CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- As the White Sox went to work adding key veterans to a promising young core this offseason, starter Dylan Cease followed along like so many fans on Twitter.
Cease would scroll to see the White Sox had signed All-Star catcher Yasmani Grandal or former Cy Young left-hander Dallas Keuchel, and he couldn't contain his excitement. He would immediately go to YouTube to learn more about his new teammates and dig deeper into the potential for his team.
"I don't tend to think too far off in the distance," Cease said. "But with this team, it's very easy to dream."
The excitement for the 2020 White Sox was certainly felt at SoxFest on Friday afternoon, when fans gathered inside McCormick Place hours before the opening ceremonies to line the black carpet and get a glance at the budding team.
After three tough years of rebuilding, the White Sox enter this season with a young core of Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, Michael Kopech, Cease and others -- plus veteran additions like Grandal, Keuchel, Gio Gonzalez, Edwin Encarnacion, Steve Cishek and Nomar Mazara. The expected arrivals of touted prospects Luis Robert and Nick Madrigal will further bolster the team.
"We have a lot of talent," Robert said. "If all the pieces fall in the right place, we're going to be very good. We can be making a run for the playoffs."
Since the White Sox traded ace Chris Sale to the Red Sox in December 2016, the team has been building toward this point. There were hopes to contend ahead of schedule, but the realistic goal has been 2020 all along.
This is a season in which the White Sox's promising prospects are expected to emerge into consistent big league talents. To back the young core, the White Sox committed more than $200 million to veterans this winter in moves that showcased their belief in what's to come.
The White Sox aren't just hoping to contend this season. That's the expectation.
"If we don't make the playoffs, I'm going to be disappointed," Jimenez said.
The AL Central is open for the taking in 2020. The Twins are a talented team that won the division last season, but the Indians could be selling stars and looking to rebuild. The Royals and Tigers look like bottom-dwellers once again. The White Sox believe they have a lineup, rotation and bullpen capable of taking the division crown this season.
They've been building for this time when it could all come together. Now, they're ready to embrace the expectations for 2020 and beyond.
"We've all been ready to win," Kopech said. "Now we have the pieces to make that happen. I don't think anybody's holding back right now. We're all equally ready to get this thing going.
"We talked about 2020 being a big year for us. I think we all realize now that it really is going to be a big year for us."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
