MLB Betting Online: Hope springs eternal in Major League Baseball. Your favorite team made a key offseason move, the prized prospect is ready for his breakout season or the injuries from last year have all healed. Whatever the circumstance, everyone is tied for first at this point.
The South Siders were last in the American League in runs, homers, OPS and slugging percentage last season. Luckily, the lineup will look much different when Opening Day rolls around. If the White Sox can produce more offense in 2016, there is optimism the club can make a run at a wild card.
CHICAGO WHITE SOX
+3597 to win 2016 World Series
+1699 to win AL Pennant
Re-tooling, not rebuilding, remains the White Sox operating philosophy. Management hopes two major December trades work better than the free agent investments from a year ago. Buying talent translated into merely a three-win upgrade and fourth place in the AL Central.
This time, the Sox dealt five solid prospects to fix their infield and the AL’s worst offense by adding Todd Frazier and Brett Lawrie to a lineup that provided little help to Jose Abreu.
With the acquisition of Frazier, the Sox are finally positioned with strong run producers on both sides of the infield. Abreu has delivered 208 RBIs during his two seasons without batting order protection. His only struggle was against left-handers; he strangely hit just .232 against them.
Abreu should see more fastballs with Frazier hitting behind him. An All-Star the last two seasons in the National League, Frazier hit all but 10 of his 35 home runs before the All-Star break, raising questions about whether his participation in the Home Run Derby altered his stroke.
The best is yet to come for Chris Sale, even after he led the American League in strikeouts last season. He won eight of his first 12 decisions and was dazzling in June, striking out 75 in 44 innings. The top of the rotation is set with a legitimate Cy Young candidate.
Carlos Rodon burst on the scene last year averaging a strikeout per inning in his first full pro season and gives the Sox a solid No. 2 starter. He didn’t allow more than two earned runs in any of his last eight starts and is poised to be even better this season.
Mat Latos, who went a combined 28-11 in 2012-13 with the Reds, was signed to a one-year deal to fortify the back end of the rotation. Injuries have contributed to Latos’ recent struggles; he won only four games while playing for three MLB teams in 2015.
After an eight-year run by Alexei Ramirez, the Sox are starting over at shortstop, looking at either Tyler Saladino or Carlos Sanchez to team with Lawrie up the middle. The Sox wanted Lawrie for his bat more than his glove and may have to live with some deficiencies in the field as long he produces at the plate.
Excuse management if they never sign another free agent named Adam from the Nationals. Dunn mostly underachieved in his four seasons and the expected power and on-base upgrade from LaRoche didn’t happen. LaRoche will get a shot at DH because the team will have a tough time moving his salary.
Key Additions: 3B Todd Frazier, 2B Brett Lawrie, C Dioner Navarro, C Alex Avila.
Key Losses: SP Jeff Samardzija, SS Alexei Ramirez, C Tyler Flowers.
The starting rotation, led by Sale and Rodon, is formidable, and the bullpen is adequate. But the offense will determine if the Sox get to .500 and possibly contend for the first time since 2012. They finished last in the AL in home runs and runs scored in a hitters’ park. Frazier and Lawrie should help, but there are still holes. They look like a team at least two bats short of the top of the division.
Prediction: 75-87
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