4. CHICAGO WHITE SOX
No team in baseball made more significant veteran additions this off-season than did the Chisox, and all of it is working, at least for now. Chicago has two 1st place teams because of it, as the White Sox at 16-8 are on top of the AL Central with the best record in the American League.
One of those newcomers, 3rd baseman Todd Frazier, has supplied consistent power. He joins his partner across the diamond, Jose Abreu, to give them a nice 1-2 offensive punch. The club is also solidified by the veteran contributions and locker room presence of 31-year old Melky Cabrera and 37-year old shortstop Jimmy Rollins.
On the mound, 27-year old lefty Chris Sale just might be the best starting pitcher in the game. He has four straight finishes among the top six in the AL Cy Young voting, and this year could well take home the honors.
Mat Latos has come in and answered a lot of questions about his attitude and his performance in a positive manner, and 23-year old Carlos Rodon is coming along well in his career development. Righty Jose Quintana is one of the most underrated starters in the game. David Robertson closes in a bullpen that is also coming through for manager Robin Ventura. Don’t expect Chicago to fade away.
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