2009 MLB Preview - Chicago White Sox

Chicago White Sox
Manager: Ozzie Guillen (5th season)
2008 Record: 89-74 (1st AL Central)
Postseason: ALDS loss to TB 3-1

Added: 1B Wilson Betemit (NYY), 2B Jayson Nix (COL), SS Brent Lillibridge (CHW), SP Bartolo Colon (BOS)
Lost: 2B Orlando Cabrera (OAK), 3B Joe Crede (MIN), IF Juan Uribe (SF), OF Nick Swisher (NYY), OF Jason Tyner (CLE), SP Javier Vazquez (ATL), SP Horacio Ramirez (KC), RP Boone Logan (ATL)

Projected Lineup (2008 Stats)
1. SS Alexei Ramirex (.290, 65 R, 21 HR, 77 RBI, 13 SB) 2. C A.J. Pierzynski (.281, 66 R, 13 HR, 60 RBI) 3. RF Jermaine Dye (.292, 96 R, 34 HR, 96 RBI) 4. LF Carlos Quentin (.288, 96 R, 36 HR, 100 RBI) 5. DH Jim Thome (.245, 93 R, 34 HR, 90 RBI) 6. 1B Paul Konerko (.240, 59 R, 22 HR, 62 RBI) 7. 3B Josh Fields (.156, 3 R, 0 HR, 2 RBI) 8. 2B Chris Getz (.286, 2 R, 0 HR, 1 RBI), 9. CF Brian Anderson (.232, 24 R, 8 HR, 26 RBI)

Projected Starting Rotation (2008 Stats)
1. Mark Buerhle (15-12, 3.79 ERA, 140 K) 2. John Danks (12-9, 3.32 ERA, 159 K) 3. Gavin Floyd (17-8, 3.84 ERA, 145 K) 4. Clayton Richard (2-5, 6.04 ERA, 29 K) 5. Bartolo Colon (4-2, 3.92 ERA, 27 K)

Bench
C Corky Miller, IF Wilson Betemit, IF Jayson Nix, IF Brent Lillibridge, OF DeWayne Wise, OF Jerry Owens

Bullpen (2008 Stats for Closer only)
Bobby Jenks (30 SV, 61.12IP, 51 H, 38 K, 2.63 ERA), Octavio Dotel, Matt Thornton, Scott Linebrink, Adam Russell, D.J. Carrasco

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Fantasy Studs: OF Jermaine Dye, OF Carlos Quentin, RP Bobby Jenks
Fantasy Sleepers: SS Alexei Ramirez

Men In The Minors: C Tyler Flowers, 1B Brandon Allen, SS Gordon Beckham, SP Aaron Poreda

Home Ballpark: U.S. Cellular Field (Grade 5/10)

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Team Outlook: It's not very often you look at a team from one year to another and say they got worse. But I think that's the case for the White Sox. They definitely lost more than they gained and they are one year older and one year slower. Last year's playoff run was somewhat unexpected, thanks to some clutch pitching down the stretch. This year, that pitching is a question mark. Danks and Floyd will win 12-15 but Buerhle hasn't been himself the past 2 seasons. Richard and Colon are huge question marks too. The bullpen is solid though, but that can only helps so much. The lineup is far less potent than previous years. Joe Crede has been replaced by Fields. Orlando Cabrera by Getz. And players like Konerko and Thome continue to slow down. The bright side is that these younger players are getting some playing time now and add them to Beckham and Flowers, and the White Sox have a good core for the future, as in 2010 or 2011. As for 2009, might be a rough go of it.

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