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2012 Chicago White Sox MLB Season Prediction with Futures Odds

2012 MLB Handicapping: Chicago White Sox

2011 wasn’t a good season for the Chicago White Sox. The team was expected to compete for the AL Central, but they finished a very disappointing 79-83. There was plenty of drama surrounding the team throughout the year as well.

Here are some MLB Futures Odds for the 2012 Chicago White Sox from BetOnline

Odds to Win World Series: +6,000
Odds to Win AL Pennant: +3,500
Odds to Win AL Central: +1,500

In the end, Ozzie Guillen was traded to the Florida Marlins for a couple prospects. It isn’t often you see a manager traded, but Kenny Williams dealt with the Marlins and got rid of the fiery Guillen. Robin Ventura takes over this year as the new skipper for the Pale Hose. Ventura was a fan favorite in his playing years, and he was a popular hire.

Guillen is gone and Ventura is here, but management didn’t make too many player moves in the offseason. What can fans expect from this team?

Let’s take a closer look at the 2012 Chicago White Sox

Going into last season most people saw the White Sox lineup as a major strength. As it turned out, the White Sox offense was terrible last season. Just about everyone in the lineup had a career-worst year, and the Sox struggled in a big way to score runs. The worst of the bunch was Adam Dunn, who hit a measly .159. Dunn piled up 177 strikeouts while only hitting 11 home runs. Needless to say, the White Sox can’t afford this again from a guy penciled into the middle of their order. Alex Rios and Gordon Beckham were two other guys who had career worst years for the Sox in 2011.

Paul Konerko went to the All-Star game again last year, and he was easily the team’s most consistent offensive performer. He hit .300 with 31 home runs and 105 RBI’s. A.J. Pierzynski is a solid offensive producer, and his .323 on-base-percentage made him valuable to the team last season. Alexei Ramirez is a streaky hitter, but the White Sox expect bigger things from him in 2012.

Dayan Viciedo hasn’t had much time in the majors, but this can hit the baseball. He is likely to start the season in left field, but he might play some first base or DH some as well. Alejandro De Aza had just 171 plate appearances last year, but he finished the season with a .400 on-base-percentage. He should get most of the starts in center field this season. Brent Morel had a disappointing rookie season in 2011, but he hit eight home runs in September, and I expect a better season out of him. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Mark Buerhle had long been the ace of the White Sox staff, but he is now in south Florida with Ozzie Guillen and the Marlins. That leaves John Danks as the White Sox top starter in 2012. Danks has solid stuff, but he had a career high ERA of 4.33 last season. If the defense helps him out some, his numbers should improve. Jake Peavy hasn’t made more than 18 starts in a season since 2008. He shows flashes of brilliance, but his overall 4.92 ERA last season showed he is quite hittable right now. Gavin Floyd had some strange splits last year, and the team needs more consistency out of him.

The fourth and fifth spots in the rotation are expected to go to Chris Sale and Phillip Humber. Sale has never started before, but he has been terrific in Spring Training. He probably has the highest upside of anyone in the rotation. Humber was a breakout star in the first half last year, and his 1.18 WHIP was very impressive. The back of the rotation might actually end up being a strength for the team.

The bullpen is a huge question mark going into 2012. Sergio Santos was very good in the role of closer, but the team got rid of him. Apparently, Matt Thornton is going to get another shot at the closer role, but he has been terrible in the past in the ninth inning. Jesse Crain and Will Ohman are pretty good relievers, but this bullpen is lacking depth in a big way.

Several guys from the offense are bound to be better this year than they were last season, but the White Sox pitching staff isn’t very good. The bullpen will likely blow a lot of close games, and it is hard to see any of the starters being dominant. I think the White Sox are headed for an even more disappointing 2012.

2012 Chicago White Sox Projected Record: 74-88

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By Kyle Hunter

Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.