Spring Opener!

According to Joe Cowley's Twitter, starters for today's game against the Angels will be Carlos Quentin, Jerry Owens, and Jermaine Dye in the outfield, and Josh Fields, Alexei Ramirez, Chris Getz, and Ben Broussard on the infield. Clayton Richard and AJ Pierzynski will make up the battery.

The game will not be televised, but you can hear Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson's radio debut on 670 the Score or at whitesox.com if you have subscribed to MLB Audio (a great $15 investment if you work schedule conflicts with day games or if you don't live in the Chicago area).

Baseball America Named 4 Sox Prospects to Top 100 List

Yesterday, Baseball America released its annual Top 100 Prospects List and the White Sox certainly have to be happy with the results. Four prospects landed on the list, and yes, I know that's not that impressive, but three were all acquired within the past calendar year, so after years of cleaning house, the Sox's plans to restock their farm system are coming right along.

The players named are Gordon Beckham (#20), Dayan Viciedo (61), Aaron Poreda (63), and Tyler Flowers (99). Also of note, there are four former Sox farmhands on the list. Three are in Oakland; Aaron Cunningham (55), Chris Carter (75), and Gio Gonzalez (97) and Kansas City's Daniel Cortes (90).

I'm hoping to pick up copies of Baseball Prospectus 2009 and Baseball America's Prospect Handbook over the weekend, but I've read that the White Sox farm system has jumped 12 places and is now ranked #16 overall. Obviously that doesn't help the Major League team in the short-term, but the perception that the Sox do not have a bottom-feeding minor league system any more is certainly nice.

White Sox Send 2 to WBC

The final, 28-man rosters for all 16 teams participating in the World Baseball Classic were released today and much to the joy of the tournament's haters, the White Sox will only be sending two representatives; tied with Oakland and San Francisco for the least participation amongst MLB organizations.

The first name you know by now; Matt Thornton has been a rock in the White Sox bullpen since being acquired from Seattle just before the start of the 2006 season. In those three years, he has appeared in 205 games, pitching 177.2 innings with a cumulative 3.55 ERA. Considering how well Thornton's pitched for the Sox and the fact they have no 2nd lefty in the bullpen right now, I'm less than thrilled by his presence. However, Team USA has three other left-handed relievers; J.P. Howell, J.J. Putz, and Brian Fuentes, so it's unlikely Thornton will be called on to pitch more than a couple of innings.

Javier Castillo, however, likely is under the radar. The 25-year-old Panamanian third baseman has spent his entire 5-year minor league career with the White Sox, but is pretty well blocked by Josh Fields and Dayan Viciedo. Castillo has played in 505 minor league games, but only 31 of them have come at the AAA level and he's still just a .266/.332/.399 career hitter. His likelihood to have ever made an impact at the Major League level seemed pretty remote, but hey, he'll always be an organizational trivia question now. Q: Who was the first White Sox player to represent Panama at the WBC? A: Javier Castillo, of course. You weren't going to say Carlos Lee, were you?

It's a bummer for AJ Pierzynski, who expressed interest in representing Team USA this year, but was passed over for Brian McCann and Chris Iannetta. While it's no surprise (everyone knew those would be the American catchers two weeks ago), it's still disappointing. I would have splurged for a Pierzynski Team USA jersey, plus it would have been nice to give the young catchers on our roster more work with the pitching staff.

At any rate, the World Baseball Classic kicks off a week from Thursday. Both Team USA and Panama kick off their tournaments on March 7; versus Canada in Toronto and Puerto Rico in San Juan respectively.

The Chicago Tribune does not Know Where the Sox Play

Through it's "Breaking News" blog, the Chicago Tribune posted a story about Wednedsay's Public School meeting in which the Board will vote on whether or not to close several public schools. It came with a photo and a caption. I'm sure it's just an honest mistake by an overworked editor, but come on, it's been over five years.

Parents protest the planned closing of Robert Sengstacke Abbott School near Cellular Field today, hours before the school board is to vote on the proposal. The school is adjacent to Wentworth Gardens public housing and is named for the founder of the Chicago Defender. (Tom Van Dyke/Chicago Tribune)

Here's a quick screen grab, just in case anyone thinks I'm bullshitting you. For a more legible size, just click on the image.

Ah, Rookie Hazing

OK, the Sox have been behind some awesome rookie hazing stunts the past few years… Lance Broadway strutting around The Bronx dressed as a female lifeguard? Nice. So while I'm sure this incident won't be the extent to which the new guys are baptized, it still gave me a chuckle.

Despite being in the organization for less than a year, Gordon Beckham was invited to Spring Training with the Sox but (as expected), got a blunt reminder of his chances at the Majors this year when he was assigned jersey #80, the baseball equivalent of getting beamed down from the Enterprise in a red shirt.

During some BP Sunday, AJ Pierzynski was teasing Beckham about his lofty jersey number and during the conversation it was revealed Beckham didn't know who Harold Baines was (which, I believe is a cardinal sin in Sox fandom). On Monday, with the help of Joey Cora, the team pranked Beckham by playing a Baines inspired game of "Who Am I?" Beckham won an autographed black and white photo of #3, a handshake from the man himself, and a round of laughter from his teammates.

You can read the full transcript of Cora's performance Monday over at Hardball or check out The Sox Drawer, Chuck Garfein's blog, for video.

Good news for Gordon, his number 6 that he wore last year at the University of Georgia is still available.

Jermaine Dye asks Beckham what happened, and Beckham contends that he
knew who Harold Baines was.

A.J. Pierzynski and Brian Anderson say in unison, "No you didn't..."

Beckham's teammates chuckled.

"Now I know," Beckham said.

It's good to see him take a joke well.

This Week's Scheduled Pitchers

The Sox open their Cactus League play Wednesday, and Scott Reifert checks in from Glendale with the list of pitchers scheduled to play this first week of the season (with some links for those of you unfamiliar with some of the nether reaches of our 40-man roster or Spring Training invitees).

Wednesday vs. Angels

• Clayton Richard, Jeff Marquez, Matt Thornton, Randy Williams, Adam Russell, Jon Link, Lucas Harrell, Brad Salmon, and Ehren Wassermann

Thursday vs. Rockies

• Gavin Floyd, DJ Carrasco, Jack Egbert, Lance Broadway, Jhonny Nunez, and Franklyn German

Friday vs. Arizona

• John Danks, Brad Salmon, Adam Russell, Mike MacDougal, John Van Benschoten, and Clevelan Santeliz

Friday vs. Dodgers

• Aaron Poreda, Scott Linebrink, Bobby Jenks, Jon Link, Lucas Harrell, and Ehren Wassermann

So... Are we Still Counting on this Guy?

With the first week of Spring Training in the books, easily one of the biggest stories from Glendale has been the amazing comeback of Jose Contreras. 30 pounds lighter and somehow ready to pitch to live batters, he has thrust himself into the fold for a job in the starting rotation. All of this, has pushed Bartolo Colon out of the spotlight, but just a few weeks ago, he was all but a lock to be the Sox's 4th starter. Now, that's not so certain. From The Daily Herald,

The timetable for veteran RHP Bartolo Colon, who had elbow chips removed last October, is not as clear.

Regardless of how his elbow feels, he sure looks like shit in this photo; his official mug shot taken last week in Arizona. No surprise that the guys at Deadspin love it.

Colon's stayed out of the news this Spring. Whether or not that's a good thing, I'm not sure.

Well, I Guess I Jinxed it

Less than 12 hours after I muse about the possibility that Joe Crede's ongoing contract negotiations with the Twins is just a devious ruse orchestrated by puppet master extraordinaire Ken Williams, does Sports Illustrated and Twins blogger La Velle Neal report that now the two sides seem to be agreeing a whole lot more. No surprise that Crede would have to accept a little less than the guaranteed $7 million he was looking for.

If Joe indeed signs with the Twins, I certainly hope it doesn't tarnish his legacy with the Sox. No, he never quite lived up to the hype, but was an above average hitter, an excellent defensive third baseman, and when the lights shined brightest on the White Sox, he brought his A game. He slugged .622 during the 12-game play-off run in 2005, 180 points above his career average. He hit 4 home runs, drove in 11 runs, and easily could have been named ALCS MVP.

Shockingly, Joe only played 4 full seasons in Chicago. He didn't win the job until 2003, after the Sox released Royce Clayton and Jose Valentin shifted back to shortstop. It seemed like a lifetime, from his pair of minor league MVP awards and coronation as the next Robin Ventura to the bitter contract dispute that irreversibly damaged the relationship between the team and its third baseman.

Thanks for the memories, Joe. Thanks for the World Series. If you sign with Minnesota, I'll wish you the best of individual luck, but I hope you finish dead last every year.

UPDATE: Mid-post, Mark Gonzales is reporting that Crede and the Twins have agreed to a deal. Get your tickets for April 10!

Elsewhere, the Fort Worth Star Telegram again revisits the Danks-McCarthy deal, apparently, just to twist the knife a bit more on Ranger fans. This trade has been so ludicrously one-sided now, I feel bad for Brandon McCarthy. I wonder how athletes deal with being that level of a disappointment on a personal and organizational level. That said, I don't mind the Sox being on this side of these deals.

A great post at South Side Sox exploring the "Masset Theory," which states that no matter how much you rid yourself of expendable bullpen arms, there's always plenty to be had. Good for a laugh as well as a brief introduction to several names you'll likely utter in disgust when they serve up a late-inning homer.

Despite the seemingly endless barrage of trade rumors, Jermaine Dye still enjoys playing in Chicago and even went so far as to say he'd "like to finish his career here." Not sure how likely that situation is to play out, Dye is probably going to have to take a hometown discount to stay with the Sox, but with Jim Thome's $13 million coming off the books after 2009 and Paul Konerko's $12 million coming off after 2010, there might be extra money Dye, especially if he's willing to become a full-time DH. Specifically, Jermaine noted that he likes playing for Ozzie.

Finally, if you're in a betting kind of mood, Bodog.com, one of the largest online sports books released its pre-season odds for all sort of futures stakes in the 2009 MLB season. As for the Central division? Currently the odds are:

1. Twins, 7/4
2. Indians, 2/1
3. Tigers, 7/2
4. White Sox, 4/1
5. Royals, 14/1

Also, if you're wondering, the Sox are 14/1 odds to win the American League (somehow, besting the Twins' 15/1 odds) and 30/1 odds to bring home the title. Decent odds, if you believe in this team.

You can Officially Cross the O-Dog off Your Wish List

Despite their apparent need for a veteran top of the order guy and an established second baseman, the White Sox officially passed on Orlando Hudson who, according to MLBTraderumors.com via Sirius XM Radio, signed with the Dodgers. Not really a shocker here, as the Dodgers have been the frontrunner in Hudson "sweepstakes" (if you can really call it that) for some time, but I was still holding out hope that KW would swoop in and bag a cheap veteran that immediately fills two pressing holes on this team. Sports Illustrated's Jon Heyman notes that the Sox are fully committed to the young trio of Getz, Nix, and Lillibridge (in case you didn't already know).

Perhaps Joe Crede is Still Employed by the White Sox

There's no other rational explanation for why Crede and Scott Boras, his agent, refuse to accept anything less than a $7 million base salary and an added $4 million in incentives for Crede to sign on anywhere in 2009. Are these guys serious? Do they have no concept of the current market for baseball teams? Manny Ramirez is still unemployed. Ditto for Orlando Hudson. Bobby Abreu had to settle for a 1-year, $5 million deal with the Angels and, unlike Crede, has been healthy and productive the last few seasons.

Therefore, the only thing I can come up with is the Sox are shrewdly paying Joe under the table to temptingly dangle his services to the Twins, but never sign on the dotted line. I mean, if he's as healthy as Boras claims, Crede is just what the doctored ordered for the Twins. He's not that old. He's an everyday third baseman and he's got some pop left in his bat. Yet, despite the fact he's a career .219 hitter in the Metrodome and he's only played in 144 games the past two years due to back problems, he's not accepting anything less than a contract that will make him, at least, the Twins' third highest paid player.

Some locals already know signing Crede would be a roll of the dice, and don't blame the Twins for not giving in to his ludicrous salary demands, but they keep sending scouts to watch his workout and batting practice sessions. You just have to know they know how much a healthy Crede would help their team, and yet, they can't come to an agreement. I don't know if stalled negotiations like this have any effect on a clubhouse or team morale, but it's still hilarious to sit back and watch the drama unfold as the immovably thrifty Twins collide with the unstoppably overpriced Crede.

What the Hell is in Jose Contreras's Water?

It's been just over half a year since Jose Contreras ruptured his left Achilles tendon and was lost for the final six weeks of last season and likely the majority of this year, as well. Actually, at the time, there was a lot of speculation that he was done. Officially, Jose turned 38 years old in December, but Caribbean ballplayers have this nasty habit of actually being older than they claim. Jose could easily be in his early-40's.

Recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon is supposed to be around a 12-month process. Saying Jose wasn't going to be around until mid-2009 at earliest was like saying the sky is blue or grass is green. No arguments. No proof required. These are facts.

So when the leaner Contreras showed up at Glendale (down apparently 30 pounds) walking without a limp and pitching off a mound to live batters, that was a shock. And now? He has a shot to break camp with the team. Six months ago, he was rolling around the bluegrass just behind the 1st base coach's box at the Cell. This guy's 40 years old! If this isn't the most remarkable story of the first week of Spring Training, in all of baseball not just the Sox, then I better read about somebody walking across a lake.

A healthy and effective Contreras immediately makes the White Sox the favorites in the Central. I know a lot of people soured on Jose after his disaster 2007 season, but while he was healthy in 2008, he was pitching just fine. After a rocky start, he reeled off a series of 10 impressive starts from mid-April to June, highlighted by an 8 inning, 3 hit, 10 strikeout gem Memorial Day weekend against the Angels. During this run, he was 6-2 with a 2.19 ERA and .191 BAA. He allowed only 48 hits in 70 innings of work, and was striking out over 3.2 batters for every 1 he walked.

I'm guessing most people forget about this run of above average pitching because he so memorably imploded while secretly pitching with pain in his elbow until mid-July. The nadir of his season was his Saturday start in Wrigley Field when the Cubs battered him for 9 runs and 3 homers in less than 4 innings during the Cubs' sweep. Three starts later, he was shelved for a month and only got 34 pitches into his comeback before his season was over.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the back of the Sox's rotation. Jose's health is certainly one, even if he pulls off this miraculous comeback and starts April 10 or 11, whether or not his body can get through 30 starts any more is anyone's guess. But if he can recover from a career-threatening injury in half the projected time, who's betting against him?

Mark Buehrle: World Series Hero, Fan Favorite, Buzz Killington

Well, White Sox Spring camp has literally only been in session for a few hours, but you can already break out the "News I Didn't Want to Hear" folder to file away this nugget... Mark Buehrle is mulling retiring in a few years.

Now, before I do something crazy like overreact, let's remember two key things. First, Mark Buehrle has supposedly wanted to go to St. Louis and pitch for his boyhood idol Cardinals forever. I think I knew Buehrle was a Cardinal fan before I knew who Buehrle was. The guy proved his loyalty to the Sox when he took a hefty hometown discount in 2007 to stay here through his prime years. Next, this article is from Phil Rogers, one of my least favorite baseball writers (and for good reason).

Now, that all said... What the hell, man? It's not like I'm so vain that I think Mark Buehrle "owes" me something, but why does he always drop hints like this? Yeah, he signed the long-term deal here, but for a few years there always seemed to be a story out with him talking about how much he'd like to pitch in St. Louis. Maybe in the fake world of pro sports, he's just too honest of a guy, but for one day, I'd like the fake smile and faux happiness, you know? Pitchers and catchers reported today and now, Mark Buehrle might have less than 100 starts left in his career? Ouch.

Ultimately, I don't think he'll do it. As much of a family guy as he is, I think the competitive fire will still be burning, and at 32, he's going to have to leave an awful lot of money on the table and not just from the Sox. I don't see him pulling a Jamie Moyer and pitching until he can start cashing Social Security checks, but reliable left-handed starting pitchers are just too rare. Now, whether he spends his whole career with the Sox, I'm not sure.

Ah, the joys of being a White Sox fan.

My Five Keys for the White Sox

Over at The Daily Herald Friday, Scot Gregor published his five keys to the upcoming White Sox season. It's a good article that underscores a lot of points that have already been beaten in the ground as the team opens camp in Glendale today. Yes, the Sox are going to lean heavily on their youth movement this year, but truthfully, almost every team in Major League Baseball will filling roster gaps with some unproven kid fresh from the minor leagues. I'm not sure if it's the complete lack of internal player development over the better part of this decade, or the nearly unparallelled run of sustained success the Sox have enjoyed during that stretch that makes it seem like filling holes with rookies is such a novel concept, but on the South Side, it is.

Anyways, getting back to Gregor, in summary, his five keys to this season are:

1. Bartolo Colon
2. Chris Getz or Brent Lillibridge, whoever starts at second
3. Josh Fields
4. Carlos Quentin (mostly, proving that his breakout season in 2008 was legit)
5. Jerry Owens

Now, it's not that I disagree with any of these picks you can (as Gregor shows) make strong cases that the Sox will need solid seasons from these guys if they expect to repeat as division champs. This, however, would not be my Top 5 list, which goes something like:

#1 - Gavin Floyd
Along with John Danks, Gavin Floyd was one of the major reasons the White Sox surprised pundits and fans and eeked into the play-offs. The Sox placed the ball in his hands every 5th game and he didn't disappoint, posting a 17-8 record with a 3.84 ERA in 206.1 IP. Yes, the back end of the rotation sticks out at you like a sore thumb, but for the Sox to even matter in 2009, they'll their front three, Buehrle, Danks, and Floyd to repeat their excellent 2008 campaigns.

Over at FanGraphs, David Golebiewski does a nice job going over several reasons why you can legitimately be concerned about Gavin in '09, his strike-out rate is alarming low and lefties hit him very well. For shits and giggles, I'll add a few more. Gavin's BABIP in 2008 was .259, well below the average that's generally around .300. Generally, it's bad enough when pitchers who pitch to contact are expected to regress back to a league-average BABIP, but that may even be accelerated by the fact the White Sox have questionable defensive players all over the field.

To be fair, there was a lot to like about Gavin's year, too. He was remarkably consistent, and kept his season ERA within 1-point range over his last 27 starts. From May 11 to the end of the season, his low-water mark was 2.92 and his high-water was 3.91. And even though his 2nd half ERA was over a half run higher than his first (4.18 v. 3.55), his peripherals were much better, especially his two most worrisome areas; he struck out more batters and allowed fewer home runs per inning as the season progressed.

There's no doubt that Gavin can continue to grow into the pitcher he seemed destined to become in 2001 when the Phillies drafted him 4th overall but, more so than any other pitcher, the White Sox's season depends on his continued development and another strong season.

#2 - Paul Konerko
In 2006, Paul Konerko hit .313/.381/.551, a very good line that represent his career best at all three stats. Two years later, he struggled through an injury-plagued campaign in which he seemed lost, overmatched, and frankly, over the hill. If you think his final line of .240/.344/.438 was bad, remember that as late as August 12, Konerko was hitting under .220 and had just 11 home runs. If there's reason to be optimistic about Paul in '09, look no further than his last 6 weeks when he hit .292/.396/.625. When healthy, Paul was the rock in the middle of the White Sox lineup we've known for the better part of the 10 seasons he's been here.

It seems to me that Paul's terrible 2008 season can be explained only by bad luck and injuries (more bad luck). His BABIP was .244, almost 40 points below his career norm, and even more shocking his BA on line drives was staggeringly low at .551 (the Major League average is generally around .700). At 33, he may seem like an injury risk, but the 122 games Paul played in 2008 was his lowest total since becoming a full-time player in 1999. Combined with the quality of play down the stretch run of the season (when he was finally healthy), and Paul Konerko becomes a prime candidate for big, comeback year and a rock in the White Sox's lineup.

#3 - Clayton Richard
I'm not 100% sure yet what role Clayton will play for the Sox in 2009, but it looks like it will be a big one. Right now, Richard is slated to be the Sox's fifth starter, but I'm still not so sure how well suited he is for that role. It seems most people fell in love with Richard during his excellent mop-up job in Game 1 of the ALDS, but that performance needs to be taken with a large grain of salt, in 2008, the Rays had the 2nd worst offense in the American League against left-handed pitching.

As it stands now, there's not much about Richard that really gets me excited. His numbers at the Major League level are pretty pedestrian; 6.04 ERA, 1.552 WHIP, and only 5.47 K/ 9 IP (league average = 6.64). What gets me excited about him? He keeps the ball on the ground (essential for surviving in a park like US Cellular Field) and just has a kind of bulldog moxy about him, which makes him an ideal candidate for the bullpen. With Boone Logan thankfully in Atlanta, the Sox have exactly zero left-handed bullpen arms after Matt Thornton. Unfortunately, their lack of depth at starting pitching will probably hurt Richard's development and the team in 2009.

#4 - Jerry Owens
As the frontrunner to land the Sox lead-off spot, Owens will potentially have quite a say in whether or not the Sox swim or sink this year. He's already 28, so it's hard to imagine him getting much better... But if his 2007 season is any indication of his talent, all hope may not be lost. As you may well be aware, the lead-off spot for the Sox was a bit of a problem in 2008. The spot was occupied primarily by Orlando Cabrera (128 G) and Nick Swisher (29), neither of whom fit the "classic lead-off hitter mold." All said, the Sox lead-off hitters combined to hit .274/.339/.372. Not too far off from the .267/.324/.312 line Owens posted in 2007. Though the power is lacking, that's not something in short supply for the Sox.

Owens' speed and the fact that he plays center field is probably enough to qualify him to lead-off for the White Sox in 2009, for better or worse. If he can take instruction well (remember, the Sox turned Scott Podsednik into a dangerous leadoff hitter one year removed from a season in which his OBP was .313) and stay healthy, Owens could at least pass for a lead-off hitter enough for the Sox offense to click.

#5 - AJ Pierzynski
Gavin Floyd is out to prove 2008 was no fluke. Paul Konerko is out to prove he's past 2008's injuries and can still hit. Clayton Richard is out to prove he belongs in the Majors. Jerry Owens is out to prove he can get on base. AJ Pierzynski, on the other hand, has been as reliable as they come, since joining the Sox, averaging 134 games per season. His career averages over 162 games is 14 HR and 74 RBI. So what makes him a key to the season? Well, if you've looked at the White Sox depth chart lately, you'll see they have nothing that resembles a contingency plan in case AJ goes down for any time.

Right now, rookie Cole Armstrong has the inside track to backup Pierzynski in the show. Armstrong's spend three seasons in the White Sox organization and while his numbers have been OK, he's never been viewed as a really exciting prospect. There's still room for growth, as Armstrong will only be 25, but for the most important and physically demanding position in the game, the lack of organizational catching depth is dangerous. During his tenure here, the White Sox have posted a cumulative 4.27 ERA, not great but still very respectable. Undoubtedly, the staff has developed a strong rapport with AJ, and while that would be impossible to reproduce with any other catcher, it's likely the process would be twice as difficult if they were weaning in a rookie.

Three Farmhands Make BP's Top 100 Prospects List

Baseball Prospectus's Kevin Goldstein just released his Top 100 Prospects list. The White Sox landed 3 players; #38 Gordon Beckham, #74 Aaron Poreda, and #99 Brandon Allen. OK, that's not as impressive a feat as, say, the Orioles who landed three prospects in the Top 20, but given that the White Sox's farm system was a mess a year ago, it's still commendable. I don't have a BP subscription, so I can't read the rest of the article, but I've also read whispers that say Goldstein rated both Viciedo and Flowers as "near misses," due to the difficulty projecting them; Viciedo because his skills are still so unknown and Flowers because nobody trusts him defensively.

Some notes...

• Six players from the 2008 Draft are ranked ahead of Beckham, including Justin Smoak, the power hitting first baseman from the University of South Carolina who was drafted by Texas. Smoak, as you may remember, was the other player the Sox were considering with their pick. He is also the only player drafted after Beckham in 2008 that precedes him on this list. The other five 2008 draftees are Pedro Alvarez (PIT), Buster Posey (SF), Tim Beckham (TB), Eric Hosmer (KC), and Brian Matusz (BAL).
• Another name you'll recognize on this list is Oakland's Chris Carter, ranked #41. Carter was drafted by the White Sox in 2005, but was traded to Arizona last year for Carlos Quentin. If you're wondering, he wound up with Oakland a few weeks later as part of the deal that sent Dan Haren to the Diamondbacks.
• The AL Central received very little love. Only 11 prospects from our division made the cut (if distribution was even, we'd have gotten 16 or 17). The Tigers had the best prospect in the division, Ricky Porcello (#7), but that was their only appearance on the Top 100.
• Surprisingly, the Royals only placed 2 prospects in the Top 100, Eric Hosmer (#18) and Mike Moustakas (#21). The Royals have had Top 10 picks in the June Draft every year but once since 1997. They've also nine supplemental pick first/sandwich round picks in that time.
• Cleveland matched the Sox's 3 players in the Top 100, Matt LaPorta (30), Carlos Santana (33), and Nick Weglarz. Minnesota's 2 are Ben Revere (36) and Aaron Hicks (39).

The Palehose returns

One of the best things about being a Sox fan in recent years has been the wonderful work of Carl Skanberg, whose Palehose comics have been fresh and entertaining through the good times and the bad. He will chronicle the adventures of Don Guillote through the 2009 season in Palehose 9.

If you've never seen his work, check it out.

2008-09 White Sox Off-Season Recap

Can you feel it? The days are longer, the weather is warmer, football has once again disappeared... Birds are singing, bees are trying to have sex with them... As is my understanding. There's a tinge of Spring in the air and, just as it should be, Spring Training will begin in camps across Florida and Arizona.

Of course, the 2008 White Sox were division champs and had one of the most bizarre seasons in franchise history. For all the inconsistency and dissapointment, they sure were quite a lot of fun. As the Sox prepare for their 2009 campaign, it's time to look back on the successes and failures of this off-season.

Key Acquisitions

• IF Jayson Nix; FA/Rockies
• IF Wilson Betemit; Trade/Yankees
• RHP Jeff Marquez; Trade/Yankees
• RHP Kelvin Jimenez; Waivers/Blue Jays
• C Tyler Flowers; Trade/Braves
• IF Brent Lillibridge; Trade/Braves
• 3B Dayan Viciedo; FA/Cuba
• RHP Bartolo Colon; FA/Red Sox

Key Departures

• OF Ken Griffey, Jr.; FA/Unsigned
• C Toby Hall; FA/Astros
• OF-1B Nick Swisher; Trade/Yankees
• RHP Javier Vazquez; Trade/Braves
• LHF Boone Logan; Trade/Braves
• 3B Joe Crede; FA/Unsigned
• SS Orlando Cabrera; FA/Unsigned
• IF Juan Uribe; FA/Giants

Though there was some turnover and the Sox are admittedly trying to get younger and faster, but the core of the team that won 89 games and the division last year returns completely intact. Whether or not the Sox can successfully rebuild while competing rests quite a bit on the '08-'09 off-season. Here's how they did...

Goal #1 - Move away from the "Home Run-or-Nothing" Style of Offense

The above graph shows how much each American League team depended on the home run to score in 2008. As you can see, the notion that the White Sox were an "all or nothing" offense is very true. Over 47% of the White Sox's runs in 2008 scored via the home run (view all the data here, thanks to Baseball-Reference's awesome Play Index). The difference between them and #2 (Detroit) was almost 10%, which is the same difference as between Detroit and #13 (Kansas City). Obviously something was wrong with the White Sox's offense.

The White Sox's answer to this problem was to try to get younger, faster, and sleeker. They dumped Nick Swisher and Javier Vazquez for prospects and left a lot of spots on the roster open, such as second base, to younger talent rather than sign older, more experience veterans, like Orlando Hudson. While the idea was good, the execution still leaves a lot to be desired. Do you really see this team sustaining exciting rallies, or do you see the Sox relying on the same brand of station-to-station baseball punctuated by the long ball? While this off-season may have set the Sox on a better course for 2010 and beyond, it's hard to see this year's version differing much than last with their approach at the plate.

Goal #2 - Rebuild the Farm System

When the Sox acquired Nick Swisher from Oakland last off season, the trade depleted the White Sox farm system. Though work is not yet done (ESPN's Keith Law still ranked the organization in the lower half of baseball), the White Sox have done a marvelous job of adding a lot of talent to their farm system. According to Mark Gonzales, Baseball America's Top 10 Prospect list for the White Sox will be:

1. Gordon Beckam
2. Dayan Viciedo
3. Aaron Poreda
4. Tyler Flowers
5. Clayton Richard
6. Brandon Allen
7. Jordan Danks
8. Brent Lillibridge
9. Chris Getz
10. John Shelby, Jr.

The bolded names are players who have been added to the organization within the past year. Five of the Top 8 prospects in the White Sox farm system have been added via the draft and trades. Considering the disarray the White Sox's farm system was in just a year ago, the turnaround has been stunning.

Goal #3 - Stay Competitive During a Phase of Rebuilding

This relates to the first two goals, but that has been the mantra of Kenny Williams over the past year. The White Sox's average age in 2008 was 30.5 for positional players and 28.3 for pitchers, third oldest and sixth oldest in the American League respectively. The writing was on the wall, for the Sox to maintain their level of success on the field, they would need to start getting younger. Instead of tearing the walls down and starting from square 1, Williams has decided to take a more modest approach. While it's easy to say pushing the restart button on the franchise is the better approach, I disagree, and I think the Sox's brass does, too.

Since the advent of the Wild Card, baseball's play-offs have turned into a complete crapshoot. Simply having the best team is no guarantee of success. Few people will argue that the Cubs were the best team in the National League in 2008, and they barely competed in their 3-game sweep to the Dodgers. Likewise, the 2006 Cardinals barely qualified for the play-offs but caught lightning in the bottle at the right time and won the whole thing, beating three better teams in consecutive short series. The point is that right now the Central division is not too imposing. Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota, and Kansas City all have fatal flaws that keep them from running away with the pack. While the Sox could have packed it in for the next few years while trying to build a juggernaut, the plan looks to keep the team respectable while slowly building from the inside. The goal of any organization, I'm convinced, should be to make the play-offs, because after that really anything can happen. To throw away the window of opportunity that is available would be a mistake.

Conclusion

Overall, in the long run the White Sox seem to have positioned themselves well this off-season. They've added youth, replaced a few parts that didn't quite fit, and put themselves on a road to sustained success. How many wins that will translate to in 2009, however, I'm not sure. The Sox failed to add adequate pitching depth and a lead-off hitter, two necessary ingredients to the 2005 team that brought home a trophy. Whether it was Williams' unwillingness to depart from his plan or budget constraints, we'll never know, but for all the good the Sox seem to have done since the final out of 2008, a lot of that will be forgotten if these key and prominent holes are the ultimate undoing of this team.

Joe Crede, You are Dead to Us

The White Sox recently updated the Roster section of the official page, revealing the number assignments for the newbies. The new numbers of note are:

• #5 - Jayson Nix
• #15 - Wilson Betemit
• #17 - Chris Getz (a change from last year when he donned #39)
• #18 - Brent Lillibridge
• #38 - Cole Armstrong
• #40 - Bartolo Colon
• #48 - Jeff Marquez
• #57 - Kelvin Jimenez

However, one of the new numbers that really caught me by surprise was Dayan Viciedo taking #24. Take that Crede, you haven't even found a new team yet and we're giving your number to a guy who plays the same position as you. Seems like one last dig at Joe for their messy divorce. Now, I'm probably overreacting and I probably take number assignments too seriously, but my immediate reaction was still, "Wow, that was fast." Of course, upon further research, I remembered that the Sox gave away Aaron Rowand's number the first season after his trade to Philadelphia, even though he and the Sox seperated amicably. But at least Javier was an established vet who didn't play center field.

Confirmed: Angels sign Bobby Abreu

The speculation can end, Bobby Abreu and the Angels agreed to a 1-year, $5 million deal this morning. The thing I can't understand is how everyone in LA is going to get playing time. Their outfield was crowded before they signed Abreu, but now you have to find a way to squeeze 5 guys into 4 spots.

The reprocussion for the White Sox, of course, is that this should pretty much kill all lingering Jermaine Dye trade rumors. The Sox were already having a hard enough time moving him with the current oversaturation of available corner outfielders, and now it looks like he'll be able to finish his contract in Chicago (unless, of course, the Sox tank this year and someone waves an attractive trade offer at Williams).

4 more days until Spring Training... 4 more days until Spring Training..

Keeping Tabs on Free Agents of Interest

As anyone who follows baseball knows, this has been one of the strangest off-seasons in quite some time. We're just a few days from Spring Training and a plethora of quality players remain unemployed, struggling to find work in a sport that clearly was unprepared for the effect this down economy would have on it (nice giving Raul Ibanez that 3-year, $30+ million contract, Philadelphia. No way does that deal look terrible now). The the White Sox have repeatedly said they're not interested in adding more dollars to their self-imposed budget, they've still been linked to a number of free agents in the recent months and weeks. Plus, there are still several high-profile former Sox free agents out there whose decisions have very real consequences for the organization.

BOBBY ABREU
No more than a week ago, multiple sources had the Sox floating an $8 million offer to Abreu, but that deal always seemed to hinge on the Sox's ability to move Jermaine Dye, a task that has probably proved to be impossible as the corner outfield market is completely oversaturated.

• The Mariners had also always been discussed as a possibly landing spot for Abreu, but even local Seattle writers have come to terms that the M's will most likely have to look at cheaper options like Ken Griffey, Jr. (more on him later) or Garret Anderson
• Both Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal and some guy at Yahoo! Sports agree that the Angels and Abreu have just about agreed on a deal, even though Los Angeles seems to already have 10 other outfielders.

ORLANDO CABRERA
As the only Type A free agent the Sox lost this off-season, we've all be anxiously awaiting for Cabrera to land somewhere to resolve the question of what draft pick compensation we'd get. After waiting and waiting, there was even some speculation that Cabrera wouldn't sign anywhere until after the June draft, nulling the Sox's compensation and fittingly ending his turbulent time on the South Side with one final "screw you."

• Though nobody's talking, it looks like there is a renewed interest between Cabrera and the A's, but uh, good luck landing a contract in the range of $10 million.
• At least this guy's on our side: Local writer Bruce Jenkins points out the reasons why Cabrera would be a good fit in Oakland. Really, I just want someone to sign the guy.

JOE CREDE

• I have no idea what planet Joe Crede or Scott Boras live on, but the snag in Crede's negotiations are supposedly because Crede has been asking for a deal worth around $7 million/year. What! So far, the only teams that have looked remotely interested are the Giants and Twins, but even the Yankees would laugh off giving a guy whose chronic back problems have cost him over 1/2 his games the past 2 seasons $7 million per year.
• That said, this guy from Minnesota thinks the Twins should still try and sign Crede. When healthy, Joe can still hit and the Achilles' Heel for the Twins lately has been the lack of power in their lineup.

ORLANDO HUDSON
Before last season ended and even into this off-season, Hudson was consistently linked to the White Sox and for natural reasons, he would be one of the high OBP guys that could hit at the top of the order that we're sorely lacking, plus he plays a defensive position that we have no real answer for. The main concern was some nagging injury issues, but it seemed like a classic KW "wait and swoop"-type deal; Hudson would sit around, let his value depreciate a bit and the Sox would come knocking with an offer to help him redeem himself.

• About a week ago, Hudson was a guest on MLB Network's Hot Stove and he named four teams that have been showing him interest; the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Nationals.
• Earlier today, the Cardinals released Adam Kennedy, their starting second baseman for much of the past 2 seasons. Despite not having any real solution to their now void second base position, the Cardinals don't seem interested in bringing in any veteran players. Still, this feels like a developing situation that may yield some news yet.
• And finally, tonight, the Dodgers reportedly were set to make a big splash in the free agent market and could possibly sign deals with both Hudson and Manny Ramirez by the end of the week.

KEN GRIFFEY, JR

• Still feeling the effects of the incredible amount of available outfielders, but he's still waiting. As noted earlier, there's a strong possibility he'll return to Seattle.

FRANK THOMAS

• There's been so little interest in the Big Hurt, the best I could find was this post from a Yankees' fan blog that is roughly 95% not about him. After hitting only .240/.349/.374 in 71 gamed between Toronto and Oakland, it looks like the well may have finally run dry.

RAY DURHAM
Obviously, a former Sox All-Star but the free agent second baseman has been getting very little looks, which is surprising. He's not a Type A or B free agent, so he won't cost you draft picks and aside from his down year in 2007 (that now looks very much like a fluke... there's a good article at Fangraphs that backs my argument), Durham has been a consistent and productive offensive player. Can you think of any teams that are in need of a second baseman who can do a little with the bat? I can, the White Sox!

• The best offer it seems that Ray has recieved was a minor league deal to come to the Nationals' Spring Training to compete for a roster spot. The deal, worth $850,000 if he made the Nats' 25-man roster, was rejected and Durham has openly mulled retirement if he doesn't get an offer he feels is worth his time.
• The only other person I can find that seems to think Durham would be a nice fit for his 2B-less team is Bob Dutton, the Royals' beat writer over at the Kansas City Star.

IVAN RODRIGUEZ
I'm not sure how true the rumors ever were that linked the 1999 American League MVP to the Sox; most of them seemed to be the work of guys who noticed the fit between the two parties; the Sox have no real concrete options to backup AJ Pierzynski and Rodriguez is a veteran catcher, struggling to find work, who also happens to hit on the opposite side ot the plate as AJ.

• There were originally some reports that said the Marlins were not interested in brining back Rodriguez, but that's not true says Marlins' owner Jeffrey Loria.
• Because they're still the Marlins, though, a few days later is was reported that the Fish would indeed be willing to bring in some veteran talent, but couldn't spend more than $400,000 on them.

SCOTT PODSEDNIK

• Will be in Tuscson next week, trying to earn a roster spot with the Rockies again.

BEN BROUSSARD
Remember this guy? Three years ago, he hit 21 combined home runs with Cleveland and Seattle but since his power has mysteriously vanished (I'm not saying, I'm just saying) and his career has crashed and burned. He's played only 125 games in 2007 and 2008 combined, and had signed minor league deals with both the Cubs and Yankees in 2008, getting released soon thereafter both times.

• Well, the White Sox brought him abroad today, inking Broussard to a 1-year minor-league deal. I actually don't mind the move, it gives the Sox good organizational depth at 1B/DH in case Jim Thome or Paul Konerko break down, allowing more promising youngsters like Brandon Allen the chance to continue their development in the minors instead of being rushed to the Majors.
  

Update: Here's Baseball Prospectus's Complete Projected Standings

Last night I mentioned that BP released it's projected standings for the 2009 season and I was just waiting to find them online before I could comment. Well, here they are. I know the Sox and their fans will probably take it as a slight that we're picked to finish dead last in the Central, but I really don't think that's the case. The Central is very tightly packed, the Sox are only projected 5 games behind 2nd place Minnesota and 10 games behind projected champ Cleveland. Look at the rest of the divisions. The Orioles are projected to finish 32 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. The Pirates are projected 30 games behind the Cubs. A 10-game swing is not that unreasonable, last year five American League teams posted 5-game or greater differences from their Pythagorean record, and two more had 4-game differences.

Now, that said, this does underscore that even casual, national observers can tell that the Sox have some serious holes to plug. Spring Training kicks off Sunday in Glendale and the Sox still have not addressed some of their problems. While it's nice to think all of them can be fixed internally, the Sox's recent player development history makes me believe otherwise.

Anyways, when combined with yesterday's predictions from Cleveland, the running sum of combined AL Central predictions is:

1. Minnesota (average preditced position: 1.5)
2. Cleveland (2.0)
3. WHITE SOX (3.5)
4. Detroit (3.5)
5. Royals (4.5)
   

On Alex Rodriguez, Steroids, and Why it's Still My Game

I generally don't venture too far away from the White Sox on this blog, but it's hard to be a baseball fan this day in age and not have the cloud of steroids weigh on you eventually, even more so since Saturday's revelation that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for various, illegal drugs in 2003. I've tried to remain as cynical as possible about the level of steroid abuse in the game, but I'll admit that even I was caught off guard by these allegations. Alex Rodriguez? The same guy that was labeled as the next great ballplayer when he was in high school? The guy that hit 36 home runs in 1996; as a 20-year-old in his first full season? He never looked the part; while Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire's biceps looked like they were going to explode out of their arm, even now, A-Rod has always looked like a toned, fit athlete, not a freak bodybuilder. Even for all the criticism that's come his way; he's never given off the same douchebag vibe like Roger Clemens or Bonds. No, even as I tried to convince myself that this really was a league-wide problem and I shouldn't be shocked at any name that is linked to steroid abuse, Saturday's bombshell was just that.

So where to go? The simple thing would be to throw my hands up, say I'm fed up with the game, and try to walk away. But I just can't. Even back in the late-90s and early-00s, the height of the Steroid Era, the same beauty and rhythm of the game was there. While maybe some of the memories are now tarnished (like the McGwire/Sosa Race for 62 in 1998), to say that an entire era is now clouded is false. It was still the same game.

I think its naïve to believe this trend will ever be curbed. I'm sorry, there's too much money to be had by power players. Pitchers who can touch 100 on the gun and hitters who can hit 40 home runs per year are just too in demand. As long as that demand exists, a supply will, too. A new wave of undetectable drugs will be created to satisfy tomorrow's heroes, and when they fall, the cycle will continue. To some, this is the grim reality of all sports, not just baseball. In the end, however, the game remains unchanged, and what occurs between the two white chalk lines is the same as it was 100, 50, or 10 years ago.

We'll never truly know how deep, or for how long, steroid abuse has been a part of baseball. Scientists first started working on anabolic steroids in the 1940s. If you really believe baseball was a clean and pure game until Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire showed up, we'll have to agree to disagree. The difference in the game then and now is not in the character and integrity of the players, rather, in the availability of information. An average American can now access more data from the palms of their hands than someone could get from a whole library. Both good and bad will be revealed, and frankly, people want dirt, secrets, and scandal.

So my love affair with the game will continue, probably unabated. I don't feel as if my sacred trust has been violated. It's a game. It's entertainment. It gives me a few hours to relax from the worries of day-to-day life. As an institution, baseball has survived worse scandals in its past and will likely face more in its future. As a game, it remains the same athletic ballet I remember as a kid and sucker or not, I'll always be hooked.

Let the Pre-Season Predictions Begin!

Well, we're still a few days away from the first practice pitch of Spring Training, but several folks are jumping on the prediction bandwagon early. I've read some reports that say Baseball Prospectus picked the Sox dead last in the Central in 2009 based on their PECOTA predictions, but I can't find a good, free site that legally publishes those numbers. If someone knows of a place I can see the 2009 PECOTA predictions without paying for them, I could comment, otherwise, I'll have to wait until sometime in the next few weeks to buy Baseball Prospectus 2009.

Also, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer has published its predictions (still seems a bit early, especially in a division like the Central with so many roster spots up for grabs, but whatever) and they've put their money on the Twins. They've got the Sox in second, Tribe in third, Tigers fourth, and Kansas City bringing up the rear. I'll try to keep an eye out for other predictions and see if we can't keep a running summary of the many, many expert opinions that will soon flood the baseball talk landscape.

Manny Ramirez Saga Affecting White Sox?

Earlier today, Manny Ramirez spurned the Dodgers' 1-year, $25 million contract offer. Despite what they're saying, I think this means LA is all but done dealing with the slugging free agent. Supposedly, now they've turned their attention to Adam Dunn and Orlando Hudson. Hudson, you may remember, was a free agent favorite of Kenny Williams since at least last year. And though, over the weekend, ESPN reported the White Sox weren't going to be signing any more free agents this off-season, today there are reports the Sox have offered a 1-year contract to Bobby Abreu. The Abreu offer is supposedly worth around $8 million for 2009 and it would likely mean Jermaine Dye will be moved before Opening Day, saving the Sox another $3.5 million. Now, Hudson did make almost double that amount in 2008 ($6.25 million), but in this buyer's market, it wouldn't be shocking to see him not get a much better offer. Aside from plugging a major hole in the Sox's defensive lineup, he'd bring another veteran, high OBP-guy that the Sox are currently drooling over.