Chicago White Sox: Is This Team Capable of Pulling off a Playoff Surprise?

The Chicago White Sox trimmed payroll following a disappointing 2011 season. The team's marketing slogan for 2012 is "Appreciate The Game." Expectations have been lowered considerably from a year ago.

That doesn't mean that the White Sox aren't capable of making it an interesting summer, does it?

Chicago let Mark Buehrle walk via free agency and traded away all-star Carlos Quentin and closer Sergio Santos. Youth is the order of the day at several positions. This isn't a team that is making a push for the playoffs.

Or is it? Allow me some latitude, but could this be one of those rare summers where everything comes together and the South Side raises a AL Central banner?

It is easy to mail the division title to Detroit as they've made some big additions to their roster. However, big-name free agents aren't a sure thing, as White Sox fans found to be the case last season.

Clearly Chicago is not the favorite to top the division in 2012, but this is the AL Central we're talking about. If a team can play solid ball and beat division opponents, the central is there for the taking.

Granted, a whole lot has to go right in order for the White Sox to hang around the top this season. Supposing karma is heavily in the home dugout at U.S. Cellular Field, there could be a lot to be excited about.

Last year's club could have contended if some key guys like Adam Dunn and Alex Rios had simply hit to their career averages. Instead, they posted career lows as Chicago finished third. What if White Sox hitters post career years?

What if the starting pitchers perform solidly? What if Brent Morel and Gordon Beckham figure it out? What if Alejandro De Aza is no fluke out in center? What if there's a closer somewhere out in that bullpen?

Dustin Hermanson and Bobby Jenks weren't preseason locks back in 2005. The World Champs that season had several guys who were at the top of their respective games for that one summer. Why can't it happen again?

Just to assure everyone that I'm not in my basement sniffing glue or anything, I'll concede that an awful lot of guys need to have career seasons at the same time for anything resembling a 2005-like run to happen.

Guys like Jake Peavy will be lucky to be healthy for most of the season. It's probably too much to ask that he pitch like a Cy Young winner. However, if there is any time for me to harbor any hope of a big season out of the White Sox, it is now.

After all, the season is completely in front of us. There will be plenty of time to look back in September and ponder where it all went wrong. Spring is a time of renewal, and that includes title dreams. So let's dream for a moment while we still can and appreciate the games that might be won.