10 Reasons why the Chicago White Sox winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball

With about a month and a half left to the season, the number of legit playoff contenders are winding down. And the staff here at Sully Baseball decided to look at each contender and see what would be positive about their potential World Championships.



Which players or managers would benefit the most from a title. Which fan bases would savor it. And how the perception of each franchise would change slightly. Remember, this isn't a numbers crunching site... this is all about emotion and things that strike my fancy.



The first potential World Series contender will be the Chicago White Sox. Why the White Sox? Because they are so unpredictable that they could either be in first place by next week or fall totally out of contention. So if I want to include them, I had better do it NOW!

10 Reasons why the

Chicago White Sox

winning the 2011 World Series

would be good for baseball

1. Another World Series title moves Ozzie Guillen closer to Cooperstown



Ozzie Guillen's Hall of Fame resume is a long shot at this point. 2 post season appearances, even with a World Series title, isn't going to cut it. (Ask Cito Gaston who won back to back World Series titles and two other Division Titles. Forget the Hall of Fame, he couldn't get hired.)



But another World Series title, and this one with almost a brand new cast of characters would add to his luster that the team plays Ozzie's brand of baseball. And when (not if) he takes over the Marlins and wins with them, he'll get even closer.



The idea of Ozzie giving a Hall of Fame speech is a wonderful concept, if for no other reason than for the need of a 7 second delay.

2. It would justify Kenny Williams' wild GM style



In an era of calculators, bizarre new stats and hoarding prospects, it would be nice to see Kenny Williams methods be rewarded again.



He's always willing to bring in a free agent, even an ill fitting one. He's willing to say "prospects be damned, we're winning NOW!" And he has taken some chances in Cuba and by bringing up prospects super fast and throwing them into the fire.



Is it sometimes irresponsible? Sure. Does it blow up in his face sometimes? Ask Adam Dunn.



Is it cool to see a GM always trying? You bet.

And to see that GM win a SECOND World Series spitting in the face of convention... that would be too cool.





3. A Championship could justify the Adam Dunn signing

Speaking of Kenny Williams' style, let's talk about Dunn. Right now Adam Dunn looks like one of the biggest busts in Free Agency history.



I mean he is so terrible right now that you have to wonder if he had a twin brother that he suited up in his place. And they've got 3 more years of this.



But imagine if he got a big hit in the post season. Or clubbed a big homer off the bench in the World Series. Then it would be kind of like J. D. Drew... an injury filled disappointment overall, but contributed big to a ring.



Besides, he seems like a likable accountable guy. I'd like to see him happy. (As if $56 million wouldn't buy happiness.)





4. Multiple Rings will help people remember how to spell Konerko and Buehrle



I wrote a blog post that was basically a love letter to Paul Konerko and Mark Buehrle.



Guess what? I spelled in Kornerko every single time.

And I had to double check Buehrle whenever I typed it. I double checked it when I typed the previous sentence. Is it B-E-H? B-U-E? B-E-U?

None of it is instinctual.



Maybe another title will seal that.





5. Everyone loves seeing A. J. Pierzynski happy!



Speaking of members of the 2005 White Sox with difficult names to spell...



Sure you might not like A. J. Pierzynski. Sure he seems like he might be a jerk. But look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't want an obnoxious pest like him on YOUR team.







6. If the White Sox win, maybe Juan Pierre will do another unbelievably awful rap



There are few subjects I know less about than rap. But even as a total NON authority, I can tell you that the rap Juan Pierre did at the 2003 Florida Marlins World Series celebration was awful.



He called it rap. For me? The C at the beginning was silent.



Maybe he will improve in Chicago. Or maybe it will be just as bad.



Take a listen. Tell me how it is good.









7. A ring for Omar Vizquel



Vizquel is making one of the least likely runs at 3,000 hits and may have already have punched a ticket for the Hall of Fame.



The greatest defensive shortstop of his generation has played over 4 decades, won 11 Gold Gloves and played on 6 Division Champs and in the 1995 and 1997 World Series.



A ring would be nice.







8. The President needs a Pick Me Up!



There have been lots of ups and downs for the President this past year and no doubt 2012 will be one tense year for him.



Up for reelection, the markets are going nuts, lots of people still out of work and maybe he needs a little reminder of how good "Hope" feels.



Maybe his team winning the World Series can kick start his campaign!

Do it for AMERICA, White Sox!





9. Another World Series title could help the White Sox enter the "Big Bad Bully Club".



The White Sox are consistently among the top payrolls, they bid for free agents and they act like one of the "Haves" instead of the "Have nots."



AND they play in a big media market! But they never get mentioned as one of the big bad franchises.



Another title will tie them with the Yankees and Red Sox in the 21st Century. That sounds big and bad for me.





10. It would make the White Sox and Cubs fan dynamic more interesting



Would the White Sox finally the choice of the casual sports fan in Chicago? Would the winning of the South Side out weigh the cute and cuddliness of Wrigleyville?



Two things are for sure.



- White Sox fans hold ALL the bragging cards. Another World Series title would mean the White Sox would have won as World Series in the 21st Century as the Cubs did in the 20th Century.



- If what doesn't destroy you only makes you stronger, then Cubs fans must be damn near invincible!







So there you have it for the White Sox... Hall of Fame credentials, inter city rivalries, spell check and a Presidential race could all be improved.



They are all good reasons.

But there are other teams in contention too.



And I will get to them all!





If you liked this then go ahead and read the entries for the other teams.



NEW YORK YANKEES

Why am I rooting for the White Sox?

Anyone who reads this blog (and I know I do) you know that I am a Red Sox fan, but I also follow each race and inevitably I root for a team in each race.

The Giants are my second favorite team, so I always root for them.

And there are teams like the Cardinals, the Braves and the Angels that I don’t really like, so I’ll root for someone to beat them.

And of course I always root AGAINST the Yankees.

I have no reason to dislike any team in the A. L. Central, so logic dictates that I would be rooting for the team that has the most compelling narrative for their fans.

With the crushed city of Cleveland getting no relief from the Indians and the Royals clipping coupons, the race is down to the Twins, the Tigers and the White Sox.

You’d think I’d be rooting for the Twins. After all, I rooted for them big time in 1987 and 1991. The Twins winning would contiue to be a gigantic middle finger to the threat of contraction 9 years ago.

The Twins have won 5 Division Titles in the past 8 seasons and missed another Division Title in 2008 when they lost a one game playoff 1-0 to Chicago.

Plus with stars like Mauer and Morneau and the team playing outdoors, it makes the Twins the obvious choice for me to root for. (Not to mention that my current boss, Craig Kilborn, is from Minnesota and is a life long fan.)

Or maybe you'd think I'd be rooting for the Tigers...

The city could use a pick me up, the team was potentially cheatedout of a playoff spot last year. Plus they are a traditional team with great old unis... and play for a city that let's face it has seen better days.

Plus Jim Leyland is a borderline Hall of Famer as of now. Maybe another trip to October would clinch a ticket to Cooperstown.

And as I said before, I would have no problem seeing either of those teams going far in the post season.

Yet strangely when either one of those teams play the White Sox head to head... I find myself rooting for the White Sox.

And when I see the White Sox gain a game in the standings, I give a little fist pump.

Of the three contenders, I want to see the White Sox win the American League Central.

It isn't because I picked them at the beginning of the year.

I picked the Yankees to win the Division as well and you don't see me cheering them on!

And it clearly isn't because of a Post Season drought as they won it all just 5 years ago.

I guess I like how Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen do business. I like that come trade deadline, Kenny is not afraid to trade off young players.

Maybe it is because Kenny knows that there is no time like the present to have the White Sox contend and steal as many casual Chicago fans as possible.

Or maybe it is because he himself was a heralded prospect who never turned into a star player and he knows that sometimes a big league definite is more valuable than younger potential.

And I have not been shy in saying what an Ozzie Guillen fan I am.

I like that he is a little crazy, is the face of the team and guess what? If he wins a few more divisions and another pennant, he might be putting together a Cooperstown resume.

Wouldn't that be an amazing day in Upstate New York seeing Ozzie enshrined?
He's not there now (although he HAS matched Hall of Fame managers Earl Weaver, Leo Durocher and Whitey Herzog in World Series titles) but I want to see him pad his resume.

Maybe I am rooting for the White Sox because I have a soft spot in my heart for their fans.

As I wrote in my "Why Doesn't Anyone Love The White Sox?" post a few years ago, the South Siders get such little love that it is kind of startling.

If you meet someone from Chicago, it is almost assumed they are a Cubs fan. It's more pronounced than even the Yankees and Mets disparity in New York.

There is nothing cute and cuddly about the White Sox and if you have rooted for them over the years, you are clearly not a front runner nor doing the fashionable thing.

And I am guessing a lot of them are enjoying the possibility of making the post season AGAIN while the Cubs are imploding.

Or maybe I am rooting for the White Sox because I want SOME kind of Sox in the playoffs!

Whatever the reason is, I am hoping the playoffs go through Chicago in the American League. Baseball is emotional and logic sometimes is thrown out the window.

All I know is the White Sox were playing the A's last night... and I am hoping the A's win the West... yet when I saw it was a Sox win, I gave a little fist pump.

Let's go Sox (Red and White)