SSS Staff Predictions: White Sox in the Playoffs, and ... More?

Confidence reigns supreme as 14 of 15 writers put the South Siders in the postseason

By Brett Ballantini@BrettBallantini Mar 31, 2021, 6:47am CDT

With an exciting summer of baseball right on our doorstep, we had an outpouring of interest in predicting just how this 2021 season would play out.

In a word: PLAYOFFS

Here’s how we see the division races shaking out. Dodgers and Yankees are the closest to sure things.

Our bests and worsts, and playoff picks. It may be a factor of us knowing/focusing on the AL more, or perhaps the league is just more wide open, but no consensus on best or worst teams, while in the NL, easy pickin’.

Four of 15 picking the White Sox to run the table! Unsurprisingly, it’s spirit captains like Ashley Sanders and Rob Colletti leading the charge. Bill and Nello, whoo wee, you guys got infused with the good vibes!

Awards time. The White Sox show up at least twice among all three AL award winners. The AL Rookie of the Year is going to be one fierce battle — and no one even mentioned our two plum rookie arms, Michael Kopech and Garrett Crochet!

OK, we’re reached the nitty-gritty of White Sox predictions. High pick is Colletti, at 98 wins (point of order, I believe he meant to knock it down to 97). Low pick, Barbee, gives the South Siders 86 — but still a division win! Average prediction: 90-72.

EVERYONE but one of us says playoffs. Heh.

YoYo looking like the player MVP, with Tim Anderson running up. Pitcher MVP is a runaway for Giolito. Best rookie, Andrew Vaughn? Whoa. It’s no dis on Vaughn, who I believe will have a solid year, but he could be the fourth-best rookie on this club behind Kopech, Crochet and Nick Madrigal.

Worst Player and Pitcher! A lot of choices in both spots, some names already departed. Darren Black calling Engel and Trevor Lines going Leury is BOLD. And then Trevor doubles down with Matt Foster as Worst Pitcher! Clip and save.

And a bold prediction from Jeremy Karll: Dylan Cease gets more Cy Young votes than Lance Lynn and Dallas Keuchel. I’m drinking the kool-aid.

OK, a couple of wacky categories. Just as no one seems to foresee any chance of the White Sox, even with a strong season, falling short of the postseason but me, no one sees Tony La Russa as one-and-done in 2021. With age, stress, team performance and off-the-field non-ubering looming as possible issues, I’ll take the field on this one.

First methup? Perchance to dream.

Are some of you curious to see me (and perhaps others) get roasted over these picks? Well, I’m gonna show you anyway. From the inner workings of SSS, our Slack channel: