White Sox moods cast wide range
Another SoxFest is in the books, and here’s a quick review as the sun starts staying out a little longer and spring training gradually approaches.
Mood check: No White Sox player came right out and said this is the year, per se, but confidence was running atypically high at the Palmer House Hilton over the weekend.
#147;Obviously, we like our chances,#148; starting pitcher Mark Buehrle said. #147;But we#146;re not going to sit here and put some bulletin-board material up.
#147;But with the guys we brought in this off-season, I think we have a chance to compete for the division. I#146;m not going to say we#146;re going to win it and everybody has to come after us, but on paper I like our chances.#148;
ŸIn need of a stronger dose of Sox love? Here is longtime announcer Ken #147;Hawk#148; Harrelson#146;s take on the upcoming season:
#147;This particular ballclub is probably the best White Sox team I#146;ve seen at this point in a quarter of a century. Look at the lineup we#146;ve got, look at the starters we#146;ve got. We#146;ve got some speed in there, plenty of power, and we#146;re going to be able to catch the baseball.#148;
Ÿ OK, is that too much Hawk hyperbole? Let#146;s go to general manager Kenny Williams:
#147;I should have a better feel. I guess it#146;s just going through the grind of it all and I know what#146;s ahead and I know health factors in, team focus, individual focus.
#147;We#146;ve had a lot of good teams here, and I think there are a couple of division championship flags flying in a couple other ballparks, one in particular, but I#146;m tired of mentioning their name (Twins), that belong to us.
#147;But we didn#146;t go out and get it; we didn#146;t go out and take it. I guess I#146;m a little reserved in whatever excitement I should have at this point. I hope the fans aren#146;t because I have to figure out a way to pay for this.#148;
Help from Humber:Call me crazy on this one, but I think there is a method to the White Sox#146; alleged madness of signing right-handed pitcher Philip Humber to a minor-league contract last week.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 draft (Mets), Humber had Tommy John surgery two years later and has never come close to living up to the lofty expectations while bouncing around between New York, the Twins, Royals and A#146;s.
Still relatively young at 28, I can see a possibility of Humber doing well in spring training and filling the fifth spot in the Sox#146; starting rotation if Jake Peavy#146;s not ready to start the season.
That way, Chris Sale stays in the bullpen as the closer and Tony Pena stays put as the long man. Crazy, but not completely improbable.
The hot corner:The White Sox are stressing defense this season, and rookie Brent Morel played like a young Joe Crede last September.
Morel is a near lock to claim the starting job at third base, but manager Ozzie Guillen said Mark Teahen is still in play.
Still owed $10.25 million over the next two seasons, Teahen is headed to spring training with plenty to prove.
#147;If I need to win the third base job, that#146;s what I#146;ll try to do,#148; Teahen said. #147;I want to be in the lineup every day. I just have to go play the way I can play. I think the team is better when I#146;m in the lineup.#148;
Young eyes:Finally, a pat on the back to my son Evan, a White Sox fan.
He#146;s the one who pointed out the striking difference between this year#146;s SoxFest pass, which featured Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn, and last year#146;s SoxFest pass, which featured Mark Kotsay and Scott Linebrink.