White Sox: Once Again, Hope Springs Eternal for Upcoming Season
By Brian Draus
White Sox begin season with three-game series in Kansas City starting on Thursday. This is the second season of the team’s current rebuild.
Today is the day we have waited six months for, White Sox fans. It is Opening Day when hope springs eternal for 30 teams across the league. Now, dreaming of a world championship may be on the minds of many throughout America, however, what should Sox fans keep a keen eye on in 2018?
First of all, will this team continue to develop? That statement has nothing to do with players such as James Shields, but more along the lines of Yoan Moncada. There could be many moments when we as a fan base become frustrated with the play of our top prospects, who still have a long way to go before they will dominate on a consistent basis.
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Part of that development includes mid-season call-ups. With Eloy Jimenez and Michael Kopech waiting in the minors, it only makes sense to think that progress could come from down on the farm at some point. Should those two be counted on to turn the Sox around if they are struggling? Of course not, however, both could provide special moments in 2018 regardless.
Another key area to watch is the recovery of Carlos Rodon. He is one of the pillars of the Sox rotation as we move forward, and if Rodon can become a front-line starter it is a plus. Meanwhile, if he fails to stay healthy it is irrelevant which may end up being the case if history repeats itself.
Here is the one most of you are interested in as well. How will Avisail Garcia perform after his breakout 2017 campaign? It is doubtful he posts a .330 average considering he led all of baseball with a BABIP of .392. That means Garcia was good in ’17, but very lucky as well. On the bright side even if he isn’t quite as fortunate, Garcia should still put up solid numbers this season.
Before we wrap up, no one outside of the Sox players themselves is expecting the team to win anything in 2018. That doesn’t mean they won’t, mostly due to the fact that this is a team with a significant amount of raw talent. If everything goes right they could hang around, however it wouldn’t be wise to bet the house on it.
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All in all, this season could be a trying one for our Sox. There are a lot of young players, especially pitchers. No one would be upset if Rick Hahn flipped a couple of the veteran relievers for a top 100 prospect at the deadline, which would not surprise anyone with the value of relievers skyrocketing. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t root for wins, but another high draft pick wouldn’t hurt will it, Sox fans?