The 2007 Chicago White Sox are back to the grind. At least that’s what the promotional department would have us believe. Opening Day could not come sooner for Chicago’s South-Siders. The Sox finished 2006 with a record of 90-72, respectable on all accounts. Heck, in a midsummer three-game sweep of the soon-to-be World Champion Cardinals, the Sox outscored the Redbirds 34-11 and had opposing pitching coach Dave Duncan accusing them of stealing signs. Faithful fans will remind you that the Sox finished 6.5 games better than the champions while playing in a more difficult division.

But alas, thinking you’re better than the reigning champ will get you nowhere. Just ask all the teams that thought they were better than Chicago during 2005 as the Sox coasted to the title. A year ago, following that great run, the Sox added depth in slugger Jim Thome and veteran starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The only problem foreseen by most experts was how to find room in the rotation for six starting pitchers.

After a disappointing third-place finish, the Sox were even more active, but in the opposite direction. Whereas in 2006 the Sox added experienced help to fuel a back-to-back run, this offseason saw them move starting pitcher Freddy Garcia, 6th man Brandon McCarthy and oft-used lefty reliever Neil Cotts. In their place, the Sox acquired a gaggle of young arms, including Texas Rangers No. 1 pitching prospect John Danks and Gavin Floyd from the Phillies. The two are duking it out for the fifth starter spot with Danks the likely victor.

Former third-base coach Joey “The Windmill” Cora has moved up in the world and will assist skipper Ozzie Guillen as his bench coach. This move should please White Sox fans as Cora was chastised for excessively sending runners, often in unnecessary situations. Along with pitching coach Don Cooper, Cora, Guillen and company have much to prove this season. Even with 2006 a major disappointment, it almost took a back-seat to the circus revolving around Guillen and his various feuds and faux pas. A team can live with the unnecessary media attention upon a manager when it wins the World Series; when it finishes third in the division, the distraction is a lot to stomach. GM Kenny Williams, a straight-shooter himself, is on record as saying Guillen will need to act appropriately and (of course) win games to continue his employ as White Sox Manager.

Guillen’s antics aside, everyone knows what the White Sox are capable of offensively. While 2005 was coined the year of “Ozzie Ball,” many forget the White Sox also took advantage of scoring runs in droves, many via the home run. They did the same in 2006 with Jermaine Dye, Paul Konerko, Thome, Joe Crede and Juan Uribe all slugging 21 or more homers. The “struggles” (if that’s what you call scoring the third most runs in the league) of the White Sox came from the 8-9-1 spots, Uribe, Brian Anderson and Scott Podsednik.

Podsednik, fresh off a marriage to a former playmate and a nagging groin injury, never regained his ’05 form in which he was a constant threat on the basepaths, frequently causing opposing pitchers to let their guard down. He hit nearly 30 points worse and stole 19 fewer bases in 2006. Uribe, despite putting up very respectable power numbers from the eighth spot (21 HR/ 71 RBI), hit only .235 and struck out nearly one out of every five trips up. His inability to take a walk (13) certainly didn’t get the Sox out of any jams. Anderson gets half a pass as 2006 was his rookie season in centerfield. Hitting only .225, with 8 more strikeouts than hits (90-82), did not help Anderson endear himself to Guillen as a hitter. His offensive struggles and the fact that he replaced fan-favorite Aaron Rowand in center didn’t win him a plethora of South-side fans early on. The fact that he played 110 games without an error, hit .275 over the final 69 games (raising his average from .173), and pummelled cross-town first baseman John Mabry in the A.J. Pierzynksi-Michael Barrett brawl have earned Anderson some leeway. Certainly, if he continues to be a liability offensively, Guillen will have a short leash on him.