mlb.com has picked the white sox to win the AL Central.  Do you agree? 

my biggest concern heading into the season is mark buehrle.  if he can return to his 2005 form, i’ll feel a lot better about this team.

96 wins. That is what it is going to take this year. I agree with you on MB, but I think they can do it.

Ozzie Guillen will be fired before the regular season begins.

The White Sox will finish in last place.

I think that any team can really win any given year.  Nobody picked the Sox or Tigers the last two years so who knows.  I do like our team though.

Pat,

Yeah, I agree. Estard (sp?) was a good pickup. The key will be pitching, just like it always is.

Patrick Dahl - 02 February 2007 03:11 PM

mlb.com has picked the white sox to win the AL Central.  Do you agree? 

my biggest concern heading into the season is mark buehrle.  if he can return to his 2005 form, i’ll feel a lot better about this team.

Pat I think Buehrle has a great “contract” year ahead of him. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and say that Jay will make an issue out of it fairly early in the season.

Really Jay Mariotti - 02 February 2007 06:46 PM

Ozzie Guillen will be fired before the regular season begins.

The White Sox will finish in last place.

Thanks Cub Fan..........................

I don’t think Detroit will repeated their success as the wild card/AL Champs. I still see Minnesota as being a contender, inspite of losing Radke & Liriano. I think Cleveland will rebound from a disappointing 2006 season, and Kansas City will still be Kansas City....

The Sox a have a great chance to will the AL central. I don’t think Kenny Williams is done dealing either.

Not that I really want to engage in Twins dialogue (because of a certain cabbage patch kid that once lurked around here) but is Liriano out for the entire season?

tyrone briggs - 12 February 2007 09:39 AM

Not that I really want to engage in Twins dialogue (because of a certain cabbage patch kid that once lurked around here) but is Liriano out for the entire season?

Yep. To quote the immortal bard, “HE GONE!”

I’m sorry, I cuoldn’t stop myself.

Not that I really want to engage in Twins dialogue (because of a certain cabbage patch kid that once lurked around here

My thoughts exactly, Regular.

Now, being a Cubs fan, I’m biased.  But that said, I do think the Sox will win the division fairly easily.  While they won’t choke near the end of the season like in 2005, they won’t sweep through the post season either.

But wouldn’t it be awesome to have a Cubs-Sox World Series?

I think that might top a Chicago Bears SB win.  I really wouldn’t care who won.

Actually, once the Cubs DO win, I fear that they won’t be as loveable or mystical anymore.  They’ll be the Boston Red Sox.

I’d still take a Cubs World Series title in a heartbeat.

I don’t know.  I kind of think the Bears are the best team in town.  I just wish the NFL season was longer.

It will all come down to pitching. Starting pitching should give you at least 75 wins, while relief pitching should give you 20 wins. 95 wins should win you the division. Relief pitching in the 2006 season gave the Sox more losses than wins last year (19 wins vs 24 losses).  Even though starting pitching had 71 wins last year, it doesn’t fall all on Buehrle.  Had Contreras, Vazquez and Buehrle had at least 15 wins each, it would have compensated for the relief pitching staff’s poor performance.

Although Baseball isn’t the ultimate “team” sport (a discussion for a later time), the Sox have shown that they are capable of putting together a great team on the field. One should not have to rely on just one person to win it all day and day out. Guys have to pick each other up throughout the season.

That’s a great breakdown, Lard.  (Can I call you Lard?)

But the problem is, I think starting pitching will only get you about 60 games this year.  Who knows how Wood will do in the bullpen.

ny-exchicagoan - 13 February 2007 01:48 PM

But the problem is, I think starting pitching will only get you about 60 games this year.  Who knows how Wood will do in the bullpen.

Uh, Keith, he was talking about the Sox. The Cubs haven’t got a prayer.