2009 Predictions - AL Central

Alright, now it is time to go over the American League Central:

AL CENTRAL

CHICAGO WHITE SOX (2008 record 89-74)

Key additions: SP Bartolo Colon, SS Wilson Betemit, SP Jeff Marquez, SS Brent Lillibridge
Key Losses: SP Horacio Ramirez, RP Boone Logan, SP Javier Vazquez, OF/1B Nick Swisher
Unsigned Free Agents: SS Orlando Cabrera, 3B Joe Crede, OF Ken Griffey Jr, 3B Juan Uribe

The White Sox are always a tough bunch to figure out. They seem to have great talent in places (Jermaine Dye, Mark Buehrle, Jim Thome), and just average in other (AJ Pierzynski, Brian Anderson, and Paul Konerko). On some days, the bunch I listed as average have great games, if not great stretches of games. On the flip side, the guys I have listed as great talent go though slumps for no apparent reason and never seem to fully come out of it. Also I don't fell the guys they added make them better than the guys that they lost. Ozzie seems to manage the team his way, for better or for worse no matter the personnel or the situation. That should make for an interesting year, albeit not a division championship year.

MINNESOTA TWINS (2008 record 88-75)

Key additions: none
Key losses: SS Adam Everett
Unsigned Free Agent: RP Eddie Guardado, RP Dennys Reyes

The Twinkies are one of the best examples of a blue-collar team that there is in all of baseball. Evan with the emergence of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau in the MVP race the last few years and the potential of Francisco Liriano as the ace of the pitching staff, this is just not a team loaded with guys you wish your team had. They play the game the way the game is suppose to be played, hard nosed and all out every pitch of every at bat. I still feel that your team either gets better or gets worse, it doesn't stay the same. With no notable moves in the off season other than the loss of Everett through free agency, the Twins will be contenders but may not have enough to make the playoffs without some trade deadline deals to improve.

CLEVELAND INDIANS (2008 record 81-81)

Key additions: SP Carl Pavano, RP Kerry Wood, 2B Mark DeRosa, 2B Luis Valbeuna, RP Joe Smith
Key losses: RP Jeff Stevens, OF Franklin Gutierrez
Unsigned Free Agents: RP Brendan Donnelly, SP Scott Elarton, C Sal Fasano, RP Juan Rincon

With the exception of the Kansas City Royals, the Indians have been the most active of any team in the Central. It is hard to feel bad for the Tribe after losing CC Sabathia to a trade deadline deal last year. All they did was have another pitcher win the Cy Young in Cliff Lee. If Pavano can regain any of the potential he showed before all his injury problems kept him on the DL during what seemed like the entire length of his contract with the Yankees, he may be the arm that Tribe fans have been waiting for to solidify the back end of the rotation. The signing of Wood makes the end of the game a lot less worrisome, especially with up-and-comer Jensen Lewis primed for a starring role in the bullpen along side Rafael Perez and Rafael Betancourt. The only question is whether or not the bats can light up the scoreboard like they did in 2007 or if they will stay colder than Bismark, ND (which had a temperate of -44 yesterday) like they did in 2008. If the lumber heats up, look for this group of Indians at the top of the standings.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS (2008 record 75-87)

Key additions: 3B Wille Bloomquist, RP Kyle Farnsworth, SP Horacio Ramirez, CF Coco Crisp, 1B Mike Jacobs
Key Losses: CF Joey Gathright, RP Leo Nunez, RP Ramon Ramirez, SP Tyler Lumsden
Unsigned Free Agents: SP Jairo Cuevas, 2B Mark Grudzielanek

KC looks like they are slowly but surely building a good baseball team. This is a long time coming for a team that has not been in the playoffs since they won the World Series in 1985. 23 years is a long time to start making the correct moves to improve the team, but Royals fans will take it. All of the new additions should have immediate impact on the level on play, and no one KC lost should be off great consequence, other than maybe Ramirez. The pieces are starting to fall into place, but the team in the powder blues are still a few years from being legit.

DETROIT TIGERS (2008 record 74-88)

Key additions: SS Adam Everett, C Gerald Laird
Key losses: RP Kyle Farnsworth, SS Edgar Renteria
Unsigned Free Agents: RP Casey Fossum, SP Freddy Garcia, RP Aquilino Lopez, SP Kenny Rogers

What happened to the Tigers? This is a team that prior to the 2008 season was all but in the World Series. Were it not for Seattle and Baltimore, this would have been the worst team in the AL, and they were the most disappointing. Injuries, inconsistency, a perceived lack of effort, and a ton of bad luck (see Joel Zumaya getting hurt playing Guitar Hero) doomed Detroit from the beginning. I don't see a playoff run for Motown, but this year should have them pointed back in the right direction and making life miserable for the rest of the American League Central.


My prediction for 2009

1. Indians
2. Twins
3. Tigers
4. White Sox
5. Royals