2009 Chicago White Sox Season Preview

2008 Record:  89-74

Key Additions:  Wilson Betemit (IF), Bartolo Colon (SP), Brent Lillibridge (IF) and Jayson Nix (2B)

Key Subtractions:  Orlando Cabrera (SS), Joe Crede (3B), Boone Logan (RP), Nick Swisher (OF), Juan Uribe (IF) and Javier Vazquez (SP)

A look at the lineup:  The lineup is full of a mixture of seasoned veterans (Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome) and youngsters (Alexei Ramirez, Chris Getz and Dewayne Wise), but it is the bat of Carlos Quentin that they’ll be paying the most attention to.  You’ve likely heard plenty about Quentin and his MVP potential…but is he for real?

Catcher:  AJ Pierzinski

AJ has been nothing if not serviceable for the Sox.  His four years on the Southside have seen him hit .274 with an average of 15 home runs and 58 RBI.  Behind the plate, he seemingly handles the staff well…but he showed decline by only throwing out 18 percent of would-be-stealers.  At 32 years old, the Sox are hoping he can hang on, as they have no one in the pipeline.

First Base:  Paul Konerko 

The Sox longest-tenured player (he’s made a franchise record eight straight Opening Day starts) appears to be on the decline.  He sent 22 balls over the fence, but after averaging 37 bombs a season from 2004-2007…a departure from those numbers is troublesome.  Chicago’s infield is entering the season much younger with Fields, Getz and Ramirez, so it is safe to say they’ll start looking for a youth movement over at first soon.

Second Base:  Chris Getz

Getz came out of Spring Training as the leader at second, but that isn’t to say that Lillibridge and Nix won’t see some action.  Expect Getz to hover around .270-.280, but don’t expect a ton of power…his career high in his four years in the minors was only 11.

Shortstop:  Alexei Ramirez 

Last year’s breakout second baseman for the Sox is this year’s breakout shortstop.  What people don’t remember is that last year’s Rookie of the Year runner up (Ramirez lost out to Tampa Bay’s Evan Longoria) played out of position at second.  The Cuban set a major league record for grand slams hit by a rookie with four and this season, he looks to continue to show some swagger at the plate.  Of his 21 bombs in 2008…14 were after the All-Star break!

Third Base:  Josh Fields

Finally!  The Josh Fields Experiment begins…again.  Two seasons ago, Fields filled in for Joe Crede and surprised the White Sox brass with 23 home runs in 100 games.  Last season, a healthy Crede kept Fields in the Minors for a majority of the season.  Since Crede was let go, conventional wisdom says that Fields is a sure bet to keep the job at third.  However, there is a reason why the Sox traded for Wilson Betemit.

Leftfield:  Carlos Quentin 

Quentin was the odds on favorite to take home the AL MVP Award last season before he broke his wrist with a month to go in the season.  And despite the injury, Quentin was only one home run (36) off the league best 37 of Miguel Cabrera.  “Q-uperman” also led the AL in at bats per home run with 13.3.  The big question is whether or not the Jose Canseco look-a-like Quentin for real or not.  Only time will tell.

Centerfield:  Dewayne Wise

At 31, the speedy Wise finally gets his chance to be an every day player…but for how long?  GM Kenny Williams let US Cellular fave Aaron Rowand go a few years back in order to give Brian Anderson a shot and that failed.  Will Wise be a “wise” (sorry, couldn’t resist) or another reason why Williams should’ve rewarded Rowand with a contract? 

Rightfield:  Jermaine Dye

Dye and Konerko are both two long balls from 300 career home runs, but the real quiz isn’t who will get to the milestone first…it is who will be with the Sox the longest?  Dye is the biggest power threat on the Southside, and that’s saying something given the other bats in that lineup.  Last season, he hovered around .300 all season (he finished at .292) and ended up 34 bombs and 96 RBI.

Designated Hitter:  Jim Thome

“Peoria Jim” enters the season with 541 home runs. He’ll likely jump over Harmon Killebrew’s total (573) this season and, along with Alex Rodriguez, is inching closer and closer to the 600 mark.  Also of note, Thomeis 12 RBI away from hitting 1500 and aside from Harold Baines (1628) and Andre Dawson (1591), everyone who has 1500 or more RBI and is Hall eligible…has had their ticket punched.

A look at the pitching:

Starters:  White Sox starters combined for an AL leading 93 quality starts last season…they won 67.  So what’s the problem?  Mark Buehrle (15-12, 3.79) has started six openers for the Sox and is one away from Billy Pierce’s club record.  That being said, he is the only starter left from the 2005 team that won it all. 

Joining Buehrle are John Danks and Gavin Floyd.  The dynamic duo combined for 29 wins and should adequately fill the void that Javier Vazquez left behind.  But that’s where it ends…and that is the main problem that Chicago has.

Brought in to fill the gaping hole in the starting rotation was Bartolo Colon who appears to be a million miles and 120 pounds from his 2005 Cy Young Award winning form.  A once promising hurler (eight straight seasons with 14 or more wins to start his career), Colon is not going to be enough to save the last half of the Sox starting rotation. 

And unfortunately, no one else is either.

Bullpen:  Last season, closer Bobby Jenks did something that no other Sox reliever (not even Bobby Thigpen) was able to accomplish…three straight seasons with 30 or more saves.  Jenks, who was once clocked at 103 mph, has lost plenty on his fastball and, unfortunately, doesn’t have a whole lot more to trick hitters.  In 2006, Jenks baffled hitters and ended up striking out 80 in less than 70 innings.  Last season, he fanned only 38 in just over 60 innings.  If the Sox can find out how to stop his decline, Jenks (along with Octavio Dotel and Scott Linebrink) will be formidable.  If not…it’s going to be a long season for the bullpen.

Outlook:  Last season’s American League Central Division champs became the first team ever to win three consecutive elimination games against three different teams.  This season, it is very possible that they’ll be trailing the three teams they beat (Cleveland, Detroit and Minnesota) if they don’t start winning right out of the gate.  While it isn’t the best division in baseball, the AL Central will be one of the most competitive.

Plenty of people are predicting the Chi-Sox to finish near the bottom of the division.  Some are even saying that the Kansas City Royals will have their number…but I won’t go THAT far.  This group of perennial overachievers led the Majors with 235 dingers and hit 143 of them at US Cellular on their way to a .659 home winning percentage. They will put up those numbers again soon…just not in 2009.

Prediction:  Ozzie Guillen’s mixture of veterans and unproven youngsters leaves little margin for error.  Unfortunately, while the top half of the starting pitching will be good, the bats (oft-injured and a year older) won’t keep up their end of the bargin.  Expect 75-80 wins this year from the Southsiders.

This article was originally featured at RBI Magazine.  Check out this and other MLB Team Previews at www.rbimagazine.com.

More of Jesus Melendez's work can be found over at The Hall of Very Good.