While it is unclear who will take the AL Central title it is obvious that this is probably the weakest division in baseball. All the clubs in this division are either in the middle of the pack or towards the bottom in terms of payroll - and usually when an owner is not willing to spend the bucks, the fans are forced to watch mediocrity.
Contenders: Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins.
The White Sox, who finished third in the Central a year ago, appear to be on the upswing thanks to the return of a healthy Frank Thomas and the signing of centerfielder Kenny Lofton. A triceps injury limited Thomas to just 20 games last season, after he finished second to then-Oakland Athletic Jason Giambi in the 2000 AL MVP (.328, 43HR, 143RBI). Now, the Big Hurt will be back in his regular number-three slot to give the Sox a dangerous heart of the order, along with right fielder Magglio Ordonez and first baseman Paul Konerko.Lofton, on other hand, will combine with second baseman Ray Durham to form an equally dangerous top of the order. Although his numbers slipped a bit in 2001, look for Lofton to benefit from a change of scenery and regain his old form, while Durham is fresh off a year in which he hit a career high 20 home runs to go along with 42 doubles and 23 steals.
A relatively inexperienced pitching staff could be the Sox' weak spot, with all four projected starters having started less than 90 career games and two with 35 or less on their resume. But add in one of the best closers in the league (Keith Foulke), a handful of supporting players who will keep the run production up (Jose Valentin, Royce Clayton, and Carlos Lee) and the assumption that the lineup will stay healthy, and the Central crown is Chicago's to lose.
The winds of change blew through the Twin Cities a year ago, as former manager Tom Kelly's club surged to an 85-77 mark - its best finish since 1992. Look for the upward trend to continue this season, with their scrappy defense, hustle, and quality pitching again paying dividends.
Defensively, the Twins boast two Gold Glove winners, left fielder Torii Hunter and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, an underrated third baseman in Corey Koskie, and one of the best double play combinations in the league (Cristian Guzman and Luis Rivas). And the emphasis on defense (the Twins ranked fifth in fielding percentage last year) boosts an already strong pitching staff. Brad Radke, Eric Milton, and Joe Mays each won at least 15 games last year, while number-four starter Rick Reed is a seasoned veteran who made his mark with the New York Mets.
On the other side of the ball, the Twins leave a bit to be desired. Minnesota hasn't had a 30 home-run hitter since Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, and Tom Brunansky each did so in 1987. Team leader Koskie went long 27 times last year, coupled with 100 RBIs, which also led the team. While the Twins are a strong contender for the division title, if they don't find some more power, a potential postseason berth will be followed by a quick exit from the playoffs.
Team On Bubble: Cleveland Indians.
Roberto Alomar is gone. So is Juan Gonzalez. And Kenny Lofton, who had already gone and came back to Cleveland once, completed the triumvirate of departed stars when he jumped ship again this winter. Collectively, the since-departed trio represents a combined loss of 69 home runs, 306 RBIs, and 301 runs scored. And as a result, the defending division champion Indians appear to be headed away from the prosperity they have enjoyed for the last seven years.In contrast to years past, the Indians will rely much more heavily on their pitching. Bartolo Colon, C.C. Sabathia, and Danys Baez will give the club an exciting trio of young starters, while veteran Chuck Finley will bring experience to the group. Overall, the quartet should be among the best in the league, but the question marks on offense could lead to a lack of run support.
While the losses will hurt the Tribes' offensive firepower, there are still a few capable bats left. Third baseman Jim Thome hit 49 home runs last year, while Ellis Burks kicked in his sixth straight season of 20 or more home runs. Travis Fryman will be back after suffering through an injury plagued season that severely limited his productivity.
All the things considered, the revamped Cleveland roster should translate into a distant third place finish.
Player to Watch: Frank Thomas.
This one is a no-brainer. The Big Hurt is the keystone to the White Sox' success and has been ever since he first pulled a Chicago uniform over his 6'5" 265-lb. frame. Since then, he has collected two MVP awards, had over 100 RBI in nine of his last 10 full seasons, hit 348 home runs, and cracked the .300 barrier ten times. The equation is simple, then: with a healthy MVP-caliber Thomas in the lineup everyday, the White Sox are among the division's best. Without him, they are near the middle of the pack.Young Guns: Danys Baez.
Baez, entering just his second season, will be a fulltime starter in Cleveland after finishing 2001 with some impressive numbers while coming out of the bullpen. The 6'3",. 225-lb. Baez held opponents to a .191 batting average and fanned 52 in 50 innings of work. Look for this strong armed righty to step in and make his presence felt now that he is back in the starting rotation, after having been moved out during last year's Spring Training.Last Word:
In what is undoubtedly a watered-down division to begin with, the pennant race will likely boil down to just two teams - Chicago and Minnesota - with Cleveland in the mix early but fading away as the season wears on. The White Sox may have more overall talent, but don't count the Twins out as a sleeper playoff team if they stay close enough to ultimately squeak out a division title or earn a wild card berth. No matter what kind of playoff contender the Central can concoct, though, postseason inexperience will likely be the downfall. But then again, anything can happen in October.
