White Sox: Five things to know
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PHOENIX -- Five things to know about the Chicago White Sox:
1. When Jose Contreras ruptured his left Achilles' tendon while covering first base in a game last August, there was some doubt he would ever pitch for the White Sox again. There was little chance he would return before the 2009 All-Star break. Now manager Ozzie Guillen says Contreras should be able to start a game in spring training. With Bartolo Colon also making a quick recovery from offseason elbow surgery, the White Sox could have more depth in their rotation than they ever imagined.
2. Cuba has been good to the White Sox, with Contreras and Orlando Hernandez contributing to the 2005 championship team, and Contreras and Alexei Ramirez contributing to last year's division winner. So if two Cubans are good, maybe three Cubans will be even better. The Sox signed slugging third baseman Dayan Viciedo, who will be given a chance to make the team (and join Contreras and Ramirez) this spring.
3. Guillen hasn't written a book, and isn't writing a book. He's not even reading a book, at least not a sports book. Told that the Cubs' Lou Piniella read books by successful coaches in an attempt to improve as a manager, Guillen responded: "Who are you kidding? He's reading a book? The only books I read are about police and politics. I read a lot, whether people believe it or not, but I don't think that helps you be a better manager. But seriously, I want to be like Lou Piniella, I really do. When Lou's in the interview room, I watch, because if there's one guy I really admire, it's him." As for writing a book, Ozzie said: "I have to wait until I'm done with baseball and go to Venezuela and don't have to come back to the States."
4. With Ramirez moving to shortstop, the White Sox have an opening at second base, and one of the top candidates is 25-year-old Chris Getz. Some White Sox people say that the success of Dustin Pedroia has encouraged them to look more closely at Getz, who isn't as short as Pedroia but is somewhat comparable. "I'm a guy that probably they appreciate over time," Getz said.
5. The White Sox are quickly learning that not everyone wearing a White Sox cap is a White Sox fan. Some are simply Barack Obama fans, and have seen the new president wearing the cap. Hat sales were up 25 percent in November and December, and they understand that many of the new customers weren't baseball fans (and that some don't even know what the White Sox are). No problem. The Sox are proud of their most famous fan, and are still hoping for permission to come out with a cap that features both the Sox logo and an Obama logo. The Sox have also invited Obama to throw out the first pitch before their April 6 opener against Kansas City. They note that after then-Sen. Obama threw out the first pitch before Game 2 of the '05 American League Championship Series, the Sox didn't lose another game that postseason.
