The message from Williams and The Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is loud and clear: “Win Now”. Will it work? In my opinion, it won’t depend on what the new players’ do, but rather what production the certain established veterans already on the team will provide.
The Good –
Good Vibrations: It appears that all of the B.S. drama between Kenny and manager Ozzie Guillen has been buried, or at the very least taken a big back seat to the larger task at hand. Konerko admitted in a radio interview, that the tension between Williams and Guillen last season WAS in fact a distraction that affected the ballclub in a negative way. Kenny and Ozzie seem determined for that to not be the case in 2011, and so far there has been nothing but harmony between the two. That harmony will need to continue for this season to be a success.
Other than the freakish case of Jake Peavy, the White Sox had a very injury free Spring Training. I believe that’s a very positive sign. If you don’t believe that sort of thing is important, go ask the St. Louis Cardinals or Philadelphia Phillies if health in Spring Training matters. The overall team won-loss record of Spring Training doesn’t look good, but I’ll take the relatively dull Disabled List any day.
Balance: While Adam Dunn theoretically gives the Sox tremendous On Base and Slugging Percentages, specifically from the left side of the plate, they still aren’t a one dimensional, station-to-station base running team thanks to players like Juan Pierre, Alexei Ramirez, and Alex Rios. So while they should be able to hit close to 200 home runs again, the lineup will also have the ability to manufacture runs, should the need arise.
The Bad –
Bullpen Questions: For as much affinity that I have for Matt Thornton, he is still an unknown now that he’s the official White Sox closer. He has the stuff to be the closer, but I can’t consider him “bankable” simply because he hasn’t done it full time. I also feel the same way about Chris Sale. While Sale certainly was impressive last season, he’s also far from “bankable” in his role especially since his role has not been clearly defined for him yet. Jesse Crain should be ok, but I’m distrustful of Will Ohman. It will be very interesting to see if this bullpen equation works the way it’s been designed.
Teahen/Morel: The two-headed monster that will occupy third base for the White Sox this season. Morel has been named the starter, and he’s been instructed not to worry about his hitting, but he instead should focus on maintaining his excellent defense. That sounds EXACTLY like what they told Brian “She’s New” Anderson in 2006, and we obviously know that movie didn’t have a happy ending. I’m concerned the same thing will happen with Morel. Teahen has been one of Kenny Williams failures thus far. I didn’t mind that Kenny traded for him, but there was no need to give Teahen a three year extension when he didn’t have to? Teahen can hit, but he’s a butcher in the field, while the opposite appears true for Morel. Personally I think going with Morel is the right way to go, but I’ve been wrong before…
Prediction –
This White Sox team has been predicted by some to win the AL Central this season. I will not be one of them. For the past ten seasons now, the Twins always find a way to make life hell for the Sox. I have no reason to believe that won’t continue in 2011.
Still for the White Sox to get over the hump, I believe it will come down to not only the bullpen performing at a high level, but Gordon Beckham taking the next step and becoming an All-Star this season will need to happen as well. I’m convinced that Beckham is the lynchpin of this team, and it’s not a coincidence in my view that as he struggled in the first two months of last season, so did the White Sox. I’ve got the White Sox down for 85 wins, on the caveat that if Beckham fulfills his promise (and to a lesser degree Carlos Quentin), and the bullpen does what it needs to, I believe the Sox finally win the division for the first time since 2008.
No comments:
Post a Comment