1: How will CF Alex Rios perform in 2010? When the White Sox claimed the Alex Rios off of waivers in August of 2009, they weren't quite sure what they were going to get, aside from a $10+ million a year salary. Rios, once considered a future franchise cornerstone in Toronto, was rewarded a 6 year, $64 million contract after a 2007 season that saw him bat .297, hit 24 HRs and drive in 85 runs. He performed well under that contract in 2008, but began an inexplicable fade in 2009 that saw him fall from the graces of the powers that be in Toronto and onto the waiver wires. Claimed by the White Sox, Rios failed to live up to the expectations of anybody in his brief playtime in the Windy City. Playing in 41 games, Rios hit .199 with an OPS of .530. Since losing DH Jim Thome and OF Jermaine Dye since the beginning of the 2009 season, the White Sox need Rios to regain his form and become a solid run producer in the middle of the lineup. Otherwise they will find themselves in the same situation as Toronto, saddled with an underperforming player with a large contract.
2: How is RF Carlos Quentin health? Quentin was a key cog in the Chicago White Sox 2008 playoff team. Finishing the year with 36 HRs, 100 RBIs and a .965 OPS, Quentin established himself as a slugger to be reckoned with. 2009 saw him hampered by foot injuries and dealing with a wrist injury from the previous year that limited him to just 99 games. While his power was not greatly affected (21 HRs in those games) Quentin's average and OPS plummeted to .236 and .739 respectively. With a clean bill of health, the White Sox are looking for their right fielder to rebound and reestablish himself during the 2010 season.
3: What does OF/DH Andruw Jones have left in the tank? Acquired in the offseason, the White Sox have a bit of a wild card in Jones. Once a bright young star, Jones is now a 14-year veteran at the age of 32. His time with the Braves saw 10 straight season of 25+ HRs and 80+ RBIs, but his signs of a great drop off appeared in a 2007 season that saw him finish with a then career low .222 batting average. The 2008 season saw Jones join the Dodgers and drop off the face of the earth, hitting 3 HRs with a .158 average before being shut down for the year after playing in just 75 games. Jones fared marginally better with Texas in 2009, with 17 HRs in 82 games, but was still just a shadow of his former self. He appears somewhat rededicated to baseball in a White Sox uniform, showing up to camp in considerably better shape than in recent years. Penciled in as part of a platoon at DH, the White Sox see Jones as a candidate for a career renaissance, but it seems more likely that his best days are far behind him.
4: How bright can 2B Gordon Beckham's star shine? Coming off an impressive rookie campaign in 2009, huge things are expected of Beckham. Rumors swirled in the offseason that Beckham was part of a package that would see the White Sox acquire San Diego slugger Adrian Gonzalez, but 2010 will see Beckham begin his first full season in the South Side of Chicago. Big things are expected of the young player and the White Sox are counting on Beckham being an integral part of their franchise for years to come.
5: Where will the White Sox finish the season? Coming of a disappointing 79-83 2009 campaign, expect the White Sox to be back in the hunt for the 2010 AL Central title. With one of the deepest staffs in the game including a rotation led by LHP Mark Buehrle and RHP Jake Peavy, the White Sox expect to be in most games. The question mark of the team is on offense, mainly is there enough power to keep pace with the Twins and the Tigers? You can find the White Sox at +230 to win the AL Central, +1600 to with the AL Pennant and +3000 to win the World Series over at 5Dimes.com.
