Monday, May 12th
So it’s been roughly 30 months (or specificially 930 days) since the White Sox did the unthinkable—ending their 88-year drought, winning the World Series. It happened, right?
Yet despite that history-making, deft-defying, mind-blowing run towards baseball immortality, the experience had basically remained shelved deep in the backside of my brain, along with other monumental achievements; the 1983 All-Star Game at Comiskey, Michael Jordan’s last shot for the Bulls in 1998, my Bar Mitzvah. All special moments that will be talked about for years.
But with the White Sox in Anaheim this week for a 4-game series with the Angels, I felt it was finally time to break open the 7-DVD set of the Sox 2005 post-season, going back to the place where it all began, or in the Angels case, where it all ended: Game 5 of the ALCS, which sent the Angels home for good, and the Sox to their first World Series since 1959.
So, without further adieu, let’s go back to October 16, 2005. I’ve got my DVD player, my computer, and countless memories ready to come flooding back. Here goes:
1st inning
It’s 66 degrees in Anaheim. A light rain is falling. It’s Jose Contreras vs. Paul Byrd (who I suddenly realize looks a lot like former Sox starter Britt Burns).
Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are calling the game for Fox, and every once in a while, I hear another voice coming from the booth. It’s a voice I’ve heard before, but can’t seem to place it. Wait a minute…I’ve got it. LOU PINIELLA! How could I forget?? I’m pretty certain that 10 years from now, when Lou is retired somewhere in Florida, this will be one of the great trivia questions in Chicago sports. “Who broadcast the game with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver when the White Sox won the Pennant?" Lou Piniella. Talk about the irony—especially if the Cubs never win the Series…or atleast anytime soon.
We know what kind of manager Lou is. So how was he as a broadcaster?
Well, here in the first inning, Piniella, a man who played 16 years in the majors, and had managed another 19 at this point, gave us this little nugget: “Angels manager Mike Scioscia’s favorite food is deep dish pizza, and the best place to get deep dish pizza is in Chicago!”
At the time, I’m sure we all thought nothing of this nice compliment about our fair city. But looking back, it has me wondering…."Could this possibly have been Piniella expressing some hidden code to the Cubs that he wanted to be their manager?"
"Blue Horse Shoe Loves Anacot Steel" |
It was like Bud Fox’s secret stock tip to Gordon Gecko
in the movie Wall Street, "Blue Horse Shoe Loves
Anacot Steel." This was Lou, with Dusty Baker
possibly on the ropes, informing the Tribune brass
on the air that he was their manager, Chicago was
his pizza, and with the Sox on the brink of ending one
of the greatest droughts in sports history (only adding
to the misery and even longer drought on the
North Side), that he was the Chosen One to bring
the Cubs to the Promised Land.
Come to think of it. Maybe not.
2nd inning
Aaron Rowand leads off with a double down the right field line. Watching Aaron in a Sox uniform for the first time in almost 3 years, I have to admit—I’m feeling a little separation anxiety here. Jim Thome has been great. Nick Swisher could be on his way....but Rowand was a rock in 2005. An absolute rock.
Rowand moves to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Pierzynski. I repeat…. Rowand moves to 3rd on a sacrifice bunt by A.J. Pierzynski. Where has that been? Joe Crede’s up next. He brings Rowand in on a sacrifice fly. Sox up 1-0. They made it look so easy.
Stat of the night:
While pitching for Cuba in the 2000 Olympics, Contreras threw 160 pitches in one game. And if that isn’t enough, he came back to pitch 2 days later throwing a complete game for another win. The story goes that Fidel Castro called the team’s coach after Jose’s first victory and demanded that Contreras pitch the next game. What was that conversation like?
3rd inning
How were the Sox able to beat the Angels in 5? Two words: Vladimir Guerrero. The guy simply couldn’t hit in this series. After the Angels tied the game at 1 here in the third…Guerrero did what he did best in the ALCS….he grounded out to end a rally. Vladimir, by far the Angels best hitter, went 1-for-20 in the series with 1 RBI.
2nd best stat of the night:
The last rainout in Anaheim was 1995 vs. the White Sox. What??? Are you kidding me!!! Don’t tell Sox groundskeeper Roger Bossard this. He might take his Doppler Radar system and just throw it into Lake Michigan.
4th inning
Carl Everett is up. That’s right, Carl Everett.
Whatever happened to.... |
Remember him? Carl hit 23 homers and drove in 87 runs
for the Sox in ‘05. Say what you will about his
odd personality, but looking back, he’s easily the
most under-appreciated player on the championship
team. Period. Think about it. When was the last time
you were in a conversation about the 2005 White Sox,
and someone brought up the name “Carl Everett.”
He’s become a ghost. Everett spent most of the
season batting 3rd in the Sox lineup, hitting
between Tadahito Iguchi and Paul Konerko, and yet
when it comes to his status on that World Series team
he ranks somewhere between Joe Borchard and Timo Perez.
Trivia question: Who drove in more runs for the Sox in 2005, Carl Everett or Jermaine Dye? Answer: Carl Everett.
Since the World Series year, Carl has taken quite a fall from grace. After the Sox chose not to bring him back, he signed a free agent deal with the Mariners in 2006, but didn’t finish out the season. Seattle released him on July 26, 2006, and he hasn’t played in the majors since. He’s currently playing for the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, batting .321 with 2 home runs in 14 games. But he does have that World Series ring.
5th inning
By now you have likely forgotten all about the 5th inning. I’m sure everyone on the planet has forgotten about the 5th inning. But there’s one guy, likely living somewhere in Orange County, who if it wasn’t for a favorable umpire’s decision plus some extremely good karma, would have woken up this morning, and every morning, looking in the mirror and seeing the man known worldwide as the Angels’ Steve Bartman.
Let me set the scene:
Steve Bartman: The Sequel? |
With the Angels trailing 2-1, Chone Figgins roped a
shot into right. Adam Kennedy was on first and
running on the pitch. The ball took one bounce,
and before Jermaine Dye could field it, a fan with a beer
in his left hand and fate in the other, reached out
and grabbed the ball while it was still in the field of play.
Kennedy, who was blazing around the bases,
would have scored easily, but the umps ruled Figgins’
hit a ground rule double, holding Kennedy at third base. Immediately, this sent Angels Manager Mike Scioscia racing out of the dugout, his face literally brick red.
Keep in mind, that up until this point, the Angels had seen every single big call in the series go against them; from big ones like the Pierzynski dropped 3rd strike in Game 2 to small ones like a favorable strike zone Contreras was getting early in Game 5.
Doing some lip-reading, I think I counted 8 words coming from the mouth of Scioscia that you cannot say on basic cable.
If Scioscia had lost this argument, and if the Angels failed to score the rest of the game (which considering how Contreras was pitching was completely possible), all that anger, all that frustration that had been building and brewing inside Scioscia’s melon, not to mention the rest of Southern California, would have been pointed directly at John Q. Angels Fan….that clueless lug with the beer in his hand.
He’s fortunate he remains anonymous today. Bartman wasn’t so lucky.
6th inning
Nothing happened. Got nothing. Let’s move to the 7th.
7th inning
It begins with a little bit of TV magic.
Kelvim Escobar comes on in relief. Fox immediately flashes back to Game 2 when Escobar was on the hill for the dropped 3rd strike against Pierzynski. They follow with the replay of the next batter; Joe Crede, hitting the game-winning double off the wall. Crede leads off for the White Sox here in the 7th, and as soon as they cut back to live action, what does Crede do this time against Escobar? That’s right….a solo home run to left, tying the game at 3.
It was that kind of season. Everything just fell into place for the Sox…and Fox.
8th inning
After Escobar strikes out Konerko and Everett to start off the inning, giving him 5 k’s over the last 6 batters, the excitement begins. He walks Rowand on a 3-2 pitch, bringing Mr. Controversy to the plate, A.J. Pierzynski. The Sox catcher hits a grounder off Escobar’s fanny. Apparently stunned by it, Escobar fields the ball, and tags A.J. with his mit. The only problem was, the ball was in Escobar’s bare hand.
The first-base umpire immediately calls Pierzynski out. A.J. stays on the bag. He’s screaming. Ozzie jumps out of the dugout. He’s screaming.
White Sox fans everywhere are screaming!
Looking at it again, there’s really nothing controversial about the play.
Escobar clearly blew the tag. Everyone saw it except for 2 people. The first base umpire….and Mike Scioscia.
Scioscia about to turn purple |
As soon as the umps reversed the call, and
gave Pierzynski first base, out comes Scioscia ranting
and raving again. His face no longer brick red, now a
dark shade of purple.
The Angels bring in closer Francisco Rodriguez to face
Joe Crede. The Sox were simply deadly in this series
with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. During
Joe’s at-bat, Fox shows a graphic that says the Sox
are batting .353 in such situations. And on the very next pitch, what happens? Crede smokes a grounder up the middle, scoring Aaron Rowand from 2nd, giving the Sox a 4-3 lead.
Destiny.
Top of the 9th inning
Rodriguez is back out there to pitch for the Angels. He’s arguably the best closer in the game. But not tonight. He walks Iguchi, he walks Dye, and then gives up a Paul Konerko double off the wall in right. You know Konerko is locked in when he’s hitting a double off the wall in right. They cut to a shot of Jerry Reinsdorf in his suite. The man is literally trembling.
The Sox score 2 insurance runs in the inning to take a 6-3 lead.
There’s nobody throwing in the White Sox bullpen.
Bottom of the 9th inning
Contreras walks calmly to the mound, like he’s walking to the refrigerator or listening to Yanni.
First batter: Darin Erstad. Jose throwing nothing but strikes. In 2 seconds, it’s 0-2. Erstad sends a high bouncer to short. Juan Uribe sends a missle to Konerko. 1 out.
Second batter: Benjie Molina. Once again…Jose has him 0-2. That was Contreras back then. Trusting his stuff, throwing strikes. Beautiful. Molina flies out harmlessly to Rowand in center. 2 outs. The White Sox one out away from their first pennant in 46 years.
Fox cuts to the classic video from 1959 when the Sox won their last pennant.
The players celebrating in Cleveland, dancing in the clubhouse. No champagne, just beer. My favorite shot is of the one reporter sticking his mic in the face of Sherm Lollar like he was checking for tooth decay.
Had this man ever held a microphone before?
Trivia time:
A.L. Champs! |
Who made the last out for the Angels, sending the
White Sox to the World Series? Why that would be
Casey Kotchman, who bounces a grounder to Konerko
at first. Paulie steps on the bag…and it’s over.
The Sox beat the Angels 6-3. They win the series in
5. Buehrle, Garcia, Garland, and Contreras produce one
of the greatest pitching performances in
playoff history—throwing back-to-back-to-back-to-back complete games, a feat last accomplished by the Yankees in 1956, and considering the use of bullpens nowadays, a trick we’ll likely never see again.
The Sox celebrate on the field, with Ozzie Guillen choosing to stand by himself in front of the dugout, allowing his players and coaches to enjoy the moment. Classy. I don’t think he ever got credit for this.
The Sox are headed to the World Series. We know what happened there.
But again, I ask myself the question...it happened, right? Maybe I need to watch those games over as well.
***I’ll get to your emails next week.
