2007 Chicago White Sox season

The Chicago White Sox' 2007 season started off with the White Sox trying to re-claim the AL Central title, an achievement they last achieved in 2005, when they went on to win the 2005 World Series. They failed to win consecutive AL Central championships when the Minnesota Twins won it in 2006. They finished the season 72-90, 4th place in the AL Central. Notable events include Mark Buehrle pitching a no-hitter on April 18, 2007.
On August 12, 2007, closer Bobby Jenks retired his 41st consecutive hitter, Yuniesky Betancourt, to tie the Major League record for most consecutive hitter retired in a row. He is tied with Jim Barr, who set it with the San Francisco Giants over two games on August 23, 1972, and August 29, 1972.
On September 16, 2007 Jim Thome hit his 500th career home run with a two-run shot in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 9-7. Thome is the first player in club history to hit his 500th career home run while in a White Sox uniform.
With their 72-90 record, the White Sox finished with their first losing season since 1999.
2007 off-season.
The 2006–2007 offseason stirred up controversy among Sox fans. First, on November 16, lefty reliever Neal Cotts was sent to the Chicago Cubs for reliever David Aardsma and prospect Carlos Vásquez. This was the first deal between the crosstown rivals since the Cubs traded pitcher Jon Garland for White Sox reliever Matt Karchner in the middle of the 1998 season.
A deal that involved trading Garland to the Houston Astros for outfielder Willy Taveras and pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh was reported to have been agreed upon, but general manager Ken Williams backed out of the trade at the last minute, due to health concerns for Buchholz.
Williams traded first baseman Ross Gload to the Kansas City Royals for reliever Andrew Sisco.
On December 6, starting pitcher Freddy García was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitching prospects Gavin Floyd and Gio González, who was initially traded to the Phillies by the White Sox in the Jim Thome deal a year prior.
Even more controversial was the December 23 deal that sent highly touted starter Brandon McCarthy, along with outfield prospect David Paisano, to the Texas Rangers for pitching prospects John Danks, Nick Masset, and Jacob Rasner. To some, it seemed as if Williams was sacrificing the present for the future in these deals.
The Sox also signed free agent catcher Toby Hall, signed free agent outfielder/first baseman Darin Erstad, and signed Javier Vázquez to a 3-year, $33 million contract extension.
Opening Day lineup.
Pablo Ozuna, LF
Darin Erstad, CF
Jim Thome, DH
Paul Konerko, 1B
Jermaine Dye, RF
Joe Crede, 3B
Tadahito Iguchi, 2B
A. J. Pierzynski, C
Juan Uribe, SS
José Contreras, P
Player stats.
Batting.
"Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; BB = Base on balls; SO = Strikeouts; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases"
Pitching.
"Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; H = Hits allowed; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; HR = Home runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts"