CHICAGO -- There’s a buzz around the 2020 White Sox as the team transitions from the end of the beginning of its rebuild to a postseason-contending phase. But even with that noticeable excitement moving into the new season, it was business as usual for Rob Warren, the White Sox home

CHICAGO -- There’s a buzz around the 2020 White Sox as the team transitions from the end of the beginning of its rebuild to a postseason-contending phase.

But even with that noticeable excitement moving into the new season, it was business as usual for Rob Warren, the White Sox home clubhouse manager, as the equipment truck was loaded up Friday and departed Guaranteed Rate Field for Camelback Ranch and the start of Spring Training in Glendale, Ariz.

“It’s the same process either way,” said Warren, who is in his 15th year with the organization and fifth in charge of the home clubhouse. “You know, it goes through the same motions this time of year in January and hitting SoxFest and then loading the truck up. Same idea.

“Everybody has got a little extra excitement and you hear the expectations. You see that. You feel that too. I’m sure SoxFest had a little extra buzz going around and the players have that little extra something at SoxFest.”

Much of the needed equipment, such as bats, most of the baseballs and even uniforms, get shipped directly to Camelback. But some of the additional new Nike stuff being used by the players came in after the first of the year and was sorted by Warren and his staff to have it lined up when the truck arrives and is unloaded and organized in Arizona Tuesday.

“I’m talking more like the hoodies, the shirts, the shorts. All the non-jersey pants,” Warren said. “I’m talking everything underneath that, anything that goes over that.

“After the first of the year is when it all hits. That’s when we get boxes and go through everything. Separate it out and get it labeled and numbered for Spring Training so we can just put it right in the lockers when we get to Arizona.”

Other departments such as the front office, community relations, scoreboard operations, training room and weight room add on to the baseball equipment in the truck. There’s also luggage from “people packing up their lives for two months basically,” as Warren added.

The White Sox open at home on March 26 against the Royals, but with the final two exhibition games taking place against Arizona at Chase Field on March 23-24, that series will be treated like road games. The trunks and players' bags will be on the plane home with the team, especially with the truck having to leave one week before Opening Day to make sure it arrives in Chicago for unpacking and getting everything put away.

“We might have a little more stuff coming back with the new guys getting settled into Chicago. A lot of it is more luggage and family type stuff coming back for the players,” Warren said. “But it doesn’t affect anything this time of year for us.”

Scott Merkin has covered the White Sox for MLB.com since 2003. Follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin and Facebook and listen to his podcast.