White Sox: 30 things to think about

Sep 6, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) reacts after giving up a home run in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

13. Adam Eaton‘s spark — Can the centerfielder bring the spark and excitement to the White Sox like he did last season? I believe he will and then some, but what to look for with Eaton is can he bat .300 again for this ball club?

14. Jeff Samardzija and a long-term deal — If the White Sox want to stay competitive for the next few seasons, they really need to sign an extension with Samardzija to give them a 1-2-3 punch of him, Sale and Jose Quintana for years to come. It is the smart thing to do.

15. Breakout player: Jose Quintana — Speaking of Quintana … I’m predicting he will become the breakout player for the White Sox in ’15. Each of the past two seasons, he just seems to continue to pitch better, and another year with pitching coach Don Cooper can’t hurt anything, either.

Next: Who will earn the backup catcher spot for the White Sox?

16. Matt Davidson in Triple-A — One player with the Charlotte Knights the White Sox really need to see improvement from is Davidson. The third baseman came over in a trade from last offseason with the Arizona Diamondbacks and didn’t produce in the minors whatsoever. He has a lot of tough work ahead of him, but he’s someone all White Sox fans need to be rooting for this spring and summer.

17. Another honor for Paulie — Paul Konerko‘s No. 14 jersey will be retired on May 23, so what else do I need to say about one of the greatest White Sox players of all-time except, “Thank You, Paulie.”

18. Consistency in left field — Maybe the biggest surprise of the offseason was the signing of free agent Melky Cabrera to replace Dayan Viciedo in left field. Not even looking at the plate presence of Cabrera, he will bring a sigh of relief whenever the ball is hit to left this upcoming season.