Spring Training 2011: Bold MLB Predictions, AL Central Style
Another day, another division to discuss. Today we will take a look at the AL Central, a division that always has a great race leading up to the decided champion. Last year, the Twins were able to beat out the White Sox for the only playoff position awarded to an AL Central team. However, the Twins were subsequently bounced by the Yankees in the ALDS with little resistance. They are looking for an improvement from last year's result, but they have to watch out for the other teams in the division that will be breathing down their neck.
Will the Twins be able to win the division once again? Can the Tigers bounce back from last years .500 season? Will the White Sox be able to get over the hump and make the playoffs? Is there going to be any improvement for the Royals or Indians? Let's take a look and dissect the AL Central.
Chicago White Sox
1 of 5
Gordon Beckham and Carlos Quentin Find Their Form.
I have a feeling that the White Sox are going to do big things this year. If you don't believe me I'll show you my fantasy roster. Gordon Beckham is going to regain the game he had during his rookie campaign. He is simply too good of a hitter to have another year like 2010. I see him hitting 18 to 20 home runs and putting up 75 in the runs and RBI category. He is geared for a big year, as is Carlos Quentin.
Quentin is one of the most underrated and often forgotten power hitters in the game, and this is mostly due to his injury concerns. When Quentin is on the field, he is one of the top producers at any position, but his problem is staying healthy. He has put in a lot of work over the offseason and is ready to play 150+ games. I look for him to be among the league leaders in home runs, and to eclipse the century mark in RBIs.
Cleveland Indians
2 of 5
The Tribe Finishes OVER .500
Call me crazy, but I see a lot of promise with this Indians club. I expect Matt Laporta will be ready to step up to the plate and have a monster year. Throw in Shin-Soo Choo, who is one of the most underrated players in baseball, Carlos Santana, and everyone's favorite Indian Grady Sizemore coming back from injury, to round out the team's leaders.
On the pitching staff, there is concern but also a lot of potential and room for improvement. Fausto Carmona has not had a good year in a long time, but he is repeating his delivery with much more consistency and I think that will help bring him back to being a respectable major league pitcher. I also think it is time for Justin Masterson to step up, and I think he can become the ace of this staff. Although he may be the ace-by-default, there is a lot of undeveloped potential in his game. If he could pitch like he was playing the Red Sox every outing, you could pencil him in for the Cy Young.
Detroit Tigers
3 of 5
Verlander and Scherzer Lead Tigers to ALCS
This duo is one of the best 1-2 starting punches in baseball. Scherzer had a lot of hype surrounding him since day one in Arizona, but he has really blossomed with the Tigers. Both of these pitchers have the potential to win 20 games, and a combination like this in the playoffs can take teams a long way.
Not only is it the pitching, but the upgrades on offense have really helped this team. If Victor Martinez can stay healthy, he will be a switch-hitting force in the middle of the lineup. Hopefully Miguel Cabrera can right his ship and fix his off the field issues, because when he is on the field and has a clear head he is obviously one of the best players in baseball. With Jim Leyland at the helm, this team can do a lot, and I see them going from a .500 club in 2010 to eclipsing the 90 win mark in 2011.
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Kansas City Royals
4 of 5
The Farm System Will Turn Into the Major League Roster.
The Royals' current players are not good enough to do anything, so why not take this year as an opportunity to give some of their minor league players some big league experience? For my money, I would take the Royals farm system over any other team in baseball. With the likes of Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Wil Myers, Mike Montgomery, and Danny Duffy all possibly seeing big league time this year (Moustakas may even be the opening day starter), this is going to look more like a triple-A team then a big league squad.
With that being said, the Royals will have their share of growing pains and probably finish last in the division with a well below .500 record. This year will be the best learning experience these young kids could ask for, and it will give them seasoning for years to come. This may not be the year for the Royals, but I would keep an eye out for this team in the future.
Minnesota Twins
5 of 5
Tsuyoshi Nishioka will be the Team MVP.
Who will be the team MVP? That's right, the twins new up-the-middle player from Japan will pay big dividends for the club in his first MLB season. He was a stand-out player overseas, and I see no reason why he would not continue to progress with the Twins.
With Justin Morneau still suffering from the effects of a lingering concussion, I do not know whether or not the Twins have all the pieces to make a playoff run. The starting pitching staff is very suspect. You never know how healthy Francisco Liriano will stay, and Carl Pavano and Brian Duensing are big question marks. There is a big drop off after that. The lineup can be very good, but there is a real lack of power, and some of the pieces may not gel to well together.
All in all, I see the Twins winning somewhere between 80-85 Games, but not making the playoffs in a very balanced AL Central.
Check back on Sunday as I take a look at the NL Central, and give some predictions on the Cubs, Cards, and Pirates.
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