AL Central Predictions?

Question

Now of course, there will be the group who will say stupid crap like "the whinny sux will finish last". What are you - like 12?? And how could you justify an answer that stupid? Dye - Konerko - Thome - Pierzinski - Crede. Last place? Funny how your hate of a team probably is more than the love of your own. But saying that the Sox cry about the Cubs, list one player who has ever stated that? Fans - sure there are. But most I sit by in my section could care less about the Cubs. So lay off the Sox. It got old quick. And boring.
That said - list your early season AL Central predictions. No need to list "yankees and red sox". If that is your answer - start a new question.

1) Twins - Best lineup in baseball. Home field advantage for sure.
2) White Sox - Lost only one staring pitcher, strong offense.
3) Tigers - Late regular season collapse shows flaws
4) Indians - Still have no pitching
5) Royals - Just a bad team with no money

Answer 1

1. Detroit - I hate to admit it (because, as far as I can tell, they still have Rogers), but they've got the best pitching in the division (at least for this season, since Liriano won't pitch again for Minnesota until next season) and their hitting is underrated.
2. Minnesota - Cy Young's reincarnation, Santana, will keep the Twins in contention, but lack of rotation depth (mostly because of the Liriano injury) will keep them out of the playoffs.
3. Chicago - If Santana were any other pitcher in baseball, the White Sox would finish ahead of the Twins this season. That being said, the Sox rotation wasn't very good last season, and the fact that this is likely Buehrle's last season in Chicago will be a distraction for however long he remains with the team.
4. Cleveland - The Tribe can put runs on the board, but to finish better than this, they'll have to shut down opposing offenses as well. I don't see that happening, especially with the possibility of a Westbrook trade.
5. Kansas City - The present doesn't look very good, but I expect a slow and steady improvement year-to-year until 2010, when I predict they'll be a playoff-caliber team (but I won't foolishly expect any team to make the playoffs, nor will I foolishly count any team out, this far before that time).

Answer 2

I'll start off by saying that I'm a Twins fan first and foremost. Born, raised, and still living in Minnesota!

1. Tigers - (unfortunatly) Best combination of Bats and Arms!

2. Twins - It will be tough to keep pace with Detroit, I see the Twins 10 games back at the end of the season. Santana can only account for 20 wins, they'll need to come up with 80 more somehow. The rotation is in trouble without Liriano, but the Twins always play great D so as long as they can put up 4+ runs per game, they should have a chance.

3. White Sox - (one or two games back of the Twins) They'll put up a ton of runs on the board with all of that power, but I can almost gaurantee Thome will not hold up this year. Pitching was horrid last year, but the potential is still there even without Garcia. I expect Danks to take the #5 rotation spot and do well.

4. Royals - up and coming team full of young talent.

5. Indians - I'll be honest, I'm just not a fan. I do like the aquisition of Josh Barfield though.

Answer 3

1. Detroit Tigers - They have the second best pitching in the division and one of the best lineups in the league. The addition of Gary Sheffield to that lineup seals the gaps and will almost guarantee a playoff spot. Jim Leyland will find a way to get them to the World Series yet again.
2. Minnesota Twins - They have the best lineup and some of the best pitchers in the league, including the best (Johan Santana). I still don't see them taking the division but they will fight hard to win it all.
3. Chicago White Sox - The Sox have a decent offense, but couldn't seem to put it all together last season. This year will be different, but their flaws will be put to the test. Their pitching staff may be their best chance at a division title.
4. Cleveland Indians - They're on their way up, but there's little to no chance that they can beat those first three teams at this point. In the next couple of years, after adding some better pitchers, they could be number one.
5. Kansas City Royals - No chance!

Answer 4

1. Tigers 93-69
2. Twins 92-70
3. White Sox 88-74
4. Indians 80-82
5. Royals 72-90

Answer 5

1.Indians-I believe this year the Indians will finally come around and all that talent they have been getting for the past 5 years will come alive and storm to the title.As for you who say they have no pitching look at the rotation then tell me it's bad.
2.Twins-Good batting and good pitching but not consistent enough.
3.White Sox-Chicago has good batting but the pitching is what I'd be worried about as a Chicago fan.It wouldn't surprise me if they win the division,anyone can besides the Royals but I can't see the Sox making it.
4.Tigers-Defending AL champions.don't see them being as good this year as last year.Think they were that one year team that shows up sometimes.
Royals-Just plain terrible.They are on the rise however a little rebuilding here and a little there and they could be a competer in 5 years.

Answer 6

I'd pick:

1) Detroit Tigers- They have lots of young pitchers who r on the rise, Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, Nate "The Gumtime Rally" Robertson, Zach Miner who they got from Atlanta Braves AAA who bring up excellent pitchers every year, and maybe by end of season Andrew Miller outta UNC might start a few games, and with veteran and good teacher for the young pitchers in Kenny Rogers, and Zumaya, Rodney and Mesa comin outta bullpen to set up for Jones who's shaky sometimes but still a solid closer for now till Zumaya takes over, and addition of Sheffield just makes there hittin even better with Maggs, Pudge, Guillen, Polanco, Monroe, Inge, Casey & Granderson with a great teacher in Manager Leyland

2) Chicago White Sox- They have a solid lineup and same kinda rotation as Tigers, but none of them r young 1's on the rise 2 be improving much, but good hitters in podsednik, thome, konerko, dye and pierzinski, but gm kenny williams keeps makin too many moves tryin to hard to be mr hot shot thinkin every move he makes will give him 150% credit for winning a WS if they ever win again, and ozzie guillen is too much of a trouble maker and ruins sox from gettin any momentum.

3) Minnesota Twins- They have best pitcher in baseball in Santana, and Liriano is great but most likely out the whole year, but still have good enough of a pitching to contend for playoff run, and lineup with Mauer, Morneau and rest of lineup is solid all round and great defense in Torii Hunter which makes some of there pitchers overrated by him keepin there ERA down all the time, but they have a good manager in Gardenhire so they should be able to contend.

4) Cleveland Indians- They have some good hitters in Haffner, Sizemore and others, but not enough of a starting 5 to come close to the white sox, tigers and even twins without liriano, and don't have enough veterans to take over the central over DET, MIN and CHW.

5) Kansas City Royals- They will finish last place mainly cause, well they suck, and pretty much they suck in every way, and play vs 4 great divison teams 76 total times this year, plus the extra 20 vs Yanks and Bo Sox, so they have no chance at all to even finish near .500

Answer 7

1. Chicago - The ChiSox are solid top to bottom, I think they have the best chance of winning the AL Central. Gavin Floyd was a good addition to an already solid rotation, especially if Buehrle returns to form. They didn't really do a whole lot in the off-season to improve their offense, but with Dye-Thome-Konerko in the middle, they didn't really need to.

2. Minnesota - Starting pitching is their question mark. There is no doubt that they have one of the most underrated lineups in the AL (as usual!), especially when they play at home. Santana is as filthy as they come, but Carlos Silva and Boof Bonser don't scare anyone.

3. Detroit - I think last year was their window of opportunity. Players like Pudge, Mags, Polanco, and Kenny Rogers are on the down sides of their carreers. Monroe, Granderson, and Bonderman are not yet reliable enough to step into leadership roles. We saw Verlander struggle towards the end of last year. It will be interested to see how he performs in 2007.

4. Cleveland - Not strong enough yet to compete in this division. They would probably make a playoff run if they were in the AL West. They are not consistent enough to compete with Minnesota and Chicago.

5. Kansas City - If only there were more teams, I could list them lower. The future is bright though, they have a lot of young talent. For their sake, I hope they hold on to it.

Answer 8

This is hard, coming from a White Sox fan. But here's my honest opinion:

1. Twins - They have the lineup for it and as long as their young pitcher stay healthy they shoult take it.
2. Tigers - Addition of Sheffield, as long as he's healthy, should help them, but there are still a few uncertianties. They will take the wild-card though.
3. White Sox - I just don't think Thome will hold up this year with all his injuries. Dye will not have the same kind of production year. And why did we trade Freddy and McCarthy, stupid!
4. Indians - Still no pitching. Hafner is a man-child, but he can't win it for them. They have lots of offense, sizemore, peralta, blake, but no pitching.
5. Royals - I'd love to see them do better, they have some young talent, but I still think this isn't their year to move up in the standings.

Answer 9

1) Tigers- Made the best improvements and great rotation
2) Cleveland- Surprise season
3) Twins- Santana will keep them in contention
4) Royals - Will finish last but I don't like Chicago White Sox fans
5) White Sox (overrated) Thome will get hurt, rotation iffy. Pitching wins games.

Answer 10

a million. Twins (162-0) 2. Tigers ninety wins or so 3. Royals 80 wins or so 4. Indians 75-80 wins 5. Sox sixty 5-70 wins i would be somewhat valuable with my twins %., yet howdy, i'm a fan! (realistically although the Twins will come back with around ninety wins and it is often close)