WSC Birth Years: Alex Rios

Card #52 - Alex Rios

Born: February 18, 1981

Alex is an ambitious player. He wanted to make a great impression when he was picked up by the Pale Hose in 2009, so he tried to be a perfect player. This only resulted in Rios overswinging and misplaying balls in the outfield.

As Alex got comfortable, he started to loosen up and his natural ability started to shine through. By the end of the season, he was hitting better and making more precise plays in center field. Look for Alex to continue on that path in 2010.

WSC Birth Years: A.J. Pierzynski

Card #51 - A.J. Pierzynski

Born: December 30, 1976

A.J. is a guy that you love... if he's on your team. Pierzynski will do everything in his power to mess with an opponent's head. Plus, he knows the rule book inside and out.

If you think that this is A.J.'s only threat, you'd be wrong. Along with an intimate knowledge of the game, Pierzynski brings a keen eye to the batters box. In 2009, he brought his season average to .300, for the first time since 2004.

A.J. regularly appears on "top ten most hated athletes" polls. That status shouldn't change any time soon. Look for A.J. to continue to do the little things that annoy opponents in 2010.

WSC Birth Years: Bobby Jenks

Card #50 - Bobby Jenks

Born: March 14, 1981

2009 was a down year for Jenks due to a series of ailments including kidney stones. Despite these ailments, Bobby posted 29 saves.

Sometimes his save attempts were nerve wracking, but usually Jenks got the job done. In one game in 2009, he quickly got two outs, then loaded the bases, before escaping with a save. Other times Bobby was purely dominant.

Look for Jenks to even out his performance in 2010 if he can stay healthy.

WSC Birth Years: Bartolo Colon

Card #49 - Bartolo Colon

Born: May 24, 1973

The fifth starting position was a bit of a problem for the White Sox in the 2009 season. Adhering to the old adage, "Let's throw a bunch against the wall and see what sticks", the ChiSox started stockpiling down on their luck veterans, hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

Bartolo was one of those options. As hard as Colon tried, it seemed as if he would implode every few starts. On May 21, 2009, everything imploded for Bartolo, as he gave up eight runs in two innings in an eventual 20-1 loss to the Twins.

Colon made matters worse by disappearing for stretches of time during the 2009 season. The Bartolo Colon experiment ended when he was given his release in September 2009.

WSC Birth Years: Gavin Floyd

Card #48 - Gavin Floyd

Born: January 27, 1983

With a rotation as potent as the White Sox usually have, it's very easy for Gavin to get lost in the shuffle. 2008 marked a breakout year for Floyd, as he went 17-8 and helped his team make the playoffs.

2009 wasn't quite up to 2008's standards, but Gavin made the best of it. Sporting a hard luck 11-11 record, Floyd battled it out in thirty games in 2009.

Gavin is becoming one of the most reliable arms in the rotation. 2010 should bring much more success for Gavin.

WSC Birth Years: Carlos Quentin In Action

Card #47 - Carlos Quentin - In Action

Born: August 28, 1982

Another "bonus" card based off of the 1982 Topps set.

WSC Birth Years: Carlos Quentin

Card #46 - Carlos Quentin

Born: August 28, 1982

Carlos is a focused individual. He rarely shows happiness during a game because he is committed to staying in the game and won't allow himself to be pulled out. After coming to the White Sox before the 2008 season, Quentin broke out and became the leader in the MVP race.

A wrist injury prevented him from playing the last month of the 2008 season, which cost him the AL MVP. During the 2009 campaign, Carlos developed plantar fasciitis in his left foot which hampered most of the 2009 season.

If Carlos can stay healthy in 2010, we should see great things from him on the field. All evidence points to 2010 being a career year for Quentin.

WSC Birth Years: Mike MacDougal

Card #45 - Mike MacDougal

Born: March 5, 1977

Sometimes a pitcher runs into a jam. You know it's going to happen before he goes in. You can see it clearly and there's nothing you can do to change it.

Mike fits that description to a tee. MacDougal has fantastic stuff, when it's there. Like the mythical groundhog, it comes out, sees its shadow, and hides for another six weeks. Like the movie, Groundhog Day, Mike seemed to relive the same horrible day each time he stepped on the mound.

MacDougal was released from the White Sox on April 30, 2009. He was picked up by the Nationals and spent the rest of the season there. Mike has a terrific upside, if only he can stay healthy long enough.

WSC Birth Years: Jack Egbert

Card #44 - Jack Egbert

Born: May 12, 1983

When speaking with a representative of the White Sox AA club in 2008, Jack's name immediately came up. The Sox organization had high hopes for Egbert. Unfortunately, those hopes soon faded after seeing Jack pitch on the Major League level. Egbert made his MLB debut on April 21, 2009 and over 2.2 innings, giving up 8 runs in just two appearances.

While still a good prospect, he wasn't the fifth starter that the Sox had envisioned. Only a few short years ago, Jack was protected by the ChiSox in from the Rule 5 Draft. In September 2009, Egbert was claimed off of waivers by the New York Mets.

WSC Birth Years: Scott Linebrink

Card #43 - Scott Linebrink

Born: August 4, 1976

No one relief pitcher has felt the brunt of the White Sox faithful more than Scott Linebrink. When Scott came to the Sox in 2008, he was supposed to help solidify the bullpen into a force to be reckoned with. Instead, Linebrink slowly deteriorated.

Scott signed a four year deal worth what a decent closer makes. The main problem is that when Linebrink is taken out of his mindset, he makes mistakes that blow up the bridge he is supposed to make to the closer.

Linebrink can still be effective in small doses. Can 2010 be a rebound year for Scott? One hopes so, if only for the sanity of skipper Ozzie Guillen.

WSC Birth Years: Jayson Nix In Action

Card #42 - Jason Nix - In Action

Born: August 26, 1982

Another "bonus" card, based on the 1982 Topps set.

WSC Birth Years: Jayson Nix

Card #41 - Jayson Nix

Born: August 26, 1982

Jayson filled in anywhere he was asked to play in 2009. Second base? Check. Third and short? Affirmative. Left and right field? You betcha! Nix even pinch ran and pinch hit. Due to his versatility, Jayson made it into 94 games in 2009.

That versatility may be the key to Jayson sticking around with the Sox in 2010. His average may have suffered from the infrequent playing time at a regular position, but Nix still brought power to his plate appearances. He belted out 12 home runs in 290 plate appearances.

If Jayson can't find a spot on the 2010 roster, it won't be from lack of trying. It will be from lack of room. After the 2009 season, the Sox have stocked up on versatile players.

WSC Birth Years: Jerry Owens

Card #40 - Jerry Owens

Born: February 16, 1981

If Jerry Owens didn't have bad luck, he wouldn't have any luck at all. After having breakout seasons in the minors, Jerry just couldn't put that success to work in the majors.

It seemed that whenever Owens was on the cusp of breaking out, he would get injured. When he was healthy enough to play in the majors, Jerry would often slump. After four seasons of this behavior, the ChiSox released Owens in May 2009.

Once thought of as a leadoff hitter with speed that could fill the hole left by Aaron Rowand, Jerry never quite took off with the White Sox. Success may still be in the future. After a productive run with Seattle's AAA team in 2009, the Nationals have decided to take a chance on him in 2010.

WSC Birth Years: Clayton Richard

Card #39 - Clayton Richard

Born: September 12, 1983

Clayton experienced his growing pains in a White Sox uniform. He went back and forth between fifth starter and the bullpen. This split personality also showed up in his starting performances.

Richard would throw a gem one outing and get completely rocked in the next. This contributed to his being shifted back and forth between the rotation and the relief.

While still trying to find his footing, Clayton was traded to the San Diego Padres in the Jake Peavy deal. Once there, Richard seemed to settle into a groove. 2010 should be a career year for the Lafayette, Indiana native.

WSC Birth Years: Aaron Poreda

Card #38 - Aaron Poreda

Born: October 1, 1986

Aaron made his MLB debut with the White Sox on June 12, 2009. Poreda did decently out of the bullpen, but was only used in fourteen games. Still, he managed to have a 1-0 record for the Sox.

High hopes were pinned on Poreda as the future of the White Sox rotation. Aaron was to be introduced slowly into the big leagues, like Mark Buehrle. First he was to get a taste of the majors by working out of the bullpen. Then, he would be groomed into a starter.

The best laid plans went to pot, when the ChiSox had a chance to land ace Jake Peavy in a deal with the Padres. Poreda and three others were sent to San Diego in exchange for Peavy. Time will tell if this was a good deal for both clubs.

WSC Birth Years: Ramon Castro

Card #37 - Ramon Castro

Born: March 1, 1976

Ramon Castro was the answer to the failing of Corky Miller as a backup catcher. It wasn't the ideal solution, but it worked out perfectly in one instance.

For Mark Buehrle, Castro will always hold a special place as a teammate. While catching Buehrle for the first time, Ramon led Mark to his second no-hitter and his first perfect game. Buehrle never shook off Castro's signs and the results speak for themselves.

All was not perfect elsewhere in Ramon's tenure with the ChiSox. While being competent behind the plate, his offensive prowess was much less than desired. Castro has since moved on to the Blue Jays.

WSC Birth Years: Lance Broadway

Card #36 - Lance Broadway

Born: August 20, 1983

Lance was a pitcher without a role with the White Sox. While he was best suited as a fifth starter, Broadway got work in the bullpen, usually in long relief or a mop up role.

Broadway impressed in the limited work over three seasons in Chicago, but a reduced number of appearances did Lance no favors. In the middle of 2009, he was sent to the Mets in exchange for backup catcher, Ramon Castro.

With a name like Broadway, one might expect Lance to make it big in New York. At the end of December 2009, he was picked up by the Blue Jays and placed in their minor league system.

WSC Birth Years: Tyler Flowers

Card #35 - Tyler Flowers

Born: January 24, 1986

Once the pride of the Braves organization, Tyler came to the White Sox in a move that sent Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan to Atlanta. Flowers made his MLB debut on September 3, 2009.

Tyler may be the heir apparent to A.J. Pierzynski's throne, but it will take time and talent. Both of which, Flowers has an abundant amount of. He may not be ready to take the reins in 2010, but there should be plenty of talk by the end of next season.

Flowers first MLB hit came on September 19, 2009 against the Kansas City Royals. It was the first of three hits that Tyler collected in his short stint with the ChiSox in 2009.

WSC Birth Years: Tony Pena In Action

Card #34 - Tony Pena - In Action

Born: January 9, 1982

Another "bonus" card based on the 1982 Topps set.

WSC Birth Years: Tony Pena

Card #33 - Tony Pena

Born: January 9, 1982

No, not the catcher Tony Pena who donned a White Sox uniform in 1997. No, not his son, the current Major League shortstop. Yes, the pitcher Tony Pena, that was originally on the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tony came to the White Sox in a July 2009 trade that sent minor league first baseman Brandon Allen to the D'Backs. Pena was supposed to solidify the middle bullpen for a playoff run. That didn't exactly happen.

Pena wasn't bad, but he wasn't good either. Coming into high pressure situations, Tony would usually fail to contain the damage caused by the previous pitcher. His numbers were decent, but inherited runners usually caused a problem.