BR Team Page
Record: 72-90, Finished 4th in AL Central Division (2007 AL)
Ballpark: U.S. Cellular Field
[edit] History, Comments, Contributions
The 2007 White Sox opened the season with a cloud over them, as general manager Kenny Williams had traded away star pitcher Freddy Garcia during the off-season. Rumors had started of a fire sale, and fears were that the White Sox would not be competitive in 2007. In spite of that, the White Sox didn't play badly for the first part of the season, and on May 25 they were four games over .500. That was the peak, however, as they stumbled to last place late in the season, and finally recovered to finish three games above last-place Kansas City.
Manager Ozzie Guillen, who had won the 2005 World Series as a rookie manager, slipped to third place in 2006 (with a 90-72 record) and fourth in 2007 with a (72-90 record). The White Sox winning percentage of .444 was their worst since 1989, nearly 20 years earlier (when Guillen had been their everyday shortstop with a .270 OBP).
The hitters were dead last in the league in batting average and OBP, but were second in home runs. The homers did not, however, help the team score enough runs, as they finished last in the league in runs scored behind even the weak-hitting Royals. This was in spite of playing in a hitter's park (the park factor was 103).
No regular position player hit over .275, scored 100 runs or had 100 RBI. However, Jim Thome had 35 home runs, Paul Konerko had 31, Jermaine Dye had 28, and young Josh Fields had over 20 although batting fewer than 400 times. Another youngster, Jerry Owens, stole over 30 bases although also batting fewer than 400 times.
The pitching staff was also below average, with a team ERA that was 10th in the league. A bright spot on the staff was Javier Vazquez who went 15-7; this is a pitcher whom general manager Williams had acquired by giving up top prospect Chris Young, Orlando Hernandez, and Luis Vizcaino. Reliever Bobby Jenks had 40 saves, and while his ERA was 2.77, most of the other relievers on the staff had ERA's over 4.50.
[edit] Opening Day Lineup
[edit] Awards and Honors
