MLB Baseball Betting - Chicago White Sox

Manager: Ozzie Guillen (fourth season).

2006: 90-72, third place AL Central

Training: Tucson, Ariz, Tucson Electric Park.

Home Park: U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Il., Cap. 40,615, Grass, Opened April 18, 1991

World Series Titles: (3) 1906, 1917, 2005

Acquisitions: OF-1B Darin Erstad, C Toby Hall, RHP David Aardsma, RHP Gavin Floyd, RHP Nick Masset, LHP Andrew Sisco.

Departures: RHP Freddy Garcia, RHP Brandon McCarthy, LHP Neal Cotts, 1B-OF Ross Gload, RHP Dustin Hermanson, RHP David Riske, C Sandy Alomar, Jr.

Outlook: After winning the World Series in 2005, the White Sox missed the playoffs altogether in 2006. Instead of a major overhaul, the White Sox tweaked their roster and added some talented prospects that have a chance to stick at the major league level.

The key for Chicago is to get better results from a pitching staff that underachieved a year ago, when the staff ERA jumped from 3.61 to 4.61.

Jose Contreras is primed for a big year and Mark Buehrle, the staff's leader prior to last season, needs to rebound after his ERA jumped from 3.12 in 2005 to 4.99 last season. Contreras, Jon Garland and Javier Vazquez are all set to have solid seasons. Garland, 27, could be ready to become the ace of the staff after going 13-1 in one overpowering stretch last season.

Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger, lefty Heath Phillips and right-handers Gavin Floyd and Lance Broadway will compete for the final spot in the starting rotation.

Closer Bobby Jenks is ready to become one of the elite closers in the game, and relievers Mike MacDougal and Matt Thornton are hard throwers also.

Erstad, a two-time All-Star, will play in both center and left field, while LF Scott Posednik recovers from sports hernia surgery.

Shortstop Juan Uribe has off-field issues to deal with, but second baseman Tadahito Iguchi is headed towards All-Star status. 3B Joe Crede is a Gold Glove-caliber fielder, with range and a decent bat.

1B Paul Konerko, RF Jermaine Dye and DH Jim Thome provide the White Sox with power. Konerko hit a career-high .313 last year. And Dye is a year away from free agency and has answered every doubt about health issues by averaging 143 games played the last three seasons.

Thome suffered a major drop-off in production in the second half of last season because of several nagging injuries – and the Sox offense struggled as a result. Chicago needs Thome to stay relatively healthy all season.

Catcher A.J. Pierzynski provides the offense and counterpart Toby Hall is better defensively. Rookies Ryan Sweeney and Jerry Owens could play a part n the Sox plans at some point.

With Buehrle and Dye heading toward free agency, the time is now for the White Sox in baseball's best division.

The White Sox start the season listed at + 670 to win the AL Pennant in the BetUS Sportsbook. Check out all the latest MLB odds in the BetUS Sportsbook and BetUS futures section.

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Official Website: www.chicagowhitesox.com