White Sox Getting Defensive

If the White Sox did one thing well last season it was play defense. The team was second only to Tampa Bay last year in fielding percentage with .987. They were one of only three teams to finish with under 80 errors for the season last year.

Those numbers however don’t tell the full story. The team struggled to hold runners on, throw them out and the outfield was a disaster. While Alex Rios and Juan Pierre were complete disasters last year the outfield looks to take a step forward this season.

Moving the speedy Alejandro De Aza to center field changes the whole makeup of the outfield. He has the ability to cover ground Rios could not and would not do. It also makes Rios a better defender himself. He has the athleticism and speed to cover more ground in right than Carlos Quentin did last season. While Dayan Viciedo is not going to win any Gold Gloves, he will be efficient and in the right spot at all times.

The infield returns intact from last season and is very solid all the way around. By now Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham have developed into an above average double play combination.

Going forward this season the White Sox are going to find themselves in a lot of close games. When you rely more on your pitching staff things tend to unfold that way. It is paramount they field well this season if they want to be a successful team.