The final two spots in the bullpen have not been determined yet. Nick Masset, Mike MacDougal, and Ehren Wassermann are all competing for those final spots and a decision has not been reached yet.
Masset is out of options and likely will make the team. He was another piece of the Brandon McCarthy trade that also brought Danks over from Texas after the 2006 season and the organization is very high on him. He throws a good, low-to-mid-90's fastball with average breaking pitches and still has a ways to go before he can be a starting pitcher in the majors like the Sox believe he can be.
If the Sox are looking for a long reliever and spot starter, Masset is their best option. They might as well try him in the majors, and if he struggles, the Sox probably will just waive him.
Mike MacDougal was absolutely atrocious last year. If he didn't walk the batter, he would get the count to 3-1 before laying a fat fastball right down the middle for a hitter to crush for a home run.
After struggling early in spring training, MacDougal lowered his ERA to 4.60 after a scoreless inning against Milwaukee March 26. If he can regain the limited command he had before 2007, he could return the form he had in 2006 and earlier, but that's a big "if". The good news about MacDougal is that he still has a minor league option left, so if he struggles, he could be sent down.
Wassermann is my bet to be the odd man out of this group despite being the best pitcher of the three. Wassermann is a rare "ROOGY" (right-handed one out guy) and an ever rarer major leaguer signed out of a tryout camp who held righties to a .174 batting average over 69 at-bats last year.
He didn't have much success against lefties, however, who hit .533 against him in 15 at-bats. In the end, I think Ozzie Guillen will want to pick somebody who can be regularly used against righties and lefties, and MacDougal and Masset fit that role more than Wassermann.
That doesn't mean Wassermann will toil in the minors all season, though. I think think he'll appear in around 40 or so games at the MLB level if MacDougal or Masset can't cut it at the MLB level.
While this bullpen certainly is improved from last year, guys like Thornton, MacDougal, and Masset likely will struggle more often than not. Logan has the potential for a breakout year, but he also could see himself struggle. If Linebrink and Dotel struggle, too, then it'll all be back to square one for this White Sox bullpen.
Bullpen grade: B-
Lineup
With Jerry Owens pulling his best Scott Podsednik impression (no, not stealing 59 bases and leading a team to a World Series, but having a nagging groin injury), Nick Swisher will lead off and play centerfield while Owens is on the disabled list.
So, for the first couple of weeks of the season, Swisher will lead off. If Owens returns and struggles or goes back on the disabled list, Swisher could see significant time as the White Sox leadoff hitter throughout 2008.
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