For those who wonder whether the White Sox have enough power to win, the 1983 season is an interesting one. The Sox stole 165 bases that year while hitting 157 home runs.
That was a different era, however.
Eight teams had more than 100 stolen bases in 1983, with Oakland topping the list at 235. The 157 home runs were still good for third in the American League, behind Baltimore’s 168 and Toronto’s 167.
In 1993, when the Sox also won the division, the Sox hit 162 home runs while stealing 106 bases. That was 12 years ago, but nine American League teams stole at least 100 bases while Texas led the league with 181 home runs.
The power explosion in recent years has turned baserunners into spectators. Anaheim’s 143 steals last season led five AL teams that had more than 100 steals. Five teams hit at least 201 home runs with the Sox and New York Yankees each clubbing 242.