Why the SF Giants remind me so much of the '05 White Sox
By on June 22, 2010
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At the beginning of the season I mentioned on my twitter account how the San Francisco Giants remind me of the 2005 Chicago White Sox. Not just as a Sox fan, but as a baseball fan this team is built very similar.
They have a lot of young role players with veterans that were brought in to mentor them. In 2005 the White Sox brought in Jermaine Dye, AJ Pierzynski, Freddy Garcia, Orlando Hernandez and Scott Podsednik. They had young talent in Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede, Juan Uribe, and Bobby Jenks to go along with it.
This offseason the Giants made moves to bring in Mark De Rosa, Edgar Renteria, Freddy Sanchez (last trade deadline), Todd Wellemeyer, Aubrey Huff, and re-signed Bengie Molina. They have Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Jonathon Sanchez and Andres Torres for young talent.
Fittingly Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand both start and are key players adding to the success of the Giants this season.
The main part of the teams that mirror each other are the 1-4 starters in the rotation. In 2005 Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras all ended the season with sub 4 ERAs and midway through June their ERAs were: Buehrle 2.67, Garland 3.61, Garcia 3.75, and Contreras 3.81 even Orlando Hernandez's 4.88 ERA was overshadowed by a 7-1 record.
This season San Francisco is enjoying ERAs from Jonathan Sanchez (2.90), Tim Lincecum (3.11), Matt Cain (2.16), and Barry Zito (3.13) - all sub 4.00 and extremely impressive.
The Giants don't have the best offense in the majors let alone the National League, but neither did the ChiSox. In 2005 the White Sox ranked 9th in runs and extra base hits in the American League but relied mostly on small ball and timely hitting - something that translates to the NL a lot better than it does in the AL.
The Giants currently have team averages of 13th in runs and 9th in extra base hits in the NL. They are averaging 4.3 runs/game and are hitting .263 as a team.
The Sox in '05 had team averages of 4.5 runs/game and hit .262 as a team.
Another advantage the Giants have is a clear switch back to a pitcher's game. So far this season 25 pitchers have ERAs under 3.00 compared to just 3 in 2001. The Giants have four of the better pitchers in the league and have a closer that can touch 98 MPH consistently.
The only concern I have for the Giants this year is the bullpen getting the game to Brian Wilson in the 9th. A couple deals will have to be made at the deadline this year and the sooner the better - there have been a lot of names thrown around as possible trade baits and I can see San Fran and Milwaukee working a deal that would send Latroy Hawkins to the Giants.
No the Giants aren't sitting at 28 games over .500 at this point in the season much like the '05 Sox, but they play in a weaker National League and in a division that is completely up for grabs. If they manage to get to the post season this year watch out - this is a 4 man rotation that can take the first four games in any 7 game set.
They have a lot of young role players with veterans that were brought in to mentor them. In 2005 the White Sox brought in Jermaine Dye, AJ Pierzynski, Freddy Garcia, Orlando Hernandez and Scott Podsednik. They had young talent in Aaron Rowand, Joe Crede, Juan Uribe, and Bobby Jenks to go along with it.
This offseason the Giants made moves to bring in Mark De Rosa, Edgar Renteria, Freddy Sanchez (last trade deadline), Todd Wellemeyer, Aubrey Huff, and re-signed Bengie Molina. They have Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval, Jonathon Sanchez and Andres Torres for young talent.
Fittingly Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand both start and are key players adding to the success of the Giants this season.
The main part of the teams that mirror each other are the 1-4 starters in the rotation. In 2005 Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, and Jose Contreras all ended the season with sub 4 ERAs and midway through June their ERAs were: Buehrle 2.67, Garland 3.61, Garcia 3.75, and Contreras 3.81 even Orlando Hernandez's 4.88 ERA was overshadowed by a 7-1 record.
This season San Francisco is enjoying ERAs from Jonathan Sanchez (2.90), Tim Lincecum (3.11), Matt Cain (2.16), and Barry Zito (3.13) - all sub 4.00 and extremely impressive.
The Giants don't have the best offense in the majors let alone the National League, but neither did the ChiSox. In 2005 the White Sox ranked 9th in runs and extra base hits in the American League but relied mostly on small ball and timely hitting - something that translates to the NL a lot better than it does in the AL.
The Giants currently have team averages of 13th in runs and 9th in extra base hits in the NL. They are averaging 4.3 runs/game and are hitting .263 as a team.
The Sox in '05 had team averages of 4.5 runs/game and hit .262 as a team.
Another advantage the Giants have is a clear switch back to a pitcher's game. So far this season 25 pitchers have ERAs under 3.00 compared to just 3 in 2001. The Giants have four of the better pitchers in the league and have a closer that can touch 98 MPH consistently.
The only concern I have for the Giants this year is the bullpen getting the game to Brian Wilson in the 9th. A couple deals will have to be made at the deadline this year and the sooner the better - there have been a lot of names thrown around as possible trade baits and I can see San Fran and Milwaukee working a deal that would send Latroy Hawkins to the Giants.
No the Giants aren't sitting at 28 games over .500 at this point in the season much like the '05 Sox, but they play in a weaker National League and in a division that is completely up for grabs. If they manage to get to the post season this year watch out - this is a 4 man rotation that can take the first four games in any 7 game set.
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