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How do the 2005 White Sox compare to the last World Series team in Chicago?
Posted by John Dewan on Dec 16th 2015
September 01, 2005
Despite two teams in the Windy City, you have to go back a long way to find a World Series team. The 1959 Chicago White Sox were known as the Go-Go Sox. Pitching, speed and defense were their trademarks. How does the 2005 team compare?
| 1959 White Sox | 2005 White Sox |
| Won by 5 games over Cleveland | Currently lead Cleveland by 7 games |
| .610 winning percentage | .611 percentage current |
| Led league in stolen bases and times caught stealing | 2nd in SBs and 1st in CS |
| 6th out of 8 teams in run scored | 10th out of 14 teams in runs scored |
| MLB stolen base leader Luis Aparicio 56 SBs | MLB stolen base leader Scott Podsednik 55 SBs |
| Led league in team ERA | 3rd in team ERA (very close to top: Oak 3.59, Min 3.60, Chi 3.62) |
| 1st in saves | 1st in saves |
| Despite effectiveness, not a strikeout staff: 4th of 8 in strikeouts | 6th of 14 teams in strikeouts |
Quite amazing, but there are a few key differences. The '59 Sox were last in home runs, but getting on base and using their speed was a key. They were second in walks. The 2005 Sox dig the long ball. Third in the league in home runs, but second to last in walks. Finally, the defense of the '59 Sox led to a league-leading .979 fielding percentage. But with seven errors in the last trip through Texas, the 2005 version has dropped to seventh in fielding percentage (.984).
Speaking of going back a long way, the Sox and the Cubs have the longest streak without a championship not only in all of baseball, but in all of sports. The last ChiSox World Series win was 1917 and the last for the Cubs was 1908.