4 Reasons the White Sox Are Darkhorse Contenders for the Playoffs

The MLB season is off and running, with teams scrambling to get off to a good start. For the Chicago White Sox, it has been a mix of very good and somewhat concerning.

Just the fact that many people projected the White Sox finishing in the bottom part of the American League shows that that they are better than many predicted.

Here are some reasons why the White Sox are a darkhorse for the playoffs.

Strong Starting Rotation

The White Sox starting rotation has looked great so far this season, minus their current series with the Boston Red Sox. 

The only starter having any real problems thus far has been John Danks, who has a 6.23 ERA.

Other than him, the other four starters have been very good.

Jake Peavy has returned to the form that earned him All-Star honors and big money. He is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA to start the season, shutting down all comers.

Phil Humber threw a perfect game against the Seattle Mariners as the fifth rotational starter, Chris Sale has proven to be the best new starter in the league and Gavin Floyd has put up solid enough numbers to garner victories.

Great Bullpen

The White Sox bullpen may be the most underrated in baseball, as they combine solid veterans and promising up-and-comers to secure wins.

The closer, Hector Santiago, has struggled in his last couple outings, but he possesses the pitch variation to stump hitters. His screwball is a brilliant pitch, and when it is moving well, it is virtually unhittable.

Add to that the fact that Addison Reed and Matt Thornton have been dominant in their respective roles, and you have secure leads going into the ninth. 

Nate Jones and Jesse Crain have also been very good as well, rounding out a dominant bullpen.

Resurgence of Rios and Dunn

The White Sox's early success has been helped by the solid starts by Adam Dunn and Alex Rios. Both are coming off dismal seasons where they did not do much to help produce for the team.

Dunn is batting .233, which is not particularly good, but seeing as he batted .159 last season, it's a drastic increase. He already has four home runs and seven doubles, which has been a promising sign for the struggling utility man.

Rios is batting .333, using his hot bat to get on base. Last season, Rios batted only .227, which saw him turn in a very unproductive season.

This season, it looks like these two are earning their paychecks. 

Heart of the Order

The heart of the White Sox's order has been highly productive for the team thus far.

Paul Konerko, Alex Rios and AJ Pierzynski are all batting in the .300s, combining for 10 home runs, 39 RBI and 14 extra-base hits. Their hot starts have fueled the White Sox offense.

Alejandro de Aza has proven to be a reliable leadoff man, Adam Dunn has produced and Kosuke Fukudome has had solid production off the bench.

If the offense can continue, the White Sox will be a threat in the American League.