Sox were picked something like 3rd or 4th going into the season. Fans were really divided on the Pods/Carlos Lee trade. Not a whole lot of optimism pre-season. Bandwagon got rolling early with a hot start.

 

Pretty similar to this year honestly.

 

I remember differently. I remember after the late AJ and Iguchi signings, people really feeling positive about how complete the team was. I don't think anyone thought world series, but I felt good about playoffs, as good as I had during 01-04.

Sox were picked something like 3rd or 4th going into the season. Fans were really divided on the Pods/Carlos Lee trade. Not a whole lot of optimism pre-season. Bandwagon got rolling early with a hot start.

 

Pretty similar to this year honestly.

I still remember watching Sportscenter do their AL Central preview before the season started, and the only team they didn't even mention was the White Sox. Pissed me off.

I remember differently. I remember after the late AJ and Iguchi signings, people really feeling positive about how complete the team was. I don't think anyone thought world series, but I felt good about playoffs, as good as I had during 01-04.

 

FWIW, this is the closest thing I could find to a predictions thread.

 

http://www.soxtalk.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=29456

What was the fanbase's consensus feeling heading into 2005? I don't remember, I was pretty isolated and had just moved, I didn't know about this board, social media didn't exist yet, etc.

 

I remember being excited about picking up AJ but I never expected that team to start off the year firing on all cylinders the way they did.

 

Didn't know about this board either, but my Sox friends down at school were somewhat negative on their outlook.

One thing that should be noted somewhat.

 

Shingo did have a 1.30 WHIP in Japan in 03 IIRC...he seems to be the type of pitcher that is easier to hit the more you see him.

 

I don't expect him to be nearly as dominant this year.

 

Good call wite.

I remember differently. I remember after the late AJ and Iguchi signings, people really feeling positive about how complete the team was. I don't think anyone thought world series, but I felt good about playoffs, as good as I had during 01-04.

 

This is what I remember as well. There was a lot of talk on the board specifically about Iguchi and excitement when he signed.

Sox were picked something like 3rd or 4th going into the season. Fans were really divided on the Pods/Carlos Lee trade. Not a whole lot of optimism pre-season. Bandwagon got rolling early with a hot start.

 

Pretty similar to this year honestly.

This is kind of the feeling I had. I didn't have a negative feeling, but I remember being like "the Sox are just gonna be their usual above-average, but not great selves." I was shocked by how hot they started the season and once the summer started and they showed no signs of slowing down I was never excited about any baseball season like that before. The lineup didn't even really look that imposing on paper (even though they ended up hitting lots of homers). Jermaine Dye started off really slow that year, and Frank Thomas got injured early, but that didn't seem to stop them.

 

I don't want to make too many parallels between this team and that team though.

 

What was the fanbase's consensus feeling heading into 2005? I don't remember, I was pretty isolated and had just moved, I didn't know about this board, social media didn't exist yet, etc.

 

I remember being excited about picking up AJ but I never expected that team to start off the year firing on all cylinders the way they did.

 

I thought we would be competitive with our rotation depth, especially after we signed Orlando Hernandez. But I didn't even dream of a World Series.

Sox were picked something like 3rd or 4th going into the season. Fans were really divided on the Pods/Carlos Lee trade. Not a whole lot of optimism pre-season. Bandwagon got rolling early with a hot start.

 

Pretty similar to this year honestly.

 

Pods was a major catalyst when the picked him up, major

This is kind of the feeling I had. I didn't have a negative feeling, but I remember being like "the Sox are just gonna be their usual above-average, but not great selves." I was shocked by how hot they started the season and once the summer started and they showed no signs of slowing down I was never excited about any baseball season like that before. The lineup didn't even really look that imposing on paper (even though they ended up hitting lots of homers). Jermaine Dye started off really slow that year, and Frank Thomas got injured early, but that didn't seem to stop them.

 

I don't want to make too many parallels between this team and that team though.

 

The whole 45 first half stolen bases for scotty pods was pretty crazy. Probably around this time when a similar game happened where we were trailing or came back to tie. Pods got on base. Stole second. Bunt to third. Driven home. Sox win.

 

It was just automatic with him on the base paths. I had way higher confidence on that team. But, I do feel really good late when Eaton comes up and knowing what comes behind him.

The whole 45 first half stolen bases for scotty pods was pretty crazy. Probably around this time when a similar game happened where we were trailing or came back to tie. Pods got on base. Stole second. Bunt to third. Driven home. Sox win.

 

It was just automatic with him on the base paths. I had way higher confidence on that team. But, I do feel really good late when Eaton comes up and knowing what comes behind him.

I remember that the team was so fundamentally sound that Ozzie could really do no wrong.

I remember that the team was so fundamentally sound that Ozzie could really do no wrong.

 

Ha, yeah that plus insane bullpen really make you a great manager.

The whole 45 first half stolen bases for scotty pods was pretty crazy. Probably around this time when a similar game happened where we were trailing or came back to tie. Pods got on base. Stole second. Bunt to third. Driven home. Sox win.

 

It was just automatic with him on the base paths. I had way higher confidence on that team. But, I do feel really good late when Eaton comes up and knowing what comes behind him.

That's something I just can't imagine happening unless you have a guy like Hamilton. Stealing is such a gamble at this point. That was spectacular.

This is kind of the feeling I had. I didn't have a negative feeling, but I remember being like "the Sox are just gonna be their usual above-average, but not great selves." I was shocked by how hot they started the season and once the summer started and they showed no signs of slowing down I was never excited about any baseball season like that before. The lineup didn't even really look that imposing on paper (even though they ended up hitting lots of homers). Jermaine Dye started off really slow that year, and Frank Thomas got injured early, but that didn't seem to stop them.

 

I don't want to make too many parallels between this team and that team though.

 

I was looking at it pre-season and was amazed at how many parallels there were between 05 and 16.

Pods was a major catalyst when the picked him up, major

 

There was a camp that thought we lost the trade because we traded away the better player. Pods was coming off of a down season. Plus we all know that left handed hitters from the NL are destined to fail with the White Sox.

 

Ha, yeah that plus insane bullpen really make you a great manager.

And 4 starting pitchers having career years at the same time.

And 4 starting pitchers having career years at the same time.

I'll give you Buehrle, Garland and Contreras, but Garcia was better in '01 and '04.

That's something I just can't imagine happening unless you have a guy like Hamilton. Stealing is such a gamble at this point. That was spectacular.

 

Pods stole 44 bases at a 83% rate in the first half, which for that many SBs, is pretty spectacular.

 

Then his groin problems slowed him down in the second half. He only got 15 SBs out of 29 attempts after the break.

Edited May 10, 20169 yr by chw42

Do you guys remember the theme that Manuel gave too quick of a hook to our young pitchers like garland and didn't let them learn how to pitch. Then Ozzie let them in and they learned.

 

Looking back that was pretty bizarre. Was nice that all 4 of those pitchers had rubber arms.

Do you guys remember the theme that Manuel gave too quick of a hook to our young pitchers like garland and didn't let them learn how to pitch. Then Ozzie let them in and they learned.

 

Looking back that was pretty bizarre. Was nice that all 4 of those pitchers had rubber arms.

 

That plus Nardi Contreras was the devil.

Fangraphs is down to 66.6%, Indians back ahead with 68.1%.

 

538 has Sox at 73%, Tribe at 46%.

 

Bp has Sox at 78.4%, Indians at 71.5%

The whole 45 first half stolen bases for scotty pods was pretty crazy. Probably around this time when a similar game happened where we were trailing or came back to tie. Pods got on base. Stole second. Bunt to third. Driven home. Sox win.

 

It was just automatic with him on the base paths. I had way higher confidence on that team. But, I do feel really good late when Eaton comes up and knowing what comes behind him.

 

I remember that happening. Ozzie-ball. Does anyone remember the game?

Ozzie ball was kind of a myth, they really just hit a lot of home runs after Frank got hurt.

Ozzie ball was kind of a myth, they really just hit a lot of home runs after Frank got hurt.

Yeah it was homeruns and pitching. Smallball really had nothing to do with it, they were one of the most homerun-dependent playoff teams of all-time.

Fangraphs has the White Sox down to 63.9%, Indians down to 65.3%.

 

BP is at 79.2%, Indians at 66.3%

 

538 has the Sox at 71%, Tribe at 39%