It's that great time of year. Winter is on it's last leg, Spring is trying to get a hold and opening day for baseball in Chicago is April 6th. Life is good.
Today we'll take a look at the only Chicago team to win a World Series in the last 100 years, the White Sox.
It's shaping up to be an interesting season. Kenny Williams cut the cord on some established veterans and basically said it's time for the younger guys to put up or shut up. Well the first guy to be shut up was centerfielder, Jerry Owens. Here's a guy who was given the position and the leadoff spot in the batting order by Ozzie Guillen to begin spring training.
Owens came out and hit a dismal .208 with three stolen bases. The man has the speed to steal 50 bases but his refusal to bunt, hit the ball on the ground to get on base, and take a walk forced the Sox to yell uncle and put him on waivers.
So journeyman Dewayne Wise, 31, gets the job with a solid spring hitting .285, 5hr, and six stolen bases. He'll be effective for the Sox both defensively and at the plate. I would prefer Juan Pierre of the Dodgers but his salary is no fit.
Williams also said goodbye to fan favorite and All-Star Joe Crede and said Josh Fields is at third. Fields has shown he can hit and will do just that. Can he catch the ball? He will not replace Crede's defense but they said that about Crede when he replaced Robin Ventura. Fields will make the plays he has to. The more confident he gets the better he'll be.
To me my biggest concern in the lineup will be Carlos Quentin. Wrist injuries are tricky. They feel and look ok the following year but something always seems amiss. He hasn't lit up spring training so I don't know. I think we'll know by May.
My lineup would be this: Wise, Alexei Ramirez, Quentin, Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, AJ Pierszynski, Getz, and Fields.
Bill from Evergreen Park (hello) suggests: Wise, Ramirez, Dye, Quentin, Thome, Konerko, Fields, AJ, Getz
My brother Mark's idea: Wise, Ramirez, Quentin, Dye, Getz, Thome, Konerko, Fields, AJ
I think Quentin is a better 3 hitter and Dye to clean up the mess. I would like a speed threat in front of Thome and/or Konerko to get a distraction on the pitcher. Plus, they get more fastballs that way.
Pitching will go as Jose Contreras and Bartolo Colon go. If they are solid after their injuries then they will only add to Gavin Floyd, John Danks, and Mark Buerhle in the rotation.
The bullpen is solid and got a surprise as Mike MacDougal fought his way back on the team this spring with 19 K's in 12 innings. As long as he keeps his head I like it.
I see the AL Central as a five team race. KC is the weakest but much improved. Sox wins 80-86.
6 comments:
I like everything I've heard this Spring. I also like that we have many options in the minors in case of injury or random Jewish holidays.
i really like our outfield. glad to see Owens go. i keep hearing on the radio that we have a center field problem? i don't think so.
scott already printed my lineup, i'm bill from evergreen park (hello). thanks for the shout out. i tried to set it up to minimize double plays.
it breaks my heart to see Crede go, but it will make the games with minnesota even more interesting.
i think that Fields is going to have a good year.
i agree with the Contreras/Colon assessment.
i like our chances.
this is a must see from the whitesox site.
http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?c_id=cws
let the games begin!
Kenny Williams cut the cord on some established veterans and basically said it's time for the younger guys to put up or shut up? Really? Contreras and Colon were pulled from the nursing home squad and even if they start off well they aren't going to make it through the season. Konerko and Dye aren't spring chickens either.
I see the Sox victories somewhere around 75 as they do cellar battle with the improved Royals who will be putting an actual MLB team into the AL Central this year....
the divisional play is going to be great.
the "experts" say that the twinkies have the best pitching in the division?
mike c is right, we are not a young team, but we are not old either. i like our mix.
the tigers let sheffield go today and bonderman went on the DL today.
I can only guess Mike C. is going to really like my Cubs forecast.
Really Mike when did 35 become too old for baseball? You make it sound like Konerko and Dye are dead. I'll take a take a team of 30-35 year olds anytime over a team 23-26 years old.
You have to have a mix of youth and seasoned vets.
Conteras was gonna be paid anyway, so why not let him tryout. He seems good to go.
Colon was a no risk gamble that will win 12 to 14 games if his health stays.
If either or both go down we have option in the minors.
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