The AL Central, in my opinion, is a tough division to call. There are several viable teams that should be fighting for the title come the first week of October. Let's take a team-by-team look at the offseason moves and forecast how the season will play out.
Chicago White Sox
The South side boasts a club hungry to prove themselves as the best team in the Windy City. Judging by Ozzie Guillen's comments about the Cubs, you would think they were fighting for a division title...maybe he will put more of that focus on the Twins and Tigers this year.
After losing Jermaine Dye to free agency, the White Sox brought in declining OF Andruw Jones, followed up by signing one-year deals with pitchers JJ Putz and John Danks, along with OF Carlos Quentin. Quentin's health remains one of the biggest question marks for this club, as a power bat is dreadfully needed in the middle of that lineup.
Look for the pitching staff to be very strong this year, with the rotation led by Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle and the bullpen backed by JJ Putz in the eighth and Bobby Jenks in the ninth (I'm expecting a comeback year for him).
Fantasy Spotlight: Jake Peavy
Peavy will have his first full season with this White Sox club, and I expect him to flourish. Expect a stat line of 16 wins with a 3.10 ERA, 180 strikeouts, and a 1.25 WHIP.
Cleveland Indians
The Tribe looks to rebuild with plenty of top prospects gaining exposure in 2010. This team will not compete for a division title this year, but has a chance to make some strides in the right direction. Very little movement was made in the offseason, as they re-signed a slew of relief pitchers and made one big pick up in left-handed slugger Russell Branyan, who broke out for the Mariners last season and could bring in 30+ home runs this season.
Look for Grady Sizemore to bounce back from a down year in 2009, and lead a young outfield that includes Matt LaPorta and 2010 rookie-eligible lefty Michael Brantley. Also look for the Tribe to give plenty of playing opportunities to Carlos Carrasco, a right-hander picked up in the Cliff Lee-to-Philly deal as well as Carlos Santana, the No. 1 catching prospect in the majors.
Fantasy Spotlight: Grady Sizemore
I expect Sizemore's offensive numbers to pick up a bit this year, with a stat line of .280 28 HR 85 RBI 105 runs, and 25 steals.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers welcome a healthy mix of youngsters and veterans looking to make amends for a late-season collapse in '09 that culminated in a one game tie-breaker loss to the Twins. Miguel Cabrera swears the booze is in the past and that he is not an alcoholic. He will need to show some more maturity this year and be a leader to some of the youngsters on this team.
The starting pitching is solid, led by ace Justin Verlander, second year right-hander Rick Porcello, and newly acquired Max Scherzer. Johnny Damon will give this team a solid veteran bat and will try and fill the void left behind from Curtis Granderson.
Fantasy Spotlight: Miguel Cabrera
Cabrera remains one of the biggest bats in the league, and I expect another monster fantasy season from the first baseman. Look for .325, 35 HR, 115 RBI, and 100 runs.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals finally had a bright spot last year in the Cy Young campaign of starter Zach Grienke. Now it's time to prove they can be competitive in this division. They bring in Chris Getz, Josh Fields, and Scott Podsednik from the White Sox, as well as OF Rick Ankiel from the Cardinals.
Brian Bannister and Luke Hochevar need to come into their own this year and provide this club with four quality starters for the first time in a long time. Gil Meche also needs to prove he is worth his $11.4 million contract (pretty ridiculous, I know). The Royals do have some nice young pieces in the infield, with Alberto Callaspo providing some power at 2B (41 doubles and 11 HR in '09) and Josh Fields getting a chance to batter Alex Gordon for starting rights at third.
Fantasy Spotlight: Billy Butler
This big first baseman will turn 24 in April and has a chance to take another step forward this season. I see him putting up a stat line of .300 with 26 HR, 100 RBI, and 85 Runs.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins look to stay on top of a competitive division by following their recipe for success...just with a little for cash on the table. This former "small-market" team, after the signing of 2B Orlando Hudson, brought its payroll over $100 million.
Minnesota boasts the higher payroll along with a brand-new ballpark (an outdoor venue) for the 2010 season. I really like the signing of Jim Thome, not just for his bat, but for his clubhouse presence. J.J. Hardy will play at short this season, and Delmon Young has a chance to prove himself in center field. The starting rotation offers a flurry of solid young arms, and could be very good top-to-bottom if Francisco Liriano can return to form.
Fantasy Spotlight: Justin Morneau
Morneau has the luxury of batting behind '09 batting champ and MVP Joe Mauer, meaning he will be driving in plenty of runs for this ballclub. I see him posting stats of .285 with 32 HR 115 RBI and 100 Runs.
Prediction
Like I said earlier, this division is a tough call, but in the end I like the boys from the Twin Cities. Having two MVPs in your lineup cannot be understated, throw in speedsters Orlando Hudson and Denard Span in this new outdoor park, and you've got a winning combination on offense. I see the Twins battling the Tigers and White Sox for most of the season, but pulling away down the stretch.
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