium
as part of an attempt to attract an expansion franchise to
Milwaukee
,
Wisconsin
.
The experiment was staggeringly successful ? those nine games drew 264,297 fans. In Chicago that season, the
White Sox
drew 539,478 fans to their remaining 58 home dates (72 games, 14 doubleheaders). In just a handful of games, the Milwaukee crowds accounted for nearly one-third of the total attendance at White Sox games.
In
1969
, the league expanded from 10 teams to 12, and the
White Sox
schedule in Milwaukee was likewise expanded to include 11 home games (again, one against every opponent). Although those games were attended by slightly fewer fans (198,211 fans, for an average of 18,019) they represented a greater percentage of the total White Sox attendance than the previous year ? over one-third of the fans who went to White Sox games did so at Milwaukee County Stadium. In the remaining 59 home dates in Chicago (70 games, 11 doubleheaders), the White Sox drew 391,335 for an average of 6,632 per date.
Selig was denied an expansion franchise at the
1968 owners' meetings
, and turned his efforts toward purchasing and relocating an existing club. His search began close to home with the White Sox themselves. According to Selig, he had a handshake agreement with
Arthur Allyn
in early 1969 to purchase a majority stake in the White Sox and move them north to Milwaukee. The American League, however, blocked the sale, unwilling to cede what was then the nation's second largest city to the National League and the Cubs. Arthur Allyn instead sold his shares to his brother John, who agreed to stay in Chicago. Selig would go on to buy the
Seattle Pilots
and move them to Milwaukee instead. John Allyn renamed Comiskey Park "White Sox Park" and installed
artificial turf
("Sox Sod") in the infield (the outfield remained natural grass).
The 1970 White Sox hit rock bottom for the franchise in the post-World War II era, going a Major League worst 56?106, nine games worse than two second-year clubs in the
American League West
, the
Kansas City Royals
and
Milwaukee Brewers
, and seven worse than another 1969 expansion team, the
San Diego Padres
.
The
White Sox
had a brief resurgence in
1972
, with slugger
Dick Allen
winning the MVP award; but injuries, especially to popular third baseman
Bill Melton
, took their toll and the team finished
5
+
1
⁄
2
games behind
Oakland
, the eventual world champion.
Several lawsuits against Major League Baseball from Seattle over the move of the Pilots to Milwaukee almost resulted in the White Sox being moved to the Emerald City in
1975
. An elaborate scheme for a franchise shuffle soon came to light. The White Sox were to be moved to Seattle, then the
Oakland Athletics
were to take the White Sox's place in Comiskey Park. Oakland owner
Charlie Finley
was from nearby
La Porte, Indiana
. His A's had not drawn well during their Championship years in
Oakland, California
, and he wanted to bring them to Chicago.
[
citation needed
]
However, the shuffle collapsed when owner
John Allyn
sold the team to the physically rehabilitated Bill Veeck. In
1977
, the
Seattle Mariners
were created, thus restoring the major leagues' presence in the
Pacific Northwest
.
1976?1981: The Return of Veeck and the South Side Hitmen
[
edit
]
On December 10,
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 8, 1976, followed by appearances on August 21 and August 22.
[6]
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 year 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 the 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 28, 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-1970s.
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.
[7]
1977
[
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]
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
UPI
for his efforts.
[8]
1978
[
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]
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 being dealt to the Texas Rangers, and Blomberg's major league career ended with the season's final game.
Lemon was fired June 30 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
[
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]
Two tough years followed: 87 losses in
1979
(including the infamous July 12 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 or 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 buy the White Sox and he promised to keep the team in Chicago. Baseball commissioner
Bowie Kuhn
blocked the deal, because he thought DeBartolo would be bad for baseball.
1982?2004: The early Reinsdorf era
[
edit
]
Instead, Veeck sold the team to an ownership group headed by accountant
Jerry Reinsdorf
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?81 offseason. They also retained the club's young, relatively unknown manager,
Tony La Russa
.
1983: "Winning Ugly"
[
edit
]
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 the 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 La Russa
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 ten-inning victory in Game 4. White Sox pitcher Burns pitched a "gutsy" game, throwing 9
1
⁄
3
shutout innings before a home run by
Tito Landrum
broke up the game and the hearts of the South Side 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
[
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]
The club slid back into mediocrity for the rest of the 1980s, 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 La Russa after a poor start. The club would not contend again until 1990, the final year in
Comiskey Park
.
1990s: "Good Guys Wear Black"
[
edit
]
1990
[
edit
]
That season, most of their young talent blossomed. Closer
Bobby Thigpen
established a then record of 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 11, 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
[
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]
The team reached the
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
[
edit
]
The White Sox led the new
American League Central
at the time of the
1994 players' strike
.
1995?1999
[
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]
Although struggling in the 1995 season, the Sox maintained some consistency through the rest of the 1990s, managing to finish in second place every year after, including 1997, the year of the notorious
White Flag Trade
. Although maligned by fans at the time, the move would ultimately help the team out later.
2000?2004
[
edit
]
2000: The Kids Can Play
[
edit
]
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 ALDS and failed to score a run after the third inning in any of the three games.
2003?04
[
edit
]
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 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 trading
Carlos Lee
to the Brewers for
Scott Podsednik
. 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
[
edit
]
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 1
1
⁄
2
games at one point only to lose the last 7 games), Chicago scored a 4?2 victory over the
Detroit Tigers
on September 29 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 in the 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 every post-season road game they played in 2005).
2005 ALDS
[
edit
]
In the
2005 American League Division Series
, the White Sox took on the
Boston Red Sox
, the 2005 AL
wild-card
winners and the defending World Series champions. The White Sox defeated the Red Sox in a three-game sweep. They won the first two games (scoring a 14?2 victory in the first game ? their first postseason win at home since
1959
? and 5?4 in the second) of the series at home before claiming a 5?3 victory at
Fenway Park
in Boston. Scott Podsednik hit his first home run of the season in the first game of the series.
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 Podsednik
? his first home run of the season, was the icing on the cake in 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
, both 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
[
edit
]
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 12, 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 manager
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
+
1
⁄
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 in the
1956 World Series
between the
Brooklyn Dodgers
and
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
[
edit
]
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 Astros' 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 Series, as in the ALCS, saw the White Sox again involved in a controversial play. With the White Sox down 4?2 in the seventh 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 Podsednik
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. Podsednik 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 to 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!
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.
[
clarification needed
]
Their 11?1 postseason record was tied with
1999 Yankees
as the best single post season mark. (Only
Cincinnati Reds
in
1976
had a better winning percentage by going 7?0.) Also, their 8-game winning streak (the four wins 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, despite 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
[
edit
]
2006 season
[
edit
]
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. They 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 basemen
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 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 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 were 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
[
edit
]
On April 18, 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 25,390 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 two solo homers in the history-making night.
On July 6, 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"
[
edit
]
On July 31, 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
Cincinnati Reds
.
[9]
On August 14,
Jim Thome
,
Paul Konerko
,
Alexei Ramirez
, and
Juan Uribe
combined to hit four consecutive home runs against the
Kansas City Royals
off of pitchers
Joel Peralta
and
Rob Tejeda
, something that has only been done six other times in the history of
Major League Baseball
.
On September 29, 2008, Ramirez hit his fourth grand slam of the season, setting a major-league single-season record for a rookie, off of 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 30, 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 tiebreaker 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
ALDS
, 3 games to 1.
2009 season
[
edit
]
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.
[10]
Pitcher
Bartolo Colon
was signed as a
free agent
on January 15.
[10]
Javier Vazquez
and
Boone Logan
were traded to the
Atlanta Braves
for prospects
Tyler Flowers
,
Brent Lillibridge
, Jon Gilmore and Santos Rodriguez.
[11]
On June 4, the White Sox called up 2008 number one draft pick (eighth overall), shortstop
Gordon Beckham
.
[12]
It took Beckham only 364 days to reach the Major Leagues, as he was drafted on June 5, 2008.
[13]
On June 9, the White Sox called up another number one draft pick (2007, 25th overall), left-handed pitcher
Aaron Poreda
.
[12]
On July 23, 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 28 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 31, 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 10, the White Sox claimed OF
Alex Rios
off waivers from the
Toronto Blue Jays
On August 31,
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 trade
Jose Contreras
to the
Colorado Rockies
, in exchange for Brandon Hynick, a 24-year-old right-handed starter.
2010 season
[
edit
]
On the
Opening Day
, the White Sox shutout the
Cleveland
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 with his bare hand to force out
Lou Marson
in the fifth inning for the second out.
Paul Konerko
broke the franchise record for most home runs hit during the month of April with 11.
On May 11, the Sox opened the two-game series at the new
Target Field
and took the victory 5?2 over
Minnesota
, but the next day lost 3?2.
On August 29, 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"
[
edit
]
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.
[14]
The end of the season was marked by the end of former World Series winning manager
Ozzie Guillen
who departed a few days before the end of the regular season, eventually signing as manager with the then
Florida Marlins
.
[15]
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
[
edit
]
On April 21,
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 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.
[16]
2013 season
[
edit
]
The Sox had the coldest
opening day
in 106 years, equalling the April 18, 1907 record of 38 °F (3.3 °C).
[4]
They won the game 1?0.
[17]
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
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
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
.
[18]
[19]
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
[
edit
]
The White Sox began the 2016 season on a strong note, leading the American League with a 23?10 record on May 9. 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.
[20]
He was replaced by
Rick Renteria
.
2017 season: Start of the rebuild
[
edit
]
In the 2017 offseason, the White Sox began to trade players for prospects. On December 6, 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
.
[21]
The following day, they traded outfielder
Adam Eaton
to the Washington Nationals for pitchers
Dane Dunning
,
Lucas Giolito
, and
Reynaldo Lopez
.
[22]
During the season on July 13, 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.
[23]
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
[
edit
]
2018 was the worst season for the Chicago 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
[
edit
]
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
[
edit
]
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.
[24]
2021 season: Central Division champs again and back to back playoff appearances
[
edit
]
During the 2020?21 offseason, the White Sox fired manager
Rick Renteria
and brought back
Tony La Russa
to take his place. La Russa 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 more big moves. They traded for
Texas Rangers
starting pitcher
Lance Lynn
and signed arguably the best closer in the league in
Liam Hendriks
to a four year, $54M contract.
[25]
[26]
On June 6, La Russa won his 2,764th game as a manager, surpassing
John McGraw
for second on the all-time managerial wins list.
[27]
On August 12, 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 23, the White Sox clinched the American League Central Division for the first time since 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
[
edit
]
Before the
lockout
, the White Sox signed
Kendall Graveman
on November 30, 2021, to a three-year, $24M contract.
[28]
After the lockout ended, the Sox signed pitchers
Joe Kelly
(two year, $17M) and
Vince Velasquez
(one year, $3M) on March 14, 2022.
[29]
The next day, they signed second baseman
Josh Harrison
to a one-year $5.5M contract.
[30]
They picked up Craig Kimbrel's option months before and on April 1, the Sox traded Kimbrel to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
for outfielder
A. J. Pollock
.
[31]
On April 3, 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
[
edit
]
On October 3, 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.
[32]
On November 1, 2022, the White Sox hired Kansas City Royals bench coach
Pedro Grifol
as their next manager.
[33]
During the offseason, they signed pitcher
Mike Clevinger
to a one year, $12 million contract
[34]
and outfielder
Andrew Benintendi
to a franchise record five year, $75 million contract.
[35]
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 that 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.
[36]
[37]
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 26, they traded pitchers
Lucas Giolito
and
Reynaldo Lopez
to the
Los Angeles Angels
. On July 28, they traded pitcher
Kendall Graveman
to the
Houston Astros
and pitchers
Lance Lynn
and
Joe Kelly
to the
Los Angeles Dodgers
.
[38]
[39]
On August 1 they traded pitcher
Keynan Middleton
to the
New York Yankees
and infielder
Jake Burger
to the
Miami Marlins
.
[40]
[41]
On August 22, 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.
[42]
The White Sox promoted assistant general manager
Chris Getz
as the new Senior Vice President and general manager.
[43]
The White Sox finished the season with their 5th 100 loss season in franchise history with a record of 61?101.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Spink, Alfred Henry (2000).
The National Game
(2nd ed.). SIU Press. p. 286.
ISBN
0-8093-2304-4
.
- ^
James, Bill
.
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