xpgeek
17-10-2005, 07:00 PM
Pinch yourself. A Chicago team is actually going to the World Series. Yes, it's true. The White Sox, who threw a World Series more recently than they won one, are going to the series for the first time since 1959. No, really. There are witnesses. Maybe not Vladimir Guerrero, who was MIA all week, but plenty of others.
There's starter Jose Contreras, who threw Chicago's fourth consecutive complete game. And Pierzynski, who started another winning rally against the Angels with another bizarre play (what is it about that guy anyway?). And Joe Crede, who knocked in the game winner again. And ALCS MVP Paul Konerko, who stomped on first base for the final out to give the White Sox their first American League pennant in 46 years and set off a Chicago group hug so large it should have been inside Oprah's TV studio.
As the players celebrated on the field an hour after the game, a group of loyal fans serenaded them in the rain with the traditional White Sox song.
"Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, Hey-hey-hey ... Good-bye!''
"Enjoy it. Enjoy it. Have a great time,'' Guillen said. "Don't get too crazy in the street. Be careful. I know people are going wild right now. We don't want to hear anything happened in the street tonight. Feel proud about this team. Feel proud about what we did.''
What they did was almost as mind-boggling as the concept of a Chicago pennant: They threw four consecutive complete game victories, the first team to do so in the postseason since the 1956 Yankees. Jerry Reinsdorf, the ever loveable White Sox owner who scrupulously watches the bottom line (the sparkling wine used to celebrate the city's first World Series since Eisenhower), could have saved some travel expenses by leaving his team's bullpen in Chicago.
The White Sox used only one reliever the entire series -- left-hander Neal Cotts, who threw exactly seven pitches.
The White Sox pitchers had a 2.20 ERA against the Angels and walked just four batters while the White Sox batters hit five home runs, stole five bases and made the AL West champions look dead. Cotts not only was the only reliever the White Sox used, his appearance with one out in the ninth inning of Game 1 was one of just two moves Guillen made the entire series. Small wonder he called this series the easiest games he's managed all season.
And to think, just a little over two weeks ago, people were calling the White Sox chokers and wondering whether they would blow what had been a 15-game lead over Cleveland. And it might have been that scare that has helped Chicago this postseason.
Since that lead shriveled to 1½ games, the White Sox have won 15 of 18 games, including a final weekend sweep at second-place Cleveland, a sweep of Boston in the Division Series and the final four games of the ALCS.
Chicago undoubtedly was helped this week by wrapping up its Division Series in three games. While the Angels went the limit with the Yankees and came into the ALCS with their staff drained, the Sox were well rested. And they will be so again for the World Series. Heck, Garland, who pitched on 12 days' rest in Game 3, might pitch on 10 days' rest in the World Series.
"I'm going to have to call people up this week and see if I can get some games together,'' Williams joked. "I've got to get our guys some innings.''
Asked what he knew about Chicago's World Series drought, Pierzynski replied, "I know I wasn't born the last time they were in it, I know that. They were last in it in 1959, right? And won it in 1917?''
Well, there is plenty of time for history lessons. The World Series doesn't start until Saturday. But compared to how long Chicago has waited for this, the days will fly by.
Say it. Chicago won the pennant. Say it again. The White Sox are going to the World Series. Sure, it sounds weird. But eventually, by Game 1 Saturday, maybe it will sink in.
Jim Caple - ESPN.com
In the NLCS the Houston Astros lead the St. Louis Cardinals series 3 to 1. If Houston wins tonight's game then the World Series is the White Sox and the Astros.
There's starter Jose Contreras, who threw Chicago's fourth consecutive complete game. And Pierzynski, who started another winning rally against the Angels with another bizarre play (what is it about that guy anyway?). And Joe Crede, who knocked in the game winner again. And ALCS MVP Paul Konerko, who stomped on first base for the final out to give the White Sox their first American League pennant in 46 years and set off a Chicago group hug so large it should have been inside Oprah's TV studio.
As the players celebrated on the field an hour after the game, a group of loyal fans serenaded them in the rain with the traditional White Sox song.
"Na-na-na-na, Na-na-na-na, Hey-hey-hey ... Good-bye!''
"Enjoy it. Enjoy it. Have a great time,'' Guillen said. "Don't get too crazy in the street. Be careful. I know people are going wild right now. We don't want to hear anything happened in the street tonight. Feel proud about this team. Feel proud about what we did.''
What they did was almost as mind-boggling as the concept of a Chicago pennant: They threw four consecutive complete game victories, the first team to do so in the postseason since the 1956 Yankees. Jerry Reinsdorf, the ever loveable White Sox owner who scrupulously watches the bottom line (the sparkling wine used to celebrate the city's first World Series since Eisenhower), could have saved some travel expenses by leaving his team's bullpen in Chicago.
The White Sox used only one reliever the entire series -- left-hander Neal Cotts, who threw exactly seven pitches.
The White Sox pitchers had a 2.20 ERA against the Angels and walked just four batters while the White Sox batters hit five home runs, stole five bases and made the AL West champions look dead. Cotts not only was the only reliever the White Sox used, his appearance with one out in the ninth inning of Game 1 was one of just two moves Guillen made the entire series. Small wonder he called this series the easiest games he's managed all season.
And to think, just a little over two weeks ago, people were calling the White Sox chokers and wondering whether they would blow what had been a 15-game lead over Cleveland. And it might have been that scare that has helped Chicago this postseason.
Since that lead shriveled to 1½ games, the White Sox have won 15 of 18 games, including a final weekend sweep at second-place Cleveland, a sweep of Boston in the Division Series and the final four games of the ALCS.
Chicago undoubtedly was helped this week by wrapping up its Division Series in three games. While the Angels went the limit with the Yankees and came into the ALCS with their staff drained, the Sox were well rested. And they will be so again for the World Series. Heck, Garland, who pitched on 12 days' rest in Game 3, might pitch on 10 days' rest in the World Series.
"I'm going to have to call people up this week and see if I can get some games together,'' Williams joked. "I've got to get our guys some innings.''
Asked what he knew about Chicago's World Series drought, Pierzynski replied, "I know I wasn't born the last time they were in it, I know that. They were last in it in 1959, right? And won it in 1917?''
Well, there is plenty of time for history lessons. The World Series doesn't start until Saturday. But compared to how long Chicago has waited for this, the days will fly by.
Say it. Chicago won the pennant. Say it again. The White Sox are going to the World Series. Sure, it sounds weird. But eventually, by Game 1 Saturday, maybe it will sink in.
Jim Caple - ESPN.com
In the NLCS the Houston Astros lead the St. Louis Cardinals series 3 to 1. If Houston wins tonight's game then the World Series is the White Sox and the Astros.