skyking162

Continuing my pre-season predictions, the first of which can be found here.

AL Central

Cleveland — 88
Detroit — 84
Chicago — 82
Minnesota — 80
Kansas City — 59

I don’t love Cleveland, but in a division with two overrated teams, and awful team, and a getting-better-but-not-quite-there team, the Indians’ consistency and pair of superstars will be enough to take the division. Hafner’s Hafner, and Victor Martinez will fulfill his potential as the next superstar catcher. Combined with surprisingly solid performances by Boone and Michaels, this team will score a lot of runs. I’m not thrilled with their pitching staff, as Sabathia, Lee, and Byrd are all somewhat overrated. Wickman’s going to crash and burn, but at least Betancourt and Cabrera make the bullpen at least league-average.

Detroit’s going to receive a lot more press this year — America, say hello to Curtis Granderson, Chris Shelton, and Justin Verlander. Nobody on this team is a star, but there aren’t any holes, either. Normally Kenny Rogers would pull my opinion of a team down into the gutter, and yet that’s not happening this year with the Tigers. Maybe I should lay off this city tap water…

The defending World MLB Champs (remember, I predicted big things last year) made two big off-season moves and otherwise stood pat. Losing Rowand would hurt even more if not for Brian Anderson, but Thome will likely disappoint. Javier Vazquez is the more intriguing pickup, making the Sox rotation as tasty as french toast for dinner. I don’t like John Garland, yet I still think the Sox sport the league’s second-best rotation. So if the Sox didn’t get worse, why predict ten fewer wins? LUCK. You’ve read it everywhere else — it’s just not a repeatable skill to win something like 90% of one- and two-run games. Crappy offense plus good pitching = a little above .500. Smallball, I hope you enjoyed your glory in 2005, because your ass is getting kicked in 2006.

Dear Minnesota: Your offense sucks. Tony Batista doesn’t even deserve a spot on your AAA team. Morneau and Mauer should appease your intelligent fans for one more year, but stop yanking around Bartlett and just let him play. I agree with your choice of putting Liriano in the pen — it’s best for the long-term — but if you want to have a chance of making the playoffs in 2006, you’ll need to swap him in for whoever struggles the most between Carlos Silva and Kyle Lohse. Oh, and please start reading Aaron Gleeman’s blog.

Kansas City is not a good team. That is all, except to point out that you can’t put a pitcher on the DL just for being fat and awful.

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