Konerko delivers a state-of-the-Sox address

In just more than a week, all the talk that typically accompanies spring training will cease.

You've heard the chatter coming out of the White Sox' camp since mid-February:

• "Jerry Owens is our leadoff man. OK, maybe Dewayne Wise. How about Brian Anderson? Scratch that; we'll just go with eight guys."

• "Gordon Beckham only played 14 minor-league games last season? Big deal. He's ready now - Just to be sure, let's send him to Double-A for the year."

• "There's something wrong with Mark Buehrle. He's not throwing hard enough. Wait, he's throwing too hard. Yeah, that's the problem."

• "Bartolo Colon looks great. He looks awful. Great. Awful."

When April 6 arrives and the longest spring training in major-league history (thanks World Baseball Classic) is mercifully shuttered, the Chicago White Sox finally will be able to do their talking about games that actually matter.

But let's give the last word to team captain Paul Konerko.

Entering his 11th season on the South Side, Konerko always has had a knack for viewing the game from all angles, putting it into perspective and delivering the straight talk to the news media.

His present seniority as a pro athlete in Chicago is rivaled only by such stalwarts as Bears center Olin Kreutz (12 years), Fire defender C.J. Brown (12 years), and Bears long-snapper Patrick Mannelly (12). Even Brian Urlacher (10 seasons) hasn't been around as long at Konerko.

Recently, on a quiet morning at the training complex in Glendale, Ariz., the 33-year-old first baseman delivered again when asked for his assessment of his new teammates, the Americal League Central and the state of the White Sox.

President Obama may be the team's First Fan, but if you want some straight answers concerning the Sox, Konerko is your man.

Got a feel for what kind of team the White Sox are going to be this season?

"Really, it takes you until June until you have that kind of feel for what kind of team you're going to be," Konerko said. "But you can kind of see now that it's getting down to what the final team is going to look like.

"There might be a move or two, but I think a lot of the guys are going to be the same as we've had in past years.

"Our team, a lot of it has to do with (manager) Ozzie (Guillen), and we kind of know how we're going to go about it. We know how it is around here.

"The guys that have been here know what to expect, and the guys that are new, I'm sure they're going to learn that the atmosphere around here is we're never the team that has the most talent and we're never the team that's picked to win or anything like that.

"So we know we have to go out and grind every day. That's how we're going to eventually do what we want to do. We're not just going to roll the ball out there and win games.

"That's kind of the general attitude around here - all the time. It never changes. It's kind of that same feel, a little bit of being the underdog and we have some guys that can play.

"How hard we compete will make the difference of whether we win or lose. It's kind of the same story around here every year, that's the way I see it."

How do you see the AL Central shaking out?

"Obviously, Kansas City has improved greatly over the last couple of years, and they've even added some more pieces this off-season," Konerko said. "Minnesota's always kind of there, and Detroit and Cleveland have kind of had off-and-on good years over the last handful.

"So they've had their time, too. With Kansas City, those 18-19 games a year against them, you're playing a really good team now. I said from the beginning, I feel any team in our division can win it, and any team can go out and finish last, too.

"So you've got to strap it on because any time you're playing in the division, which is like 80 games, there are no pushovers. You have to get after it. The team that comes out of our division is going to be pretty battle-tested."

What about some of the new faces on this year's White Sox?

"With (third baseman Josh) Fields, it doesn't feel like he was just put in there because he was here two years ago and he did pretty good," Konerko said. "He's already kind of performed at the big-league level. Last year was kind of a broken year for him; he wasn't really playing either up or down because he was hurt. It was kind of just one of those years.

"Getzy (second baseman Chris Getz), he just does everything good. He's solid. He's poised and looks like he belongs. As long as he doesn't try to do too much, I think he's one of those guys that's going to be good in April and he'll just keep getting better the longer he's out there.

"He just kind of has savvy about him. He learns the game pretty quick and he just plays the game. He's not going to be out there trying to hit 50 home runs or anything; he's just going to try to do the situation in front of him."

The White Sox needed to play 163 regular-season games in 2008 before winning the AL Central with a tiebreaking decision over the Minnesota Twins. Could that happen again?

"I would be surprised if any team runs away in the division," Konerko said. "Looking from our side of it, you have to expect it won't. You have to expect the hardest thing possible, and that is a situation like last year where it goes all the way down to the end and maybe even an extra game.

"So you have to prepare mentally for that happening again. If anything else happens that's better, great. But if you're 7-8 games back in May and you say, 'Aw, we're not going to win this division,' you can give in and quit because you don't think it's possible.

"You have to have the mind-set that no matter what happens, as long as you're going into September even 5-6 games back, you're right in the mix. And if you're 5-6 games up, you have to think it's going to get close.

"You have to be prepared for the most grueling race you can think of. With our division, nothing's going to be given away. It's going to be hard-earned."

Sounds like some tough talk, wouldn't you say Mr. President?