CHICAGO WHITE SOX

2005 finish: 99-63, 1^st place in AL Central, World Series champions

Manager: Ozzie Guillen (3^rd season)

Incoming: 1B/DH Jim Thome, RHP Javier Vazquez, IF/OF Rob Mackowiak, IF Alex Cintron, LHP Chad Bentz, LHP Javier Lopez, LHP Matt Thornton

Long gone: CF Aaron Rowand, RHP Orlando Hernandez, DH/OF Carl Everett, LHP Damaso Marte, DH Frank Thomas, RHP Luis Vizcaino, OF Timo Perez, IF Willie Harris, IF Geoff Blum, OF Joe Borchard, RHP Jeff Bejanaru, OF Chris Young, C Raul Casanova, RHP Jon Adkins

Rotation: LHP Mark Buehrle, RHP Freddy Garcia, RHP Jose Contreras, RHP Jon Garland, RHP Javier Vazquez

Relievers: Closer: RHP Bobby Jenks; Setup men: LHP Neal Cotts, RHP Cliff Politte, RHP Brandon McCarthy, RHP Dustin Hermanson, LHP Arnie Munoz, LHP Chad Bentz, LHP Javier Lopez, LHP Matt Thornton

Regulars: LF Scott Podsednik, SS Juan Uribe, DH Jim Thome, 1B Paul Konerko, RF Jermaine Dye, C A.J. Pierzynski, 2B Tadahito Iguchi, 3B Joe Crede, CF Brian Anderson

Role players: C Chris Widger, 1B/OF Ross Gload, IF Pablo Ozuna, IF Alex Cintron, IF/OF Rob Mackowiak, IF Pedro Lopez

The pressure is on: Rookie Brian Anderson, the club’s No. 1 pick in 2003, doesn’t need to produce much offense at the bottom of the order, but he does need to be an adequate defensive replacement for outstanding center fielder Aaron Rowand.

Breakout candidate: It wouldn’t be a big shock if Neal Cotts takes over the closer role at some point this season.

Rundown: General manager Kenny Williams sees the opportunity for the decade’s first World Series repeat, and boldly is going after it. If this works, Williams will cement his place in the game’s ever-changing executive hierarchy, in which only he and a handful of others can claim one championship, let alone two. What he did this off-season has many already praising him for trying (and it doesn’t hurt that owner Jerry Reinsdorf OK’d a payroll increase to close to $100 million). That would be adding Jim Thome, Javier Vazquez, Rob Mackowiak and Alex Cintron while losing little in terms of importance off the roster that easily ran through the American League playoffs and swept the World Series. Thome is the left-handed power bat they needed, and with the Phillies paying about half of his remaining salary, the financial risk is manageable. Thome, 35, appears to be healthy again after back problems limited him to 193 at-bats in 2005, and lest we forget, he averaged 47.5 homers and 119.5 RBI in the preceding four seasons, changing leagues in the process. The DH role should suit him perfectly, and he is expected to hit in front of cleanup hitter Paul Konerko, who has averaged 40 homers and 108 RBI the last two seasons. Thome did cost them center fielder Aaron Rowand and two pitching prospects, and forces rookie Brian Anderson into the lineup at a key position. But the Sox believe Anderson is up to the challenge, and if not, they can go get a stop-gap by mid-season, or use the versatile Mackowiak in that spot. Vazquez had an inconsistent 2005 season, and generally is regarded to have underachieved at 89-93-4.28 in his eight-year career. But he is 29, has averaged 219 innings over the last six seasons, and other than 2004 with the Yankees, has pitched for losing teams. Put him at the back of a rotation that also will include Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and Jon Garland, and you have arguably the best five in the game. The price for Vazquez could turn out to be steep, however, if top center field prospect Chris Young pans out, along with reliever Luis Vizcaino and Orlando ‘El Duque’ Hernandez, who was expendable after pitching only 128.1 innings last season. For now, there is no room in the rotation for Brandon McCarthy, 22, who went 3-1-1.69 in seven games after his August recall. McCarthy will be used out of the bullpen, where Vizcaino and Damaso Marte have to be replaced, and Dustin Hermanson is struggling with lingering back trouble. If Bobby Jenks’ spring troubles extend into the season, there could be some cause for concern in the bullpen. But remember that at this point last season, Jenks wasn’t on the radar, and soft-tossing Shingo Takatsu was the closer. Cliff Politte and unknown star Neal Cotts will have to take on more-important roles if Jenks and Hermanson can’t. They also have added lefty Matt Thornton from Seattle this spring in exchange for Joe Borchard. Given their 35-19 record in one-run games last season, it will be tough for the Sox to match their 2005 win total of 99, even though they may have a better team. But they will win the division again, and should do so in easier fashion.

Predicted finish: 1^st place, 93-69

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