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The White Sox have hosted the All-Star Game four times, including the inaugural contest in 1933, but 2003 marked the first time at U.S. Cellular Field. Magglio Ordonez (left), Carl Everett (right), and Esteban Loaiza represented the White Sox in the game. For the first time ever, home-field advantage in the World Series was awarded to the winning league. Loaiza started the game for the AL, which won a 7-6 thriller on Hank Blalock's late home run. |
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| 2003 |
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On January 31, U.S. Cellular and the White Sox sign a 23-year, $68-million naming rights agreement as the former Comiskey
Park, opened in 1991, becomes U.S. Cellular Field. Revenue from the agreement will allow the White Sox
and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority undertake significant structural renovations to the ballpark in time for Opening Day 2005.
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| 2004 |
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The Ozzie Guillen era began with a bang and ended a little more quietly, as the White Sox finished above .500 once again but also failed to make the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
Guillen dealt with season-ending injuries to Frank Thomas' left ankle and Magglio Ordonez's left knee, while pitchers Scott Schoeneweis and Cliff Politte, outfielder/designated hitter Carl Everett and second baseman Roberto Alomar also missed significant time due to injuries.
But there were plenty of upbeat moments. Paul Konerko set career highs with 41 home runs and 117 RBIs, taking over in the middle of the lineup, while Mark Buehrle produced another solid 16-victory season. Shingo Takatsu saved 19 games in 20 chances as the team's first Far Eastern import, while Juan Uribe also emerged as a viable everyday contributor as a middle infielder, after being acquired from Colorado.
The goal for the White Sox in 2005 is a team based more on defense, speed and pitching, a move made more likely by the in-season pick-ups of right-handers Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras, coupled with the requisite power and Guillen's unabashed energy. |
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| 2005 |
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The White Sox entered the 2005 season merely hoping to earn their first playoff appearance since 2000, but by winning the franchise's first World Series in 88 years, the Sox shocked the baseball world. Led by an effective small-ball offense and dominant postseason pitching, Chicago reached its peak in October, taking just one loss throughout the playoffs. After sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series, the White Sox handled the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in a five-game ALCS and swept the Houston Astros in the Fall Classic.
Critical to Chicago's championship run were the moves of general manager Ken Williams, who signed catcher A.J. Pierzynski and versatile right-hander Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez in January before adding Japanese second baseman Tadahito Iguchi.
The White Sox were led to an American League-high 99 regular-season wins by their starting staff, which received win totals of 18, 16, 15 and 14 from Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras and Freddy Garcia, respectively. Carrying Chicago's offense was Paul Konerko, who hit .283 with 40 homers and 100 RBIs before re-signing with the Sox for five years in November. For guiding his club through its magical season, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was named the American League Manager of the Year.
While the expectation of a World Series repeat in 2006 may be ambitious, the White Sox closed 2005 as active as ever in their pursuit of success, acquiring veteran slugger Jim Thome from the Phillies before adding right-handed starter Javier Vazquez in a trade with the Diamondbacks.
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| 2006 |
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The White Sox fell short of reaching the playoffs for a second straight season, let alone repeating their historic 2005 World Series championship effort, by finishing third in the AL Central with a 90-72 record. Four players topped 30 home runs in the same season for the first time in franchise history, with Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome surpassing 40. All five starting pitchers posted double-digit victories, led by 18 from Jon Garland, while Bobby Jenks became the third White Sox closer to reach the 40-save plateau. The team also had seven All-Stars: Dye, Thome, Jenks, Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski, Mark Buehrle, amd Jose Contreras.
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| 2007 |
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The most dismal season under the leadership of general manager Ken Williams and manager Ozzie Guillen ended with a 72-90 record and a third-place finish at 24 games behind Cleveland in the American League Central. However, the season had several historic individual efforts.
Mark Buehrle threw the franchise’s 16th no-hitter on April 18 against the Rangers. The crafty southpaw, who also picked up his 100th career win during this particular campaign, faced the minimum 27 batters by issuing just one walk to Sammy Sosa in the fifth and then picking him off first base. Bobby Jenks became the first pitcher in club history to record back-to-back seasons of 40 saves. More importantly, the closer retired 41 straight batters from July 17 to Aug. 12 (42 outs), tying him with San Francisco’s Jim Barr (1972) for the longest such streak in baseball history. And Jim Thome reached 500 career home runs in style, as his walk-off blast on Sept. 16 against the Angels' Dustin Moseley marked baseball’s only member among the 23 in this exclusive club to reach 500 on a game-ender.
Williams certainly did not stand pat after the 2007 struggles. The White Sox entered 2008 with six new players, in SS Orlando Cabrera, OF Nick Swisher, 2B Alexei Ramirez, OF Carlos Quentin and relief pitchers Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel.
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| 2008 |
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It was a team that defied preseason expectations and claimed its second American League Central crown during Ozzie Guillen’s five years as manager. But the title run wasn’t complete until an added Game No. 163, with the White Sox claiming a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Minnesota in the division tiebreaker at U.S. Cellular Field. Jim Thome’s home run off of Nick Blackburn accounted for the game’s only run, while Ken Griffey, Jr. threw out Michael Cuddyer at the plate to preserve a scoreless tie.
Young White Sox players emerged with the bat and on the mound. Carlos Quentin finished with 36 home runs, 100 RBIs and his first All-Star selection, despite missing the season’s last month after fracturing a bone in his right wrist. Alexei Ramirez, a Cuban émigré, started as cold as the April weather but finished as the team’s most consistent offensive weapon, earning him runner-up status in the AL Rookie of the Year balloting. Gavin Floyd, 25, led the team with 17 victories, while John Danks, 22, led all White Sox starters with a 3.32 ERA.
Injuries to Quentin, Scott Linebrink, Bobby Jenks, Jose Contreras, Joe Crede and Paul Konerko slowed the White Sox but didn’t shut them down. Nonetheless, their postseason run was much sorter than the historic effort of 2005, as Tampa Bay eliminated the White Sox in four games during the AL Division Series.
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History
