I know it’s hard to think about baseball right now. You sports-lovers are probably busy preparing for Monday’s NCAA Championship game between the Gators and Buckeyes (didn’t think I’d be saying that again so soon). But America’s national pastime deserves some attention, and for all the South-Side supporters out there, I think you’ll be interested in—and hopefully not too mad about—what I have to say.

The Chicago White Sox are always a threat. Any time you’ve got three consecutive guys in a lineup easily capable of blasting 40 home runs, you’re in the playoff picture. Unfortunately for the Sox, pitching wins World Series.

Jose Contreras, Jon Garland, Mark Buehrle, Javier Vazquez, and rookie acquisition John Danks make up the White Sox rotation. Once feared hurlers, Contreras and Buehrle look to rebound from mediocre (at best) 2006 seasons. While Jon Garland won 18 games, and Javier Vazquez showed signs of life late in the season, this formerly dominant staff has been reduced to a group of washed up veterans who will heavily rely on big offensive production to pick up wins.

I mentioned the big sluggers in the lineup: Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Jermaine Dye. Don’t forget, Thome’s a year older and Jermaine Dye had an MVP-caliber season that he’ll be hard-pressed to match in ’07.

Granted, the return of Scott Podsednik and the addition of Darin Erstad to start in Center Field improve the White Sox lineup. But then again, the lineup was never an issue.

The Sox scored the third most runs and launched the most home runs in the majors last season and could only muster a third place finish for 2006 in the incredibly tough AL Central. Don’t expect the Tigers to be any worse with the acquisition of Gary Sheffield, and while the Twins have lost a lot of pitching this offseason, the Cleveland Indians should be hungry for a huge rebound year after a disappointing 2006.

I’ll stop with the pessimism for a minute. The Sox did win 90 games last season, Jose Contreras and Mark Buehrle have looked at least palatable so far this Spring, and John Danks at the back end of the rotation seems a much better option than Gavin Floyd (the worst off-season move by the Sox, giving up proven Freddy Garcia for a guy who may never reach his potential).

Look, the Chicago White Sox would likely win the AL West. Unfortunately, they compete for the AL Central crown, and the Tigers and Indians pack too much punch, both with the bat, and on the mound. I expect 85 to 90 wins from the Sox, unless Mark Buehrle and Jose Contreras can return to 2005 form, when a certain team from Chicago won its first world series title in 88 years.

And hey, if it’s any consolation, I still think the Sox look better than this year’s Cubs.