Chicago White Sox 2008 Preview

Who turned out the lights? Since winning a World Series in 2005 and jumping off to a 56–29 start in 2006, the Chicago White Sox have stumbled along at a .444 winning percentage, barely avoiding last place in the American League Central last season. The most troubling aspect about the slide is that there’s no event to trace it to. The problems in 2006 were mostly tied to the pitching staff, which saw its earned run average jump from a remarkable 3.61 in the championship season to 4.61, but the biggest failing in 2007 was a collapse of the lineup, which finished at the bottom of the AL in scoring, batting average and on-base percentage. It’s difficult to envision how the Sox can compete against Cleveland and Detroit, but management hopes for another run with an aging corps of players.

Rotation 
Because Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez didn’t seek riches on the free agent market, the White Sox continue to pivot around a veteran group of starters, with only Jon Garland and Freddy Garcia missing from recent years. Buehrle pitched like his old self, bouncing back from a down 2006 to throw a no-hitter while delivering his seventh straight season of 200-plus innings, and Vazquez somehow went 15–8 on a team that was 18 games under .500. Buehrle and Vazquez are asked to match Cleveland’s combo of C.C. Sabathia-Fausto Carmona and Detroit’s tandem of Justin Verlander-Jeremy Bonderman. The Sox need to see a turnaround from Jose Contreras, who contributed more than his share to the team’s fourth-place finish last season. The final two spots in the rotation are uncertain, but lefty John Danks and righthander Gavin Floyd will begin the season in those roles.

Statistician
1,459	Career walks for Jim Thome, which ranks 19th all time.
.243	American League-worst batting average for the Sox with men in scoring position.
.280	On-base percentage for Andy Gonzalez last year, the worst of any big leaguer with 200 plate appearances.
213	Strikeouts by Javier Vazquez, which ranked fourth in the AL.
.174	Average for right-handed hitters against side-arming righthander Ehren Wassermann.
107	Career wins for Mark Buehrle. He became only the fifth pitcher in White Sox history to pile up his first 100 victories wearing a Sox uniform.

Bullpen 
Bobby Jenks has established himself as one of the most reliable closers in the majors. He’s also been one of the game’s best bargains, but that will change soon if he continues his dominance. The question for the White Sox is getting leads into Jenks’ hands, which is why they gave Scott Linebrink $19 million over four years. He’s being paid as one of the game’s best setup men but must answer questions about the impact of high workloads on his arm. Matt Thornton and Mike MacDougal were both very effective setup men in front of Jenks in the second half of 2006. Ehren Wasserman and Boone Logan are the best bets to fill out the bullpen.

Middle Infield 
Orlando Cabrera, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for Garland, represents a major upgrade over Juan Uribe, who had come to represent the all-or-nothing approach of the lineup. The move to U.S. Cellular, and the chance to hit in front of the White Sox’ veteran 3-4-5 trio, could allow Cabrera to reach triple figures in runs scored and driven in, a feat only one middle infielder (Chase Utley) did a year ago. Near the end of spring training, Uribe looked like the starting second baseman. Rookie Alexei Ramirez had a strong spring and will get some opportunities early in the season. He is one of the better athletes on the team.

Corners 
Strength on the corners was a hallmark of the White Sox during their championship season in 2005. But both Paul Konerko and Joe Crede took significant steps backward a year ago, with Crede’s back surgery the biggest blow. Crede has the opportunity to play everyday, but should he struggle, Josh Fields is a capable replacement.  Konerko had raised his batting average three years in a row before the 2007 drop. He’s a good bet to bounce back. He and Buehrle are the most reliable players on the roster.

Outfield 
General Manager Ken Williams solidified a weakness by trading for Nick Swisher. The price was steep — three of the organization’s top five prospects — but Swisher gives the Sox a rising star with some pop in his bat. Swisher, who split time between center field, right field and first base in Oakland, will likely land in left in Chicago. Veteran Jermaine Dye slumped in the first half of ’07, feeling the pressure of a contract year. He nevertheless received an extension. Jerry Owens will begin the season as the center fielder. The newly acquired Carlos Quentin will battle for at-bats as well. Owens is a speedster who has had minor league OBPs between, .330 and .393 the last four years. Quentin is a former first-round pick.

Catching 
The hyperactive A.J. Pierzynski is happiest when he’s playing and continues to show that he’s capable of handling a heavy workload. The White Sox added Toby Hall a year ago in an effort to rest Pierzynski more, but a spring injury to Hall forced Pierzynski to play 136 games. Pierzynski, who signed a contract extension the last weekend of the season, has just enough power to justify a free-swinging approach. He works well with pitchers, though he threw out only 16.2 percent of basestealers. Hall’s shoulder injury ruined his 2007 season and raises questions about his future effectiveness.

DH/Bench 
Thome crossed the 500-homer threshold in 2007 and hardly runs on fumes. He elevated his production in the second half of last season and figures to be the White Sox’ most dangerous hitter again this season, assuming he can stay healthy. A 100-plus RBI season from Thome would go a long way toward helping the Sox’ chances. Uribe, Ramirez and Pablo Ozuna add depth to the infield. It’s difficult to see how the Sox will have enough hitting off the bench to follow through on a plan to have Fields spend the season working on his fielding with Triple-A Charlotte.

Statline Most "Perfect" Saves in 2007 No baserunners allowed in appearance of at least one inning
1.	Bobby Jenks	21
2.	Francisco Cordero	20
3t.	Trevor Hoffman	19
3t.	Jonathan Papelbon	19
3t.	J.J. Putz	19
3t.	Jose Valverde	19

Management 
Owner Jerry Reinsdorf is known for his loyalty, but that loyalty is being tested by the White Sox’ drastic falloff since the championship season in 2005. Williams was the architect of that team, and has been close to Reinsdorf since he left Stanford to try pro baseball, so it’s unlikely he’ll take the heat if the slide continues. That means that manager Ozzie Guillen and his coaches, especially pitching coach Don Cooper and hitting coach Greg Walker, will be under the gun to produce with a flawed roster.

Final Analysis 
Rebuilding would have been the wise thing to do, but Williams continued to build up the White Sox’ payroll, stubbornly trying to recapture some lost magic. Adding Cabrera and Swisher will help, but the Sox are still left with a lineup that pales alongside those in Detroit and Cleveland. The organization’s stated goal is a return to the playoffs, but the realistic target might be third place in baseball’s best division.

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Difference Maker

As the White Sox’ best fielder, the popular Joe Crede returns from back surgery for what could be his last season in Chicago. He was badly missed in the field after going on the disabled list. His troubles at the plate — a 67-point drop from the .283 he batted in 2006 — in April and May helped set the tone for a lineup that essentially disintegrated in 2007, falling from third in the AL at 5.4 runs per game to last with 4.3 per game. Crede is a quiet leader who will be looking to build his value in next winter’s free agent class.

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Beyond the Box Score

Mr. No-No  Mark Buehrle, who allowed opponents to hit .305 in 2006, no-hit the Texas Rangers on April 18. He faced only 27 hitters, picking Sammy Sosa off first base after walking him in the fifth inning. It was the second time in his career he had faced 27 hitters in a complete-game victory.

Perfect plus  Closer Bobby Jenks tied the major league record by retiring 41 consecutive hitters from July 17 through Aug. 12. The streak encompassed 14 outings, and broke the American League record, which had been held by David Wells. During the streak, he made 13 consecutive perfect outings of at least one inning, the longest such streak since 1957.

Beginner’s luck?  Josh Fields led AL rookies with 23 homers (and hit 33 between Triple-A and Chicago). Jerry Owens led major league rookies with 32 stolen bases (and stole 55 bases between Triple-A and Chicago).

10 homers shy  The White Sox were second in the AL with 190 home runs, ending a run of seven consecutive seasons with 200-plus homers. They had shared the record with the New York Yankees, but the Yankees made it eight years in a row by hitting 201. The Sox are third in the majors with 1,735 homers since 2000, eight fewer than the Yankees and two less than Texas.

A long way back  After trailing 10–4 in the ninth inning, the White Sox rallied to beat Minnesota 11–10 in 13 innings on Sept. 7, the first time in franchise history that the Sox scored six runs in the ninth to win or tie a game.

Iron Skillet Award  Jose Contreras made six errors, the most of any big league pitcher. Brandon Webb (5) and Dontrelle Willis (5) were the only others to have more than four.

Forget about it  Opponents have stolen only 31 bases off Mark Buehrle in his eight seasons, while 44 runners have been caught stealing. Fewer than 10 runners per year try to steal against Buehrle, who has picked off 52 runners.

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