Alex Rios: We’re the team to beat [UPDATE]

Gregor @ DH:

At the end of his typically abbreviated chat with reporters, Rios was asked if the White Sox are the team to beat in the AL Central this season.

“Oh, yeah,” Rios said. “Definitely. We’re the team to beat. We have good additions to the team. The core is solid and with the additions we’re even stronger. I think we’re going to give a hard time to a lot of people out there.”

Can we beat the Twinkies first, Alex? What the heck happened to humility?

JJ’s take is here.

UPDATE: Here’s Ozzie:

Guillen wants his players to be confident but not boastful, until they have fulfilled their potential. And he doesn’t want them to be consumed with AL Central nemesis Minnesota despite incessant questions about how much better they stack up against the Twins following their offseason upgrades.

“The one thing I’m concerned about is don’t let the hype get you,” Guillen said. “We haven’t done anything yet. We haven’t proved anything yet. We don’t know what’s going to happen. All that stuff like ‘we should win, we should have to win’ — keep that thing behind. Prove to people what you can do, show them what you can do. And then you talk.

“Just play your game. Let your ability take over and the confidence. Be confident, but don’t be cocky. And that’s one of the things I worry about.”

Kenny Williams won’t be going after Albert Pujols

Chuck Garfien @ CSN:

“If (Jerry Reinsdorf) gave me $30 million dollars right now, I’m not going to spend it on one guy. Sorry White Sox fans,” Williams said. “But I tell you what, I’m going to take that $30 million and I’m going to distribute it around. My team is going to be better as a whole than it is with one player who might get hurt. Then you’re done. Sorry, that’s just me. And that’s no disrespect to a future Hall of Famer, first ballot, one of the greatest players in history.”

Jake Peavy takes “a big step” forward (video)

Scott Merkin @ whitesox.com:

But terming Monday’s 40-pitch effort against [Jordan] Danks, Brandon Short and Stefan Gartrell as “a big step,” Peavy seemed encouraged that his recovery from season-ending surgery for a detached latissimus dorsi muscle in his right shoulder was pointing toward no time away from the team when this promising campaign begins.

“Jumping on the mound vs. hitters, putting more on the ball, I threw some breaking balls for the first time,” said Peavy, explaining Monday’s effort at what he believed was about 75 percent off the mound with the standard screen in front of him. “I threw fastball, changeup.

“But I was putting more on the ball today than I had in previous times off the mound, so it was obviously a nice climb. We did that without any kind of pain or any setback. I was no different than any other guy.”

UPDATE: Here’ is video (1:24) of Peavy.