White Sox Spring Training: 8 days away and counting

Aug 22, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Avisail Garcia (26) bats against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago White Sox organization and fans of the team are just seven days away from seeing pitchers and catchers report for spring training, and once those players report, the expectations of the ball club will be higher than they’ve been in quite some time.

The first spring game will be on March 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that’s when some of the players on the roster will start their climb back to having a successful season, because with the October expectations this club has placed on themselves, players will have to step up their play in ’15.

Speaking of players stepping up or having a “key season,” one of those players will be Avisail Garcia, who will be playing in his third season in a White Sox uniform. Garcia played in just 46 games last year after he was injured in April, and in ’13 when the White Sox obtained him in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, Garcia played in 42 games.

In his combined 141 MLB games played during his short career, Garcia has a .272 average with 14 home runs, 15 doubles, three triples and 63 RBIs. He’s walked 26 times, and to become a success on the ’15 team, he must cut down on his strikeouts, as he has 113 in 141 games.

For Garcia though, along with who the White Sox have on their current roster, ’15 will be a very good season for him to just become accustomed with the MLB grind, and if he does that with the players that surround him in the lineup, he can most likely become a big contributing player on the roster … though all of that sits on the fact he can stay healthy and play a full season.

In an article on WhiteSox.com, Scott Merkin wrote the following about Garcia:

“He (Garcia) is at least 15 pounds slimmer moving into 2015 and coming off a strong winter ball effort in Venezuela. The potential five-tool talent is a true X-factor for this team’s success.”

Next: Is the time to win now for Robin Ventura?

In AL Central news from FanSided MLB:

• (Minnesota Twins): Puckett’s Pond asked if Trevor May might be open to the bullpen.

• (Detroit Tigers): Motor City Bengals wrote how the ’15 season “promises to be an interesting year.”

• (Cleveland Indians): Wahoo’s on First writes about Zach McAllister and being a fifth starter.

• (Kansas City Royals): Kings of Kauffman gave the keys to Alcides Escobar‘s “bounce back season.”

In White Sox news:

• In an article by Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago, White Sox VP Ken Williams tells White Sox to “throw out whatever anybody is saying.”

• The Washington Post asked if Jeff Samardzija can lift the White Sox to the postseason.

• The Chicago Sun-Times also had an article quoting Ken Williams from Wednesday.

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