Chicago White Sox Fans, Be Careful What You Wish For: 2010 Ozzie Ball

There is a growing, irritating belief, which is the prime example of if you keep saying something, it becomes fact, amongst Chicago White Sox faithful; the 2005 World Series was won with small ball and it has to come back again in order for the team to win.

In reality, the White Sox won with pitching, defense, and yes, home runs. The White Sox were fifth in baseball in home runs and third in ERA. Although the team was fourth in total stolen bases, they were first in caught stealing for a 67 stealing percentage, which essentially nullifies the use of the stolen base (why not just hand the other team an out?) and 16th in sacrifice hits.

Well, White Sox fans, in 2010, not 2005, you have finally gotten your wish. This team is a true small ball, Ozzie ball, possibly no hitting the ball, team.

The love of the bunt and steal have overtaken the usefulness of the walk and home run. The "softball" mentality has left the south side for the greener pastures of the first-to-third single.

Will this bring wins, however, is the real question?

The Good

The White Sox, on paper, have the pitching staff to handle a real small ball team, which by all means will not score you that many runs.

With a rotation of Mark Buehrle (2009 3.84 ERA), Jake Peavy (3.45 ERA), John Danks (3.77 ERA), Gavin Floyd (4.06 ERA), and Freddy Garcia (4.34 ERA), the White Sox have four starters who will at least flirt with ERAs below four.

The White Sox also have Daniel Hudson (1.57 ERA with 64 Ks in 57.3 IP in AA and a 3.00 ERA with 24 Ks in 24 IP in AAA last season), who will most likely be starting his career in long relief out of the bullpen, but who could also come in as a fifth starter if need be.

With a bullpen of J.J. Putz, Tony Pena, Scott Linebrink, Randy Williams, and Matt Thornton setting up Bobby Jenks, the White Sox starting rotation may not need to go that far in a game.

As any team, the White Sox have many questions:

• How will Danks and Floyd be in their third seasons? Will they break down?
• How will Buehrle recover from a terrible stretch at the end of last season?
• How will Peavy handle the American League in a home run ballpark? Will he stay healthy?
• How will Garcia handle being back in a rotation? Will he stay healthy?
• How will Putz be after being injured last season?
• Which Linebrink will the White Sox get this season?
• Which Jenks will the White Sox get this season?

Most of these questions have positive answers in a logical hypothesis, but they still linger.

The other good side to this team is there will never be station-to-station offense. Every single hitter in the White Sox suggested starting lineup can go from first to third on a single and can score from second base, except, of course, Paul Konerko and perhaps, whomever is DHing. 

Even in the power positions with Alex Rios and Carlos Quentin, the White Sox can run.

I'm not necessarily saying everyone in the lineup can steal a base, but they can at least boogey around them with some intelligence unlike Scott Podsednik of last season.

You almost wish you had this team in the Metrodome.

The Bad

Real small ball teams strike out...a lot. This 2010 White Sox team is no exception.

It is bad enough small ball teams give up outs getting caught stealing and bunting, but they also strike out a lot because they do not work counts.

This is the annoying part of the small ball team. No one gets on base with regularity nor do they hit balls out of the ballpark, so there is a feeling of having to squeeze every single run even if it costs the team a couple of outs in an inning.

By all logic, the few home runs the White Sox do hit this season (they should have the lowest home run count in a long time in 2010), will be solo home runs.

This team does not walk and they strike out a lot, except Konerko. Not only that, this team could strike out on three pitches, which makes for a completely useless at-bat.

If fans thought they hated Jim Thome, who rarely struck out on anything less than five pitches, hit home home runs and walked, they will hate this team.

Juan Pierre—Career .348 OBP, 337 Ks, 340 BB.  .365 OBP Last Year in 380 at-bats, but .327 OBP in 375 at-bats in 2008, and .331 OBP in 668 at-bats in 2007. 

Gordon Beckham—Career .347 OBP, 65 Ks, 41 BB.

Carlos Quentin—Career .349 OBP, 220 Ks, 130 BB. .323 OBP Last Year.

Paul Konerko—Career .352 OBP, 984 Ks, 661 BB. .353 OBP Last Year.

Alex Rios—Career .330 OBP, 596 Ks, 230 BB. .296 OBP Last Year.

A.J. Pierzynski—Career .326 OBP, 549 K, 192 BB. .331 OBP Last Year.

Mark Teahen—Career .331 OBP, 517 K, 218 BB. .325 OBP Last Year.

Andruw Jones—Career .338 OBP, 1,524 K, 789 BB. .323 OBP Last Year.

Alexei Ramirez—Career .326 OBP, 127 K, 67 BB. .333 OBP Last Year.

The White Sox no longer have their safety net of Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye, so the offense for the season essentially rests on the fragile shoulders of Quentin and Rios and whether or not they can give the White Sox any type of power, while at the same time work counts. 

Questions:

• Will Pierre play with a chip on his shoulder or just age before our eyes?
• Will Beckham have a sophomore slump?
• Which Rios and Quentin will show up this season?
• Will Pierzynski play well in a contract year (all athletes do)?
• Will Teahen play better in a better lineup? Is this a better lineup?
• How will Jones perform? Who is the DH?
• Will speed overcome the lack of power?

The Ugly

The most underrated part of a small ball team is that it usually is a small ball team because it makes up for offense on the defensive side. The White Sox are the exception to that rule. 

Moving Beckham to second, questionable defense at the shortstop and third base position to go along with Pierre and Quentin in the outfield, could spell disaster for the Chicago White Sox and its pitching staff.

Questions:

• How will Beckham adjust to playing second base?
• Will Ramirez learn to turn a double-play properly? How will he recover from a tough year at shortstop?
• How will Teahen function as an everyday third baseman again?
• How bad will Pierre and Quentin hurt the White Sox in the outfield?
• How good is Rios in center field?
• Will Floyd and Garcia's long deliveries allow players to walk to second base?

This is the 2010 Chicago White Sox in a nutshell.

This is Ozzie's team and more importantly, the type of team White Sox fans claim won them a World Series in 2005.

You got what you wished for, White Sox fans. Unfortunately you wasted your wish on small ball instead of on defense, on-base percentage, and home runs.

You did get your wish for pitching, however. Whether that will be enough to win with small ball is yet to be seen.