Will 2008 be a repeat of history for the White Sox?

September 12, 12:26 PMChicago White Sox ExaminerJJ Stankevitz

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Chicago White Sox Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

No, not this history, but that would be nice.

Ever since Ron Gardenhire took over as manager of the Minnesota Twins in 2002, his team has won every direct head-to-head battle for the American League Central.

The Twins' gritty, fundamental, "piranha" brand of baseball has beat out the White Sox' mashing, high-powered offense brand of baseball all three times these two teams have squared off for the division—in 2003, 2004, and to a lesser extent, 2006.

They say that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. So, White Sox fans, let's take a painful look back on what transpired in those three seasons.

The day is Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2003, and the White Sox have just won two straight games against the Twins to go up two games in the AL Central, with two games remaining in the four-game series at U.S. Cellular Field. The Sox have a chance to put away the Twins by taking the next two games, giving them a comfortable cushion heading into a three-game series in Minneapolis a week later.

What happens? Johan Santana and Brad Radke shut down a potent White Sox offense and the Twins win the last two games of the series. The White Sox go into the three-game series at the Metrodome a half-game back of the Twins and promptly get swept, finishing the season four games back of the Twins.

The last few weeks of 2003 were some of the most disappointing in White Sox history—they had the division in their grasp, but eased off the pedal and eventually got burned by the Twins. And it's a shame, too, because the 2003 White Sox—led by Esteban Loaiza, Bartolo Colon, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Lee, and Frank Thomas—would have been a tough team to beat in the playoffs.

The disappointment that came in 2004 happened earlier than 2003, but it was still frustrating. On Sunday, July 25, 2004, the White Sox were just a half-game back of the Twins heading into a crucial three-game series in Chicago. Granted, the White Sox were without Ordonez and Thomas, as both were lost to injury, but that wasn't an excuse for what happened in the series. The Twins completely outclassed the White Sox, sweeping them in dominant fashion (see picture with article) and sending the Sox into a tailspin that they never recovered from, eventually finishing the year nine games out of first place.

Great seasons by Lee, Paul Konerko, Aaron Rowand, Mark Buehrle, and Shingo Takatsu went to waste. On the plus side, though, it made GM Kenny Williams realize that the brand of baseball the White Sox were playing wasn't getting them anywhere—so he went out and remade the team, which led to the Sox winning the 2005 World Series.

However, the White Sox got away from their 2005 pitching and defense mentality in 2006 and reverted back to their home run-oriented, less pitching style that hurt them in 2003 and 2004. Predictably, what happened? The Sox were swept at home by the Twins in late July, propelling the Twins past the White Sox for the Wild Card. The Twins went on to unseat the Tigers atop the division while the White Sox finished with 90 victories, but well out of the playoff hunt.

So that bring us to 2008. The White Sox have an offense that relies heavily on the home run, a somewhat suspect bullpen, and a good (but inconsistent) starting rotation. The Twins are still the Twins, playing the same brand of baseball they have been for the last six years.

History tells us that the Twins will beat out the White Sox for the division. Although the White Sox are currently a game up on Minnesota, there still is that looming three-game series at the Metrodome from September 23-25.

While the Twins no longer have Santana, Radke, Torii Hunter, Shannon Stewart, Lew Ford, or any of the other Sox killers of a few years ago, they do have Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Nick Punto, Joe Nathan, Denard Span, and a slew of other current Sox killers. And, the most important thing: they still play in the Metrodome, where the White Sox are just 1-5 this year.

That's why these next ten games against the Tigers, Yankees, and Royals are so important for the White Sox. They need to get hot in this stretch and win seven or eight games so that, when they head into that series in Minneapolis, they can have some sort of a cushion so if they get swept, it won't be completely catastrophic.

Essentially, that means the White Sox need a four-game lead heading into that series. After the three games with Minnesota, the Sox head home to play three against Cleveland to finish the season out while Minnesota gets three home games against Kansas City.

There's a very good chance that the Twins sweep away the Royals in those three games, so if the White Sox leave Minneapolis down in the division to the Twins, there's very little chance they get it back.