Chicago White Sox

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2002 Finish: 81-81, 2nd, AL Central	2002 Payroll: $57,292,021 (18th), 13½ GB

Projected Lineup 2B D'Angelo Jimenez SS Jose Valentin DH Frank Thomas RF Magglio Ordonez 1B Paul Konerko LF Carlos Lee 3B Joe Crede CF Aaron Rowand C Miguel Olivo Projected Rotation LHP Mark Buehrle RHP Bartolo Colon RHP Jon Garland RHP Esteban Loaiza RHP Dan Wright CL Billy Koch

By Aimee Crawford, SI.com

When Chicago GM Ken Williams engineered a three-team deal in January that landed ace right-hander Bartolo Colon, many pundits proclaimed the White Sox as the team to beat in the American League Central Division this season.

Colon, the offseason's most sought-after commodity, forms a formidable righty-lefty punch atop the rotation with 19-game winner Mark Buehrle. Williams had already served notice a month earlier, when he traded for former A's closer Billy Koch and settled the Frank Thomas "diminished skills" issue.

But will Williams' changes be enough to bridge the 13-game gap that separated the Sox from division-champion Minnesota? Hopes on the Southside were equally high at this time last year, and even moreso after the Sox sailed to eight games over .500 in early May. That proved to be the season's summit. By early June, the Pale Hose had faded to .500, and spent the rest of the summer looking up at the surprising Twins.

Colon is undeniably an upgrade over Todd Ritchie, he of the 6.06 ERA in 2002. In Koch, the Sox have a "proven closer," as opposed to the three-headed monster that finished games for them last season after incumbent Keith Foulke fell out of favor. Koch, the Rolaids relief man of the year, is a goateed, shaved-headed intimidator on the mound. His 92.3 percent (24-for-26) save percentage in the second half was best in the AL. But it's telling that five of his 11 victories came after he had blown a save. The Sox were just 15-21 in one-run games last season, so they'll be counting on Koch, who appeared in 81 games in 2002, to improve upon that number. They've also added bullpen depth with Tom Gordon and Rick White.

The offense features five players who swatted at least 25 home runs last season, and that was with an underperforming Frank Thomas. The middle of the lineup is menacing again with Thomas hitting in front of perennially underrated Magglio Ordonez (.320 average, 38 HR, 135 RBIs), Paul Konerko (.304, 27, 104) and Carlos Lee (.264, 26, 80).

The White Sox have a stocked farm system, and they dumped veterans Kenny Lofton and Ray Durham last season, it looked like the franchise was heading toward rebuilding mode. But Williams' bold strokes this winter signal otherwise. The White Sox are clearly taking aim at the Twins -- now.

Are the Sox strong enough up the middle? They'll open the season with new faces at second base (D'Angelo Jimenez), shortstop (Jose Valentin), center field (Aaron Rowand) and catcher (Miguel Olivo or Sandy Alomar).

Rowand hit .299 with three doubles and two home runs during a call-up last September. He is still expected to start in center for the Sox (switch-hitter Joe Borchard is also a contender), but an offseason dirt-bike accident and a finger injury this spring have slowed his progress.

Valentin (36 errors in 2000) and second baseman D'Angelo Jimenez (207 career games since 1999) need to shore up a defense that allowed an extra run a game last year.

Manuel has named Beuhrle the opening-day starter; Colon will slot in behind him. But beyond them and righty Jon Garland, things are unsettled. Dan Wright was penciled in as the fourth starter, but inflammation in his right elbow means he could stay for extended spring training. With Wright sidelined, right-hander Esteban Loaiza, who went 9-10 with a 5.71 ERA in 25 starts with the Blue Jays last season, appears to have the inside track on the No. 4 spot after several impressive outings this spring. Jon Rauch, Gil Heredia and lefty Josh Stewart are also in the mix.

Another problem spot is behind the plate. Olivo, a rookie, was projected as the starter heading into camp, but the kid has caught only six games at a level higher than Class AA, and is hitting .136 (3-for-22) this spring. If he isn't ready, how much does the fading Alomar have left? The 37-year-old, resigned by the Sox as a free agent in December, has been plagued by shoulder problems and hasn't been a productive regular since 1997. But Manuel likes the way Colon and Buehrle respond to Alomar, so it's likely the veteran will be behind the plate on opening day.

Frank Thomas is at a crossroads. Will the two-time MVP will get back on the Hall of Fame track with a big year -- or play out the string as a good-but-not-great DH? After sulking through two disapointing, injury-plagued seasons, the Big Hurt is no longer the most feared bat in the Sox lineup (that honor goes to Ordonez). White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf invoked a "diminished skills" clause in Thomas' contract during the offseason and ultimately signed him to a much lesser, incentive-laden deal. Thomas has been working once again with Walt Hriniak, the hitting guru who guided him to a career year in 2000. While playing regularly at first base this spring, Thomas has been focusing on hitting the ball the other way and taking walks, and has also shown some impressive power. So far he's producing rather than pouting.

The Sox got a taste of Joe Crede's potential last season, when the third baseman hit 12 home runs and drove in 35 runs in 53 games. Those numbers project out to 37 homers and 107 RBIs over a full major league season. (His combined stats between the Sox and Class AAA Charlotte last season: .302, 36 HR, 100 RBIs.) While it's imprudent to assume he'll replicate that kind of production right away, Crede's combination of wizardry and work ethic suggests he'll be holding down the hot corner for the Sox for years to come.

Arrivals: RHP Bartolo Colon, RHP Billy Koch, C Sandy Alomar Jr., OF Armando Rios, RHP Tom Gordon, RHP Rick White, 1B-OF Brian Daubach, RHP Esteban Loaiza.

Departures: RHP Keith Foulke, C Mark Johnson, 1B Jeff Liefer, RHP Antonio Osuna, RHP Todd Ritchie, LHP Jim Parque, SS Royce Clayton, RHP Rocky Biddle.

The AL Central is the weakest division in baseball, so simply by virtue of the unbalanced schedule the Sox will improve upon last season's .500 mark after beating up on the hapless Royals, Indians and Tigers. But they'll still have to figure out a way to solve the defending division champs; the Sox are 13-35 against Minnesota the last two seasons. With their top-notch top of the rotation and that fearsome foursome in the middle of the lineup, they should give the Twins a run for their money.