Forever Optimist

While I sounded so negative about the White Sox yesterday, I am the forever optimist. I will make my case for why this current team, barring any future trades, can make a solid run at a wild card spot.

1. The line-up

Let's say it was opening day tomorrow, and the Sox look in the field like this:
---Owens-----------Swisher----------------Dye---
--Crede----Cabrera----------Uribe-----Konerko--
-------------------Pitcher-------------------------
-------------------Pierzynski----------------------
and the batting order was
1. Cabrera
2. Swisher
3. Thome (DH)
4. Konerko
5. Dye
6. Pierzynski
7. Crede
8. Owens
9. Uribe

When you look at that batting order, that is one of the top 5 line ups, not in potential, but in having no holes. If you're banking on you're worst hitter being Uribe again, and if he could pull off a .250 average, that is a very solid line up.

2. Starting Pitching
Even with the trade of Garland and Gio Gonzalez, the White Sox still have strong starting pitching. There is a true ace in Mark Buehrle, a solid Javy Vasquez (lead the Sox in strike outs past 2 years), and Jose Contreras to round out the top 3 starters.
If Contreras can pull of an average season, where he gets that splitter working, and doesn't lose us games, he is a very dangerous starter at number 3.
The starting pitching relies in youth, the youth that I think has a great upside. In 2007, we saw Jon Danks make strides that were very impressive. The fact is, by the end of the year, he just ran out of gas. This year, he knows what it takes to go the full season, he can be a quality fourth starter. And the number 5 starter can either be Gavin Floyd or the highly touted Lance Broadway. If Broadway can hold his own in the league this year, look out majors, this guy is going to be something special.

3. Bench
In years past, if the White Sox had an injury, the year was ruined. Sure our bench boasted fellows like Ross Gload and Tony Graffanino, but they were bench players, they are not starters in this league. The White Sox bench this year, has speed with Pablo Ozuna, and young talent with Josh Fields and Danny Richar. The Sox could theorectially face a year long injury at LF, 3B, SS, 2B, 1B (keep Thome as DH) and be okay.

4. It's January
No one knows how this season is going to go, if the Sox are going to sign another starting pitcher (I hear they're in talks to sign Bartolo Colon), or who is going to get hurt during the year. Infact now is the best time for me to boast about the Sox because this could very well be a long year.

January record prediction: 85-79 just missing the wild card after a slow September