2012 MLB Season Preview: Chicago White Sox

2012 Chicago White Sox Season Outlook

The outlook is iffy for the South Side nine. In fact, the front office has a lot of nerve introducing this team to the fans with no signficant roster changes, with the belief that everyone who had an off year last year will do better and that everyone who had a good year will be just as good if not better this year. Good luck on that.

In the long history of Chicago Major League baseball rarely have both the representatives in the American League and National League been top tier in the same season. This year it’s going to be the opposite, an occasion when both Chicago teams probably have lousy, near-the-basement seasons.

Help!  That’s probably how rookie manager Robin Ventura should begin his next press conference and every press conference to follow this season until someone in upper management heeds the request and supplements his anemic roster.

Right about now in spring training Ventura is probably thinking, “Thanks a lot” for the Sox hiring the old-time favorite in the organization for a big-league managing job without giving him any players. Details, details.

The White Sox pitching rotation has a chance to be good. But that means that the same key guys, minus Mark Buehrle, will have to improve on their 2011 seasons. They could. They have the potential, especially youngster Chris Sale. And if the White Sox are going to finish closer to first place than last place in the division, they had better. Jake Peavy, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks have the makings of a solid group, but all are coming off worse-than-expected seasons.

And no one can really explain what’s going on with the bullpen. Right now Ventura cannot pledge with certainty that he has a closer on the team. Everyone thought Matt Thornton would step into the role and thrive after several seasons as an excellent setup man. Jesse Crain could be the closer, but like all other contenders for the critical slot, he has not proven he can handle the job. Not having a top-notch closer is a short-cut to oblivion in the modern game.

The everyday lineup has as many holes as downtown Chicago streets do at the end of winter. After years as a proven slugger, Adam Dunn was handed a rich, multi-year contract and the designated hitter job. Then he began whiffing at a rate unseen since Sandy Koufax was striking out everybody in the National League. He could not hit his weight, finishing with a .159 average and 11 home runs. The White Sox are relying on Dunn to make a big-time rebound and they will find out sooner rather than later if that’s in the cards. The good news is that Dunn has been playing well in spring training, up until getting scratched from a game the other day because of a stiff neck.

Paul Konerko is getting older and needs to take some time off at first and assume the DH job sometime, but he showed no signs of slowing down at bat last year. He’s the main man at the plate. Alexei Ramirez is a talent at shortstop, but he needs to lift his average a little bit from 2011’s .269 and more importantly raise his on-base percentage from .328.

Outfielder Alex Ri0s was as much of a disappointment as Dunn. He hit .227 and his on-base percentage was a pathetic .265. Kids who ran around the bases at U.S. Cellular Field in post-game promotions had a better on-base percentage. He and Dunn are key characters in this stage play, but putting faith in both of them is likely to backfire. Ventura might find his lineup so woeful when he needs to have people stroking big hits he might have to activate himself.

How long can A.J. Pierzynski go on as a full-time catcher? The Sox do seem to have a useful back in Tyler Flowers, who they would like to see hit more than .209, though.

The outfield might be the weakest hitting outfield in the majors, depending on who ends up as regulars. Enough said about Rios. The White Sox picked up Koskuke Fukudome from the cross-town Cubs, but a disappointment there he could be a critical starter here. Alejandro De Aza, he of the .329 average in 152 at-bats last year, has potential, but no one knows if he can hit like that over a full season. It is easy to see him as a starter.

2012 Chicago White Sox Prospects To Watch

Chicago’s top prospect is outfielder Dayan Viciedo. The team is counting on him as the starting outfielder. That’s why Williams shipped off Carlos Quentin. Viciedo is a 23-year-old from Cuba who in parts of two seasons with the White Sox has a .282 average. Boy, do the Sox want him to make it big. He will be given every chance this year.

On the mound, the Sox are looking closely at pitcher Nestor Molina, but he still needs minor-league seasoning. He is not expected to show up in Chicago for a lengthy visit until September. By that time the White Sox will be dead in the water in the pennant race and will have plenty of time to experiment with young guys.

Find your team’s 2012 season preview or when it will be published here.

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