Baseball\’s regular season is quickly approaching and as such it\’s time for another preview. This time we are heading towards the middle of America with a preview of the AL Central. If you missed the AL East preview never fear here\’s the link AL East Preview. This is arguably the toughest division to call in the AL as there isn\’t one team that stands above the rest. However, this should be the most fun division due to that very fact. Let\’s jump into it.
Chicago White Sox
The Oddsmakers have them down as the second favorites to win the division. This suggests that they are still a year away from claiming the division as their own. I however believe they could make that leap this season. Hiring Tony La Russa, one of four managers in history to win a title with two different teams, is a real statement of intent. He alone should, on paper be worth a few extra wins. Then you have the young talent that this lineup boasts. Jose Abreu is the wise veteran but now has some help as well. Yoan Moncado, Luis Robert and Eloy Jimenez all have the potential to be stars in this league.
Like a lot of teams coming out of a rebuild, pitching is usually the last thing to be fixed. The White Sox will be relying on young Lucas Giolito to anchor their staff. The signing of Lance Lynn was a sneaky good move as he eats up innings and gives you consistency. The key for Chicago will be getting quality innings from the rest of their starting rotation. Liam Hendricks anchors a bullpen that will have to answer a lot of questions this season. If the bats can get hot and the pitching can stay steady Chicago might just have their division winner.
Minnesota Twins
This is the team to beat in this division. The Twins have won the division the last two years and plan on making it three straight. The oddsmakers have them as the favorites to win the division with good reason. This ballclub is very well balanced. Their lineup features power hitters Miguel Sano, Josh Donaldson, and Nelson Cruz. Andrelton Simmons and Byron Buxton provide gold glove level defense to help keep errors to a minimum. The one worry with these guys is staying healthy. Donaldson, Cruz, and Buxton all have a bit of an injury history and that could derail the season.
Minnesota should be one of the few teams without any issues when it comes to pitching. Their starting rotation, at least on paper, is phenomenal. Jose Berrios is a CY Young candidate and he might even be their opening day starter. If you\’re looking for a weakness it would probably be the back of their rotation. That being said, compared to the majority of the league their 5th option is solid. Speaking of solid let\’s move to their bullpen which is anchored by Alex Colome. Once again health is the key here, but if this team can stay relatively healthy a division title could just be the tip of the iceberg for this team.
Kansas City Royals
Here is where we start to see a drop-off in quality. The Royals slot in as the third best team in the division due to Cleveland having a fire sale. That isn\’t to say that Kansas City isn\’t trying to get better though. They traded for Andrew Benintendi from Boston in hopes of boosting their offense and defense. He most likely will be relied on to anchor a lineup that looks average at best. Scoring enough runs this season might be a bit of a problem for this team. However, the Royals excel at having world-class defense. This year shouldn\’t be different especially after adding Benintendi.
Kansas City will really need their defense to be on point this season as their starting rotation likely will have hiccups. This rotation is most likely going to be led by Brad Keller. Keller isn\’t a bad option, but would probably slot in as the 4th or 5th best guy on another team. Unfortunately, the pitchers behind him aren\’t much better. At this point, the team will hope these guys can just eat up some innings. As for the bullpen, they do have Greg Holland and Wade Davis. Having these two a few years ago would strike fear into other teams. Now it seems they are past their best, but could still be serviceable. Kansas City won\’t factor into the playoff race this season.
Cleveland Indians
Once upon a time, Cleveland ruled this division with an iron fist winning three straight division titles. Unfortunately, with that type of success, the bill comes due. Most teams have no problem paying that bill unless of course you\’re owned by a Dolan. What\’s so bad about being owned by a Dolan you ask? Well, one only has to ask Knicks fans what it\’s like to see their team owned by a Dolan. The big move this offseason was a negative one. Trading their best player in Lindor was the final nail in any hopes of reviving former glory. Cleveland has gotten rid of several star players in the last few years and it was only a matter of time until Lindor was next. The lineup still can rely on Jose Ramirez, but he probably will be the next player on his way out.
Another move Cleveland made this offseason was to ship off former CY Young-winning pitcher Corey Kluber. Shane Bieber will headline a rotation that leaves much to be desired. A once dominant bullpen now looks like a shell of itself thanks to cuts in this area as well. Cleveland can thank Detroit\’s full rebuild mode as the only reason why this team would be in the cellar come seasons end.
Detroit Tigers
Well, Detroit fans if you were looking for the Tigers to be your one saving grace I\’m sorry to burst your bubble. The Tigers are in the midst of a full rebuild and aren\’t likely to be good for a few more years. The good news is that because the Tigers haven\’t been good the last few years their farm system is stocked with talent. Detroit fans can start to see these players trickle into the big leagues starting this year. The lineup itself doesn\’t excite or scare anyone. However, Tiger fans can watch to see if fan favorite Miguel Cabrera can become the 7th player in MLB history to get 500 home runs and 3000 hits. He\’s 13 home runs and 134 hits shy of reaching that mark.
Pitching for Detroit will once again be dreadful, but top pitching prospect Casey Mize should spend the entire year in the majors. Tiger fans will hope he bounces back from his terrible sample last year. If he can develop into the pitcher the organization believes he can be, the Tigers will have a real ace. Making sure he bounces back arguably will be one of the biggest goals this season. The bullpen isn\’t much to write about either. If you\’re hung up on how often this team wins it will be a long season for you. The best thing for Tiger fans is to keep an eye on their youth movement. Expect Detroit to be one of the worst teams in the league this year.