Chicago White Sox

Opening Day for the Chicago White Sox is finally here.

With the entire season before us, it's easy to be optimistic about the White Sox's chances in the American League Central in 2011.  Money has been spent (and then some) and everyone is itching to get onto the field and start winning ballgames, starting Friday in Cleveland.

If the snow is removed from Jacobs Field, that is.

Chicago White Sox (2010 record: 88-74)

The White Sox won 88 games last season and still didn’t get a sniff of the division title due to the success of the Minnesota Twins. During the offseason, GM Kenny Williams decided to reshuffle the deck to play to his team’s strengths—when playing in a park that caters to offense, add offense.

The White Sox are a popular dark-horse candidate to win the AL Central.

The x-factor to me is Jake Peavy.  When healthy, he can dominate.  With him healthy, the rotation has great depth, although they don't really have a true ace.

Chicago also revamped the bullpen.  After several successful seasons as closer, Jenks scuffled over recent years. 

With the signing of Dunn, he adds more power to the lineup.

After being drafted in 2008, Daniel Hudson made his way through the minors quickly, reaching the majors a mere year later. His name skyrocketed to the top of the White Sox top prospects list.

With barely any of a trial period in the majors, Kenny Williams sent him off to Arizona for RHP Edwin Jackson last year. This left many Sox fans wondering if this was the right move at the time.

Every team has players that are up and coming or on the club's last straw. With spring training coming to a close and the rosters spots all filled out, it is time to take a look at the future. The White Sox have talent at every level of the game. These are the top six players to keep an eye on in the Sox system in 2011.

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Previously, The Fantasy Fix reviewed and gave projections for the 2011 Chicago White Sox rotation. Now, it's time to dive in and analyze the Sox positional players.

Chicago White Sox

Last Year: 88-74, Second in AL Central 

Manager: Ozzie Guillen  

Projected Lineup

C—AJ Pierzynski (L) 

1B—Paul Konerko (R)

2B—Gordon Beckham (R)

3B—Brent Morel (R) 

SS—Alexi Ramirez (R)

LF—Juan Pierre (L)

CF—Alex Rios (R)

RF—Carlos Quentin (R)

DH—Adam Dunn (L)

Yes! Baseball season is almost upon us. We all know what that means here in Chicago.

It means going to the ballpark on a hot summer day, watching game after game with friends on a daily basis and, oh yeah, countless arguments over which team is the better team, the White Sox or the Cubs.

Anyone who is a fan of either team knows how fun these arguments are, but also how heated they could get. I guess that's what makes baseball so exciting here in Chicago.

Ozzie Guillen has been skipper on the South Side of Chicago for seven years.

His career as a manager was met with quick and early success. By 2005, his club drenched an 88-year drought by winning the World Series.

Guillen, however, has always been controversial and remains so today. Only one thing is left to say, enough is enough.

It is time for Guillen to exit.

The Chicago White Sox held a meeting Friday to discuss the roles each player would play in the pursuit of a Central Division championship in 2011.

Apparently, Matt Thornton was told to get ready to close.

Many had Chris Sale penciled into that role, but I feel that Thornton should be the man Ozzie Guillen hands the ball to in the ninth. 

I thought that before spring training started and I still feel that way.