CHGO White Sox Weekly: What I'm looking for as spring training opens in Arizona

What’s up, Sox fans?

I’ve got good news: Baseball season is here.

Yes, spring training starts this week. Pitchers and catchers report to sunny Arizona on Wednesday.

The White Sox might not have given you much to get excited about this winter, but even approaching a season that could be short on wins, there’s a lot to pay attention to when it comes to figuring out when winning time will next arrive on the South Side.

That’s what I’ll be focusing on this year, and it starts with seeing the team up close today in Arizona.

While my greatest excitement for my annual desert visit stems from drinking at my favorite tiki bar, I’m obviously looking forward to figuring a few things out about this White Sox team. Some highlights:

What will healthy versions of Yoán Moncada, Eloy Jiménez and Andrew Benintendi look like?

When it comes to improving the offense, the White Sox have put most of their eggs in the basket of improving the guys who were already here. That might sound familiar, considering injuries and underperformance have limited core members of the roster for years.

Moncada and Jiménez have shown flashes but have rarely put together long stretches of success, while Benintendi’s first season with the White Sox was a disappointment. All three were bothered by physical limitations last year.

Will health allow for a different-looking lineup? Or will it be more of the same?

Will Pedro Grifol succeed in implementing a new style of play?

The White Sox manager pledged nightly ass-kickings in his introductory press conference, but the 2023 season featured the same mistake-filled play that characterized the prior season. It was actually worse, and on top of it, Grifol questioned some players’ effort, all while the trade deadline saw a mass exodus to help address clubhouse issues.

But Grifol has promised things will be different in 2024. He’s spent the offseason talking about a new style of fast, aggressive baseball, pointing to the reigning NL champion Diamondbacks as a model.

New additions haven’t done much to increase projected run-scoring, but they do all strike as grindy types who will do the little things and play good defense. Who knows how many wins it will mean, but it could help establish a new identity and could be way more fun to watch.

Can Michael Kopech bounce back from his horrendous 2023?

We’re still waiting for the elite version of Kopech to arrive, seven-plus years after he joined the organization.

He’s been through a lot, missing two seasons, and hasn’t shaken the injury bug, pitching with a cyst in his knee last year. His quest to become a dominant starting pitcher has yet to reach its intended destination, despite flashes, and last season was mostly miserable, with Kopech leading the AL in walks and giving up a ton of homers.

But the talent is still there, and he’ll be given every chance to turn into the pitcher that was promised. A stress-free season with the White Sox not expected to do much, plus the benefit of improved defense behind him and a new pitching czar in Brian Bannister, should be positive developments for the right-hander.

When will the White Sox’ youth movement reach the major leagues?

Chris Getz isn’t using the word “rebuild,” given the connotations from Rick Hahn’s failed project. But even if it’s not planned to last long, the White Sox seem to be at the outset of another rebuild.

The next generation is taking shape in the minors, and the farm system has received some positive reviews. But the question will be familiar to fans who sat through the last rebuild: When will the future arrive at the big league level? That can actually start this spring, and guys will get chances to win roster spots, so said Grifol.

Will top-ranked prospect Colson Montgomery impress enough to jump to the South Side? Will Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure, pitchers acquired in last summer’s deal with the Dodgers, land spots on the major league staff? And while Edgar Quero might not be ready for primetime, what will the 20-year-old catcher show at camp?

Their evolutions this year could determine how close the White Sox are to contention, which will inform where the front office goes from here.

I’ll be following those storylines and more out in Arizona, so be sure you’re following along on social media, watching our daily CHGO White Sox shows and reading my write-ups at allchgo.com.

One more announcement: I’ll be sending out this newsletter all season. Some will be free while others will be for Diehards only. To get on my email list, enter your email address below!

Welcome to baseball season, Sox fans.