elrod
10-03-2005, 12:24 AM
I am as excited about the prospects of postseason success as anybody else here. But I will never get the memory of the 2000 flop out of my head, and I'm sure I am not alone. So let's look at what went wrong in 2000, and why it shouldn't happen this time.
Let's look at the pitching in 2000. The team had no good, healthy pitching staff by the time the playoffs rolled around. Jim Parque struggled early in Game One but settled down, Mike Sirotka struggled all the way through Game Two, and James Baldwin gave a wonderful performance in Game Three. The biggest problem was the bullpen. Keith Foulke posted an 11.47 ERA. Howry blew Game One. And Wunsch didn't help himself in Game Three. During the regular season, the pitching staff was ranked fourth in the AL behind Oakland, Seattle and Boston. But it was clearly struggling down the stretch, with injuries to Sirotka and Baldwin, and an inconsistent Parque.
As for the hitters, they choked. Almost all of them. Carlos Lee was 1 for 11. Ordonez was 2 for 11. Frank Thomas was 0 for 9. Chris Singleton was 1 for 9. Ray Durham was 2 for 10. Paul Konerko was 0 for 9. The only ones who didn't stink at the plate were Herbert Perry (4 for 9) and Jose Valentin (3 for 10). And Charles Johnson was 3 for 9. Only won player went deep - Ray Durham. Seattle had a good pitching staff, but our hitters made them look even better. In the regular season, the White Sox were the top scoring offense in the AL with 6.04 runs/game.
So will that happen this time too? I don't think so for a couple reasons. First, they have more experience in the post-season. Charles Johnson was the only 2000 player with post-season experience. None of the pitchers had any post-season experience at all. This year, Contreras, El Duque, Garcia and Hermanson bring a ton of playoff experience to the table. They won't be intimidated by it at all. The hitters have a little less experience. Konerko was there in 2000. AJ, Dye and Everett have a bunch of experience elsewhere. Overall, though, the team has a better mix of veteran leadership and an experienced group of players accustomed to playoff pressure.
Second, the pitching staff on this team is much better than 2000. There is simply no comparison between Sirotka, Parque and Baldwin v. Contreras (2nd half), Buehrle, Garcia and Garland. Our starting staff resembles the 1993 or 1983 teams much more than the 2000 team. We have a lot of depth in the bullpen, though I worry a bit about how it will do against Boston.
Third, this team can score lots of different ways. If we face a dominant pitcher like Colon, or a guy having an amazing game (Wells could do it), we have the players that can scratch out a few runs. Our offense is not as powerful as the 2000 team, but it is more multidimensional.
Fourth, momentum has swung in our favor again. I really think the Cleveland series righted the ship in the Sox clubhouse. The guys really think they can beat anybody. The 2000 team yawned down the stretch, losing six of the last eight after clinching in Minnesota. I don't think the team ever prepared itself mentally for a Seattle team that played hard right the last day. Until the last week I would have said the same thing about this year's team. But they really turned it on down the stretch, and Ozzie has them ready to go.
I think everybody here worries that the 2005 White Sox will mimic the 2000 White Sox in the playoffs. I just don't think this team will falter the same way because it has better pitching, more experience and is playing well lately.
Let's look at the pitching in 2000. The team had no good, healthy pitching staff by the time the playoffs rolled around. Jim Parque struggled early in Game One but settled down, Mike Sirotka struggled all the way through Game Two, and James Baldwin gave a wonderful performance in Game Three. The biggest problem was the bullpen. Keith Foulke posted an 11.47 ERA. Howry blew Game One. And Wunsch didn't help himself in Game Three. During the regular season, the pitching staff was ranked fourth in the AL behind Oakland, Seattle and Boston. But it was clearly struggling down the stretch, with injuries to Sirotka and Baldwin, and an inconsistent Parque.
As for the hitters, they choked. Almost all of them. Carlos Lee was 1 for 11. Ordonez was 2 for 11. Frank Thomas was 0 for 9. Chris Singleton was 1 for 9. Ray Durham was 2 for 10. Paul Konerko was 0 for 9. The only ones who didn't stink at the plate were Herbert Perry (4 for 9) and Jose Valentin (3 for 10). And Charles Johnson was 3 for 9. Only won player went deep - Ray Durham. Seattle had a good pitching staff, but our hitters made them look even better. In the regular season, the White Sox were the top scoring offense in the AL with 6.04 runs/game.
So will that happen this time too? I don't think so for a couple reasons. First, they have more experience in the post-season. Charles Johnson was the only 2000 player with post-season experience. None of the pitchers had any post-season experience at all. This year, Contreras, El Duque, Garcia and Hermanson bring a ton of playoff experience to the table. They won't be intimidated by it at all. The hitters have a little less experience. Konerko was there in 2000. AJ, Dye and Everett have a bunch of experience elsewhere. Overall, though, the team has a better mix of veteran leadership and an experienced group of players accustomed to playoff pressure.
Second, the pitching staff on this team is much better than 2000. There is simply no comparison between Sirotka, Parque and Baldwin v. Contreras (2nd half), Buehrle, Garcia and Garland. Our starting staff resembles the 1993 or 1983 teams much more than the 2000 team. We have a lot of depth in the bullpen, though I worry a bit about how it will do against Boston.
Third, this team can score lots of different ways. If we face a dominant pitcher like Colon, or a guy having an amazing game (Wells could do it), we have the players that can scratch out a few runs. Our offense is not as powerful as the 2000 team, but it is more multidimensional.
Fourth, momentum has swung in our favor again. I really think the Cleveland series righted the ship in the Sox clubhouse. The guys really think they can beat anybody. The 2000 team yawned down the stretch, losing six of the last eight after clinching in Minnesota. I don't think the team ever prepared itself mentally for a Seattle team that played hard right the last day. Until the last week I would have said the same thing about this year's team. But they really turned it on down the stretch, and Ozzie has them ready to go.
I think everybody here worries that the 2005 White Sox will mimic the 2000 White Sox in the playoffs. I just don't think this team will falter the same way because it has better pitching, more experience and is playing well lately.