TUCSON, Ariz. -- If the bottom half of the first inning from Monday afternoon's intrasquad game stands as a harbinger of things to come for the White Sox, then they have to feel confident about their offense in 2008.

Jerry Owens started things in motion with a slap-bunt single off Tomo Ohka, a move drawing applause from general manager Ken Williams, sitting in a golf cart behind the screen. Owens raced around to score when Orlando Cabrera drove a double into the right-center-field gap, with Owens breaking on the pitch.

It was shades of the Scott Podsednik-Tadahito Iguchi combination from 2005, although there's a long way to go before this duo gets anointed with that sort of status. Owens, for one, liked the way his season began.

"Definitely," Owens said. "Even though it's intrasquad, I'm in the position I'm in, and it's an opportunity for me to continue to show them what I can do. My goal in Spring Training is to show them I can play that role as a leadoff hitter.

"I'll take this, just like I would take a regular season game. It's about competition, especially right now. There's only one way to play, in my mind."

The White Sox would appear to be a stronger team with Owens atop the lineup, with the speed he provides. But having Cabrera in the second slot falls as the true bonus this lineup alignment produces.

And the 12-year veteran has an explanation as to why he fits so well into this specific position.

"Usually, I can hit almost any pitch to right field," Cabrera said. "I like to do that. I like to give at-bats away so I can move the guys over to third base and make it easy for the guys behind me to drive it home. I don't mind to do that 50 or 60 times per year. That's why I feel good hitting second."

Cabrera also can produce his fair share of run-scoring hits from the second spot, as he showed on Monday.

"Yeah, hitting 30-plus doubles every year gives you an advantage with having a fast runner hitting first," Cabrera said. "You can hit the ball in the gap, and he can score."

Stunted start: When Owens didn't score from first on Paul Konerko's double in the second inning, manager Ozzie Guillen knew something wasn't right with his leadoff man. It turned out that Owens had tweaked his right groin during the previous Cabrera sacrifice fly to left field.

"I was attempting to steal, and 'O' put the ball in play," Owens said about the play in the first. "I just stopped real quick and turned around. I was OK, but Ozzie didn't want to take a chance."

Owens won't be part of Tuesday's intrasquad game but could return for Wednesday's Cactus League opener against the Rockies and southpaw starter Jeff Francis.

"With stuff like this, in my experience, some times it feels like it never happened the next day," Owens said. "Some times, it's worse. I'm getting treatment all day and hopefully tomorrow I'll wake up and feel pretty good."

First impressions: Guillen was pleased with Monday's overall intrasquad performance, led by two solid innings from starter Gavin Floyd. Ehren Wasserman and Andrew Sisco each pitched one perfect frame.

Doing the things Guillen wants to see from his team during the regular season, though, is what truly impressed the White Sox man in charge.

"We ran the bases right, and the first game, the only thing I'm looking at here right now is to let the people know we're starting today," Guillen said. "We started last week, but as soon as the games start, we have to play the game right, and we'll be monitoring everybody -- running the bases and moving the guy over, playing as a team.

"Everything has to be created in Spring Training and don't just get at-bats and pitch. We'll be on top of everybody with pitching. Throw strikes. I can live with guys getting hit. I can't tolerate any more about guys walking people and not being around the plate. It's something we didn't do right last year. We got to attack the strike zone."

Delayed arrival: Even with Danny Richar now four days late due to visa problems getting out of the Dominican Republic, Guillen doesn't seem too worried about missing out on one of his second-base candidates for a prolonged period.

"I can wait [on Richar]," said Guillen. "I hope he gets here quick. He's hurting himself, and the sooner he's here, I'll be treating him the same way I treat everyone."

Tuesday's lineup: Joe Crede will get the start for Team Thome during Tuesday afternoon's second and final intrasquad game. Chris Getz, arguably the White Sox top position player among Minor League prospects, is scheduled to start at second.

Pablo Ozuna will get a second straight start at second for Team Konerko, after reaching base twice on Monday, including a third-inning triple. Based on Monday's game action, Ozuna seems to be up and running fine coming on the heels of his season-ending fractured right fibula, suffered late last May.

"When my legs are good, I know I can play," Ozuna said.

Javier Vazquez and Nick Masset are scheduled to throw two innings apiece as the scheduled starters.

Around the horn: Mark Buehrle remains on schedule to throw a side session Tuesday. ... Kris Honel, the White Sox top pick in the 2001 First-Year Player Draft out of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Ill., threw for the Cardinals on Monday. The right-hander also threw for the Phillies on Sunday. ... Who says intrasquad results don't matter? Team Thome appealed Royce Huffman tagging up and leaving early from third on Cabrera's sacrifice fly in the second, but the appeal was overruled. ... Alexei Ramirez came within a few feet of driving a ball out to left in the second. ... The White Sox will be wearing alternate home jerseys to honor U.S. troops overseas. The camouflage jerseys will be worn on July 4.