White Sox Offseason Pickups

The White Sox have made a few really good offseason additions and keeping of people. The first thing is that they kept A.J Pierzynski (no idea how to spell that). He has been a leader of this team for years. He is one reason why our pitching moves so fast. He knows how to call a game well. Sometimes we get mad at him and those are the times where we put in Ramon Castro. But, when we need him he will be there and he will play well.
The next is that we signed Adam Dunn. During the end of last years trade deadline we were looking at him seriously, but we never ended up getting him. The fans were upset because we needed a full time DH. Now we have one because we decided to just sign him this offseason. So I guess it is true that if Kenny really wants someone he will get him. I think he will be a great addition to the team. We need that power in our lineup. Our try to become like all speed last year was a fail and we will have to face the fact that we are a power team. Adam Dunn will help us get that power along with the next guy I am going to talk about.
Paul Konerko resigned with the White Sox this offseason. This is the thing that made me the happiest. He is my favorite player and he is a major leader on this team. If he left, our team would probably fall apart for at least one year. Without him we are lost. We have no leader. Paulie was not only a leader on the field but also in the clubhouse. He is a much needed player. With him still there I think we can still call it the White Sox. Without him they are just not the same team. He is their identity. Their Derek Jeter if you will. We need him and without him you lose fans and you end up losing some games.
The final thing is something that just came up. Jesse Crain one the of the top relievers in the Twins bullpen is reportedly going to sign with the WhiteSox having just lost Bobby Jenks and having a week bullpen last year, this will be a good addition. The best part is that it is us adding a good reliever and the Twins losing one. Hopefully him and Sale (if sale is still in the bullpen) will make this a really good bullpen.
So, overall the White Sox are major winners in this offseason. I'm glad that Kenny realized we needed to make a lot of changes so that this team is a winner next year and we make it back to the playoffs. The people in Chicago really need one good team for once. Just kidding because the Hawks, Bulls, and Bears are good. I meant to say that people in Chicago really need one good baseball team for once. I know the White Sox have done their part by winning the world series, but the other team isn't doing their part so we have to take theirs also. (sorry but I just had to do it cubs)

Whitesox

The whitesox are 4 games back right now. That sounds like a problem from the moment it comes out of your mouth. So, I thought that I would blog about what the Whitesox have been doing good and what they have been doing bad. I will also comment on why I think the Whitesox still have a chance to win this division.
First the bad things the Whitesox are doing. There are some obvious things going on that are bad. Such as bad bullpen, average starting pitching, and failure to bring home men in scoring position. Those are the things that you notice everyday you watch a Whitesox game. There are some things under the surface that I have noticed and perhaps you have noticed. One of them is that everybody near the Whitesox thinks that Greg Walker is a fantastic hitting coach. The truth is he isn't that great. Why do you think our offense can't bring home guys in scoring position? It isn't just because they aren't good baseball players. You see guys who come into our team, who are supposed to be good, but end up playing terrible. They must be used to a hitting coach that will teach them and help them with what they need. Then you also see guys leave from our team and go on to be really good hitters. Maybe its because they get to a new team and a new hitting coach and that coach actually helps the player hit and he becomes a better hitter.
Now the good part. I like this part. Their offense has been better than the beginning of the season. They are actually hitting a little well. They might not bring home the guys they should, but they do hit home runs. The home runs bring home not only the guys on base, but the batter himself. This can produce more runs, but our offense shouldn't be based on hardball alone. Our pitching has also been improved since that beginning slump we had. Glavin Floyd has been the pitcher of the month, Danks has been very successful lately. Buerhle and Peavy are both aces (even though Peavy is out now). Freddy Garcia has been a good 5th man. And since the edition of Edwin Jackson he has been very successful. In each of his games, he has had a good pitching performance. He may not have won, but he still pitched well.
Finally, the reasons why I think they still have a chance to win this division. I think they can win this division because they have that Whitesox swagger that I have always loved. I find it hard to let myself believe that the season is over at any time. But this year I kind of had reason for hope. I didn't really believe that the Whitesox could go to Target field and sweep the Twins. I did think that they would eventually take first place. This may not be true. But, if they ever do get into first place and end up at least 2 games above the Twins, I don't think they will ever look back on not being in first place. I'm not sure if they can get to first place. If they get back to that team that went 25-5 in 30 games they will definitely get first place at a point and win this division. I would like the Whitesox to go on one final 11 game winning streak. That would make it 3 times they have won so many games in a row. The Twins will have to lose eventually.

Central news. centrally

Today since I had nothing else really to talk about I decided that I would talk about baseball because somebody really needs to because baseball has been no news this year. So I'm going to talk about the two divisions that I know best. The NL and AL central. First I'll do the NL.
NL Central
who will win this division?
I said at the all-star break when I did a blog about the second half predictions that I thought the Cardinals would win. Since then the Cardinals have taken first place. So now what people thought was stupid of me to say because Cinci was playing so well. Now Stl is playing better. Everybody was so caught up in the Joey Votto thing. He really is only as good as an average player having a really good year. St. Louis has a better hitter, Albert Pujols, because you are crazy if you think that Votto is better than Pujols. The Cardinals also have better and more experienced pitching. That is why I thought all along that the Cards would win this division. They are more experienced. I think that the Reds can win in a few years but right now is not their time. Then there are the cubs. I think that they have a pretty good team. Their manager is leaving, but if Sandberg replaces him then the Cubs also have a chance to win in a few years.
AL Central
I always love to talk about this division, because it is my favorite. There is no question who I want to win. I also think that that team can win. Right now the White Sox are ahead of the Twins by one game. They are also four games ahead of the Tigers. I think that both the Tigers and the Twins have a chance to win this division. Right now it is up for grabs. Detroit is just have a rough time now, but they will get hot soon. The Twins are also very dangerous. Lately they have been playing some of the worst teams in baseball. So its a little easier for them. But this division is about to get interesting. In August the White Sox play the Twins and Tigers so much you will be sick of watching the same two teams playing. This division will be decided in August, no doubt. But in the last two years the division has been decided by a playoff game after the regular season. I think that there is a huge possibility that the AL Central will make it three in a row.