"When an upbeat Alex Rios proclaimed the White Sox were "the team to beat" in the American League Central on his first day in camp, nobody made a big deal about it, although Rios said he heard some comments in the clubhouse about his bravado.

Talk is cheap; let your game do the talking was the general sentiment.

Rios is backing it up. He hit his second and third home runs of the spring, including a tape-measure blast in the Sox' split-squad game against the Cleveland Indians that ended 16-16. Rios drove in five runs.

"I'm glad he believes that,'' catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "You'll never hear me say that. We have as good a chance as anybody. That's how it is.''"