Is Mark Buehrle up for being the White Sox' ace this year?

Catchers – A.J. Pierzynski, Toby Hall, Donny Lucy

In 2006, Pierzynski enjoyed a nice spike in batting average, along with the rest of the Chicago hitters, in helping to put together a record setting offense. He came back to Earth last season though, hitting just .263 but posting his usual totals in homers and RBI. You can expect Pierzynski to continue to put up about 15 homers and 50-60 RBI as a steady, if unspectacular fantasy catcher. Hall could not hit in Tampa, and the change of scenery did not help him find his stroke. He will catch about 40 games and remain worthless in fantasy terms. Lucy will likely head to Triple-A and is a non-factor.

First Basemen – Paul Konerko, Nick Swisher, Jim Thome

The White Sox traded away their best first base prospect, Chris Carter, in the deal to get outfielder Carlos Quentin, so Konerko will continue to be their first baseman, and lineup anchor. After an off year in 2007, where he batted just .259, Konerko should bounce back this season to hit more like .285 with 30 homers and 100 RBI. Swisher could see some time at first to spell Konerko now and then, but he may not play there enough to qualify in fantasy as a first baseman next year. Thome will only get the leather out if the team is decimated by injuries. He is almost exclusively a DH at this point in his career.

Second Basemen – Danny Richar, Juan Uribe, Pablo Ozuna

The Sox traded Tadahito Iguchi away to give Richar a chance in the bigs, and the kid made the most of his chance. He has got some pop in his bat and showed a decent set of hitting skills, which should translate into continued growth for him this season. He is more of a sleeper pick who may be too inconsistent in his first year for fantasy, with a .250-.260 average and limited run/RBI totals hitting near the bottom of the order. Uribe will play the role of middle infield backup and pinch-hitter, but could see more time at second if Richar bombs out. Otherwise, neither he nor Ozuna will see enough at-bats to be fantasy relevant.

Shortstops – Orlando Cabrera, Juan Uribe, Pablo Ozuna

The White Sox desperately wanted an upgrade at shortstop and settled on Cabrera, who was on fire during the first half of 2007, but slid badly in the second half. He does not have the skill set to be a .300 hitter, with .270 being closer to reality, but he could get a boost in homers playing in U.S Cellular Field, with 12-15 being his upside. One can count on Cabrera for 20-25 steals and is still one of the better fantasy shortstops for speed. Uribe is the primary backup for the man who stole his job, with Ozuna available in a pinch.

Third Basemen – Joe Crede, Josh Fields

One of these two is likely to be gone before the season begins, with the short money being on Crede who is returning from back surgery. Crede is the more accomplished batter, with .300-25-80 upside if his back is healthy. Fields has the power, but needs to learn better plate patience. He has a big, uppercut-type swing, and hits many fly balls. If he gets the full-time third base job, he has upside for 30 home runs, but his average will hover in the mid-200's until he gets a better feel for the strike zone.

Outfield – Carlos Quentin, Nick Swisher, Jermaine Dye, Jerry Owens, Brian Anderson

The White Sox added the impact bat they wanted with Nick Swisher, who had an off-power year last season in Oakland. He is never going to hit for a high average with his skills, around .260 is about all you can expect. His new home park should help him boost his power numbers back to the 25-30 home run range though, making him a good pick. Carlos Quentin should present a buying opportunity in this year's drafts as last year's clunker of a season should depress his value. He has the skill and power to be a premier outfielder, and the move to Chicago should help his power numbers. Think .260-.270 with upside for 20 home runs. Jermaine Dye started slowly last season and came on strong in the second half, looking more like the player who bashed 44 homers in 2006. Look for Dye to rebound this season, hitting closer to .300 with homer totals into the mid 30s. Jerry Owens appears headed to the bench along with Brian Anderson this season. Owens displayed good speed last year, and could still end up platooning in left with Quentin. A lot will depend on how well Quentin hits. With regular playing time, Owen could be good for 20-25 steals, so watch how this competition plays out in Spring Training. Anderson is worthless in fantasy terms as a defensive replacement and pinch hitter, if he even makes the team.

Designated Hitter – Jim Thome

When it comes to Jim Thome, the only major concern is the health of his back. He seems to end up on the disabled list just about every year, so if you intend to pick him for your team it is wise to have a backup plan. That said, Thome should be good for another .275-35-100 season. If he gets hurt, the Sox have several alternatives for DH with the depth they have. You might see Konerko as the designated hitter with Swisher moving to first base if the White Sox expect Thome to miss considerable time. On the other hand, they could choose to use Uribe in the role if there is a short term need. Dye, Ozuna, Quentin, or someone from among the many non-roster invitees, like Jeff Liefer, could also see time in the role at some point, in the event of injury to Thome.

Starting Pitchers – Mark Buehrle, Javier Vasquez, Jose Contreras, John Danks, Gavin Floyd

The White Sox are counting on their younger pitchers more this season with John Danks and Gavin Floyd both expected to hold down slots in the starting rotation. They both have decent skill sets, but both also tend to give up the long ball. Danks was an innings eater last year and will look to build on his modest success, while Floyd joined the rotation late in the season with mixed results. Neither are draft targets for fantasy just yet. Meanwhile, Jose Contreras proved that his days as a fantasy starter are over last year, with an ERA just south of 6.00 and a WHIP of 1.56. Mark Buehrle started 2007 strong, but progressively weakened as the season wore on. He is still fantasy worthy, but watch him very closely and do not overpay for him. With more than 200 innings pitched in each of the last seven seasons, declining command stats, and a history of second half fades, Buehrle is a prime candidate for arm burnout. The one pitcher you really want for your fantasy team from the White Sox rotation is Javier Vasquez. He improved his strikeout rate from 2006, displayed better command overall, and put together his best effort in a White Sox uniform – all this on a team that had trouble scoring runs, and often did not give him much support.

Relief Pitchers – Scott Linebrink, Matt Thornton, Mike MacDougal, Ehren Wasserman, Boone Logan, Lance Broadway, Bobby Jenks

Last season, Bobby Jenks lowered the heat setting on his pitches, resulting in better control and reduced walk rates. He tied a record for consecutive batters retired, at one point setting down 41 straight, and established himself as one of the best closers in the AL. Look for more of the same in 2008, with 35-40 saves a real possibility. Scott Linebrink has been one of the top setup pitchers for several years, and a good fantasy reliever for vulture wins and lowering your ERA and WHIP. However, there are signs that his once stellar skills are eroding, and that, coupled with a change in league, and pitching in a hitter's park point to potential problems for Linebrink in 2008. The rest of the relief corps is notable for their mediocrity, with none of them standing out as roster-worthy for fantasy purposes. As a unit last season, they produced an ERA of 5.33 and a WHIP of 1.58, making them fantasy poison for the most part. Even when you dig deeper into the rookies and non-roster invitees for this spring, there is nobody there whom you should consider for your fantasy squad. It is Jenks, maybe Linebrink, and that is about it.

Rookies to Watch - Micah Schnurstein (Third Base), Lance Broadway (Pitcher), Kyle McCulloch (Pitcher), Robert Valido (Shortstop), Alexei Ramirez (Infielder / Outfielder)

There does not appear to be anything special about the crowd of prospects the Pale Hose are bringing along this spring. Micah Schnurstein and Robert Valido both appear to be slick fielding, no-hit type players whose development has been slow, and whose potential seems limited. Meanwhile, among the rookie pitchers, Lance Broadway and Kyle McCulloch look like bullpen fodder at best. Neither has the kind of stuff you want to see in starters, so their best bet is to develop into reliable relievers. It looks as though both of them will get that opportunity this season as GM Kenny Williams has only added one arm from outside the organization thus far. The most interesting rookie for the Sox is Cuban mystery man Alexei Ramirez, who the Sox signed to a four-year deal in December, but he has yet to join the team, or be placed on the 40-man roster. According to Baseball America, the Cuban defector has been a member of Cuba's top national team the last three years, helping them win an Olympic gold medal in 2004, and place second in the World Baseball Classic last year. Reportedly, he can play shortstop, second base, or center field, though it is not clear which is his best position. Also not clear is where the White Sox intend to play him. They have Cabrera for shortstop and are discussing a long-term deal for him, so he is not likely to play there. One scenario could have Nick Swisher moving to left field with Ramirez taking over in center and Carlos Quentin being the odd man out. Another possibility would involve a platoon with Richar at second, or perhaps they will go with Ramirez at second and send Richar back to the minors. Obviously, anything could happen here with Ramirez and the situation is one to watch in Spring Training.

Projected Lineup

Jerry Owens, Center Field
Orlando Cabrera, Shortstop
Jim Thome, Designated Hitter
Paul Konerko, First Base
Jermaine Dye, Right Field
Nick Swisher, Left Field
A.J. Pierzynski, Catcher
Josh Fields, Third Base
Danny Richar, Second Base

Projected Rotation

Mark Buehrle
Javier Vasquez
John Danks
Jose Contreras
Gavin Floyd

Closer

Bobby Jenks

Next in Line

Octavio Dotel