AL Central Betting Preview
By Matt Zylbert
Projected Order of Finish
Detroit Tigers - Predicted Record: 88-74
Owners of four straight division titles, the Tigers figure to be the favorite to come out of the AL Central once again, but it won’t be easy, especially since it was the rival Royals -- the team they staved off at the end of last season to secure the division -- who prevailed with the American League pennant in 2014.
Even so, Detroit boasts their usual strong roster on both sides of the ball and will certainly be motivated after how last year anticlimactically came to an end when they were swept by Baltimore in the ALDS. At the same time, they also made some notable changes that could largely determine how far they go.
Looking at the Tigers’ pitching staff, there’s instantly one glaring omission: Max Scherzer, who won an AL Cy Young for Detroit in 2013, is gone. He’s moved on to the Nationals after being a free agent, but the club is confident that David Price, whom they acquired at the trade deadline last season, can take over as the new ace. Just as imperative is how former ace Justin Verlander will perform after a disappointing campaign, and in the bigger picture, he just hasn’t been the same pitcher the past couple of years. Another regular no longer on this pitching staff is Rick Porcello, but the club thinks free agent signee Alfredo Simon can provide the same numbers, if not better, after his breakout 2014. The wild card in all this might be Anibal Sanchez, who did miss considerable time last year, but when he was on the mound, he mostly looked like his normal self.
Offense has always been a strength for the Tigers, and not just because they have the guy who has long been considered the best hitter in baseball, Miguel Cabrera. They oversaw a remarkable breakout from Victor Martinez, who put up MVP-caliber numbers last season. Victor wasn’t the only Martinez to break out within this vaunted Tigers lineup, as J.D. Martinez also exploded out of nowhere in cementing his status as legitimate power source. As scary as it sounds, their lineup may be even better this year with the addition of Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes, whom they acquired from Boston in the Porcello deal. Oh, and of course you can’t forget about Ian Kinsler, one of the better leadoff men in the game.
Detroit’s bullpen isn’t particularly strong, as closer Joe Nathan showed signs of a decline. They did pick up Joakim Soria, though, as insurance, and also feature Bruce Rondon, who has potential to close at some point down the road. As usual, the Tigers look built to make another postseason push, but with their division foes mostly improved, it won’t be as easy as in years’ past.
Chicago White Sox - Predicted Record: 85-77
Although they have not made the playoffs since 2008, the White Sox are gearing up for what has the makings of being a very promising season. While they’ve only recorded two winning seasons over that span, the talent that Chicago has put together absolutely has them in the conversation to win the AL Central as early as this season.
When you’re analyzing a roster, the first thing you glance at is the team’s main foundation, and in that regard, the White Sox appear like they can go toe-to-toe with anyone. One of the main supporting reasons for that has everything to do with their reigning AL Rookie of the Year winner, Jose Abreu, who took the league by storm last year in amassing one of the most eye-opening freshman campaigns in recent memory. It’s obvious that he can continue to be one of the best sluggers in baseball if he just stays on his path, giving the White Sox a lot of hope as far as fielding an offense that can put crooked numbers on the scoreboard on any given night.
It’s not just Abreu, though, as Chicago will probably be more than satisfied with their investments in free agents Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera this past offseason. Furthermore, Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez have developed soundly into above-average everyday players, with potential to keep on growing, while Avisail Garcia is someone that could end up being a nice commodity in their outfield.
Another main piece of this club’s core exists within their starting pitching staff, that of course being ace Chris Sale, who has been nothing short of fabulous since joining the rotation a few years ago. At the same time, he’s proven to be one of the most consistently dominant starters in the American League. This year, he will now have free agent signee Jeff Samardzija right behind him, giving the White Sox a terrific 1-2 punch to lean on every five days. While the rest of their starting pitching could be better, it’s also not too bad, as Jose Quintana has established himself as a more-than-acceptable mid-rotation pitcher. The key, however, could be Chicago’s bullpen, which was horrendous a year ago in regularly blowing games. Luckily, their heavy offseason spending netted them a very reliable closer in David Robertson, who excelled last year in his first opportunity finishing games. As long as they can establish a bridge that is able to get him the ball consistently in the ninth, the White Sox will have everything they need to stay afloat, and perhaps make their postseason return. The foundation is absolutely a desirable one.
Cleveland Indians - Predicted Record: 78-84
Since landing in Cleveland two years ago, manager Terry Francona has done a wonderful job in transforming the Indians back into a respectable franchise. Prior to his arrival, the Indians had endured five consecutive non-winning seasons, but the former Red Sox skipper has produced the complete opposite in his two campaigns since, including an unlikely postseason berth in ’13.
Nowadays, a trip to the playoffs isn’t so improbable, as the Indians sport a talented roster that should keep them competitive all year long. Usually, it’s the offense that typically does the heavy lifting for the Tribe, but in 2015, it could be the starting pitching who paces them to potential success. That’s because Cleveland’s rotation boasts the presence of last year’s AL Cy Young Corey Kluber, who, despite being one of the most surprising winners in the history of the award, has suddenly solidified himself as a top strikeout artist who can win in bunches.
The Indians will hope Kluber can maintain his awesome pitching, but for this team to go anywhere, they’re going to need the rest of this young rotation to live up to their high potential. For instance, Carlos Carrasco has flashed signs of greatness, including for an extensive stretch in the second half of last year, so if he’s able to pick up where he left off, Cleveland will have a very nice No. 2 hurler on their staff. Danny Salazar is another strong example of a youngster who has displayed incredible potential, flirting with ace-like status since coming up two years ago, and if he can just provide consistency, he has the tools to be a really dominant starter. Trevor Bauer is another notable example of someone who oozes promise.
Offensively, Cleveland looks like they have a lot of punch. Michael Brantley, for one, enjoyed an MVP-caliber campaign out of nowhere a year ago and appears to be a good bet to continue his accelerated progression as one of the AL’s most dynamic outfielders. The Indians gave him some quality company in the outfield with the addition of slugger Brandon Moss, while Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes are coming off years in which they registered career-highs in homeruns and runs batted in. Although Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher and Jason Kipnis greatly disappointed last season, they were all limited by injury, and as long as they can stay healthy, this will be a lineup that features a very high ceiling.
Cleveland has a solid bullpen, just as they usually do, and it will be interesting to see how the emerging Cody Allen does in his first full year as the closer. If he contributes anything similar to his 2014 showing, the Indians will gladly take it. And if that’s the case, combined with nice balance on both sides of the ball, Francona might be bringing his team back into the playoffs.
Minnesota Twins - Predicted Record: 75-87
Despite a fourth consecutive losing season, and their third appearance in the AL Central basement over that span, 2014 may have actually been a bit of an encouraging year for the Twins. After all, they did reach 70 wins for the first time since 2010, while overseeing the emergence of several key youngsters that could end up being very influential as their future takes shape.
When the season opens up, Minnesota will be doing so under a new manager for the first time in 14 years, as the club fired Ron Gardenhire. They’ll now be under the leadership of first-time manager and former Twins great Paul Molitor, who will have quite the challenge in bringing this club back up to respectability.
While a 70-win campaign is certainly undesirable for any team, it was still important in evaluating the significant pieces for the Twins’ future and providing them with important experience. For instance, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas were two rookies last year who displayed a lot of promise and could end up being valuable cogs in the Minnesota lineup for an extended time. Furthermore, Brian Dozier continued his evolution as a potential upper echelon Major League second baseman, while Oswaldo Arcia proved in his second season that he can be a legitimate home run threat every time he’s in the lineup. However, if the Twins want to make some serious noise offensively, they’re going to need former AL MVP Joe Mauer to stay healthy and hit like he used to. Interestingly, the Twins also brought back veteran Torii Hunter into the fold.
Believe it or not, Minnesota’s pitching actually may have a lot of potential, consisting of a fairly high ceiling. Phil Hughes is the one who stuck out most from last year’s group after a terrific showing in his first season in Minnesota, and will look to build off that. To join him atop the rotation, the Twins signed Ervin Santana, who has been very steady the past several years. Behind them, it’s Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, and Tommy Milone, three guys that have all had success in the recent past. Gibson is especially intriguing, having shown flashes of being an ace-caliber pitcher, considering the number of dominant outings he’s racked up. If he can put it all together, he’s a serious upper-rotation starter.
The Twins’ bullpen isn’t really filled with depth but it does have one of the better closers in the league over the past couple of years, Glen Perkins. As long as they get it to him, they’re in nice shape. While Minnesota is being pegged by most people to finish in last once again, the potential to surprise is certainly there, and they are definitely closer to being a winning franchise again. Maybe this is the year the transformation begins.
Kansas City Royals - Predicted Record: 74-88
After one of the most improbable runs to the World Series last season, what will the Royals do for an encore? Baseball fans are still in shock over what transpired a year ago, as Kansas City not only got hot late in the campaign to make the playoffs for the first time since 1985, but they also relentlessly mowed through the competition from there on out, sweeping the Angels and Orioles on their way to the Fall Classic. Unfortunately, their Cinderella story did not feature a fairytale ending, as they ultimately fell in seven games to the eventual world champion Giants.
Even so, Kansas City received a significant jolt like no other, with legitimate hope that their team can become a regular contender on a yearly basis. Their pitching would certainly attest to that, as despite losing ace James Shields through free agency, youngster Yordano Ventura proved last year he’s capable of assuming that role leading the staff. Furthermore, Danny Duffy also looked terrific and proved he can be a dependable cog in the Royals’ rotation if he manages to stay healthy, which was a big issue for the left-hander in prior years. Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie stepped up last year, and if both veterans can continue along with that similar output, Kansas City will be in tremendous shape. The x-factors on this staff, however, could be free agent acquisitions Edinson Volquez and Kris Medlen. Volquez was solid again last year, while Medlen is currently hurt, but has the potential to make a considerable impact upon his return later in the campaign.
As good as their starting pitching was last season, the Royals’ mains strength undoubtedly was their bullpen, which has been the case for a few years now. Greg Holland further established himself as one of the elite closers in baseball, while Wade Davis was the No. 1 set-up man in the game in 2014. Kelvin Herrera and Jason Frasor are also nice arms to have when trying to hand a lead to your closer, and as scary as it sounds, this unit might be even better when Luke Hochevar returns from injury.
The Royals’ lineup isn’t as intimidating, but they consistently came up with timely hitting, and might be even better in ’15. Despite losing Billy Butler, the Royals believe they have a garnered a similar replacement in the form of Kendrys Morales. In addition, they also signed Alex Rios, who can still be useful on both offense and defense. Combined with usual mainstays Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, and Lorenzo Cain, the Royals can still hold their own offensively. Plus, if Mike Moustakas could maintain any sort of consistency, KC will have an upper echelon third baseman on their hands. Overall, this is a group similar to last year, and thus, they’ll make a hard-fought effort in defending their AL pennant.
By Matt Zylbert
Projected Order of Finish
Detroit Tigers - Predicted Record: 88-74
Owners of four straight division titles, the Tigers figure to be the favorite to come out of the AL Central once again, but it won’t be easy, especially since it was the rival Royals -- the team they staved off at the end of last season to secure the division -- who prevailed with the American League pennant in 2014.
Even so, Detroit boasts their usual strong roster on both sides of the ball and will certainly be motivated after how last year anticlimactically came to an end when they were swept by Baltimore in the ALDS. At the same time, they also made some notable changes that could largely determine how far they go.
Looking at the Tigers’ pitching staff, there’s instantly one glaring omission: Max Scherzer, who won an AL Cy Young for Detroit in 2013, is gone. He’s moved on to the Nationals after being a free agent, but the club is confident that David Price, whom they acquired at the trade deadline last season, can take over as the new ace. Just as imperative is how former ace Justin Verlander will perform after a disappointing campaign, and in the bigger picture, he just hasn’t been the same pitcher the past couple of years. Another regular no longer on this pitching staff is Rick Porcello, but the club thinks free agent signee Alfredo Simon can provide the same numbers, if not better, after his breakout 2014. The wild card in all this might be Anibal Sanchez, who did miss considerable time last year, but when he was on the mound, he mostly looked like his normal self.
Offense has always been a strength for the Tigers, and not just because they have the guy who has long been considered the best hitter in baseball, Miguel Cabrera. They oversaw a remarkable breakout from Victor Martinez, who put up MVP-caliber numbers last season. Victor wasn’t the only Martinez to break out within this vaunted Tigers lineup, as J.D. Martinez also exploded out of nowhere in cementing his status as legitimate power source. As scary as it sounds, their lineup may be even better this year with the addition of Cuban slugger Yoenis Cespedes, whom they acquired from Boston in the Porcello deal. Oh, and of course you can’t forget about Ian Kinsler, one of the better leadoff men in the game.
Detroit’s bullpen isn’t particularly strong, as closer Joe Nathan showed signs of a decline. They did pick up Joakim Soria, though, as insurance, and also feature Bruce Rondon, who has potential to close at some point down the road. As usual, the Tigers look built to make another postseason push, but with their division foes mostly improved, it won’t be as easy as in years’ past.
Chicago White Sox - Predicted Record: 85-77
Although they have not made the playoffs since 2008, the White Sox are gearing up for what has the makings of being a very promising season. While they’ve only recorded two winning seasons over that span, the talent that Chicago has put together absolutely has them in the conversation to win the AL Central as early as this season.
When you’re analyzing a roster, the first thing you glance at is the team’s main foundation, and in that regard, the White Sox appear like they can go toe-to-toe with anyone. One of the main supporting reasons for that has everything to do with their reigning AL Rookie of the Year winner, Jose Abreu, who took the league by storm last year in amassing one of the most eye-opening freshman campaigns in recent memory. It’s obvious that he can continue to be one of the best sluggers in baseball if he just stays on his path, giving the White Sox a lot of hope as far as fielding an offense that can put crooked numbers on the scoreboard on any given night.
It’s not just Abreu, though, as Chicago will probably be more than satisfied with their investments in free agents Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera this past offseason. Furthermore, Adam Eaton and Alexei Ramirez have developed soundly into above-average everyday players, with potential to keep on growing, while Avisail Garcia is someone that could end up being a nice commodity in their outfield.
Another main piece of this club’s core exists within their starting pitching staff, that of course being ace Chris Sale, who has been nothing short of fabulous since joining the rotation a few years ago. At the same time, he’s proven to be one of the most consistently dominant starters in the American League. This year, he will now have free agent signee Jeff Samardzija right behind him, giving the White Sox a terrific 1-2 punch to lean on every five days. While the rest of their starting pitching could be better, it’s also not too bad, as Jose Quintana has established himself as a more-than-acceptable mid-rotation pitcher. The key, however, could be Chicago’s bullpen, which was horrendous a year ago in regularly blowing games. Luckily, their heavy offseason spending netted them a very reliable closer in David Robertson, who excelled last year in his first opportunity finishing games. As long as they can establish a bridge that is able to get him the ball consistently in the ninth, the White Sox will have everything they need to stay afloat, and perhaps make their postseason return. The foundation is absolutely a desirable one.
Cleveland Indians - Predicted Record: 78-84
Since landing in Cleveland two years ago, manager Terry Francona has done a wonderful job in transforming the Indians back into a respectable franchise. Prior to his arrival, the Indians had endured five consecutive non-winning seasons, but the former Red Sox skipper has produced the complete opposite in his two campaigns since, including an unlikely postseason berth in ’13.
Nowadays, a trip to the playoffs isn’t so improbable, as the Indians sport a talented roster that should keep them competitive all year long. Usually, it’s the offense that typically does the heavy lifting for the Tribe, but in 2015, it could be the starting pitching who paces them to potential success. That’s because Cleveland’s rotation boasts the presence of last year’s AL Cy Young Corey Kluber, who, despite being one of the most surprising winners in the history of the award, has suddenly solidified himself as a top strikeout artist who can win in bunches.
The Indians will hope Kluber can maintain his awesome pitching, but for this team to go anywhere, they’re going to need the rest of this young rotation to live up to their high potential. For instance, Carlos Carrasco has flashed signs of greatness, including for an extensive stretch in the second half of last year, so if he’s able to pick up where he left off, Cleveland will have a very nice No. 2 hurler on their staff. Danny Salazar is another strong example of a youngster who has displayed incredible potential, flirting with ace-like status since coming up two years ago, and if he can just provide consistency, he has the tools to be a really dominant starter. Trevor Bauer is another notable example of someone who oozes promise.
Offensively, Cleveland looks like they have a lot of punch. Michael Brantley, for one, enjoyed an MVP-caliber campaign out of nowhere a year ago and appears to be a good bet to continue his accelerated progression as one of the AL’s most dynamic outfielders. The Indians gave him some quality company in the outfield with the addition of slugger Brandon Moss, while Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes are coming off years in which they registered career-highs in homeruns and runs batted in. Although Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher and Jason Kipnis greatly disappointed last season, they were all limited by injury, and as long as they can stay healthy, this will be a lineup that features a very high ceiling.
Cleveland has a solid bullpen, just as they usually do, and it will be interesting to see how the emerging Cody Allen does in his first full year as the closer. If he contributes anything similar to his 2014 showing, the Indians will gladly take it. And if that’s the case, combined with nice balance on both sides of the ball, Francona might be bringing his team back into the playoffs.
Minnesota Twins - Predicted Record: 75-87
Despite a fourth consecutive losing season, and their third appearance in the AL Central basement over that span, 2014 may have actually been a bit of an encouraging year for the Twins. After all, they did reach 70 wins for the first time since 2010, while overseeing the emergence of several key youngsters that could end up being very influential as their future takes shape.
When the season opens up, Minnesota will be doing so under a new manager for the first time in 14 years, as the club fired Ron Gardenhire. They’ll now be under the leadership of first-time manager and former Twins great Paul Molitor, who will have quite the challenge in bringing this club back up to respectability.
While a 70-win campaign is certainly undesirable for any team, it was still important in evaluating the significant pieces for the Twins’ future and providing them with important experience. For instance, Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas were two rookies last year who displayed a lot of promise and could end up being valuable cogs in the Minnesota lineup for an extended time. Furthermore, Brian Dozier continued his evolution as a potential upper echelon Major League second baseman, while Oswaldo Arcia proved in his second season that he can be a legitimate home run threat every time he’s in the lineup. However, if the Twins want to make some serious noise offensively, they’re going to need former AL MVP Joe Mauer to stay healthy and hit like he used to. Interestingly, the Twins also brought back veteran Torii Hunter into the fold.
Believe it or not, Minnesota’s pitching actually may have a lot of potential, consisting of a fairly high ceiling. Phil Hughes is the one who stuck out most from last year’s group after a terrific showing in his first season in Minnesota, and will look to build off that. To join him atop the rotation, the Twins signed Ervin Santana, who has been very steady the past several years. Behind them, it’s Ricky Nolasco, Kyle Gibson, and Tommy Milone, three guys that have all had success in the recent past. Gibson is especially intriguing, having shown flashes of being an ace-caliber pitcher, considering the number of dominant outings he’s racked up. If he can put it all together, he’s a serious upper-rotation starter.
The Twins’ bullpen isn’t really filled with depth but it does have one of the better closers in the league over the past couple of years, Glen Perkins. As long as they get it to him, they’re in nice shape. While Minnesota is being pegged by most people to finish in last once again, the potential to surprise is certainly there, and they are definitely closer to being a winning franchise again. Maybe this is the year the transformation begins.
Kansas City Royals - Predicted Record: 74-88
After one of the most improbable runs to the World Series last season, what will the Royals do for an encore? Baseball fans are still in shock over what transpired a year ago, as Kansas City not only got hot late in the campaign to make the playoffs for the first time since 1985, but they also relentlessly mowed through the competition from there on out, sweeping the Angels and Orioles on their way to the Fall Classic. Unfortunately, their Cinderella story did not feature a fairytale ending, as they ultimately fell in seven games to the eventual world champion Giants.
Even so, Kansas City received a significant jolt like no other, with legitimate hope that their team can become a regular contender on a yearly basis. Their pitching would certainly attest to that, as despite losing ace James Shields through free agency, youngster Yordano Ventura proved last year he’s capable of assuming that role leading the staff. Furthermore, Danny Duffy also looked terrific and proved he can be a dependable cog in the Royals’ rotation if he manages to stay healthy, which was a big issue for the left-hander in prior years. Jason Vargas and Jeremy Guthrie stepped up last year, and if both veterans can continue along with that similar output, Kansas City will be in tremendous shape. The x-factors on this staff, however, could be free agent acquisitions Edinson Volquez and Kris Medlen. Volquez was solid again last year, while Medlen is currently hurt, but has the potential to make a considerable impact upon his return later in the campaign.
As good as their starting pitching was last season, the Royals’ mains strength undoubtedly was their bullpen, which has been the case for a few years now. Greg Holland further established himself as one of the elite closers in baseball, while Wade Davis was the No. 1 set-up man in the game in 2014. Kelvin Herrera and Jason Frasor are also nice arms to have when trying to hand a lead to your closer, and as scary as it sounds, this unit might be even better when Luke Hochevar returns from injury.
The Royals’ lineup isn’t as intimidating, but they consistently came up with timely hitting, and might be even better in ’15. Despite losing Billy Butler, the Royals believe they have a garnered a similar replacement in the form of Kendrys Morales. In addition, they also signed Alex Rios, who can still be useful on both offense and defense. Combined with usual mainstays Salvador Perez, Eric Hosmer, Alex Gordon, and Lorenzo Cain, the Royals can still hold their own offensively. Plus, if Mike Moustakas could maintain any sort of consistency, KC will have an upper echelon third baseman on their hands. Overall, this is a group similar to last year, and thus, they’ll make a hard-fought effort in defending their AL pennant.
