Although this could be a very trying year for the White Sox, there could be a few players that could surprise in 2008.

First on my list is left-hander Mark Buehrle.  Buehrle finished the 2007 season with a 10-9 record with a 3.63 ERA in 30 starts.  The reason that stat jumps out so much to me is, he only received a decision in 19 of the 30 games he started, 11 no decisions, that’s way too many.  What impresses me so much about Buehrle is, through his 8 major league seasons, only once has he failed to pitch more than 200 innings and that was his rookie season in 2000.  He needs to lead this rotation, set the tone for guys like Gavin Floyd, Javier Vasquez and Jose Contreras.  If he can do that, the White Sox may be able to stay in the race….ok, maybe only a few months.

Orlando Cabrera enters his first season with the Chicago White Sox after being traded from the Los Angeles Angels this past off-season.  In 2007, he hit .301 with 8 HR’s but drove in 86 and scored 101 runs.  It was a surprising, and unpopular, move by the Angels to bring over right-hander Jon Garland.  Cabrera brings much needed defense to the White Sox, but also brings a guy who can hit with runners on (.348) and most importantly, with runners in scoring position (.311).  If he can continue that trend from 2007, he will add another element to the White Sox offense.

After a career year in 2006 (.315 BA, 44 HR’s 120 RBI’s), Jermaine Dye came back down to Earth in 2007, hitting .254 with 28 HR’s and driving in 78.  Dye, although he did hit 28 HR’s, 18 of those 28 came with the bases empty, the same kind of stat I noted with the Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano.  Dye needs to be a big offensive force in the White Sox lineup in 2008 if this team has any hopes of staying in the AL Central race past June.

The one player that a lot of White Sox fans are going to keep their eye on is right-handed reliever, and former San Diego Padre, Scott Linebrink.  If for no other reason than he was given a contract that left a lot of people, myself included, scratching their heads.  On November 28, 2007 the Chicago White Sox signed Linebrink to a 4-year $19M deal.  You could make the argument that Linebrink was one of, if not the, best setup man in baseball with the Padres from 2004 to 2005, but he was pitching in one of the best pitcher’s parks in baseball in Petco Park.  He should start the 2008 season as the setup man to current closer Bobby Jenks, but has the ability to slide into a closer’s role if need be.  Linebrink needs to figure out that he can’t throw his fastball by anyone anymore, not at this level.  If he wants to have any success at all this season, he needs to learn to trust other pitches and keep hitters off balance, otherwise, the White Sox could look to deal him very quickly.

The biggest factor, by far, for the Chicago White Sox is going to be the health of Jim Thome.  Thome had a great year in 2007, hitting .275 with 35 HR’s and 96 RBI’s, playing in only 130 games.  If Thome can stay healthy and be the big bat that’s he’s been for so long over his career, he’ll add to a lineup already bosting Jermaine Dye, Orlando Cabrera and Paul Konerko.

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