32-year old righty swinging RF Alex Rios has usually followed up a good season with an awful one for the White Sox.  He played in 157 games for the Pale Hose last year and he was 184 of 605 (.304 avg, .850 OPS) with 93 runs scored, 25 homers, 91 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.  So, he is due to have a poor season for the White Sox in 2013, but, he’s off to a fast start with the bat so far for them.  Rios has played in 5 games for the White Sox so far this year and he is 7 for 18 (.389 avg, 1.198 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 2 homers, 4 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.  The White Sox hope that Rios can put two good seasons together.

Many questioned the White Sox’ front office for letting A.J. Pierzynski leave as a free agent after his big 2012 season (he signed with the Rangers this winter).  They decided to go with 27-year old righty swinging Tyler Flowers as their starting catcher in 2013.  He played in 108 games in his first four years with the White Sox and he was 56 of 273 (.205 avg, .695 OPS) with 37 runs scored, 12 homers, 29 RBIs, 2 stolen bases and an amazingly awful 107 whiffs.  But, the former top prospect is off to a blazing start for the White Sox so far in 2013.  He has played in all 3 games for the Pale Hose so far this year and he is 4 for 7 (.571 avg, 2.129 OPS) with 3 runs scored, 2 homers and 2 RBIs.  He has also done a fine job of handling the pitching staff as the White Sox have a 1.00 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP so far this year.  The White Sox hope that Flowers keeps up the good work both at the plate and behind it.

The White Sox won 2 out of three games against the Royals in Chicago despite only scoring 7 runs in three games!  The pitching staff was incredible in this series as they were a combined 2-1 with a 1.00 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP.  The starting rotation was utterly amazing as Chris Sale, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd combined to go 2-1 with a 1.37 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP.  The trio of White Sox’ starting pitchers worked 19 2/3 innings allowing only 15 hits and 2 walks while whiffing 18 batters, which is very, very impressive.  The White Sox hope that they keep getting outstanding pitching moving forward.

The White Sox have signed 29-year old righty swinging SS/2B Tyler Greene to a minor league deal.  Greene played in 116 games for the Cardinals and Astros last year in which he was 70 for 305 (.230 avg, .674 OPS) with 34 runs scored, 11 homers, 30 RBIs and 12 stolen bases.  Greene has now played in 266 games in his first four years in the majors and he is 139 of 621 (.224 avg, .647 OPS) with 79 runs scored, 16 homers, 58 RBIs and 28 stolen bases.  Greene will try to earn his way to Chicago by playing well in AAA first.

The White Sox have signed 29-year old righty swinging outfielder Stefan Gartrell to a minor league deal.  He played in 122 games in AAA-ball for the Braves last year and he was 105 of 418 (.251 avg, .787 OPS) with 67 runs scored, 20 homers, 55 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  He has now played in 819 games in his first seven years in the minors and he is 789 of 2,930 (.269 avg, .815 OPS) with 476 runs scored, 128 homers, 466 RBIs and 50 stolen bases.  He will start in AAA-ball for the White Sox in 2013.

The White Sox have signed 29-year old righty reliever/starter Jason Berken to a minor league deal.  Berken pitched in 5 games (4 starts) for the Orioles and Cubs last year and he was 0-3 with a 5.49 ERA and a 1.83 WHIP.  He has now pitched in 110 games (28 starts) in his first four years in the majors and he is 10-20 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP.  Berken will start the 2013 season in AAA-ball for the White Sox.

The Chicago White Sox have six rookies that could help them in 2013.  Here is a look at them:

Carlos Sanchez:  20-year old switch-hitting 2B/SS Carlos Sanchez comes into this season as the Pale Hose’ #3 prospect heading into Baseball America.  He played in 133 games in A+AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 169 of 523 (.323 avg, .781 OPS) with 79 runs scored, 1 homer, 56 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.  Sanchez has now played in 275 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 296 of 991 (.299 avg, .749 OPS) with 160 runs scored, 3 homers, 107 RBIs and 42 stolen bases.

Andre Rienzo:  24-year old righty starting pitcher Andre Rienzo comes into this season as the White Sox’ #7 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 18 games (all starts) in A+AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 7-3 with a 2.53 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.  Rienzo has now pitched in 91 games (77 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 29-20 with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.

Charlie Leesman:  26-year old lefty starting pitcher Charlie Leesman comes into this season as the White Sox’ #11 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 26 games (all starts) in AAA-ball for the Pale Hose last year and he was 12-10 with a 2.47 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.  Leesman has now pitched in 111 games (109 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 49-28 with 1 save, a 3.37 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

Jhan Marinez:  24-year old righty reliever Jhan Marinez comes into this season as the White Sox’ #13 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the White Sox last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.  He also pitched in 40 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 4-2 with 4 saves, a 2.86 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.  Marinez has now pitched in 6 games (0 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-1 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP.

Brian Omogrosso:  28-year old righty reliever Brian Omogrosso comes into this year as the Pale Hose’ #17 prospect according to Baseball America.  He pitched in 17 games (0 starts) for the White Sox last year in his first taste of the majors and he was 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.  He also pitched in 33 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 0-2 with 9 saves, a 4.56 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.  Omogrosso has now pitched in 176 games (33 starts) in his first seven years in the minors and he is 19-21 with 19 saves, a 3.90 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.

Josh Phegley:  25-year old righty swinging catcher Josh Phegley comes into this season as the White Sox’ #18 prospect according to Baseball America.  Phegley played in 102 games in AAA-ball for the White Sox last year and he was 105 of 394 (.266 avg, .680 OPS) with 40 runs scored, 6 homers, 48 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.  He has now played in 318 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 306 of 1,209 (.253 avg, .685 OPS) with 143 runs scored, 29 homers, 163 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.

The White Sox have placed 27-year old lefty starting pitcher John Danks on the 15-day disabled list due to a shoulder problem.  He pitched in 4 games (all starts) in spring training for the White Sox and he was 0-2 with a 16.36 ERA and a 2.91 WHIP.  Danks gave up 27 hits (5 homers) in only 11 innings this spring….which is far beyond awful.  Danks has pitched in 159 games (all starts) in his first six years with the White Sox and he is 57-60 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.  Righty Dylan Axelrod will replace Danks in the rotation until he’s ready to return to action.

The White Sox have placed 27-year old lefty reliever Leyson Septimo on the 15-day D.L.  He pitched in 21 games (0 starts) in his first taste of the majors for the White Sox last year and he was 0-2 with a 5.02 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP.  Septimo also pitched in 24 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball for the White Sox last year and he was 2-1 with 1 save, a 1.31 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.  Septimo will likely be sent to AAA-ball when he gets healthy enough to pitch.  He might get another chance with the Pale Hose later on in 2013.

The over/under for White Sox’ wins in 2013 is 80.5.  The White Sox were 85-77 (52.5%) in 2012.  The White Sox are going to have some more issues in 2013, due to the improvements the Indians and Royals over the winter.  The White Sox are going to score runs in 2013 and they have an excellent top end of the rotation with Chris Sale, Jake Peavy and Gavin Floyd.  But, the White Sox are going to need good work out of the pen if they want to win more games than they did last year.  If I had to make a bet on the White Sox for 2013, it would be a small one on the under.