Why the Chicago White Sox Will Win the World Series in 2010

Many say the 2010 White Sox lack the hitting ability to compete.  That they lack the star hitter to keep the team going.  Many say that without a solid DH, the White Sox are ill-equipped to score runs.

It's true, the White Sox don't have a star hitter and their DH position is hardly filled with guys like Andruw Jones or Mark Kotsay. 

But let's not forget the very recent past.  In 2005, the White Sox claimed the World Series as their own.  How did they do this?  Did they have a star player then?  Or a clear DH on their roster?

The answer of course is no.  The 2005 White Sox looked just like it did today.  The lineup did not consist of a single "star" and their DH spot was filled by Carl Everett.

Not a single player scored 100 runs, and excluding Paul Konerko's 98, the next highest was 80 by Scottie Pods.  Carl Everett only hit 23 home runs as the DH, a feat that could easily be outdone by Andruw Jones given 400 at bats or so.

Also, there were only two players who batted over .280 on the season!  I know you usually see teams like the 2009 Angels, who have every single player in their lineup batting around .300 and think that they will win the World Series, but how did the 2005 White Sox manage to win it without a stellar lineup?

The first and foremost answer would be the pitching.  The 2005 White Sox had a pitching staff that performed like All-Stars all season long.  Buehrle, Contreras, Garland, and Garcia each winning at least 14 games and posting ERAs of 3.12, 3.61, 3.50, and 3.87 respectively. 

When comparing them to the current White Sox rotation, you can't help but believe that they will outdo their predecessors.  With Peavy, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd each pitching like they want to win, there is little that could come in their way.

But the largest factor in a World Series team is the one that cannot be predicted.  It comes down to when the team needs one or two more runs and the chances to score are running out, will the team pull together and make things happen?

This was the key to the 2005 White Sox victories.  Joe Crede would demonstrate his unmatched clutch abilities and come up with a big hit, or A.J. Pierzynski would sneak his way to first base on a dropped third strike that no one else notices.

These are the types of things that will win a World Series.  Sure, having a team of dominant hitters can simply overcome a weaker team, such as we say in the 2009 playoffs between the Yankees and the Twins, but combining a pitching staff that can reduce a power-hitting giant to rubble can make a rag-tag team such as the 2005 White Sox into World Series Champions.

Now I don't want to be so bold as to predict that the White Sox will win the World Series in 2010, but I don't care about being bold.  I don't honestly see how the White Sox WON'T win the 2010 World Series.