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[1] THE MAIN EVENT
These Sox have holes
Spring training results pack as much meaning as those T-ball games that always end tied. A win, a loss--players and coaches say it doesn't matter.
Of course, that's what the world champion White Sox are saying after breaking camp with a crummy exhibition record (10-19). They're probably right. After all, the dismantled Marlins won't continue to win 70 percent of their games, and the Royals surely won't lord over the American League the way they did the Cactus. But the champs' disappointing showing in Arizona this year does raise concerns:
Where's the spark? Scott Podsednik played in only seven games this spring because of a sore shoulder and a sore groin, and he'll begin the year at less than 100 percent. Chicago's small-ball attack sputtered last August. The Sox were 6-12 in the last three weeks of the month, when Podsednik was bothered by a groin strain.
Where's the relief? Bobby Jenks hasn't shown the control he displayed last fall, neither on the mound nor in the buffet line. His velocity has dropped. His waistline hasn't. Can the team's revamped bullpen hold leads if the closer is a question mark?
Where's the training room? Besides Podsednik, Chicago also has to worry about Jose Contreras' elbow, and Dustin Hermanson (back) might not pitch until the second half. Jim Thome has stayed mostly healthy so far, but can that last?