Kenny Williams confident White Sox will compete in 2013

Chicago White Sox general manager Kenny Williams is confident that the White Sox will once again compete in 2013, after surprising the baseball world in 2012, leading the AL Central for most of the season.

Williams will be faced with many difficult decisions this offseason. Jake Peavy, A.J. Pierzynski, Kevin Youkilis, Gavin Floyd and Brett Myers all have options for 2013, or are ticketed for free agency.

Williams, though, believes the the development of Chicago's young players give him flexibility with what he does this winter, as he aims to construct a winning team in 2013.

"It absolutely shows that these guys are not just ready for the major leagues, but ready to compete on a championship level," Williams said last week. "So that gives us great comfort and flexibility when it comes to how we're going to have to manage our payroll and juggle things to have good, young players under control and affordable, at least at this point."

The White Sox currently has over $70 million committed to just seven players for 2013, making it difficult for the White Sox to retain all of their potential free agents. Certainly, the White Sox will need their young players to continue to progress, to compensate for the potential departures of key members of the '12 White Sox.