Spring Has Finally Arrived!

OK, I am back for yet another Chicago White Sox season. And this year they have a slogan entitled "Back to the Grind". I know kind of corny but thats we we need to do is get back to the grind this year and build towards another championship year. Most of the building blocks have been set, and we have plenty of prospects waiting in the minors if we need them.

Ryan Sweeney is a guy I am looking into putting in center field, as well as Brian Anderson (2nd half Brian Anderson that is) and possibly Darin Erstad. Oh... I didn't mention that? Yeah, well in the off-season one of our moves was signing Darin Erstad to fill in in center field if we need him to and he can also fill in for Paulie at 1st if he needs a day off. Its a win/win situation having Erstad there. But back to Sweeney. He is a good looking prospect with an OK arm and he can hit. Last year for the Sox he played in 18 games and had 8 hits. They don't have his minor league stats up but I will find them... Ah Ha! Found 'em! Last year he had 13 homers and 70 RBI in 118 games. 133 hits is average for a minor leaguer, although he had 449 at bats so he had major league hits numbers for a rookie, 'ya know?

Our bullpen has 5 fire-armed rocket throwers. 5 of our relievers can throw 95+ MPH. Bobby Jenks who can hit 100. Mike MacDougal who can throw around 97-98. David Aardsma who can reach 97 but stays around 94-95. Andrew Sisco, who we picked up in the Riske - McCarthy trade to KC, can hit 98. Matt Thornton who is an awesome pitcher late in the game can hit 97. This group of throwers whom I have nicknamed "The Rubbermaid's" can be brutal to face late in the ballgame.

Toby Hall and A.J. Pierzynski have been working with the pitchers for about a week now and I like the idea of having Hall catch on some days, but Pierzynski getting the majority behind the plate.

The starting rotation is a big one. Even with the loss of Freddy Garcia we should do quite well with this rotation:

• Jose Contreras
• Mark Buehrle
• Jon Garland
• Javier Vazquez
• Gavin Floyd

I'm not quite sure about Contreras going opening day but I guess if that's what Ozzie & Kenny like then we should go along with it for awhile. Buehrle is always a good pitcher even if he loses 13 games. Garland is an 18 game winner every year. Vazquez won 6 straight last year, and Floyd was on the mound when Rowand broke his nose! How much better can you get?