I’ve heard any number of reasons why the White Sox won the World Series in 2005 ; Scotty Pods as a table setter, great starting pitching, Paul Konerko as the club’s most dependable power threat, loose-cannon Ozzie taking the heat off his players, etc. But I clearly missed the thousands of column inches dedicated to the leadership chops of Carl Everett. From the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley.

Carl Everett, now with Seattle, not only insisted on Thursday that the 2006 version of the Sox has no leadership in the clubhouse, but he predicted that his former teammates would not defend the World Series title they earned with him in 2005.

”If [Everett’s] such a team leader, then why is he on so many teams?” pitcher Mark Buehrle said on Friday. ”He’s on a different team every year.

”I don’t think he was one of our leaders last year. He came to the field, and there wasn’t anyone else that came ready to play and hustle as much as he did during the season, but I think he might be a little mad because he’s not on our team anymore. I don’t know.”

”[Everett’s] ‘The Truth,’ so whatever he said, go to Vegas. We’re not winning the division, so don’t put any money on us. That’s why he’s got the nickname ‘The Truth.’ ”