Last year`s record: 71-90
– Record in Comiskey Park: 40-41
– Record on road: 31-49
– Pitching staff: Oddly, for a club that lost 90 games, the staff is pretty well set, with kids Jack McDowell (23), Melido Perez (22) and Shawn Hillegas (24) and vets Bill Long (29) and Jerry Reuss (40) the likely starters. Bobby Thigpen, at 25, heads up a young bullpen.
– Strikeout leader: Perez (138)
– Best ERA: Thigpen (3.30 in 90 innings)
– Best record: Reuss (13-9)
– In the bullpen: Thigpen had club-record 34 saves in `88 but seemed to tail off in closing weeks. Key may be Barry Jones, who figures as the No. 1 setup man. Then there are Tom McCarthy, Steve Rosenberg and rookie lefty Ken Patterson, judged by scouts to have the best fastball in the Pacific Coast League last season.
– The hitters: If everyone is healthy, they`ll score runs. Harold Baines, Carlton Fisk, Greg Walker and Ivan Calderon are all proven run producers. Dan Pasqua, at 27, may finally be ready to break loose.
– Best hitter for average: Baines, who hit .277 in what for him was a dull year, his worst for average since `82.
– Best in clutch: Baines (81 RBIs) is still the guy you want to see up there in game situations.
– Most home runs: Pasqua hit 20, but Fisk had 19 despite missing 2 1/2 months with a broken hand.
– Strengths at end of last season: Young pitching (Perez, Hillegas, Patterson and McCarthy were particularly impressive late) and the continued brilliance of Ozzie Guillen, who led AL shortstops in total chances.
– Weaknesses at end of last season: The defense, especially at third base (the Sox committed an AL-high 154 errors); and the offense (in the AL, only the hapless Orioles` .238 average was lower than the Sox`s .244, and no one had a worse on-base percentage). A lack of speed was also a drawback.
– Off-season moves: Replaced manager Jim Fregosi with Jeff Torborg. Hired Walt Hriniak as batting coach. Brought back free-agent DH Ron Kittle
(Yankees).
– Key to the season: Walker must be fully recovered, and the other big guns have to stay healthy. Lance Johnson, last year`s rookie flop, has to figure out a way to get on base and steal bases. Defense must improve.
– If everything goes right: Johnson, with Hriniak`s help, develops into a capable leadoff man, Steve Lyons cuts his errors at third, a second baseman emerges, and Fisk, et. al., stay off the DL and the Sox win 84, 85 games.
– Realistically speaking: Lyons, Dave Gallagher and Fred Manrique-all essentially utility men-wind up playing regularly again, Reuss doesn`t repeat his `88 success, top prospect Robin Ventura is up by August and the Sox wind up about 77-85.
– Comment: Most of the club`s best prospects are in the middle or lower minors, so it`s going to be a while before they arrive. In the meantime, there`s no reason why the Sox can`t put an entertaining team on the field. The `89 team has a chance to at least be that.
