2008 Woodie Awards
White Sox get off to a hot start
By: Jeremy Homan
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Sports
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After winning all but two of their series so far this season, the Sox find themselves in front of the favored Tigers and Indians.
The Sox have been getting it done everyway possible. They have been hitting the long ball, which was expected, but they have also been getting on base.
Nick Swisher has done more in the leadoff spot than most expected. Swisher is hitting just .262 as of Sunday, but he leads the team in walks with 19 and is second on the team in on base percentage with a .379 percentage.
Carlos Quentin has done everything asked of him. He has gotten on base and has a .435 OBP and has played a stellar left field and has shown he has a canyon of an arm.
A.J. Pierzynski is leading the team in hitting with a .329 batting average, to go along with 12 RBIs and three home runs.
Joe Crede leads the team in RBIs (21) and is tied for the team lead in home runs (six) with Jim Thome.
Paul Konerko seems to be getting out of his notorious slow start with a pair of home runs on Sunday.
Konerko is familiar with horrible Aprils. He hit .198 last season and .218 in 2005, when the White Sox won the World Series.
But for the most part, the entire team has low batting averages, but they have been getting the hits when they need them and there is a fight in this team that wasn't there last year. Players are drawing more walks and going deeper into counts. The Sox will have start getting their averages up though if they expect to compete at all.
The pitching staff has been better than last year, but still has struggled at times.
The biggest surprises have been the production of Gavin Floyd, John Danks and Jose Contreras.
All three have an earned run average of less than four. Floyd leads the starters with a 2.84 ERA. The two veterans other than Contreras, Buehrle and Vasquez both have an ERA more than four, with Buehrle's over five.
The bullpen, which they spent money on, has been average at best.
Octavio Dotel has had a few rough outings that have cost the Sox the game, but he has had just as many good outings.
Scott Linebrink has been a good set-up man for Bobby Jenks, who has been good as usual. One stat that does pop out about the bullpen is they have only allowed three home runs.
If the Sox continue to play the way they do, then they will be in the hunt.
The rest of their pitching will have to step up for the Sox to succeed. Their defense has been one of the best in the league and that will surely win them some games.
The Sox will be fun to watch but the Tigers and Indians are finally starting to play good and are in the Sox rear view mirror.
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