Whose starting staff will step up and steal the show?
Bullpen?
Lineup (Hitters)?
Will the wildcard for the AL come out of the central?
2007-02-10 03:05:31 · 23 answers · asked by faceman888 4 in Sports ➔ Baseball
GP - you're right its too early to tell, that's what makes it fun. 162 games (and no clock) make baseball special. I can't mention the other team for fear of cursing them. Their city has had no major championshionship since '64. The sports godz don't like us.
2007-02-10 03:29:22 · update #1
You know, it is way to early to say.
That's why they play 162 games a year,
but if I had to hazard a guess:
The Tigers have a fine young pitching staff and should be in contention all year. The Twins (even without Liraino) will be in it as well. You forgot to mention Cleveland. They got better, and should be in thick of things all summer. Everyone knows how I feel about the whinny sux.
Detroit
Minnesota
Cleveland
KC/Chicago (tied for last place)
2007-02-10 03:20:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Based on my gut feeling right now, I'd have to say it'll look like this...
Tigers
Sox
Twins
The thing is, I readily expect the Indians to be in the mix this season. The team was destroyed by a malady of injuries last season and most of the roster is back and healthy and the bullpen has been improved.
The Tigers didn't really lose anything and they improved by adding Sheffield to an already potent lineup. I expect the pitching staff to be pretty solid again and with ubber-prospect Andrew Miller waiting in the wings...the team is in no shortage of alternatives.
The White Sox made some questionable moves to their starting rotation, but added enough young arms to make up for those moves. The addition of Darin Erstad also adds an impact bat and a great glove that can help them just about anywhere they'd chose to stick him. The Sox had a great year last year, but the Twins and Tigers just blew them away...
The Twins have the core of last year's team, but the pitching rotation looks a little suspect. There is Santana and then four big question marks. Boof Bonser showed promise late last season, Carlos Silva could return to form or he could implode again. Ramon Ortiz and Sidney Ponson are both charity cases that remind me of last seasons inspired Ruben Sierra and Tony Bautista moves made by Terry Ryan. Matt Garza and Glenn Perkins should both find their way into the rotation by mid-season at the latest and provide a ray of hope. If Scott Baker can get it together the Twins could be in a much brighter spot than before. However, no Liriano and no Radke hurts. Having to pitch to a Tigers lineup that now includes Gary Sheffield nearly 20-times a year hurts.
I'm a Twins fan so it hurts to do this...but I'd actually peg the Twins as the fourth best team in the AL Central as of right now with the roster the way it looks today. Granted, I did the same thing last year when I ranked them:
Sox
Indians
Tigers
Twins
Royals
...and, as a Twins fan, thankfully I was wrong. Hopefully I'll be wrong again this year.
Good question. The AL Central is easily the best division in baseball and easily the hardest to predict.
2007-02-10 11:25:42 · answer #2 · answered by tkatt00 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I believe that is a tough question to answer at the moment but I will take a stab at it. I believe that the Tigers will have the best possible chance to win the division. Their pitchers Rogers, Bonderman, Verlander, etc. are unbelieveable for their ages. Also, if Sheffield stays healthy, there's another 30 HR's for them. If Casey has a season like he's had with the Reds, that's going to be a really tough team to beat. Who would've thought three years ago that we'd be saying the Tigers would win the division? haha
To answer that wildcard question, no way will the Yankees and Sox won't both be in the playoffs again this year. Hell, I think the Sox and Tigers are going to be in the ALCS this year. If you don't like my answers, sorry.
2007-02-10 15:05:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The order will go like this:
1. Tigers- I like the fact they addressed their problem going out and getting some power in Gary Sheffield, and they still have great pitching.
2. Twins- The Twin have the raining MVP in Justin Morneau, the batting champ in Joe Mauer, and the Cy Young in Johan Santana. Even with those stars I don't see them winning the division, but getting in at the wild card spot.
3. White Sox- The Sox are a strong team and should not be taken lightly. I don't think that they are strong enough in the field to be a very consistent team.
~Swanee
2007-02-10 14:12:08 · answer #4 · answered by Swanee 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1- Twins- they find a way!
2- Tigers -Wild card
3- Sox- took a step back this offseason
Tigers have the best starters (Twins would if Liriano was healthy)
Twins have the best Pen (I just don't trust Todd Jones)
Tigers and Twins have very different lineups, both effective in different ways (power vs. piranas)
The Twins make the least mental errors and really seem to have nothing to lose each year which makes them always dangerous!
To the guy above who said Mauer and Morneau will slip this year... based on what?! They are both young and haven't even entered their best years, yet they are already the MVP and batting champ! I say they will only get better, especially Mauer. Last year is definitely not their ceiling! Morny can go for 40+ dongs and Mauer will add power to his game. Mauer hit at 22 like he was Molitor in his prime... he is amazing!
2007-02-11 04:59:43 · answer #5 · answered by Eho 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
For the record not including the tribe is ridiculous. The AL central will be like so: Indians, Twins, Chisox, Tigers, and Royals. The Tigers are a big time fluke and that is a fact. The Indians signed three of the top 4 free agent relievers and have a deep starting rotation. The only thing they lack is solid right handed power. The wild card will be the twins. The Indians have the most solid line up. The twins have Mauer and Morneau, who is going to slip a bit this year.
2007-02-10 13:34:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Alright first of all the Yankees and Red Sox are too good this year to have a wild card come out of the central. In my opinion the Twins will win it because they are the only team in that division to play small ball. Even though the Tigers are full of young fresh pitchers. The white sox have a chance at 4th place because the indians look like a third place team this year.
1. Minnesota
2.Detroit
3. Cleavland
4. Chicago
5. Kansas city-worst team ever
2007-02-10 11:20:41 · answer #7 · answered by fonzey 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Twins
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Twins have the best single base hitting, but Chicago has more power hitters. The Sox have the best bullpen, but Twins have the best starter in baseball. The Tigers - well, they missed their chance last year when they could not throw to third. They are OVER....
2007-02-10 18:37:07 · answer #8 · answered by That's what she said 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. Sox
2. Twins
3. K.C.
4. Cleveland
In the cellar Detroit.
Enjoy being the defending Champ George It ain't happening again in 07
2007-02-10 17:14:26 · answer #9 · answered by timjim 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's hard to say the order, but this division is by far the most competitive in baseball. You can't rule out Cleveland from being in the mix, either.
I also think you may be surprised by the Royals this year. They may still be in last place in a tough, tough division, but they have some young talent coming up that should at least make them less of a divisional doormat.
2007-02-10 12:13:28 · answer #10 · answered by Jeffrey 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋