SSH2005 Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 http://chicago.whitesox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb...tives&fext=.jsp White Sox ready for repeat performance After winning the World Series last season for the first time since 1917 you would think it extremely unlikely the Chicago White Sox would be able to make it two in a row in 2006. And yet it just might happen. Manager Ozzie Guillen's team will not only be in the playoff hunt again this year, it is arguably a stronger team than the one that steamrolled through the postseason with an 11-1 record last fall, including a sweep of the Houston Astros in the World Series. This team figures to have more power, a deeper and more versatile bench and even better starting pitching than the White Sox team that tied for the league lead in ERA last year and led the league in victories. General manager Ken Williams had a busy offseason, re-signing Paul Konerko (.283, 40 HR, 100 RBIs), trading for designated hitter Jim Thome and making another swap for handyman Rob Mackowiak. Thome, limited to 59 games with Philadelphia because of elbow and back problems last year, has looked great this spring and was hitting .421 with four homers in his first 14 Cactus League games. Those additions should more than offset the losses of Aaron Rowand, Carl Everett and Geoff Blum, and boost the production of an offense that finished ninth in the league in scoring last year and had the third-lowest team batting average (.262). A healthy Thome protecting Konerko and Jermaine Dye in the lineup could have a trickle-down impact on the entire batting order. This lineup won't be as easy to pitch to as last season. The end result could mean a boost in the run production of at least five percent, which should vault the White Sox into the upper half of the league in scoring. If so, look out -- because the pitching should be lights out. The Sox had the best rotation in baseball last season, but Williams went out and made it even better by picking up Javier Vazquez from the Diamondbacks. The right-hander joins Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland in a rotation consisting of five pitchers capable of winning 15 or more games and going 200 or more innings apiece. And if anyone should falter, highly regarded right-hander Brandon McCarthy will be waiting in the bullpen to step in. That rotation will enable Guillen's team to do what it did so well last season: Put pressure on the opposition offense and keep things close until the White Sox can find a way to manufacture a run or two for the victory. Only this time, because of additions like Thome, the White Sox won't have to rely on scratching out runs and winning so many one-run games as last season. There's uncertainty in center field, where youngster Brian Anderson takes over for Rowand, but Anderson isn't being asked to set the table. He'll likely bat ninth and any offense he brings to the mix will be a bonus. The rest of the everyday lineup, with the exception of Thome replacing Everett at designated hitter, will look the same as last fall. So will the bench, with Mackowiak's potent bat the notable addition. The offense should be better. The defense should be as good. The rotation figures to be second to none. The White Sox appear to have just about everything they need for a repeat run. You have to look hard for a weakness. If the White Sox have a potential area of vulnerability it could be the bullpen. Of course a lot of people said that about Chicago's relief corps last season and look what happened. The White Sox did lose two relievers who filled important roles last year. Damaso Marte and Luis Vizcaino are both gone after providing 115 innings out of the bullpen last year. Even those losses shouldn't matter. With McCarthy and renewed health from the holdovers, the White Sox have the arms in the bullpen to cover their losses. In any case, the workload for the relievers figures to be relatively light again. Last year, White Sox starters led baseball with 1,074.0 innings and the bullpen's 401.2 innings were the fewest in baseball with the exception of St. Louis (397.2). Bobby Jenks, who can bring it to the plate at 100 miles-per-hour, returns for hopefully an entire season at closer. Dustin Hermanson, the closer whom Jenks replaced when Hermanson was bothered by back problems, is back along with lefty setup man Neal Cotts. Right-hander Cliff Politte will once again provide late-inning help from the right side. Assuming they stay healthy, everything appears to be in place for an encore performance from the White Sox. Although no team has repeated as World Series champions since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998-2000, the White Sox are a potent team capable of making it back-to-back titles. It just might happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz56 Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 This is Off Topic, but I just clicked on that Grady Sizemore website in Jabroni's sig and... All I can say is, WOW. Major, major issues with those girls. If you haven't see the site, go take a look. It really shows what can happen when a group of women become obsessed to the extreme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iWiN4PreP Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 lol @ the site but nice article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSH2005 Posted March 31, 2006 Author Share Posted March 31, 2006 This is Off Topic, but I just clicked on that Grady Sizemore website in Jabroni's sig and... All I can say is, WOW. Major, major issues with those girls. If you haven't see the site, go take a look. It really shows what can happen when a group of women become obsessed to the extreme. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> f***ing scary, ain't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan4life_2007 Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 LOL@the Grady bunch That site makes me apperciate Steff even more. Women need to stay away from all things sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelasDaddy0427 Posted March 31, 2006 Share Posted March 31, 2006 Some of those chicks are kind of hot... but I know what you mean... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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