Spring training is in full swing and teams are preparing for what they hope ends up as a World Series-winning season. The Chicago White Sox are no different than any other team out there.
They have their hopes and they have their dreams of getting to the World Series for the first time in a long time. And they feel they have the team to be able to do that.
But first things first, 162 games have to be played and the White Sox are going to need as many of those games to go their way if they are going to reach the playoffs and even have a chance at getting to the World Series.
The White Sox, however, are no longer the class of the American League Central Division. There is a new team that has taken over and still remains the favorite.
That team is the Cleveland Guardians. They have the capability of grabbing the AL Central lead and taking it from the White Sox from day one.
Will the White Sox be able to win the AL Central or will they stumble?
If they do stumble, they will not stumble far however because the teams that are going to camp out at the bottom of the Central this year, Detroit, Minnesota, and Kansas City, aren’t going to pose a huge threat to the Sox.
The Twins may be able to give the Sox some fits but I think that the White Sox will sit firmly in the driver's seat at number two in the AL Central.
Injuries could play a huge role in who ends up where when the smoke clears and the season is over. The White Sox were hit hard by injuries in 2022 and that, coupled with some ineffective play by a few of their starters, helped to take them down a few notches from where they were the previous season.
Injuries are always the great equalizer and may be what causes the AL Central to fall into the hands of the Sox depending on how well the Guardians stay healthy. Health will also affect how well the Sox do. Will good health propel them into the top spot, or will they fall due to the injury bug?
The White Sox are an incredibly talented team and can win a lot of games this coming season. But unless something special happens, I don’t think that they overtake the Guardians. The Guardians have a good team that’s going to keep the White Sox in the rearview mirror.
So sorry White Sox fans, right now it looks like the Sox are the second best team in the AL Central. But they have the potential to do some good this year especially with strong health.
And trust me, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Sox and the Guardians battled it out for the top spot right up until the end of the season.
And if the White Sox should edge the Guardians for the top spot in the AL Central, with good health and a good matchup, they just might be able to make it to the next round in the playoffs.