Say It's So: The Chicago White Sox's Magical Season

by Phil Rogers

The Chicago White Sox's march to the 2005 World Series title was as surprising as it was dramatic, and in "Say It's So: The Chicago White Sox's Magical Season," Phil Rogers delivers the inside story of how it came about. Rogers, senior baseball writer for the "Chicago Tribune," describes the gamble general manager Ken Williams took in breaking up a powerful but plodding team in favor of one built around pitching, speed and defense. A team, in other words, that could play the game the way manager Ozzie Guillen wanted it played. In Guillen, the Sox found themselves a charismatic, live-wire leader whose every move seemed golden. Rogers provides a front-row view of the eccentric genius the second-year manager displayed in delivering Chicago its first World Series since 1959 and its first Series title since 1917. There's the rock-steady Paul Konerko, whose big bat and steely clubhouse presence carried the team through the postseason. There's the unsung third basemen Joe Crede, whose spectacular fielding and timely hitting on baseball's biggest stage stamped him as a rising star. There's the irascible catcher A.J. Pierzynski, the "Eddie Haskell" of the clubhouse, who found himself smack in the middle of every controversy. There's the fire of Bobby Jenks and the guile of Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. And finally there's a deep and talented pitching staff that saw the team through its only rough spot of the regular season and then was simply dominant through all three founds of the postseason. The 2005 White Sox were a uniquely multi-cultural group that reflected their city's ethnic melting pot. They truly were Chicago's team--and they gave their fans a truly magical season.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Baseball

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2006

Reviews

[Troy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories from behind the scenes, very enjoyable. However the quality of the publishing was embarrassing. One chapter ended abruptly at the bottom of a page, in mid sentence. I turned the page and suddenly it was a new chapter. Sloppy editing. Still a fun read.

[Thomas Radigan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea was good, about the Chicago White Sox in the decades before they finally won big in 2005. Unfortunately the writing and editing was awful, with the story jumping from one topic to another, without any story really being developed. Even one chapter ended midstream. This book looks like a half-baked product which satisfies nobody, and I gave up a quarter the way through.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved reliving the '05 White Sox and the amazing run they went on. This book read more like a newspaper article detailing at-bats. I was expecting more of things that happened in the clubhouse, which there was a little, but not what I expected.

What irked me more is the typos and editing that escaped the eyes to make this printing. Why did it irk me? Phil Rogers and THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE wrote what went between the covers...

Still a fun read, where one still reminisces whenever Journey's "Don't Stop, Believin'" comes on the radio.

A bucket list item checked off on 10/26/05! World Series Champs!

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this written account of some of the moves that led to the 2005 World Championship victory by the Chicago White Sox. The narrative retelling of that magical season is well constructed. The writer also gives brief narratives of the background stories behind some of the players and manager. In truth, this book is little more than a retelling of the season in a standard construction and length - 260+ pages. Little or inconsequential information is shared other than what anyone who watched and followed the team that summer would already know It was an entertaining read but the poor editing took away from the experience. In the end, the book read like an extended newspaper column by sports writer, Phil Rogers. Still, worth the read.

[Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good retelling of the Sox 2005 championship team. Good for newer fans or maybe older fans who want to remember better times in the franchises history.