Manager Ozzie Guillen is no stranger to firing warning shots at the players in his clubhouse. On several occasions leading up to the start of spring camp he has done just that, making sure that his young players knew exactly what type of collision course was awaiting them.
"If they think they're going to come in here and have spots handed to them, the hell they are," Guillen said. "Competition is good." Now, the club is hoping for good battles.
"I don't have a problem playing kids," Guillen said. "To be honest, do I like this ballclub? Yes. Our lineup is pretty strong. We have almost the same guys. A lot of people talk about (big-name players). Don't give me names. I want guys that can play.
"There are going to be three guys battling for jobs every day. We're going to be sitting here in March, the same way, talking about, 'Who won the job?' We're going to see a lot of competition every day. We're going to be talking about someone every day."
And no one position is as unsettled as second base.
Guillen took a little exception to the media somewhat crowning rookie Chris Getz the front-runner to win the starting job there, stating "it will be wide open." What Getz brings to the table is a grinder mentality that has grabbed the club's attention, as well as his ability to hit throughout the minor leagues. One problem -- he hasn't done it at the major league level.
Brent Lillibridge could be the X factor in all of this, not only in winning the starting second base job, but also the leadoff spot. Lillibridge has leadoff speed and an ability to steal bases, and he is supposed to be solid defensively.
The knock on him is he had a disappointing 2008 at the plate, taking a big step back on his road to the majors. What could hurt his chances is that he also plays shortstop, and the Sox may need him to be a reserve rather than a starter.
Then there's Jayson Nix, who was drafted as a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds by Colorado back in 2001. Nix actually won the starting second base job for the Rockies at the start of the 2008 season. A slow start, however, had him designated for assignment by the end of April.
Either way, Guillen wants to make sure all three know that they will have to earn it each and every day.
WHERE, WHEN: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz. First exhibition game is Feb. 25 against the Los Angeles Angels.
TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: 1B Paul Konerko had one of the worst starts to a season in his career in 2008 but seemed to finally get a grip on it, hitting .333 in August and .260 in September. He also had nine of his 22 homers in the last four weeks. He showed up in the postseason, batting .313 with two home runs against Tampa Bay. "He found some peace in the game," hitting coach Greg Walker said of Konerko. Don't be shocked to see Konerko bounce back with 35 home runs in 2009.
TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: RHP Bartolo Colon is being counted on to anchor the starting rotation for the club, but that might be asking a lot for the aging pitcher. While Colon could be effective when he is healthy, when is the last time he stayed healthy? That means youngsters Jeff Marquez and Clayton Richard would really have to grow up quickly.
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager Ozzie Guillen became the first manager in White Sox history to guide the club to more than one playoff appearance in his tenure. Guillen has gone 433-378 in his five seasons and could face his biggest test this year with the White Sox transitioning with youth. He has already set the stage for this spring on what needs improvement, making sure a bunting field was built in the new facility.
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