White Sox camp report
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Five things to know about the Chicago White Sox:
1. A rotation that turned in one of the most memorable October performances in memory in '05 finished a disappointing 10th in the AL in ERA last summer. That was part of GM Kenny Williams' thinking in dealing away Freddy Garcia -- he's a free agent following the '07 season, and Williams wanted to shake up the rotation. Some thought that all of those extra post-season innings pitched left them worn out for '06. Whatever. The Sox missed the playoffs last season and their pitchers should be refreshed. Either Jose Contreras, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland and Javier Vazquez will step up, or it will be the last gasp of a memorable rotation.
2. Manager Ozzie Guillen is putting the heat on center fielder Brian Anderson and closer Bobby Jenks. The Sox signed gritty Darin Erstad over the winter to play either left or center. Scott Podsednik originally was expected to open on the disabled list following off-season surgery to fix a sports hernia, but Podsednik is progressing enough to have a real chance to open on the opening day roster. If he makes it and plays left, that leaves Anderson or Erstad for center.
3. Guillen on Anderson: "I think Erstad and the competition around him, that's helping him. My expectations for Brian are very high. I think Brian should be a superstar. I think people will talk about him for a long time. That's the thing I'm thinking. That kid should be a superstar." That said, don't expect Erstad to slide over to first base, as he did with the Angels. The Sox have a fella named Paul Konerko there. "If you see Erstad at first base, we're in deep s---," Guillen says. "Because that means Konerko is hurt."
4. If Erstad wins the center field job, it will put an interesting twist in the Sox lineup. Guillen has batted second baseman Tadahito Iguchi second the past two years more by necessity than anything else. Given his preference, Guillen would be hitting Iguchi lower in the lineup -- and Erstad's presence might allow for Guillen's preference. The projected lineup with Erstad is for Podsednik to bat first, Erstad second -- and Iguchi seventh. The rundown: Podsednik, Erstad, Jim Thome, Konerko, Jermaine Dye, Joe Crede, Iguchi, A.J. Pierzynski and Juan Uribe.
5. The Sox are concerned with Jenks, who has had a noticeably rocky spring. Through his first six innings, Jenks walked seven and yielded eight hits. Jenks says the problem is mechanical. The White Sox hope he's right.
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