Chicago White Sox

Team Analyses

Chicago has decided to trade their farm away and build as if they are a win-now team, which by most accounts they are not. However, for fantasy purposes the lineup has a lot of potential, especially when batting at the launching pad of U.S. Cellular.

Lineup

• Orlando Cabrera
• Nick Swisher
• Jim Thome
• Paul Konerko
• Jermaine Dye
• A.J. Pierzynski
• Josh Fields
• Carlos Quentin
• Danny Richar

Rotation

• Mark Buehrle
• Javier Vazquez
• Jose Contreras
• John Danks
• Gavin Floyd

Closer: Bobby Jenks

Thoughts...

Orlando Cabrera and Nick Swisher are going to put up great numbers in their new home. Cabrera gets to lead off for a potent offense, and since Thome and Konerko should decline into more doubles/sacrifice fly hitters, Cabrera should get the green light. I think he could easily go 15 HR, 30 SB with an average just under .300, which are great numbers. Swisher, on the other hand, would be lucky to bat .280, though his OBP should yield a ton of runs. In his new, much friendlier confines, he's a legitimate threat for 35+ HRs, and is slipping too far in drafts.

Thome, Konerko, and Dye are all pretty old. I was excited when I heard Konerko might go to the Angels, because of these three I see him as the most likely to rebound. However, it's looking like he'll stay nestles between the aging sluggers. All three should give you about 30 HRs, which isn't anything to scoff at, though their averages should decline. Thome and Dye carry the most injury risk, so I'd suggest choosing an upside-youngster instead.

Fields and Quentin are the youngsters. Fields probably isn't ready to bat well over .270, and at a deep 3B position isn't worth the hassle. Quentin is going undrafted in  a lot of leagues, and should provide good speed in a deeper league or as a 5th OF in some formats.

The pitching is pretty bad. Jenks and Vazquez are both underrated at their respective positions. I'll make this brief-no other pitcher on the team is worth owning. If your a raving White Sox fan, draft Garland out of sentiment.