2005 World Series champs share expertise 20 years later

This story was excerpted from Scott Merkin¡¯s White Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Scott Podsednik sat in a golf cart on the Minor League side of the White Sox complex at Camelback Ranch, back in the uniform he sported from 2005-07 and in ¡¯09 while in Chicago.

¡°The pants still fit,¡± Podsednik told me with a laugh.

Podsednik looks as if he could still record those 129 stolen bases put together over his White Sox run, or at least a portion of them. Jermaine Dye also seems ready to take over in right field if called upon, while Hall of Famer Jim Thome looks one piece of lumber away from knocking more than a few over the outfield fences.

Thome serves as special assistant to the general manager with the White Sox, but Podsednik and Dye are lending their vast expertise throughout parts of Spring Training. Podsednik was in Glendale, Ariz., during the past week providing baserunning and bunting instruction, impressing the players and front office alike.

¡°I enjoy getting out and talking shop with a lot of these players,¡± Podsednik said. ¡°It¡¯s fun to see the hungriness of some of these Minor League guys. I¡¯m enjoying it out here.¡±

¡°Having those guys as a resource is awesome,¡± White Sox manager Will Venable said. ¡°They¡¯ve been there and done it. For all of our players, whether young or veteran guys, you¡¯re going to have different sources of help you can find. We want to provide a variety of guys who have done it, who they can connect with. They¡¯re so personable and approachable.¡±

Having a player such as Podsednik in camp has a two-fold level of interest. He contributed ideas about approach and technique in baserunning and bunting, pushing to make the White Sox players at the lower levels well-rounded talents on offense.

Then there¡¯s the championship memories of 2005, as the White Sox celebrate the 20th anniversary of that special World Series title. Podsednik consistently got on base at the top of that order, swiped second, was moved over to third by Tadahito Iguchi and scored to give the White Sox an early lead. That early lead frequently was enough support for an outstanding pitching staff.

This current White Sox version remains in a rebuild, with 2025 contention seeming improbable despite the upbeat, winning focus of the players in camp. Some outside voices view a look back at this tremendous ¡¯05 season as a possible way to deflect attention from the present, but in reality, a team winning 99 games, being in first from Day 1 and going 11-1 in the postseason as one of two Chicago baseball crowns since 1917 deserves extra attention.

¡°Regardless of what or where the White Sox are in terms of their competitiveness, everyone knows what that group accomplished in ¡¯05 was special,¡± Podsednik said. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to celebrating it. I think the fans are looking forward to celebrating it. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the only one thinking that that was a real fun year for the city of Chicago.¡±

An ¡®05 reunion is scheduled for the weekend of July 11 at Rate Field, with Mark Buehrle¡¯s statue unveiling coming on the 11th prior to a game against the Guardians. Podsednik is thrilled for this honor bestowed upon Buehrle, who he referred to as ¡°an authentic person¡± who was ¡°going to go out and compete his ass off,¡± regardless of the stuff he had during any of his 365 starts with the White Sox and 493 starts overall in 16 seasons.

But Podsednik hopes to be in attendance during that second week of July, discussing special accomplishments with this crew who fit together like a champion.

¡°I¡¯ll say this, the first thing that pops into mind is not one particular moment, but it was the group of guys that we had,¡± said Podsednik when asked for a memory of ¡¯05. ¡°The unselfishness, the determination, the willingness to come to the ballpark each and every night, regardless of what happened the night before, to do the things it took to win a ballgame that night. I feel like guys can¡¯t go out and pretend to be somebody they are not.

¡°We all have egos, but egos did not get in the way of what we were trying to accomplish. When I look back at that group, what stands out is we had character guys, guys with integrity and guys who had some fight and some will to go out and win baseball games and compete. That¡¯s what I remember most.¡±