All bias aside...


1. Detroit- return everybody, and then some, if they can avoid major injuries and Sheffield can give you 25/100 then they are easily the most complete (top to bottom) team in the AL, if not the MLB. I say 88-95 wins


2. Cleveland- revamped bullpen (adding Fultz, RoHernandez, Foulke, Borowski), got a great young 2nd basemen in Barfield, if CC and Hafner can stay healthy, and Grady Sizemore keeps getting better, then the Tribe are going to show last year was a fluke. I say 85-91 wins


3. Chicago- Questionable offseason by trading away McCarthy and Freddy for unproven prospects, but the Sox still have a loaded lineup with tons of power (besides Brian Anderson of course). I can't see Jermaine Dye putting up numbers like he did last year, but we'll see what happens. If things go right, and Ozzie can keep his mouth shut, the Sox could win the AL Central. I say anywhere from 85-95 wins

4. Minnesota- Unlike every other team in the Central, Minnesota got worse over the offseason. They lose Liriano for the year, Radke retires, and they're best pickup was Ramon Ortiz who had an ERA close to 6 last season for the Nationals, yeah they have Johan Santana, and thats a fixed 20 wins alone, but if Boof Bonser is your 2nd best starter, your bullpen is going to be throwing a ton of innings. I like Morneau alot and Cuddyer is about to break out of his shell, but I can't see Mauer duplicating his 06 campaign, The bottom of their order is mediocre (Punto, Bartlett, Kubel). I highly doubt the Twins make it to the postseason. I say anywhere from 79-84 wins.

5. Kansas City- Goes without explaining as to why they are last. They did get better in the offseason adding Meche, Dotel, Bannister and a few other veterans but its not enough to help them even contend for a .500 record. Buddy Bell is an awful coach, I have no idea why he wasn't canned last year. Sweeney is still their DH and god knows he can't play more than 60 games a season. They have some exciting young talent in Alex Gordon and Luke Hocheavr (sp) but I doubt they will make a huge splash this season. The rotation is mediocre at best, they had to overpay Meche to be their ace and they have Luke Hudson, Odalis Perez and De La Rosa, all of whom will probably have more losses than wins come September. I say they avoid 100 losses, but still only scrape out 65-70 hard earned wins.



Thoughts?

I think it's going to be a major dogfight this year, perhaps 4 teams could spend some time in 1st place between May and August. It'd be foolish to think the WildCard won't come out of this division. Of course I'm a Tigers fan and I try not to be biased so give me your thoughts.

Everything looks pretty much right on the money. It's all going to come down to injuries for everyone. If the Tigers can stay generally healthy, they will take the division. Whoever stays healthier between the Indians and ChiSox goes second. I don't understand what Minnesota was doing in the offseason, but they'll have to really have some guys step up to make the playoffs this year. I think they'll give it a solid run, but they'll come up short.

Thats exactly how I'd put them, though CLE's pitching will tell their tale.

I'm afraid and have a feeling that we (the Tigers) won't do as well as last year and come up as a big disappointment, although I am hoping for the best and for everyone to stay healthy. Rogers was for the most part incredible last year, and I don't really see a repeat performance--same for Verlander. Although, I do expect more from Bonderman so hopefully that cancels it out. Hopefully I'm proven wrong and we can make another run at the World Series. I feel a position-by-position analysis coming from me sometime during Spring Training.

As for you're predictions, I say they're pretty much spot-on until proven otherwise.

Injuries won't hurt us near as much as we ARE getting some depth at most positions. An injury in the outfield won't be a big deal, and I think we could lose a starter and still be ok. We lost MM last year when he was having a really good year and it didn't hurt us.

Its going to be an interesting year. Put the Tigs, Cleveland, ChiSox at the top. If I had to pick 1, come on, its gotta be the Tigs.

It's hard to predict how the division will unfold as you could pick any of Indians/Tigers/White Sox to win the division and make an excellent case for each team.

^and gardenhire could pull off another miracle what with his mvp/cy young combo. Its a 4 team race, no doubt.

I agree with the Minni thinking. I had Minni there too but ended up with just 3.

I dunno, I think Minny lost too much this time.

Liriano and Radke are going to be big losses for them, IMO.

i agree with Glenn, Liriano played such an enormous part of their success last year, remember the twins started out awful, but then when they put liriano in the rotation they started winning games like mad, you lose him plus a guy like radke who was a solid innings-eater, you have to expect to take a step back, even if its just a small one, they do have a topflight bullpen with guys like neshek, rincon, crain and reyes and a stud closer in nathan, but that rotation with guys like bonser, garza and ortiz is just alot of unproven and mediocre talent, they will rely on johan alot this year and rely on their hitting, the twins arent a power hitting team, so they can't outscore you, its going to be interesting, the first month will tell us wether or not the twins are going to contend or be crap...

I think the Tigers run away with the division.

The Indians pitching is overrated(Byrd? Westbrook? LOL) and they only have 4-5 quality bats. Minnesota lost Liriano, but they're regaining Shannon Stewart, a quality leadoff hitter and outfielder. Radke isn't that big of a loss. He's a career .500 pitcher with an ERA over 4. The Sox just aren't that good after ditching two quality pitchers.