Jon, Paul, Geoff & Shingo. No, it's not anything close to the Beatles. It's a group I like to call the UnBeatables. They were all part of the 2005 World Series Team at some point during the season. As of this writing, only Paul remains.
I still say this would have made a brilliant marketing campaign. So, what if the Sox didn't have a George or a Jorge on the team. They had a Geoff and that's close looking to George. OK, the fact that Geoff didn't get onto the team until July 31st and Shingo was released the next day didn't offer a lot of time. But that never stopped a good marketing campaign. Oh well... missed opportunities.
Shingo appeared in 31 games and saved 8. Those are decent numbers on an average team. The problem was that Shingo was the Opening Day closer. Those are great numbers for middle relief, not so great for your closer. Shingo started out great, but a couple of blown saves in the first couple of weeks rattled him beyond fixing. After that, the Sox cringed whenever Shingo was called upon. I still say Shingo was a main reason that Tadahito Iguchi came to the South Side, and for that and his 2004 season, Shingo is OK in my book.
Geoff Blum was a utility extraordinaire. He didn't get into games that much, but when he did, good things happened. He also appeared in 31 games and batted a cold .200. Geoff wasn't there for his bat, he was there for defense and to give the regulars a rest. By a stroke of luck, Geoff will always be remembered for his bat. His home run in the top of the 14th inning broke the 5-5 tie in the third game of the World Series. Essentially, Geoff won the game with a home run in his only World Series plate appearance. He replaced Bobby Jenks in the batting lineup and played second base in the bottom of the 13th inning.
Jon Garland had his best season, so far, in 2005. He won 18 games during the regular season, made the All-Star team, and was "on" for most of the postseason. The entire pitching staff kept the White Sox in every game. Jon Garland was no exception. While most of the drama of the game he started in the World Series (game 3) happened well after he was out of the game, Jon kept the Sox in the game while he was out there. Plus, nothing could top his performance in the 2005 ALCS, where he pitched a complete game. One of four consecutive complete games that the Sox threw in the ALCS.
Paul Konerko was the glue that held together the 2005 team. He never wanted to be a captain, but that's exactly what happened. With Frank Thomas being hurt most of the year, the players looked to Paulie for the leadership and guidance. Paul is a soft-spoken player who leads by example, like Carlton Fisk, but without the attitude. He was voted the 2005 ALCS MVP and was strongly in the running for World Series MVP. Paul's steady hand caught the last out of the World Series and the White Sox fans rejoiced. 88 years of "almost" vanished the second Konerko caught the ball at first.
The Joe Buck call will always be famous because it was on television. The call I prefer, came on the radio by broadcaster John Rooney. "A ground ball past Jenks up the middle of the infield, Uribe has it, he throws... OUT, OUT!!! A White Sox winner and a World Championship!!! The White Sox have won the World Series, and they're mobbing each other on the field!!!"
What is a White Sox fan to do to get ready for the season? You can do all the usual prep work and still not feel ready. Sure, you've familiarized yourself with the new players and made your peace with the ones who have left.
