Chicago White Sox

The World champions return a squad that will no longer be unknown.

I see a couple players having good upside surprise in 2006. The first is Tadahito Iguchi. He did well in his inaugural US season with double digit HR and SB with an unharmful AVG (15/15/.278). Now with World Series experience, I expect 2006 to be his best. 20/20 is right there to be taken. Anything less than $20 will be a steal.

Brian Nikola Anderson is the other player I expect to do surprisingly well. In finance, there is a way of determining how well a company is doing by signaling. It says"that insiders have information not available to the market. Moves made by insiders can signal information to outsiders and change the stock price."

Place GM Kenny Williams in the role of an insider, and the one of insider moves as the trade of CFers Aaron Rowand and Chris Young, a propsect that had a better AA season than any Anderson has yet to have, and he (CY) is younger!

What you conclude is B. Nikola Anderson is going to do well. I see him matching Rowand's 2005 HR production (13) with slightly fewer RBI and the same AVG.

Bobby Jenks broke through his past to end the season as the closer. I would not be surprised to see a relapse into his previous control and off-field problems. If this occurs, I expect Ozzie Guillen to mess around with the closer role - just as he did last season when Dustan Hermanson was successfully closing and lost the job - just as Mr. Zero successfully closed in 2004 only to be yanked out the role for Hermanson - just as Damaso Marte was messed around with all season.

On the farm, keep an eye on Jerry Owens. He was old for AA (24) but his Moneyball stats (.393 OBP) shame Scott Podsednick and his speed will not make Podsednick take on any airs (38 in AA and, most importantly, 4 in n 18 AB call-up in September.) I would not be surpised to see Podsednick lose quite a few ABs to Owens. If he makes the team, grab him. A poor man's Joey Gaithwright on draft day!