Can the Chicago White Sox Compete in the American League Central?
Fans all over the country are wondering just how well the Chicago White Sox are going to do this season. I know I have thought a lot about what they might be capable of doing, especially after last year’s debacle. I would hope that it could only get better, but I might be wrong. But I think that we should all have a lot of hope heading into the season because right now, we aren’t sure what the Sox are made of. They have churned through a bunch of their roster to get to where they are right now. They may not be done picking up players either and hopefully, they could be in for a big free-agent splash.
Who knows what to expect.
The other teams in the AL Central all have their arrows pointing up except perhaps the Kansas City Royals. The Royals may be the worst team in the Central with the White Sox projected to be just ahead of them. But folks, I am here to tell you that the White Sox may just be in for a better season than many are projecting. It all depends on how well they can put together things in training camp, whether they grab a free agent or two still, and whether they are infused with the desire and will to win.
It all starts with what manager Pedro Grifol can do with this team. I think that he stumbled right out of the gate in his first year with the Sox but should have learned his lesson and will be much better prepared this year. I think that he needs to build his players up to be more in tune with his philosophy and vision. I don’t think that happened in 2023. We can only hope that it happens in 2024.
So, we have discussed the state of the Kansas City Royals a little bit but what about the other three teams in the AL Central? The Minnesota Twins look to have done a bit of shuffling with some player moves and it’s hard to tell if they will be stronger because of these moves. Last year’s division leader and playoff team could be poised for bigger and better things and will probably be the class of the AL Central this year. But nipping at their heels are the Cleveland Guardians.
The Guardians look like a team that could do some good things this year even though manager Terry Francona is no longer there. I would expect that new manager Stephen Vogt will be able to step things up and keep this team competitive. They will be the second-best team in the AL Central. Then you have the Detroit Tigers. It’s about time that the Tigers did something and I feel that they are poised to start having a breakout season this year.
Can the White Sox be competitive in the AL Central this year? I think that as long as Grifol can control the clubhouse and inspire his guys, they will remain competitive. They certainly won’t be at the bottom of the AL Central, but I don’t predict they will unseat the Twins and Guardians for the top two spots. I feel that they are just a little too far away to do that. If they surprise us all and end up being very good, that would be a blessing, but I don’t see that happening. I think that the White Sox are two to three years away from being playoff contenders and capable of taking over the AL Central.