The illegitimate victors

A loud congratulations goes out to the MLB umpires for winning the 2005 World Series! Oh, and to the Chicago White Sox for being the chosen team of MLB to be crowned the victor.

Alright, I'll be honest. The White Sox won yesterday without the help of the men in black! This may have been their first such victory since game 3 of the ALCS (and perhaps only their second time completing this feat in the post season.) Of course, a team should win 11 games without any outside assistance to be considered the champions, not 2.

Here is a review of some of the interesting events in the White Sox post season.

The key play to the post season was during game 2 of the ALCS when Peirzinski illegally took first base after striking out, and illegally being allowed to stay there. Had the umpires been unbiased and made the right call, chances are good (based on the pitching match ups vs which part of the line-ups were about to appear in extra innings) that the LA Angels of Anaheim would have won that game, taking an 2-0 lead in the series. Had everything progressed as it did (minus umpire interference) the Angels would have taken game 4 as well. Leading 3-1. Truly, the White Sox did not even deserve to be in the World Series.

Some have argued that they basically swept all three teams they faced, dropping 1 to the Angels during that feat. So why would a team that appears to be such a power house require any assistance from MLB to win? Here's why: The White Sox faced off against the Red Sox and the Angels 14 total times during the regular season. They went 7-7 during those match ups (3-4 vs the Red Sox and 4-3 vs the Angels.) They were out scored 61-64 (36-36 vs Boston, 25-28 vs LA/Anaheim). MLB could not be sure that the White Sox were sure to win! In fact, chances were good that they would not get past both teams!

But, the record books will forever record the Chicago White Sox victors of the 2005 MLB World Series. Just as the record books record the Cincinnati Reds the victors of the 1919 World Series against a Chicago White Sox team that took money to throw the 9 game series. Are the Reds legitimate champions? If (as I would argue, the evidence exposes) the White Sox received undue assistance from the umpires/MLB, are they legitimate victors? I don't think so.

There is it: Just my opinion