With football season dead and buried and March Madness still a few weeks away, I figured it would be as a good a time as any to break out my first annual MLB season preview. I'll be covering every division one at a time with the exception of the AL East due to a self-imposed gag order that provides me protection should my unwritten words jinx any team in that division that rhymes with "lead box." Anyways here goes.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers have one of the best lineups assembled in recent years and a have added to a quality pitching staff that made the World Series just two years ago. Detroit’s lineup has three MVP candidates in Miguel Cabrera, Gary Sheffield, and Magglio Ordonez.
Their one weakness come playoff time could be a bullpen that lacks any elite arms with Joel Zumaya recovering from an arm injury.
The acquisition of Dontrelle Willis isn't as big as you might expect as his numbers have been way down the last two years.
Prediction: 1st Place 97-103 wins
Cleveland Indians
The Tribe came within a few outs from their first World Series appearance in over a decade. Cleveland brought everybody back except Kenny Lofton who put on a show in the postseason. 
Obviously, the pitching staff is anchored by C.C Sabathia and Fausto Carmona; they also have some depth with the up and down Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd.
If this team is going to challenge for the division title or wild card it needs Travis Hafner to have a big comeback year after a atypical 2007 and breakthroughs from Asdrubal Cabrera and Ryan Garko.
The bullpen is the best in the division, but is weakened by the presence of Joe Borowski in the closer role which leaves the team sweating out games that aren't put away in the 9th.
Prediction 2nd: place 85-93 wins
Chicago White Sox
The White Sox have been up and down since winning the World Series two years ago and lack the lineup or pitching staff of the top two teams in the division.
The pitching seems to have declined dramatically from the incredible 2005 team that was untouchable for most of that year.
The lineup is solid with the additions of Nick Swisher (he should have a big year playing in U.S Celluar Field), Carlos Quentin, and Orlando Cabrera to go along with the core of Paul Konerko and Jim Thome (who needs to stay healthy if they're to contend).
The bullpen isn't too spectacular outside of Bobby Jenks who quietly had a great season with a WHIP of 0.89 and ERA of 2.77 for an average Chi Sox team.
Prediction: 3rd place 78-85 wins
Kansas City Royals
Get excited Kansas City, this is finally the year you move out of the AL Central dungeon.
Leading the effort are Gil Meche, who proved worthy of the huge deal KC gave him last year, and Alex Gordon who should be ready to join the other elite AL third basemen this year.
Other than those two I couldn't pick a single other player on this team out of a lineup.
Prediction: 4th place 73-76 wins
Minnesota Twins
The Twins aren't an awful baseball team but the Central kicked it up a notch this year and the Twins went the wrong direction.
The Santana trade made no sense whatsoever and they should have kept the best pitcher in baseball. Better that than pin your hopes on a former stud pitcher who had elbow surgery (Francisco Liriano) and some prospects no one has ever heard of.
The Twins do have some pieces though in Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer, Joe Nathan, and Justin Morneau, but that won't be nearly enough to contend in the AL.
Put this team in the NL and they probably would be a top five team.
Prediction: 5th place 65-70 wins
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7 months ago
I think the Indians will win the AL Central. They are the strongest In the Central . They have the best starting pitching and I think they will win easy. The AL Central had gotten a lot weaker this winter , with Jon Garland and Torri Hunter going to the West and Santana going to the east. The White Sox had gotten alot weaker in their starting pitching they will end up in last or second to last place and the Tigers will come in second. I think the White Sox could of competed if Kenny Williams had a clue . He has destroyed the White Sox in the last 3 years.
7 months ago
I think Kenny Williams should go to the Angels and try to get Santana or Saunders because he needs pitching since he gave Jon Garland up . He could trade Joe Crede for one of their pitchers they have a surpluse of starting pitching. They know what they are doing. Pitching is so important if you want to win a championship. Joe Crede would fit nice in LA . I love Joe Crede he is so good I would never trade Jon Garland or Joe Crede . I Like the Angels this year they are looking real good . With Torri Hunter in the outfield and Jon Garland in the Pitching rotation. They made some great moves this year I will be cheering them on this year , I use to be a huge White Sox fan but that team looks scary right now. I can not understand any of the moves Kenny Williams has made in the last 3 years . Aaron Rowend trade was bad . Not signing Frank Thomas giving up Chris Young for Vazquez . And the worst trading JON GARLAND He is only 28 in his prime and he gives him up to the Angels and keeps Jose who is about 55 years old ! And Vazquez is about 35 and then he has two rookie kids so that leaves you with one pitcher Mark Buehrle, I do not think you can win a championship World Series with one good pitcher, I think you need 5. The Tigers and Indians both have a better pitching rotation Kenny Williams realy screwed things up this year.
from 7 months ago
As a Sox fan, I hope that this comment doesn't reflect the entire Sox fan base. Trading Garland for Cabrera was a good trade, seeing as Garland was in his walk year and likely wasn't going to re-sign with the Sox, trading for Cabrera saved the Sox about $3 million (which likely went towards paying Scott Linebrink's overpriced contract), and Garland is a type B free agent while Cabrera is a type A, meaning the Sox will get a supplemental first-round draft pick if Cabrera chooses to sign elsewhere in the offseason.
I don't see how you can call the Aaron Rowand trade bad. Honestly, Rowand may be the most overrated player in White Sox history. He's a good, solid, ballplayer, but he isn't a perennial All-Star by any stretch.
While I would have loved to see Frank Thomas stay, there was no way he was going to fit into the scheme after an injury-plagued 2005. The Sox knew they needed a consistent DH, so they got Thome. And yes, Frank's had success in Oakland and Toronto, but nobody honestly expected that he'd still be healthy.
Javy Vazquez is not 35. He's 30. If you saw how he pitched last year, you'd know that he's poised to have a big year in 2008 now that he's finally settled down with a team. I'd love to have Chris Young back, too, and that's a mistake that Sox fans are just going to have to accept. But having Vazquez isn't as bad as you think.
Contreras wasn't traded because there was no market for a 36-year-old starter with a giant contract who was coming off his worst season in 4 years. End of story.
Wait until after Spring Training to start ripping on Danks, Floyd, Broadway, and/or Massett.
Seriously, if there's one move Sox fans should be mad about, it's the Nick Swisher trade in which we gave up two stud pitching prospects in Gio Gonzalez and Fautino de los Santos. I like Swisher, but I'd rather have Gonzalez and de los Santos in the future.
I think Bryan got the prediction right--the Sox will finish third in a highly competitive division. But, anything can happen...
7 months ago
idiots should never blog about things they know nothing about! clearly you know nothing about the al central since you put the indians in second the white sox in third and the twins in last!
it won't play out that way and maybe you should study a little harder instead of read headlines and assume.
from 7 months ago
Lets be fair, hes probably a Tigers fan...
7 months ago
Joe Borowski, the same closer the Indians had in 2007, 'weakens' the best bullpen in the Central. This must be some form of indirect way of saying that 50-60 weak innings out of the closer is worse then 200 innings out of the pathetic core the Tigers are going to run out there.
from 7 months ago
Have you seen Borowski pitch, Brandon? He's not good. At all. Yes, he saved 45 games last year, but he had an ERA of 5.07. He's going to be 37 this year and honestly, I'd be shocked if he still was closing ballgames for Cleveland past June.
Although, you're right--just because Borowski is closing doesn't mean that Cleveland's bullpen is worse than Detroit's. Cleveland has a number of good middle and late-inning relievers who will do a good job setting up whoever ends up closing for Cleveland. However, Detroit will struggle without Zumaya and 10 bucks says Fernando Rodney gets completely overworked, leading to him either A) getting hurt or B) struggling into August.
7 months ago
There is no way the Royals will finish anywhere but last. Both the Twins and Royals will be mediocre at best offensively. The Twins pitching is still far superior to the Royals even with the loss of Johan Santana. I will take Livan Hernandez, Francisco Liriano, Boof Bonser, and Scott Baker over Gil Meche, Brian Bannister, Zach Greinke, Brett Tomko, and Kyle Davies any day of the week.
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