By Woodrow Carroll
Years ago, Major League Baseball’s offseason was called the Hot Stove League. The reference was to baseball’s earliest years when talk centered around the prospects of the upcoming season with little real activity prior to Spring training.
Today there is no offseason! Each Major League team knows there will be plenty to do 12 months of the year in order to keep up with the opposition.
Coming off of seven straight losing seasons, the Chicago White Sox have their work cut out for them this season. For starters, an attention-getter sets the stage.
The White Sox will play the New York Yankees August 13 in a regular-season game in Dyersville, Iowa at the Field of Dreams, built for the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams,” featuring Kevin Costner. One might wonder if Costner will make an appearance at the game. Baseball has been kind to Costner which fans of the film “Bull Durham” and “Field of Dreams” will attest. Dyersville has a population of 5,000 and is nearly a 200-mile drive from Aurora.
The Thursday night game will be followed by a day off with the two teams playing in Chicago the following Saturday and Sunday.
Given the White Sox struggles in recent seasons, something had to be done. Signing a couple of 30-plus ex-stars may or may not help.
Edwin Encarnacion, 37, now with his sixth Major League Baseball team, is one who could help the White Sox. At least in the short term! He is a three-time all-star selection who led the American League in RBIs in 2016. Encarnacion could be a nice surprise if he regains his old form.
Dallas Kuechel, 32, is another Sox signee who will be scrutinized. In Encarnacion, a solid season in a Sox uniform will come almost as a bonus. Not so for Kuechel, a lefty who signed for three years with your typical performance clauses. More is expected out of Kuechel.
Kuechel, spent the 2019 season with the Atlanta Braves and was the 2015 Cy Young winner with the Houston Astros. Since 2015, Kuechel has had his good moments, but, not up to his 2015 standard.
White Sox success last season included a batting league title for shortstop Tim Anderson. New players offering high hopes include youngsters Luis Robert in centerfield, Eloy Jimenez in leftfield, and pitcher Michael Kopech.
The ever-earlier start for Major League Baseball has the Sox opening at home March 26 against the Kansas City Royals. A year ago, the Sox were on the road at Kansas City, March 28, to start the 2019 season.
Four games with the Chicago Cubs fit nicely into the White Sox schedule this season.
After playing three games in Texas against the Rangers, July 3-5, the Sox will return home to play the Cubs July 7-8 at the Sox’ Guaranteed Rate Field. The Sox will play the Cubs for two games July 20-21 at Wrigley Field.