CTOD: Chicago White Sox

If recent history is any indicator of future performance then the 2011 White Sox might be a team to avoid. Since their championship season in 2005, the Sox have alternated between good and bad seasons which may be an indicator of taking on the bipolar tendencies of their quirky manager. Last season the White Sox led the division for most of the first half but couldn't keep pace with the torrid Twins as they went on to post a respectable 88-74 record.


On offense, the White Sox lineup is full of powerful, yet streaky hitters. It isn't a stretch to think that the middle six hitters in the Chicago lineup - Beckham, Dunn, Konerko, Rios, Quentin, Ramirez - could go for 20 homeruns a piece. There is a caveat to all this power and that is the fact that most of these players, except perhaps Konerko and Dunn, controls the strike zone very well. Which means there is a lot of power but only average hitting and on-base skills. Regardless, this is a top ten offense that shouldn't struggle to score runs.

Strangely enough, the pitching is eerily similar. The White Sox feature an good, but not overly excellent, starting rotation. Mark Buehrle, John Danks, and Gavin Floyd are all respectable pitchers that can churn out quality starts. However, none of the above represent a true number one. Either way, this top 3 represents a consistent core that when paired with the above average offense should allow the ChiSox to compete night in and night out.

Avoiding another down season shouldn't be difficult for this roster but there are a few things that need to go Chicago's way for them to win their division. First, Gordon Beckham has to bounce back after a dismal sophomore year. The White Sox are already prepared to accept less than league average production at catcher and third base, between AJ and a Brent Morel/Omar Vizquel combination, and can't suffer losing another infield position to sub-par performance. Second, they need to decide what to do with Carlos Quentin in the field. Signing Adam Dunn at DH was a good move for adding a big, and reliable, bat in the middle of the order but it also means that the Sox will be running Quentin out to RF every game. According to Ultimate Zone Rating, Quentin was so awful in RF last year that it almost completely offsets all of his offensive production. I am not sure there is a solution to this problem outside of an injury to Dunn or a trade to a team where he can DH.

Finally, Chicago needs quality innings from Edwin Jackson and Jake Peavy. Hard to believe that Edwin Jackson is on his fifth team and is only 27. That being said, he posted his best FIP ever last year and may be finally ready to settle in as an above average MLB pitcher, which fits in nicely with the rest of the staff in ChiTown. Peavy remains a wild card after several setbacks this spring but remains hopeful to get into the rotation at some point. In any case, the White Sox have one of the best bullpens in baseball with Matt Thornton and Chris Sale finishing games and this should take significant pressure off the starters to worry about going too deep into games.

Overall, this team is a wildcard just like their manager and GM. They have the big bats but consistency is hard to come by. The pitching staff is full of starters with average stuff but is good enough to win. They can finish anywhere between 80-90 wins.

Prediction: 2nd AL Central.

Surprise Player: Edwin Jackson

I wonder how many times Mr. Jackson has been picked as a breakout candidate in spring training. However, last season represented a significant step forward for the enigmatic youngster. He pitched 200 innings for a second consecutive year, upped his K rate, and generated ground balls at a 50% clip. If he can build on this, or even maintain it, he will be one of the best number four starters in the game.