2003 White Sox Spring Preview by mario scalise

Starters, subs, minor leaguers, and invites are begining to report to the Sox' spring training facility in Tuscon, Arizona this week and with every start of spring training comes the spring training preview.

Spring Training Roster
Pitchers: Jon Adkins, Wyatt Allen, Edwin Almonte, Mark Buehrle, Bartolo Colon, Brian Cooper, Neal Cotts, Felix Diaz, Jon Garland, Matt Ginter, Gary Glover, Tom Gordon, Byeong Hak An, Gil Heredia, Kris Honel, Billy Koch, Esteban Loaiza, Corwine Malone, Damaso Marte, Arnie Munoz, Mike Porzio, Jon Rauch, Dave Sanders, Josh Stewart, Brian West, Rick White, Danny Wright, and Kelly Wunsch.
Catchers: Jonathan Aceves, Sandy Alomar, Jamie Burke, Steven Morales, Miguel Olivo, and Josh Paul.
Infielders: Joe Crede, Tony Graffanino, Willie Harris, Tim Hummel, D'Angelo Jimenez, Paul Konerko, Aaron Miles, Jorge Nunez, Frank Thomas, and Jose Valentin.
Outfielders: Joe Borchard, Clifford Brumbaugh, Brian Daubach, Carlos Lee, Scott Morgan, Magglio Ordonez, Armando Rios, Aaron Rowand, Anthony Sanders, and Mario Valenzuela

Acquisitions
Ps Bartolo Colon, Billy Koch, Esteban Loaiza, Gil Heredia, Tom Gordon, Rick White; 1B/OF Brian Daubach, OF Armando Rios; C Sandy Alomar
Losses
Ps Keith Foulke, Jim Parque, Todd Ritchie, Rocky Biddle, Antonio Osuna; INF Jeff Liefer,

Projected Starting Rotation
#1-Bartolo Colon
#2-Mark Buehrle
#3-Jon Garland
#4-Danny Wright
#5-Jon Rauch
With Bartolo Colon and Mark Buehrle at the top of the rotation, not many teams can counter with a more effective duo. The two combined to win 39 games and throw 472.1 innings last season, and have won 88 of the 191 games pitched in their past three seasons. Following the two big men are Jon Garland and Danny Wright. The two have struggled to find any sort of consistency the past two year's, but finished off the 2002 season going 7-3, giving up just 27 runs in 71.2 innings, in their last 11 starts. Both are guaranteed the three and four spots in the rotation, unless injury or a complete meltdown ocurrs.

Key Matchup
The final spot in the rotation is Jon Rauch's to lose, but veterans Esteban Loaiza and Gil Heredia, who were signed to minor league contracts in late January, have experience on their side. Loaiza started 25 games for the Blue Jays in 2002, going 9-10 with a 5.71 ERA in 151 1/3 innings pitched, but more importantly has a history of success against the Sox' division rival Minnesota Twins; going 4-3 since 2000 with a 3.40 ERA in 45 innings pitched. Heredia hasn't pitched for an MLB team since 2001 with the A's, where he went 7-8 in 18 starts with a 5.58 ERA. A sleeper in the running is minor league lefty Josh Stewart.

Projected Bullpen
CL-Billy Koch
SM-Damaso Marte
SM-Tom Gordon
MR-Rick White
MR-Kelly Wunsch
LR-Gary Glover
The bullpen has underwent plenty of changes since April 1, 2002. Primary relievers Keith Foulke, Bob Howry, and Antonio Osuna were dealt and replaced by Billy Koch, Damaso Marte, and Tom Gordon. Veterans Gordon (35) and White (32) both started off 2002 on the wrong foot before being dealt to the Astros and the Cardinals respectively. White had a .82 ERA in 22 innings pitched for the Cardinals last season, while Gordon recorded a 3.38 ERA in 42.2 innings for the Cubs and Astros. After two year's of jumping from the pen to rotation Glover will settle in the pen, where he compiled a 1.21 ERA in 22.1 innings pitched last season and a 4.57 ERA in 2001. These three are expected to close the gap and get to the 1-2 duo of Damaso Marte-Billy Koch.

Key Matchup
Kelly Wunsch was initially regarded as a shoe-in for the pen, but Jerry Manuel recently said Wunsch will be battling fellow lefties Mike Porzio, Arnie Munoz, and Dave Sanders for the final spot. Minor league righty Edwin Almonte has an outside shot to make it as well.

Projected Lineup
2B-D'Angelo Jimenez
SS-Jose Valentin
DH-Frank Thomas
RF-Magglio Ordonez
1B-Paul Konerko
LF-Carlos Lee
CF-Aaron Rowand
3B-Joe Crede
C-Sandy Alomar
Although this lineup looks inferior to White Sox lineups of '00, '01, and '02, it produced similiar numbers in their short time late last season. Jimenez brought patience last year in 27 games with the Sox, going deep in counts and holding a .384 OBP, which was first on the team. There are still talks that Harris could steal the job from Jimenez, but that appears unlikely. Another unlikely scenario will have Valentin bouncing around, but he will start at short and bat in the 2-hole for good this season with Lofton, Durham, and Clayton long gone. Thomas has already reported to camp and many say he's as focused as ever, while Ordonez and Konerko are in their prime and always improving. The play of Lee and Crede will be vital in finding out how potent this offense will be throughout the order.

Key Matchup
Aaron Rowand and Willie Harris in center. Rowand was given the job last season after the Kenny Lofton trade, but Rowand's suspectable health, stemming from his shoulder injury, and lack of speed in the lineup gives Willie Harris a smaller gap to make up. Sandy Alomar and Miguel Olivo is also a battle, but the end result will be a platoon either way. The Sox want Olivo to play and learn, but also want Alomar to guide him and the staff.

Projected Bench
1B/OF-Brian Daubach
OF-Armando Rios
C-Miguel Olivo
CF/2B-Willie Harris
INF-Tim Hummel
The Sox bench, like most teams, is where a lot of question marks pop up. Olivo (and Alomar) and Daubach are the only definites. Daubach is the lone left-handed power hitter on the team outside of Valentin, while the only threat to Olivo/Alomar is Josh Paul, who will only make it as a third catcher. Rios and Harris have strong cases, but have nothing written and stone, while Tony Graffanino, Tim Hummel, Jorge Nunez, and Aaron Miles battle for the final spot. The need for five bench players will obviously change if the Sox decide to extend their pitching staff to twelve.

Players to Watch:
Aaron Miles - Has gone unnoticed for a few years now and could be brought north as the backup third baseman/shortstop.

Josh Stewart - Many see a little of Mark Buehrle in Stewart, which is what makes him so intriguing. The Sox would really like to add a second lefty to the rotation, hence the attempts at Jamie Moyer, Omar Daal, and Kenny Rogers, and Stewart could be the guy. However, he will have to prove it and then some in spring training to make the trip.

Mario Scalise is currently attending Columbia College Chicago as a broadcast journalism major. Along with writing for FIC, Mario owns and operates a White Sox site, www.soxnet.net.