The 2005 Chicago White Sox season was the White Sox's 105th season. They finished with a record of 99 wins and 63 losses during the regular season and won the American League Central six games over the Cleveland Indians. In the playoffs, they won the American League Division Series 3–0 over the defending World Series Champions the Boston Red Sox; the American League Championship Series 4–1 over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; and swept the Houston Astros in the World Series, ending the 88-year-long Curse of the Black Sox championship drought.
Offseason December 9, 2004: Jermaine Dye was signed as a free agent by the White Sox.Jermaine Dye at Baseball Reference December 9, 2004: Dustin Hermanson was signed as a free agent by the White Sox.Dustin Hermanson at Baseball Reference December 13, 2004: Carlos Lee was traded by the White Sox to the Milwaukee Brewers for Scott Podsednik, Luis Vizcaíno and a player to be named later. The Brewers completed the deal by sending Travis Hinton (minors) to the White Sox on January 10, 2005.Scott Podsednik at Baseball Reference December 17, 2004: Bobby Jenks was claimed off waivers by the White Sox from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Bobby Jenks at Baseball Reference January 3, 2005: Orlando Hernández was signed as a free agent by the White Sox.Orlando Hernández at Baseball Reference January 6, 2005: A. J. Pierzynski was signed as a free agent by the White Sox.A. J. Pierzynski at Baseball Reference January 27, 2005: Tadahito Iguchi was signed as a free agent by the White Sox.Tadahito Iguchi at Baseball Reference
Regular season The Chicago White Sox had a total attendance of 2,342,833 in 2005, 7th in the American League.
The manager Much that happened in 2005 was under the direction of manager Ozzie Guillén. After his inaugural season in 2004, in which his club went 83–79 and finished second in the American League Central Division, Guillén approached general manager Kenny Williams. He asked Williams for a makeover for his club.Ozzie Guillén page at Wikipedia Guillén envisioned his team playing small ball.
Williams agreed with Guillén. The Sox already had a feisty manager, solid pitching, and power hitters. The Sox decided to clean up a bit and bring in players with the team first attitude. Guillén wanted more quickness, so speedy Scott Podsednik was brought in to be the number one hitter and to create havoc for opposing pitchers. Guillén wanted pitching, so Williams got Freddy García, Orlando "El Duque" Hernández, Luis Vizcaíno, Dustin Hermanson, and in July, hard throwing closer Bobby Jenks was brought up from the minor leagues.
Another important factor to Guillén's new plan was to have players who put the team ahead of personal accomplishments. Jermaine Dye was added for veteran leadership and provided an important bat and glove in the lineup. Tadahito Iguchi came in from Japan to play second base and bat second behind Podsednik. Iguchi proved his value all year long.
Finally, the Sox decided to add a little fire into a mostly laid back and quiet clubhouse. This need brought catcher A. J. Pierzynski to Chicago after playing six years for division rival Minnesota, and one year for San Francisco.
Season summary The White Sox began their season by winning the first two games, and were 7–3 after the first 10 games. They won 19 out of their next 24, including two 8-game winning streaks, and at the end of April were 17–7. In mid-May, after beating the Texas Rangers 2 of 3 games, they also took two of three from the Chicago Cubs, but got swept by the Texas Rangers in a two-game series after splitting four games with eventual American League Championship Series opponent Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Finishing May with a 35–17 record, the Sox, in interleague play, swept both the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, but did lose the other series to the Cubs two games to one. At the end of June they were 53–24, and just before the All-star break, the Sox were swept by the Oakland Athletics in a 3-game series at home, going into the break at 57–29. Then, after the break, they swept the Cleveland Indians in a four-game series, shutting out the Indians twice and scoring seven runs in the other two games. At the end of July they were 68–35, a -game lead in the American League Central over both Cleveland and the Minnesota Twins. However, from August 12 through August 23, they lost 8 out of 9 games they played, including a 7-game losing streak and sweeps at the hands of the Boston Red Sox and Twins, while Cleveland, who had been in second place for the majority of the season, suddenly started playing their best baseball of the year and putting pressure on the Sox. Finishing strong, though, the White Sox began September by winning their first 7 games and ended the season by winning 8 of 10. They finished the regular season with a 99–63 record and a 6-game lead over Cleveland, winning their second American League Central title. The White Sox remained in first place in the division for the entire season (making their postseason World Series victory a wire-to-wire win); they ended the season with the best record in the AL and the second best record in the major leagues. Their best hitter in terms of statistics was first baseman Paul Konerko, who hit 40 home runs, had 100 runs batted in, and hit .283 on the season.
Opening Day lineup RosterPositionPlayerLFScott Podsednik2BTadahito IguchiDHCarl Everett1BPaul KonerkoRFJermaine DyeCFAaron RowandCA. J. Pierzynski3BJoe CredeSSJuan UribePMark Buehrle
Season standings
Record vs. opponents Team W-L Record Baltimore Orioles 6–2 Boston Red Sox 3–4 Cleveland Indians 14–5 Detroit Tigers 14–5 Kansas City Royals 13–5 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4–6 Minnesota Twins 11–7 New York Yankees 3–3 Oakland Athletics 2–7 Seattle Mariners 6–3 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4–2 Texas Rangers 3–6 Toronto Blue Jays 4–2 Arizona Diamondbacks 1–2 Chicago Cubs 3–3 Colorado Rockies 3–0 Los Angeles Dodgers 3–0 San Diego Padres 2–1 Interleague Play 12–6
Notable transactions June 7, 2005: Lance Broadway was drafted by the White Sox in the 1st round (15th pick) of the 2005 Major League Baseball draft. Player signed June 13, 2005.Lance Broadway at Baseball Reference July 31, 2005: White Sox acquire utility infielder Geoff Blum from the San Diego Padres in return for a left-handed minor-league pitcher named Ryan Meaux. This trade got in just before the trade deadline and at the time seemed "anonymous" and "unspectacular". However, the White Sox were rewarded later that postseason as Blum emerged as the unlikely hero by hitting the winning home run in the top of the 14th inning in Game 3 of the 2005 World Series.
Roster 2005 Chicago White Sox Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders Outfielders
Other batters Manager
Coaches
Game log Regular season Legend White Sox win White Sox loss Postponement Clinched divisionBoldWhite Sox team member
|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 1 || April 4 || || Indians || 1–0 || Buehrle (1–0) || Westbrook (0–1) || Takatsu (1) || 1:51 || 38,141 || 1–0 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 2 || April 6 || || Indians || 4–3 || Marte (1–0) || Wickman (0–1) || || 2:55 || 10,520 || 2–0 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 3 || April 7 || || Indians || 5 – 11 (11) || Rhodes (1–0) || Vizcaíno (0–1) || || 3:56 || 10,800 || 2–1 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 4 || April 8 || || @ Twins || 5–1 || Hernández (1–0) || Lohse (0–1) || || 2:46 || 48,764 || 3–1 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 5 || April 9 || || @ Twins || 8–5 || Garland (1–0) || Radke (0–2) || Takatsu (2) || 2:37 || 41,533 || 4–1 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 6 || April 10 || || @ Twins || 2–5 || Santana (2–0) || Buehrle (1–1) || Nathan (2) || 2:29 || 28,089 || 4–2 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 7 || April 11 || || @ Indians || 2–1 || García (1–0) || Millwood (0–1) || Takatsu (3) || 2:39 || 42,461 || 5–2 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 8 || April 13 || || @ Indians || 5–4 (10) || Vizcaíno (1–1) || Howry (0–1) || Hermanson (1) || 2:54 || 14,410 || 6–2 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 9 || April 14 || || @ Indians || 6–8 || Betancourt (1–0) || Hernández (1–1) || Wickman (3) || 3:25 || 12,470 || 6–3 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 10 || April 15 || || Mariners || 6–4 || Garland (2–0) || Piñeiro (0–1) || Hermanson (2) || 2:39 || 16,749 || 7–3 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 11 || April 16 || || Mariners || 2–1 || Buehrle (2–1) || Franklin (1–1) || || 1:39 || 25,931 || 8–3 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 12 || April 17 || || Mariners || 4–5 || Meche (1–0) || García (1–1) || Guardado (3) || 2:52 || 23,324 || 8–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 13 || April 18 || || Twins || 5–4 || Vizcaíno (2–1) || Lohse (1–2) || Takatsu (4) || 2:47 || 27,018 || 9–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 14 || April 19 || || Twins || 3–1 || Hernández (2–1) || Radke (1–3) || Marte (1) || 2:40 || 18,310 || 10–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 15 || April 20 || || @ Tigers || 9–1 || Garland (3–0) || Ledezma (1–1) || || 2:19 || 16,887 || 11–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 16 || April 21 || || @ Tigers || 4–3 || Buehrle (3–1) || Bonderman (2–2) || Takatsu (5) || 2:21 || 19,334 || 12–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 17 || April 22 || || @ Royals || 8–2 || García (2–1) || Hernández (1–3) || || 2:36 || 15,832 || 13–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 18 || April 23 || || @ Royals || 3–2 (10) || Marte (2–0) || MacDougal (1–1) || || 3:24 || 19,641 || 14–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 19 || April 24 || || @ Royals || 4–3 || Cotts (1–0) || Camp (0–2) || Takatsu (6) || 2:57 || 15,331 || 15–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 20 || April 25 || || @ Athletics || 6–0 || Garland (4–0) || Zito (0–4) || || 2:20 || 10,206 || 16–4 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 21 || April 26 || || @ Athletics || 7–9 || Duchscherer (1–0) || Marte (2–1) || Dotel (5) || 3:06 || 20,412 || 16–5 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 22 || April 27 || || @ Athletics || 1–2 || Duchscherer (2–0) || Marte (2–2) || || 2:42 || 14,172 || 16–6 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#ffbbbb" | 23 || April 29 || || Tigers || 2–3 (11) || Walker (1–0) || Takatsu (0–1) || Germán (1) || 4:10 || 18,313 || 16–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 24 || April 30 || || Tigers || 4–3 || Hernández (3–1) || Johnson (2–2) || Hermanson (3) || 2:50 || 30,189 || 17–7 || box
|- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 25 || May 1 || || Tigers || 8–0 || Garland (5–0) || Ledezma (1–2) || || 2:23 || 20,862 || 18–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 26 || May 3 || || Royals || 5–4 || Buehrle (4–1) || Sisco (0–1) || Takatsu (7) || 2:13 || 12,362 || 19–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 27 || May 4 || || Royals || 4–2 || García (3–1) || Hernández (1–4) || Hermanson (4) || 2:39 || 12,712 || 20–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 28 || May 5 || || Royals || 2–1 || Contreras (1–0) || Greinke (0–3) || Takatsu (8) || 2:10 || 15,389 || 21–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb" | 29 || May 6 || || @ Blue Jays || 5–3 || Hernández (4–1) || Frasor (1–2) || Hermanson (5) || 3:03 || 21,769 || 22–7 || box |- style="text-align:center;background-color:#bbffbb"