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| Wednesday, January 24 | |||||
| Season in review: Chicago White Sox Diamond Mind Baseball | |||||
Diamond Mind is a highly-realistic strategy-oriented computer baseball game. Founder Tom Tippett and a team of top baseball analysts -- Gary Gillette, Stuart Shea and Zack Scott -- are presenting detailed reviews of each team's performance in 2000 (with projected and actual statistics for all key players) along with their thoughts about the outlook for the 2001 season.
This article takes a look at how the Chicago White Sox did in the 2000 season
relative to preseason expectations. For an overview of the approach used in this review, and a definition of some of the key terms and statistics, please see the overview page at the Diamond Mind web site.
Capsule summaryProjected Actual Runs for 789 978 Runs allowed 898 839 Run Margin -109 139 Wins 72 95 Pythagorean wins 71 93 Placement 4th 1stNearly everything about the White Sox was a surprise in 2000, from the closing ability of Keith Foulke to the rejuvenation of Frank Thomas to the continued development of young stars Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Lee. The club's defense was measurably improved, the starting pitching was good enough, and manager Jerry Manuel managed to contain a formerly disharmonious clubhouse. Key position players Chicago improved at most lineup positions in 2000. First baseman Paul Konerko, second baseman Ray Durham, left fielder Carlos Lee, and right fielder Magglio Ordonez made slight-to-major improvements, while midseason acquisition Charles Johnson was a monster in his brief time on the South Side. The unexpected bonuses came from DH Frank Thomas, who resurrected his career as one of the most feared hitters in the league. The Big Hurt was simply outstanding in 2000, while shortstop Jose Valentin provided a major upgrade at the dish and on the bases. Third baseman Herb Perry stepped into a breach and provided above-average offense as well. Only in center field, where Chris Singleton didn't hit as well as he had in 2000, did the team suffer. The Sox' one bench weakness was the lack of a quality fourth outfielder to spell Singleton against southpaws. The White Sox used a balanced attack to score more runs than any other AL club. They ranked third in slugging average, fourth in on-base average, and fourth in stolen bases. Perhaps as importantly, the Sox got their runners in, leaving fewer men on base than any other club. Even middle-order hitters like Thomas, Paul Konerko, and Carlos Lee would shorten their swings with two strikes in order to move runners over, and the club ranked third in sac hits and second in sacrifice flies. Brook Fordyce, c, age 30 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 406 112 25 1 11 41 52 3 29 1 63 1 1 .276 .328 .424 .752 56 Prorated ChA 125 34 8 0 3 13 16 1 9 0 19 0 0 .276 .328 .424 .752 17 Actual ChA 125 34 7 1 5 18 21 2 6 0 23 0 0 .272 .313 .464 .777 19 Prorated Bal 178 49 11 0 5 18 23 1 13 0 28 0 0 .276 .328 .424 .752 25 Actual Bal 177 57 11 0 9 23 28 2 11 0 27 0 0 .322 .361 .537 .898 35 Prorated Tot 303 84 19 1 8 31 39 2 22 1 47 1 1 .276 .328 .424 .752 42 Actual Tot 302 91 18 1 14 41 49 4 17 0 50 0 0 .301 .341 .507 .848 53The slash-hitting Fordyce began the 2000 season on the disabled list after he broke a bone in his left foot in spring training. He returned to action May 23 and homered in his second at-bat. While he did hit for higher average, he walked even less than his usual unacceptable total. The Sox weren?t unhappy to deal him to Baltimore on July 29 in order to rent the offensively and defensively superior Charles Johnson. With the Orioles, Fordyce moved into the role of an elder statesman helping a rebuilding pitching staff -- a role that damaged his catching stats. While Fordyce threw out 10 of 34 runners trying to steal for Chicago, for Baltimore he managed to throw out only an unbelievably low six in 53 steal attempts. Charles Johnson, c, age 28 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection Bal 481 119 22 0 21 60 65 4 60 3 122 0 0 .247 .335 .424 .759 68 Prorated Bal 280 69 13 0 12 35 38 2 35 2 71 0 0 .247 .335 .424 .759 40 Actual Bal 286 84 16 0 21 52 55 0 32 0 69 2 0 .294 .364 .570 .934 59 Prorated ChA 138 34 6 0 6 17 19 1 17 1 35 0 0 .247 .335 .424 .759 20 Actual ChA 135 44 8 0 10 24 36 1 20 0 37 0 0 .326 .411 .607 1.019 36 Prorated Tot 418 103 19 0 18 52 56 3 52 3 106 0 0 .247 .335 .424 .759 59 Actual Tot 421 128 24 0 31 76 91 1 52 0 106 2 0 .304 .379 .582 .961 95Energized by a July trade from sagging Baltimore to high-flying Chicago, Johnson helped the Sox win the AL Central with an excellent offensive performance. While he habitually hits for higher average down the stretch, Johnson?s late-season power production was surprising and welcome. An improvement against right-handed pitchers (.324 BA, nearly 100 points higher than his career mark, with 20 homers) was key to his big season. Johnson's celebrated defensive skills slipped a little in 2000 as he threw out only 27 percent of opposing base thieves, but he did throw more effectively with Chicago. Signed by Florida for 2001, Johnson remains agile enough behind the dish to help a club both ways. Mark L. Johnson, c, age 24 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 132 31 6 1 3 18 13 1 24 0 30 1 1 .235 .354 .364 .718 19 Prorated ChA 210 49 10 2 5 29 21 2 38 0 48 2 2 .235 .354 .364 .718 30 Actual ChA 213 48 11 0 3 29 23 1 27 0 40 3 2 .225 .315 .319 .635 23The strong-armed Johnson has two skills: a discerning eye and a strong arm. He used the latter to nail a third of enemy base stealers in 2000, while he used the former to ... well, to lift his on-base percentage to an intolerable .315. While Johnson will take walks often (he paced two minor leagues in bases on balls), he doesn't do anything else at bat well enough to make pitchers fear him. The Sox still like Johnson, who bunts well (10 SH last year), hustles, and is improving the other parts of his defensive game, but without some improvement with the bat, he won't be able to even hold a backup job for too much longer. Josh Paul, c, age 25 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 70 17 3 0 1 9 8 1 4 0 13 1 1 .243 .293 .329 .622 7 Prorated ChA 74 18 3 0 1 9 8 1 4 0 14 1 1 .243 .293 .329 .622 7 Actual ChA 71 20 3 2 1 15 8 1 5 0 17 1 0 .282 .338 .423 .760 10Paul, an organizational favorite, hit .351 in 37 April at-bats while Brook Fordyce was on the DL. He slumped after that, however, and spent most of the year in the minors. He is not overwhelming defensively, does not hit for much power, and lacks patience at the plate. Paul will be lucky to have a career as a backup; his .282 batting average is well over his head. Paul Konerko, 1b/dh/3b, age 24 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 596 164 30 3 27 83 102 4 58 0 83 1 1 .275 .341 .471 .812 91 Prorated ChA 526 145 26 3 24 73 90 4 51 0 73 1 1 .275 .341 .471 .812 81 Actual ChA 524 156 31 1 21 84 97 10 47 0 72 1 0 .298 .363 .481 .844 88The former Dodgers' and Reds' prospect has had two solid seasons for the White Sox. He has a contact approach and doesn't walk or strike out that often. In 2000, Konerko hit .297 with 19 homers against righties, a much better performance than he had shown in 1999. Konerko is a poor third baseman and barely adequate at first; on any other team, he?d be considered for a DH role, but the White Sox won't be moving Frank Thomas anywhere soon. Konerko, who complained last year about losing playing time when Chicago acquired Harold Baines, doesn't yet get on base enough or hit for enough power to be considered a prime performer at either DH or first, but he is still young enough to be able to improve in both categories. Ray Durham, 2b, age 28 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 608 175 30 7 15 110 63 6 72 1 99 30 9 .288 .367 .434 .801 103 Prorated ChA 623 179 31 7 15 113 65 6 74 1 101 31 9 .288 .367 .434 .801 105 Actual ChA 614 172 35 9 17 121 75 7 75 0 105 25 13 .280 .361 .450 .810 102Durham does nearly everything well, though he does nothing at a superstar level. He has scored 100 runs four straight seasons and, in 2000, set career highs in RBIs, doubles, triples, and walks. While he slumped a bit against lefties last year, Durham was solid in all other situational breakdowns. His stolen base numbers dipped a bit, but his raw speed did not decrease. The White Sox have discussed moving Durham to center field, which seems to be a questionable idea. He is a solid defensive second baseman with a good arm who turns the double-play well -- and quality players at his position who hit like this don?t grow on trees. He is a two-time All-Star who gets the Sox' offense going. Tony Graffanino, 2b/ss/3b, age 28 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection Tam 118 31 7 1 3 18 15 1 11 0 20 2 2 .263 .328 .415 .743 16 Prorated Tam 20 5 1 0 1 3 3 0 2 0 3 0 0 .263 .328 .415 .743 3 Actual Tam 20 6 1 0 0 8 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 .300 .364 .350 .714 2 Prorated ChA 154 40 9 1 4 23 20 1 14 0 26 3 3 .263 .328 .415 .743 20 Actual ChA 148 40 5 1 2 25 16 1 21 0 25 7 4 .270 .363 .358 .721 21 Prorated Tot 173 46 10 1 4 26 22 1 16 0 29 3 3 .263 .328 .415 .743 23 Actual Tot 168 46 6 1 2 33 17 2 22 0 27 7 4 .274 .363 .357 .720 23A quality reserve second baseman/shortstop with grit and hustle, Graffanino joined the White Sox after Tampa Bay cut him loose in April. Graffanino has changed his approach at the plate; he has sacrificed power in order to increase his average and get on base more. He also hit .300 against righties. However, Graffanino batted just .228 after the All-Star break, indicating that the AL might have caught up to him. Herbert Perry, 3b, age 30 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection Tam 67 17 4 0 2 10 10 2 5 0 13 0 0 .254 .320 .403 .723 8 Prorated Tam 27 7 2 0 1 4 4 1 2 0 5 0 0 .254 .320 .403 .723 3 Actual Tam 28 6 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 7 0 0 .214 .267 .250 .517 2 Prorated ChA 375 95 22 0 11 56 56 11 28 0 73 0 0 .254 .320 .403 .723 46 Actual ChA 383 118 29 1 12 69 61 9 22 1 68 4 1 .308 .356 .483 .839 64 Prorated Tot 402 102 24 0 12 60 60 12 30 0 78 0 0 .254 .320 .403 .723 49 Actual Tot 411 124 30 1 12 71 62 9 24 1 75 4 1 .302 .350 .467 .818 65Perry had a tremendous year after the Sox picked him off the scrap heap in May. He showed surprising range at third base and hit better than anyone would have expected. Perry produced all season, punching line drives all over the diamond while remaining healthy; he batted .303 against right-handers. Of course, Perry's history of serious knee problems makes it unlikely that he can repeat this performance, but it's telling that the moribund Devil Rays couldn?t find a place for him but the first-place White Sox were happy to give him a chance to play. Greg Norton, 3b/1b, age 27 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 170 42 10 0 6 25 21 1 23 1 38 1 2 .247 .338 .412 .750 23 Prorated ChA 201 50 12 0 7 30 25 1 27 1 45 1 2 .247 .338 .412 .750 28 Actual ChA 201 49 6 1 6 25 28 2 26 0 47 1 0 .244 .333 .373 .706 27A consistent platoon hitter at a B-/C+ level, Norton has some power and will take walks. Unfortunately his defense at third, short, and first is bad enough to relegate him to bench duty; these defensive problems may even be enough to keep him from seeing a lot of duty in the majors. He started the 2000 season as the White Sox' third baseman and hit well until suffering an ankle injury in May. By the time he recovered, Herb Perry had taken the job and Norton was odd man out. The Rockies have signed Norton for 2001, and will throw him into the mix for utility infield at-bats. Craig Wilson, 3b/ss/2b, age 29 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 431 111 15 1 8 56 49 2 39 1 40 2 2 .258 .321 .353 .673 49 Prorated ChA 74 19 3 0 1 10 8 0 7 0 7 0 0 .258 .321 .353 .673 8 Actual ChA 73 19 3 0 0 12 4 1 5 0 11 1 0 .260 .316 .301 .618 6Wilson missed much of the season with a herniated disk in his back. He is a middling middle infielder who lucked into a big-league career because of a fluke .468 (22-for-47) September 1998 streak with the White Sox, but he didn?t hit in '99 or last season and wasn't re-signed. The Royals have inked him to a Triple-A deal for 2001. Joe Crede, 3b, age 22 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 71 16 3 0 1 9 9 0 4 0 11 0 0 .225 .267 .310 .577 5 Prorated ChA 14 3 1 0 0 2 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 .225 .267 .310 .577 1 Actual ChA 14 5 1 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 .357 .333 .429 .762 2The Sox believe that Crede will be their starter at third for them for a decade. However, his time might not come this year; they currently have a logjam of first/third basemen. Therefore, until Chicago decides what to do with Herbert Perry and Jose Valentin, Crede will remain in Triple-A. Jose Valentin, ss, age 30 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 580 133 26 4 22 89 74 3 85 10 128 11 8 .229 .327 .402 .729 80 Prorated ChA 554 127 25 4 21 85 71 3 81 10 122 11 8 .229 .327 .402 .729 77 Actual ChA 568 155 37 6 25 107 92 4 59 1 106 19 2 .273 .343 .491 .835 99Valentin had a big year for Chicago, largely because of a more aggressive approach. He attacked fastballs early in the count with excellent results; he ran wild on the bases and showed better speed than was expected. Valentin also played good defense despite making 36 errors. He had above-average range at shortstop and partnered with Durham to lead the league in double-play percentage. Valentin still suffers against left-handed pitchers (.215 with one homer in 2000) and was streaky, batting just .184 in September. The Sox appear set to move him either to second or third base in 2000; this is probably a serious mistake. Despite the high number of errors, Valentin is a good shortstop, and his bat won't be nearly as special at second or third. Carlos Lee, lf, age 24 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 565 159 31 2 18 74 94 4 23 1 77 6 3 .281 .311 .439 .749 72 Prorated ChA 583 164 32 2 19 76 97 4 24 1 79 6 3 .281 .311 .439 .749 74 Actual ChA 572 172 29 2 24 107 92 3 38 1 94 13 4 .301 .345 .484 .829 92 "El Caballo" is becoming a quality hitter and showed a lot of progress in 2000. He still does not make good contact, and continues to give at-bats away with an overly aggressive approach, but he has clearly improved. When facing righties, he makes better contact; when lefties are on the mound, Lee airs out his huge swing and tries to knock everything out of the park. He batted .301 in the first half and .300 in the second. An aggressive left fielder with adequate range despite a lack of natural agility, and an aggressive baserunner despite not having great speed, Lee played harder last season than he had as a rookie and went a long way toward silencing most of his critics. Chris Singleton, cf, age 27AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 588 160 33 6 14 81 75 2 30 1 69 20 5 .272 .307 .420 .727 76 Prorated ChA 527 144 30 5 13 73 67 2 27 1 62 18 4 .272 .307 .420 .727 68 Actual ChA 511 130 22 5 11 83 62 1 35 2 85 22 7 .254 .301 .382 .683 60Singleton dropped from .313 against lefties in 1999 to just .206 in 2000, the key reason for his overall offensive backslide. A finger injury suffered in May is said to have affected his swing. He gives at-bats away with an overaggressive approach but is a good bunter. He is a very good defensive center fielder and, unlike most of the rest of the Sox club, has very good speed. However, Singleton might be best suited for a fourth outfielder's role. Jeff Abbott, of, age 27 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 70 19 4 0 2 10 9 0 4 0 8 1 1 .271 .307 .414 .721 8 Prorated ChA 226 61 13 0 6 32 29 0 13 0 26 3 3 .271 .307 .414 .721 27 Actual ChA 215 59 15 1 3 31 29 2 21 1 38 2 1 .274 .343 .395 .738 30Abbott is a pure hitter who puts up consistent numbers in a reserve role. He was more selective last year but didn't show the kind of pop Chicago wanted and did not pinch hit well (2-for-15). The Sox dealt Abbott to the Marlins in December. He will serve as Florida?s fourth outfielder, although his subpar outfield defense paints him as a No. 5 outfielder. McKay Christensen, cf, age 24 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 67 17 2 1 1 11 6 1 5 0 10 3 1 .254 .311 .358 .669 8 Prorated ChA 20 5 1 0 0 3 2 0 1 0 3 1 0 .254 .311 .358 .669 2 Actual ChA 19 2 0 0 0 4 1 1 2 0 6 1 1 .105 .227 .105 .333 1A Utah native who took two years off at the beginning of his career to serve as a Mormon missionary, Christiansen didn't hit at Triple-A in 2000. While an outstanding defensive player with speed, Christiansen is unlikely to produce enough offense to have anything more than a bench role in the majors. He lacks power and hasn?t cleared .290 at any level. Magglio Ordonez, rf, age 26 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 595 173 29 3 22 88 96 4 44 3 65 11 6 .291 .342 .461 .802 88 Prorated ChA 611 178 30 3 23 90 99 4 45 3 67 11 6 .291 .342 .461 .802 90 Actual ChA 588 185 34 3 32 102 126 2 60 3 64 18 4 .315 .371 .546 .917 114For Ordonez, 2000 was a breakout season that elevated him to star level. He continues to surprise, improving each year in every category. A fly ball hitter (he delivered 15 sac flies) who makes excellent contact, Ordonez has a career average over .300 against both left- and right-handers and hits all types of pitchers for power. An acceptable right fielder with a good arm, Ordonez is not speedy but is a smart baserunner. Given his age, he is a future MVP candidate, especially if the Sox continue to contend. Jeff Liefer, of, age 25 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 115 29 7 1 3 15 17 1 9 1 24 1 0 .252 .310 .409 .718 15 Prorated ChA 10 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 .252 .310 .409 .718 1 Actual ChA 11 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 .182 .182 .182 .364 0Liefer, a former first-round pick, will be looking for a bench job in 2001. He can play first base and left field and slugged 32 homers at Triple-A Charlotte last year. However, Liefer strikes out often and does not run well, two negatives that limit his usefulness. Frank Thomas, dh/1b, age 32 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection ChA 575 166 34 1 24 97 99 8 108 8 85 2 1 .289 .403 .477 .879 117 Prorated ChA 581 168 34 1 24 98 100 8 109 8 86 2 1 .289 .403 .477 .879 118 Actual ChA 582 191 44 0 43 115 143 5 112 18 94 1 3 .328 .436 .625 1.061 163Thomas had a huge comeback season in 2001. He has now adjusted successfully to the tactic AL pitchers were having success during his down years (jamming him, then working him low and away) by stepping back from the plate and unleashing his amazing, arm-powered swing. As a result of his adjustments, and a much clearer head, Thomas set career bests in homers, RBIs, hits, runs, and total bases. In 97 at-bats against left-handers in 2000, Big Frank batted .407 with ten home runs and 32 RBI. He hit .300 or better in every month last year. Harold Baines, dh, age 41 AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC Projection Bal 580 171 27 1 28 80 118 1 68 6 71 0 1 .295 .368 .490 .858 100 Prorated Bal 224 66 10 0 11 31 46 0 26 2 27 0 0 .295 .368 .490 .858 39 Actual Bal 222 59 8 0 10 24 30 0 29 6 39 0 0 .266 .349 .437 .786 34 Prorated ChA 60 18 3 0 3 8 12 0 7 1 7 0 0 .295 .368 .490 .858 10 Actual ChA 61 13 5 0 1 2 9 0 7 1 11 0 0 .213 .294 .344 .638 7 Prorated Tot 285 84 13 0 14 39 58 0 33 3 35 0 0 .295 .368 .490 .858 49 Actual Tot 283 72 13 0 11 26 39 0 36 7 50 0 0 .254 .338 .417 .754 40The likeable Baines is just about finished and may not be able to stick around long enough to collect the 140 hits he needs to reach 3,000. His bat is far slower now; Baines can only turn around center-cut sinkers and hanging breaking pitches. However, the White Sox signed him to a Triple-A contract for 2001 and, barring a serious injury, Baines should make the team. Key pitchers Chicago's starting pitching was very good in the first half, before the big collapse. The rotation was just barely good enough in the second half of the season and, of course, was not nearly good enough in the postseason. First-half stalwarts Cal Eldred and James Baldwin came up lame by August, while rookies Jon Garland and Kip Wells tried gamely but futilely to fill the gap. The Sox completed only five games all year, more than just two other clubs, but the team did sport a deep and capable bullpen. Mike Sirotka and Jim Parque remained in the rotation all year. While neither one is an ace, both made their starts every fifth day and held the staff together. In September, when Garland and Wells were having trouble keeping the Sox in games, Sean Lowe made five emergency starts. Closer Keith Foulke and setup relievers Bobby Howry, Bill Simas, Lorenzo Barcelo, and Sean Lowe (from the right) and Kelly Wunsch and Mark Buehrle (from the left) weren't highly regarded before the season. However, they collectively provided a crucial element to the team's surprising success. All of them have good stuff and adjusted well to their respective roles. James Baldwin, starter, age 28 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS rojection ChA 4.95 32 32 10 12 0 189 202 26 77 124 .275 .797 Prorated ChA 4.95 29 29 9 11 0 172 184 24 70 113 .275 .797 Actual ChA 4.65 29 28 14 7 0 178 185 34 59 116 .272 .806Baldwin had an excellent first three months for the Sox, going 11-4 while serving as a legitimate staff ace for the first time. However, his shoulder began to act up in July, and he slumped badly in the second half. Baldwin pitched just 16 innings after August 17 because his shoulder simply hurt too much for him to throw with any force. He still had a solid season (or solid two-thirds of a season) despite an awful 6.07 ERA in Comiskey Park. Baldwin underwent arthroscopic surgery in October; what the future holds completely depends on whether he can throw with any velocity after testing his wing in spring training. Mike Sirotka, starter, age 29 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 4.72 32 32 10 13 0 208 237 27 58 130 .288 .778 Prorated ChA 4.72 30 30 9 12 0 193 220 25 54 121 .288 .778 Actual ChA 3.79 32 32 15 10 0 197 203 23 69 128 .269 .735A solid starter, Sirotka went seven or more innings in 17 of his 32 games -- but when he's bad, you can't get him off the mound quickly enough. Luckily for the Sox, this doesn't happen often. He still struggles against lefty hitters (.311 with power in 2000), and his games aren't pretty, but Sirotka is the type of unheralded yet productive starter that every team needs to contend. Like fellow lefty Jim Parque, he benefited substantially from the Sox' improved defense. Sirotka was sent to Toronto in January as a key part of the David Wells trade. Jim Parque, starter, age 25 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 5.21 32 32 8 14 0 185 211 23 85 119 .290 .809 Prorated ChA 5.21 32 32 8 14 0 184 210 23 85 118 .290 .809 Actual ChA 4.28 33 32 13 6 0 187 208 21 71 111 .283 .771Local observers believe that Parque's success in 2000 came from an improved mental approach, as he didn't do anything physically better last year except pitch out of jams. A tough competitor with a slight crybaby streak -- he whines to the media -- Parque is far more effective in mild weather and habitually has trouble in July and August. When he wins, he challenges with his fastball and gets right-handers out with a fine changeup. However, the smallish southpaw can't yet do much with lefties, whom he should be able to handle. Parque does have one of the better pickoff moves in the league. Kip Wells, starter, age 23 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 4.15 32 32 11 11 0 191 181 19 91 128 .252 .737 Prorated ChA 4.15 18 18 6 6 0 107 102 11 51 72 .252 .737 Actual ChA 6.02 20 20 6 9 0 99 126 15 58 71 .312 .888Wells is a great talent whose serious command problems led to a season of struggle. In day games, he was 0-7 with an 8.36 ERA, indicating that in sunlight, his pitches are very easy to pick up. He was far more effective at night, where his excellent fastball is harder to see. Right-handed batters killed him, hitting .339 with six homers. Wells really hurts himself on the mound with his fielding: in 25 career chances, he has already committed seven errors. He is not agile off the hill and is erratic in his throws to first. Given his age, the Sox have high expectations that he will be a valuable contributor in the future. Cal Eldred, starter, age 32 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 6.04 20 20 4 9 0 104 122 18 53 70 .293 .871 Prorated ChA 6.04 21 21 4 9 0 107 125 18 54 72 .293 .871 Actual ChA 4.58 20 20 10 2 0 112 103 12 59 97 .243 .739Eldred, like James Baldwin, was a bulwark of the staff in the first half but had almost no impact in the second. Due to neuritis in his right elbow (2000 was his third straight season of elbow trouble), he pitched just three innings after July 14. Eldred was 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA and excellent control in home games, and was far more effective against lefties last season due to a fine changeup. A leader on the pitching staff, Eldred worked hard and helped the youngsters in the Chicago mound corps. The former Brewers' ace will try to return this year with a five-inch screw surgically implanted in his right arm. Despite his grit and determination, Eldred's future doesn't look bright. Ken Hill, starter, age 34 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection Ana 4.96 32 32 8 14 0 185 200 18 99 107 .279 .792 Prorated Ana 4.96 15 15 4 6 0 84 91 8 45 49 .279 .792 Actual Ana 6.52 16 16 5 7 0 79 102 16 53 50 .323 .928 Prorated ChA 4.96 1 1 0 0 0 4 5 0 2 2 .279 .792 Actual ChA 24.00 2 1 0 1 0 3 5 0 6 0 .455 1.429 Prorated Tot 4.96 15 15 4 7 0 89 96 9 47 51 .279 .792 Actual Tot 7.16 18 17 5 8 0 82 107 16 59 50 .327 .947 Hill?s accumulated injuries have taken both the sting and command from his pitches. Released by the Angels, he got a brief shot with the White Sox, who were desperate for arms. After bringing him to the majors on August 24, the Sox dumped him on August 29 when it became clear that Hill could not help. Opponents batted a lusty .327 against Hill in 2000. Jon Garland, starter, age 20ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Actual ChA 6.46 15 13 4 8 0 70 82 10 40 42 .292 .874Garland was the youngest pitcher in the major leagues in 2000. He has outstanding stuff but below-par command -- which is no surprise given his age and the fact that he made only 23 starts above Class A before his promotion to the major leagues on July 14. While the Sox kept Garland in the rotation down the stretch, their young gun didn't improve with more innings. It is possible but unlikely that he will spend much of 2001 in the Chicago rotation. At his age, why should he? Rocky Biddle, starter, age 24 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Actual ChA 8.34 4 4 1 2 0 23 31 5 8 7 .326 .940Biddle's recall from Double-A looked like a panic move. The still-young finesse pitcher, who was 11-6 with a 3.08 ERA at Birmingham, clearly didn't have enough stuff to survive in the majors while making so many location mistakes. He could have a career if he can throw with better command. Sean Lowe, reliever / spot starter, age 29 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 5.59 40 0 2 4 0 66 75 9 34 44 .288 .830 Prorated ChA 5.59 43 0 2 4 0 72 81 10 37 48 .288 .830 Actual ChA 5.48 50 5 4 1 0 71 78 10 39 53 .284 .834After pitching very well in April, Lowe slumped, possibly due to a sore shoulder that landed him on the DL in late July. Left-handed batters just murdered Lowe in 2000 (.980 OPS), and he made far too many mistakes up in the strike zone. However, Lowe was very helpful to the team in making five late-season starts when James Baldwin came up lame. He notched a 4.07 ERA in those games, keeping the AL Central champions going until the postseason. The White Sox do not see him as a starter in the future, but his ability to throw more than two innings should help keep him around for awhile. Lorenzo Barcelo, reliever, age 22 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 5.82 3 3 1 1 0 17 20 3 8 11 .299 .869 Prorated ChA 5.82 6 6 2 2 0 34 40 6 16 22 .299 .869 Actual ChA 3.69 22 1 4 2 0 39 34 5 9 26 .231 .675Barcelo, converted to relief at the major league level last year by the Sox, will move into the setup role vacated by Bill Simas, who has been shelved for all of 2001 because of elbow surgery. Barcelo has an excellent fastball, which he will cut to get left-handers out (they hit just .197 last year), and possesses very good control. He is viewed as a real comer. Tanyon Sturtze, reliever, age 29 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 5.05 7 7 2 3 0 41 43 5 21 32 .272 .789 Prorated ChA 5.05 3 3 1 1 0 19 20 2 10 15 .272 .789 Actual ChA 12.06 10 1 1 2 0 16 25 4 15 6 .379 1.146 Prorated Tam 5.05 8 8 2 4 0 48 51 6 25 38 .272 .789 Actual Tam 2.56 19 5 4 0 0 53 47 4 14 38 .236 .631 Prorated Tot 5.05 12 12 3 5 0 68 71 8 35 53 .272 .789 Actual Tot 4.74 29 6 5 2 0 68 72 8 29 44 .272 .767At best, Sturtze is a servicable 10th or 11th pitcher on a staff who can throw long relief or start in a pinch. He throws hard enough, but his pitches don't move much, and he doesn't have any particular pitch that can get either left-handers or right-handers out. Kevin Beirne, reliever, age 26 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 7.16 3 3 1 2 0 16 22 3 8 10 .328 .955 Prorated ChA 7.16 8 8 3 6 0 46 62 8 23 28 .328 .955 Actual ChA 6.70 29 1 1 3 0 50 50 9 20 41 .263 .806While Beirne has a pretty good arm, his command is suspect. He is a candidate for middle relief but nothing more, and was dealt to the Blue Jays in the Wells trade. Chad Bradford, reliever, age 25 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 3.83 23 0 3 2 0 49 50 4 17 27 .267 .726 Prorated ChA 3.83 6 0 1 1 0 12 13 1 4 7 .267 .726 Actual ChA 1.98 12 0 1 0 0 14 13 0 1 9 .255 .544A sidearm delivery and good control could well make Bradford a very useful pitcher. His control has improved, and in 2001 he should be helpful to his new team, the Oakland Athletics. Mark Buehrle, reliever, age 21 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Actual ChA 4.21 28 3 4 1 0 51 55 5 19 37 .272 .784Buehrle nearly made the staff out of spring training, an impressive feat for a pitcher who didn't enter pro ball until 1999. After making 16 starts at Double-A (8-4, 2.28, 17 walks in 119 innings), he was promoted to Chicago on July 16. Buehrle pitched very well for Chicago, holding lefty batters to a .260 average and only three walks in nearly 80 plate appearances. The Sox have not yet decided whether they want Buehrle to be a starter or a reliever. Scott Eyre, reliever, age 28 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 6.19 70 0 3 6 1 92 107 17 48 67 .293 .869 Prorated ChA 6.19 16 0 1 1 0 20 24 4 11 15 .293 .869 Actual ChA 6.63 13 1 1 1 0 19 29 3 12 16 .372 1.029Lousy command of good stuff. Eyre spent most of 2000 at Triple-A Charlotte and is now with the Toronto organization. Matt Ginter, reliever, age 22 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Actual ChA 13.50 7 0 1 0 0 9 18 5 7 6 .409 1.299A sinker/slider pitcher who was a starter at Double-A last year, Ginter relieved in a handful of September contests. Allowing five homers in nine innings didn't impress anyone, and Ginter will probably be at Triple-A during 2001. Bob Howry, reliever, age 26 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 3.45 70 0 4 6 31 73 65 9 35 72 .239 .722 Prorated ChA 3.45 64 0 4 6 28 67 60 8 32 66 .239 .722 Actual ChA 3.17 65 0 2 4 7 71 54 6 29 60 .216 .631Howry entered the season expecting to the Sox' closer, but he quickly lost the job to Keith Foulke. To Howry's credit, he didn't complain, even though he could have been closing games for ten other big-league clubs. He?s a hard thrower with pretty good command and could reassume his old role should Foulke fall into a funk. Last season Howry destroyed lefty swingers (.174 in 171 at-bats) but experienced unexpected problems with right-handers. Aaron Myette, reliever / minor-league starter, age 22 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 6.14 4 4 1 2 0 22 25 4 13 15 .287 .894 Prorated ChA 6.14 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 0 2 2 .287 .894 Actual ChA 0.00 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 4 1 0.000 .333Myette began the season on the shelf; he broke his left hand punching a dugout wall after pitching poorly in a spring training contest. He has good stuff but couldn't fight his way through a cadre of talented young arms and was traded to Texas in December. The Rangers will give Myette a chance to win a rotation job this spring. Jesus Pena, reliever, age 25 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 4.86 19 0 1 1 0 17 18 3 11 15 .281 .850 Prorated ChA 4.86 27 0 1 1 0 24 26 4 16 22 .281 .850 Actual ChA 5.40 20 0 2 1 1 23 25 6 16 19 .278 .896 Prorated Bos 4.86 4 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 2 3 .281 .850 Actual Bos 3.00 2 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 3 1 .273 1.065 Prorated Tot 4.86 31 0 2 2 0 27 29 5 18 24 .281 .850 Actual Tot 5.13 22 0 2 1 1 26 28 7 19 20 .277 .915A hard-throwing left-handed bullpenner with a deceptive delivery, Pena can't get the ball over the plate unless he takes a lot of velocity off his fastball. The above results should give a clue as to what happens in that circumstance. Bill Simas, reliever, age 28 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 3.75 53 0 4 3 0 74 69 9 29 52 .246 .733 Prorated ChA 3.75 47 0 4 3 0 66 61 8 26 46 .246 .733 Actual ChA 3.46 60 0 2 3 0 68 69 9 22 49 .276 .784Simas, a solid middle reliever who couldn't quite handle closing duties back in 1998, underwent "Tommy John" surgery in December to repair a damaged elbow ligament and will miss the entire 2001 season. Kelly Wunsch, reliever, age 27 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 6.75 53 0 2 5 0 68 89 12 29 38 .320 .910 Prorated ChA 6.75 43 0 2 4 0 55 72 10 24 31 .320 .910 Actual ChA 2.93 83 0 6 3 1 61 50 4 29 51 .221 .636After blowing his arm out a few years ago, Wunsch decided to give it one last shot as a sidearming lefty out of the bullpen. His unusual delivery is now the best part of his game. Wunsch, as a rookie, was an integral part of the Chicago bullpen in 2000, holding left-handed batters to a .160 mark with one home run in 106 at-bats. He is the prototypical situational reliever and won't ever expand his role, but Wunsch ought to stick around for a few years because this skill is highly valued. Keith Foulke, closer, age 27 ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS Projection ChA 2.95 70 0 7 2 3 104 87 13 26 99 .227 .669 Prorated ChA 2.95 58 0 6 2 3 86 73 11 22 83 .227 .669 Actual ChA 2.97 72 0 3 1 34 88 66 9 22 91 .207 .599Foulke stole the closer's job from Bobby Howry early last year and performed almost unbelievably well, saving 34 games in 39 tries. He threw strikes with both a sneaky-fast fastball and an impossible-to-read changeup. His one weak spot was lefties, who batted just .221 but hit seven homers. Oddly, he allowed just six earned runs in 45.1 innings on the road (1.19 ERA). Location is everything for Foulke, which means that even a little bit of decline in control will be disastrous. Luckily for the Sox, Foulke shows no signs of losing his touch. Outlook While Chicago won't sneak up on anybody in 2001, the talent is there to keep winning. New catcher Sandy Alomar should address their problems behind the plate if he is rested enough to stay healthy. And even if veterans such as Perry and Valentin decline, others should be able to step in. One questionable move was the acquisition of weak-hitting Royce Clayton to play shortstop. Inserting Clayton and moving Valentin either to second or third is a knee-jerk reaction to Valentin's high error total. The starting pitching is another question. New GM Kenny Williams was clearly worried about the stability of his projected 2001 rotation, so he engineered a big trade with Toronto in early January. Chicago received the productive but pugnacious David Wells, counting on the portly and expensive portsider to anchor their starting staff while they make another run for postseason glory. The Sox had to part with Mike Sirotka as part of the package to acquire Wells, making Parque the No. 2 starter while injured veterans Cal Eldred and James Baldwin attempt to return to effectiveness. Youngsters Kip Wells and Jon Garland both need improvement with their command and would best be served with more time in the minors. It is also tough to see the entire bullpen faring as well this year as it did in 2000. Aside from the serious questions about the starting pitching, the White Sox' long-term picture is quite good. Rookie third baseman Joe Crede will make an impact soon and there is a long string of quality young arms waiting for a chance to wear the pinstripes. Projections and text: Copyright © 2000-2001. Diamond Mind, Inc. All rights reserved. Actual 2000 statistics: Copyright © 2000. STATS, Inc. All rights reserved. | Diamond Mind reports | ||||