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Kotsay-Jones DH combo will test Guillen's theory

For the first time since 1998, which was the last season Frank Thomas took a regular shift at first base, the White Sox don't have a regular designated hitter.

They strongly considered bringing Jim Thome back for another year after trading him to the Dodgers last August and watching him come back into the picture as a free agent.

But in an attempt to jettison their "softball team" image, manager Ozzie Guillen said thanks but no thanks and the 39-year-old Thome signed a one-year deal with the division rival Minnesota Twins.

For what it's worth, Thome is off to a slow start with his new team this spring, batting .111 (1-for-9) in the Grapefruit League while reportedly dealing with "general soreness."

Guillen is looking for more consistent contact and much more speed out of the DH spot and he still believes a rotating crew headed by left-hander Mark Kotsay and right-hander Andruw Jones is better than one aging masher.

What's the upside? By splitting time at DH, the 34-year-old Kotsay and 32-year-old Jones should be able to stay relatively fresh and do damage while being matched up against favorable opposing starting pitchers.

Kotsay came over to the White Sox from the Red Sox last July in a trade for Brian Anderson, one of general manager Kenny Williams' better deals.

While Anderson, now with the Royals, is a longshot to break camp on Kansas City's 25-man roster, Kotsay quickly re-upped for another year after hitting .292 with 3 home runs and 18 RBI in 40 games with the White Sox in 2009.

Slowed by a calf injury last season and back problems for the last three years, Kotsay is no longer an everyday player. The wily veteran is a lifetime .281 hitter and he has especially feasted on right-handed pitching over his 12-year career, so he could be in a good spot as part-time DH.

Jones is in a similar situation. A five-time all-star and 10-time Gold Glover after breaking in with the Braves at the age of 19, Jones is on the downward slide but he can hit the ball with authority as long as he keeps himself in shape.

What's the downside? Unlike former White Sox third baseman Joe Crede, Kotsay has been able to recover from back surgery and return to the field. But Kotsay hasn't been able to play more than 130 games in a season since 2005 and he's not getting any younger.

Over his last three seasons, spent with the Braves, Dodgers and Rangers, Jones has batted a combined .198 and seemingly lost whatever fire still flickered from his Hall of Fame caliber run in Atlanta.

Who else is going to DH? Guillen is confident the Kotsay-Jones combo can work, but he's also planning on using Paul Konerko, Juan Pierre, Carlos Quentin and even Omar Vizquel in the spot.

Konerko, who took over at first base in 1999 when Thomas moved to DH, is adapting to the new-look offense.

"It's different," Konerko said. "I'll have to see how that plays out. They seem confident it's the right thing to do and Ozzie likes it. We'll see."

Who is on the bench? Kotsay and Jones, assuming they are not the DH that day.

The White Sox have been one of the worst pinch-hitting teams in baseball the last few years, and 2009 was especially bad.

The Sox batted .106 (10-for-94) while pinch-hitting last year and didn't get an RBI from the group until Aug. 6, when Dewayne Wise hit a solo home run. Kotsay can help in this area considering he has the third-highest career average (.342) among active major-league pinch-hitters.

Who else is on the bench? Jayson Nix has some pop in his bat, but he strikes out too much and doesn't field very well. Omar Vizquel can still field, but he no longer hits at the age of 42.

Backup catcher Ramon Castro is decent enough at giving A.J. Pierzynski his one day off a week.

Andruw Jones, a five-time all-star and 10-time Gold Glover, is on the downward slide but he can hit the ball with authority as long as he keeps himself in shape. Associated Press file