Chicago White Sox: 2013 Spring Training Preview Guide

Posted by Jeff Louderback on Feb 8th, 2013

White Sox Spring Training In Robin Ventura‘s first season as a manager at any level, the Chicago White Sox were surprising contenders in the American League Central, finishing 85-77 and just three games behind the eventual American League champion Detroit Tigers. Though Detroit is favored to win the division this year, and Kansas City is much improved, the White Sox expect to battle for a post-season berth.

Chicago’s strength is its starting rotation. Young left-handers Chris Sale and Jose Quintana, both of whom delivered breakouts performances in 2012, bookend right-hander Jake Peavy, left-hander John Danks (who is returning from injury) and right-hander Gavin Floyd.

Closer Addison Reed and set-up men Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain give Ventura a trio of late-inning power arms in the bullpen.

Catcher Tyler Flowers replaces fan favorite A.J. Pierzynski. Flowers is considered more proficient behind the plate than Pierzynski, but the veteran (who signed with Texas this offseason) has served as a productive left-handed bat for eight seasons on Chicago’s south side. He slugged 27 home runs last year. The White Sox like the 27-year-old Flowers’ power potential. He belted seven home runs in 153 plate appearances last year, but batted .213 with 56 strikeouts.

Chicago White Sox news The lineup will be anchored by veteran sluggers Paul Konerko and Adam Dunn while outfielders Dayan Viciedo, Alejandro De Aza and Alex Rios, and middle infielders Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham add pop.

The White Sox chose not to re-sign Kevin Youkilis, instead opting for free agent Jeff Keppinger to fill the void at third base. Brent Morel, who was saddled with a back injury for much of last season, is healthy again and hopes to add depth at the hot corner.

While the Royals upgraded their rotation this offseason, they still appear a season or two away from contending. Cleveland and Minnesota are in rebuilding modes. The leaves the White Sox as the main threat to unseat the Tigers as AL Central champions.

About Camelback Ranch – Glendale

The White Sox sparkling spring training home at Camelback Ranch – Glendale is a campus rather than a complex, a park rather than a facility.

White Sox Spring training Covering a sprawling 141 acres, Camelback Ranch – Glendale is one of the most spectacular spring training settings across Major League Baseball. Situated west of Phoeniz – Glendale is called the West Valley – Camelback Ranch is more like a campus than a complex. The spring training home of the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers includes a fully-stocked lake, practice diamonds, walking paths, Southwest architecture, native landscaping and desert vistas.

In all, Camelback Ranch is composed of 13 full baseball fields and three half-fields. It is also the largest in the Cactus League with a capacity of 13,000, which includes 3,000 lawn seats, 12 luxury suites and a party deck. The mountain views from the ballpark are mesmerizing.

Two of the 12 practice fields are replicas of the Dodger Stadium and U.S. Cellular Field and feature the same dimensions of what players will find back in Los Angeles and Chicago.

About Glendale

Camelback Ranch – Glendale is considered a paradise for baseball enthusiasts. Glendale itself is a mecca for sports fans. The city and the West Valley are home to the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, the annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, NASCAR’s Phoenix International Raceway and the Wigwam Resort and Golf Club (regarded as one of the Southwest’s top-ranked golf courses).

The West Valley can be called Major League Baseball’s spring training capital. Five modern spring training facilities serve as the spring homes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals.

Hikers are treated to around 40 miles of hiking trails in Glendale that are open from sunrise to sunset. Trails are expansive and not physically demanding. They include Skunk Creek Linear Park (a 3.5-mile linear trail that connects to Thunderbird Paseo Path), Thunderbird Park (a series of trails that spans 20 miles), Bridle Path (a 9-mile trail over a decomposed granite path meant for equestrian use), Thunderbird Paseo Path (a 4-mile long linear trail), and the Grand Canal Linear Park (a 3.25-mile long linear trail).

White Sox Spring