Peavy and Guillen are Pretty Fired Up: Rest of AL Takes Cover

Offseason Profile
Chicago White Sox

Once, when attending a Dodgers-Padres game in Los Angeles, I had the distinct pleasure of watching Jake Peavy pitch in an important, September baseball game. For those who may be confused, there was in fact a time (not too long ago, in fact) when the Padres were contending for playoff spots. Of course, I use the word pleasure loosely, because the man was for years a chief tormentor of the boys from L.A., a nearly unhitable fortress of craft and power.

His effect was on display that night. And countless others. Aside from the blazing fastball and devastating array of curves, cutters and sinkers, one of Peavy's trademark characteristics is his fiery personality on the mound. Like most great pitchers, he carries an intensity unmatched by the mediocre brethren of his craft. It is good to see, then, that an injury that cost him most of 2009 hasn't dampened that enthusiasm in any way. From ESPN's Buster Olney:

The man is fired up. He's fired up about the White Sox. He's fired up about the starting rotation. He's fired up about Gavin Floyd and John Danks. He's fired up about pitching in the American League Central. He's fired up about facing the Minnesota Twins while respecting the depth of their lineup.

It's as if Peavy stored up all the energy from the months he spent on the disabled list last summer, after joining the White Sox. "I think we can do some damage," he says...

Oftentimes, an injury makes the casual fan forget just how good a player is. Such was the case with the otherwise remarkable Peavy, who by the way has a Cy Young Award to his name. The relative anonymity offered by pitching in San Diego didn't help any in terms of national recognition, but if Peavy can rebound to old form in a big-time market like Chicago, one suspects that people will take notice.

Peavy's pitching could reap lucrative rewards for a re-tooled Sox team in what looks to be a winnable central division. The Twins are the clear favorite, Joe Nathan or not, but do not by any means looks invincible. In fact, the White Sox may have the better pitching staff, with Buhrle (he of no-hitter and perfect game) and Peavy at the top. Following the big two are a pair of promising hurlers that should only get better with another year of experience: John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

More after the jump...




I've already detailed Peavy's fiery personality, one that no doubt will go well with his new manager. After all, given some of the quotes that have made an appearance in this week's news, it's clear that the star pitcher isn't the only one in the organization chomping at the bit to get the season underway. After all, Ozzie Guillen is nothing if not vocal. From the Chicago Tribune:

"A lot of people hate me. I want them to hate my team, too. Because we want to kick some (butts). Nobody hates anybody when you're horse(bleep). When you're horse(bleep), nobody cares about you. When you're good, that's the people you want to beat, the people you hate the most. It's so many things. People give people attention when they have success."

"That's what I want. I want every day to show up and kick people's (butts). Show every day we're ready to fight."

Right then. Guillen was never one to mince words.

For the opponents to start drinking the hater-ade in earnest, however, the Sox will need to, er, score a few runs. The offense remains one of the biggest unknowns exiting the spring. On paper, one can see how this club can manufacture enough runs to win a boatload of games. But paper and practice are completely different animals altogether, and the South Siders' lineup is littered with players coming off poor seasons or capable of astounding inconsistency. Juan Pierre could be a nice pickup, given the way he performed in Los Angeles last season, but could just as easily revert to an underwhelming, if likable, outfielder with no power and a weak arm. Andruw Jones appears to be the projected DH--and he's not exactly a sure bet.

There are few doubts about what Guillen can do as a manager. So if he can whip his team into some sort of offensive shape, it isn't a stretch to conclude that this bunch can top the Twins and Tigers in what should be a very close affair. Should the club put on a reprise of their underachieving 2009 campaign, the outspoken skipper could find himself on the hot seat at season's end.