From yesterday:
Robin Ventura's first Opening Day lineup is as follows: De Aza CF, Morel 3B, Dunn DH, Konerko 1B, Pierzynski C, Rios CF, Ramirez SS, Viciedo LF, Beckham 2B, Danks SP.
Chuck Garfien's down in Texas for Opening Day, and he spoke with Paul Konerko on Thursday about what the Sox will do in 2012. As Konerko sees it, they'll do everything "the right way."
Hector Santiago? Matt Thornton? Addison Reed? Whoever winds up closing games for the Sox actually isn't a big deal, since the relief corps is deep and should succeed regardless of who's taking the ball in the ninth.
David Kaplan previewed White Sox opening week in the first installment of the BMO-Harris Bank Look Ahead:
A.J. Pierzynski, Gordon Beckham, Brent Lillibridge and Kenny Williams are Southside in this great Nike ad spot.
Williams was pretty awesome in that Nike commercial, but his comments about disgraced defensive coordinator Gregg Williams -- whose bounty targets included Williams' son, Kyle -- were perfect given his position and the ugliness of this whole situation: "Personally, suspension or not, it's probably best I'm never in a room with Gregg Williams and wonder if such an order crosses the line of the aggressive, competitive spirit we all know and love about the sport and leans closer to a criminal act and therefore litigious matter."
MLB
Around the division: Jose Valverde proved why wins are a worthless stat in Detroit's 3-2 win over Boston, Cleveland lost the longest season-opening game on record and was involved in another beanball war, Jonathan Broxton was named Kansas City's closer, and Minnesota got some bad news as Scott Baker was pulled from a minor league rehab start.