3 Chicago White Sox

Unless an iffy rotation produces, small ball translates to a fall in the standings

For four springs general manager Ken Williams heard front-office executives on other clubs tell him how talented his lineup was: DH Frank Thomas, rightfielder Magglio Ordoñez, leftfielder Carlos Lee and first baseman Paul Konerko all had 30-homer, 100-RBI capability. Yet that muscle wasn't enough to win the AL Central, and the club finished second the last three years. "I hate second place," Williams says. "And it got to the point that I hated hearing how talented we were. I wanted to move away from being a one-dimensional team."

To achieve that goal, Williams had to move some of those players. So in the off-season he did not attempt to re-sign Ordoñez--a free agent who landed a five-year, $75 million deal with the Tigers--and instead used the $14 million Ordoñez was paid last year to sign free-agent outfielder Jermaine Dye (two years, $10.15 million) and re-sign others. Williams also traded the laid-back Lee to the Brewers for outfielder Scott Podsednik, who had 113 stolen bases over the last two years, and setup man Luis Vizcaino, a reliable righthander against whom batters hit .228 in 2004. With the $6 million freed up on the payroll as a result of the trade, Williams signed free agents A.J. Pierzynski, an above-average offensive catcher, and oft-injured Orlando (El Duque) Hernandez, an aging righthander who is still effective when healthy.

"We're not a one-dimensional, hit-or-miss offense," Williams says. "Beginning last year, when we started to reshape this team, almost every major thing we did centered around pitching. The Podsednik trade was as much about Vizcaino and the chance to clear money to sign El Duque. In this division I'm convinced the team with the best pitching will win."

The White Sox have one of the most intriguing rotations in baseball. Intriguing not only because they have five guys capable of winning 15 games each but also because those five guys could just as easily falter. With a fastball that tops out in the high 80s, Mark Buehrle isn't a classic No. 1, but he's an innings-eater (his 2451/3 innings led the league last year) and has averaged 16 wins a year since '01. His off-season regimen is far less taxing. "I go home [to St. Charles, Mo.] and don't do much," says the 26-year-old lefthander, who has been battling a stress reaction in his left foot this spring. "I think this year I played catch in the front yard once or twice with a buddy, just to keep my arm loose."

Following Buehrle in the rotation is Freddy Garcia, who has better stuff than his 25--25 record over the last two years indicates. Williams took a big risk in June when he packaged catcher Miguel Oliva and two top prospects for Garcia, who was eligible for free agency after the season. Garcia's close friendship with manager Ozzie Guillen was a major factor in the hard-throwing righty's decision to remain in Chicago for the next three years. The White Sox hope that rapport will help Garcia find the form that he displayed in his first four big league seasons, when he won at least 16 games three times for the Mariners. Also returning is No. 5 starter Jon Garland, a 6'6" beanpole who has won 12 games in each of the last three seasons.

Williams's gamble this year is counting on two past-their-prime Cuban righthanders to close the gap on the Twins. Despite being limited to 53 starts over the last four seasons because of shoulder, elbow and foot injuries, Hernandez has displayed good arm strength this spring. Jose Contreras, who was acquired from the Yankees for righthander Esteban Loaiza at the trade deadline last year, was a combined 20--11 over the last two seasons, but he was mostly inconsistent and had a 4.85 ERA in that time. The White Sox are trying to get him to work faster and stop telegraphing his pitches. "This is a big year for Jose," says Hernandez. "I talk to him every day about pitching. Mentally, I think it's good for him to be out of New York. This year he starts a new life."

And with their new identity, so too do the White Sox. This, say his players, is the type of team Guillen has craved. "He's finally got what he wanted," says Buehrle, "pitching, speed and defense." --P.K.

In Fact

As a member of the Brewers in 2004, Scott Podsednik led the majors with 70 stolen bases. No White Sox player has been the big league leader in steals since Luis Aparicio swiped 53 in 1961.

Enemy Lines

An opposing team's scout sizes up the White Sox

Jermaine Dye will fill in nicely for Magglio Ordoñez. He's lost weight and looks healthy, will hit 30 home runs and is a plus defender in rightfield. In center Aaron Rowand has improved a lot; expect big numbers from him.... Joe Crede is going to be a star in this league. He's solid at third, and the ball just sounds different coming off his bat.... Tadahito Iguchi will not light you up toolwise, but he has good hands and knows how to play the hitter. And Juan Uribe will do all right at shortstop, but nothing great.... Other teams will run on A.J. Pierzynski and Ben Davis. There are also questions about how they'll handle the pitching staff.... Chicago has put together a rotation that could rival any other in the division. Freddy Garcia, Orlando Hernandez and Jon Garland have all been throwing well.... Luis Vizcaino looks like he's a man on a mission. With his hard slider, he's a quality pitcher coming out of the bullpen. He uses his splitter to neutralize lefthanders. Look for really good things out of him.

The Lineup

projected roster with 2004 statistics

2004 RECORD
83-79
2nd in AL Central

MANAGER
Ozzie Guillen
second season with Chicago

Batting Order

LF Podsednik

2B Iguchi

RF Dye

1B Konerko

DH Everett

CF Rowand

SS Uribe

C Pierzynski

3B Crede

AARON ROWAND
B-T R
PVR 144
BA .310
HR 24
RBI 69
SB 17

SCOTT PODSEDNIK [New acquisition]
B-T L
PVR 77
BA .244
HR 12
RBI 39
SB 70

JERMAINE DYE
B-T R
PVR 100
BA .265
HR 23
RBI 80
SB 4

JUAN URIBE
B-T R
PVR 105
BA .283
HR 23
RBI 74
SB 9

TADAHITO IGUCHI (R)* [New acquisition]
B-T R
PVR 107
BA .333
HR 24
RBI 89
SB 18

JOE CREDE
B-T R
PVR 231
BA .239
HR 21
RBI 69
SB 1

PAUL KONERKO
B-T R
PVR 25
BA .277
HR 41
RBI 117
SB 1

A.J. PIERZYNSKI [New acquisition]
B-T L-R
PVR 212
BA .272
HR 11
RBI 77
SB 0

DESIGNATED HITTER
CARL EVERETT
B-T S-R
PVR 181
BA .260
HR 7
RBI 35
SB 1

BENCH
FRANK THOMAS
B-T R
PVR 128
BA .271
HR 18
RBI 49
SB 0

WILLIE HARRIS
B-T L-R
PVR 308
BA .262
HR 2
RBI 27
SB 19

ROTATION

[originallink:10808591:720496]

189

4

4

1

1.18

3.75

LH

Damaso Marte

212

6

5

6

1.22

3.42

New acquisition
(R) Rookie
B-T: Bats-throws
IPS: Innings pitched per start
WHIP: Walks plus hits per inning pitched
*Japan's Pacific League stats
PVR: Player Value Ranking (explanation on page 69)

COLOR PHOTO

RON VESELY

OH, THE SACRIFICE

Chicago gave up Lee, a 30-homer man, for the speedy Podsednik (right), who had a .313 OBP in '04.

COLOR PHOTO

BRAD MANGIN

Hernandez

COLOR PHOTO