Chicago White Sox: 2005 postseason record stands the test of time

The Chicago White Sox were not in the postseason but that doesn’t mean we aren’t watching. After winning their first six games in this year’s postseason, the 2022 Houston Astros stand at 9-2. If they win two more, they will end up 11-2.

They can also end up 9-4, 10-4, or 11-3. These numbers, respectively, assume they could lose two more and lose the series 4-2, win one but lose two to lose the series 4-3, or lose one but lose two and win the series 4 games to 3.

We bring up Houston because the Astros had a chance to match the White Sox’s 11-1 record. And that 2005 run through the postseason often seems to not be talked about as much as it probably should be.

I think there are a few reasons for this. Reason number one is that it’s harder now to have four dominant starting pitchers that will work deep into games in this era.

Reason number two is that as dominant as the pitching was, the games weren’t necessarily always blowouts. The Sox blew out Boston in one game in the first round but most games were close. The A.J. Pierzynski dropped third strike game was close, for example.

All four World Series games were close as well. The Sox didn’t look as dominant on the scoreboard as the win-loss record would.

The Chicago White Sox record of 11-5 in the 2005 postseason won’t be broken.

Also, while many Sox players were and are local stars, few seemed to have a spot on the national stage. The one player who did, Frank Thomas, was nearing his career’s end and barely played in 2005 due to injury.

There may also be a perception that the 2005 Sox, which won 99 regular season games, was also merely a very good team that got hot at the right time, as opposed to an all-time great team.

99 wins is nice but there are more than a few teams that have won over 100 games in the regular season and gotten attention for it. Some of these teams are also star-studded.

Finally, I think there was more focus on the Sox breaking an 88-year drought than there was on how many games they won in the postseason.

The same happened with the Chicago Cubs 11 years later — the focus was on breaking the infamous curse, not the team’s win-loss record in the playoffs.

Still, it’s a shame that the 2005 White Sox don’t get a bit more attention for a record that will be hard to beat.