White Sox Are Anxious to Show They’re for Real

Matching last year’s success will be difficult, but Chicago White Sox manager Jeff Torborg is eagerly looking ahead to a new season.

The White Sox start playing in the new Comiskey Park and the team will have a new look with the addition of outfielders Tim Raines and Cory Snyder and pitcher Charlie Hough.

“I don’t know if we can win 94 again,” said Torborg, whose White Sox finished nine games behind the Oakland Athletics, the American League West champions with 103 victories.

“I don’t think anyone will win 100 games,” said Torborg. “The division figures to be a lot tougher. Kansas City will have a better season. California has helped. Texas is tough and Seattle keeps coming on.”

Torborg, who was named Manager of the Year by The Associated Press, is looking forward to having a proven leadoff hitter in Raines.

“No way,” Torborg said of possibly using Raines in the No. 3 slot. “He could be the most effective leadoff man in baseball. And he’s going to steal a lot of bases for us.”

Torborg has decided on Robin Ventura hitting behind Raines, although Ventura has had only one year in the big leagues.

“Robin is a very patient and selective hitter,” Torborg said of the 23-year-old third baseman. “You don’t find that in too many young hitters. He’ll go deep in the count and let the leadoff hitter run, and he’s not afraid to hit with two strikes.”

Ventura batted .249 in his rookie year. That wasn’t bad considering he was 0-for-41 in one early stretch in the season.

Torborg is set with his lineup. Frank Thomas, who came up in midseason and batted .330, will be at first base. Gold glove winner Ozzie Guillen will be at short and Scott Fletcher at second.

Torborg has options in the outfield, but he plans on going with Raines in left, Lance Johnson in center and Sammy Sosa in right.

With the acquisition of Raines, it was thought Johnson, who had been leading off, might be shoved in the backround by moving Sosa to center and using Dan Pasqua or Snyder in right.

“I thought about that, too,” said Torborg. “But Lance had a pretty good year for us and deserves the chance. I like the idea of leaving Sosa in right.”

Most of Torborg’s switching around will be with the designated hitters.

He can start with the right-handed hitting Snyder and the left-handed hitting Pasqua. When Ron Karkovice is catching, Carlton Fisk will be available right-handed. And if Snyder happens to play left field at times, the switch-hitting Raines could do the job -- leading off, of course.

The pitching staff is anchored by closer Bobby Thigpen, who set a major league record with 57 saves that earned him a $3 million-a-year contract. But Barry Jones, Thigpen’s set-up man, took his 11-4 record to Montreal in the trade for Raines.

“That’s going to be a tough spot to fill,” Torborg said. “But, we’ll do it by committee until someone steps forward and earns the job. If not, I can do a lot of switching with left-handers and right-handers.”

Wayne Edwards, Ken Patterson and Scott Radinsky, all left-handers, and right-hander Donn Pall are the top candidates.

Torborg is going with a five-man starting staff that includes Jack McDowell (14-9), Greg Hibbard (14-9), Melido Perez (13-14), Alex Fernandez (5-5) and Hough, who was 12-12 with Texas last season.