AL CENTRAL
1-Cleveland
2- Detroit
3- Kansas City
4-White Sox
5- Minnesota
1- Cleveland
Good-Tremendous high end talent at CF and C in Sizemore and Victor Martinez plus the top 2 SPs in Sabathia and Carmona….. deep bullpen…. deep, versatile lineup— good athletes and underrated D….. GM Shapiro and Coach Wedge have been together for a while— 3-4-5 SPs are solid
Bad-Closer terrifies me, Todd Jones JR… no elite 40 HR bat unless DH Travis Haffner comes back…. CC Sabathia contract situation could be a distraction plus he is viewed as soft under pressure, how does he react?
2-Detroit-
I live out here so bare with me, outside of the Red Sox, I know this team the best….
Good- Outstanding lineup — if healthy- team fell apart when Gary Sheffield got hurt— best #2 hitter in BB in 2b Polanco…. best 3-4-5 in the Majors in Sheffield-Ordonez-Cabrera…Top level ace in Justin Verlander…. excellent locker room manager in Jim Leyland…. SP has upside, particularily with Willis… GM Dave Dombrowski is among the best in the game…. Brandon Inge is either a super utility guy or trade bait
Bad-Can anyone here pitch? Bullpen is among the worst in the majors, magnified by injuries to Fernando Rodney and Joel Zimaya….3 SPs terrify me in Dontrelle Willis(hit like Tina Turner in the NL), Kenny Rodgers(bad arm, caught cheating) and Jeremy Bonderman(50K talent, 5 cent head)…. Star CF Curtis Granderson’s hand injury could be season long nag… Todd Jones could make Gandhi violent
Tell me why?- 1-This team made the Edgar Renteria trade? SS was a need with Guillen going to 1st but they gave up 2 of their elite prospects to get a guy who was miserable failure in his 1 AL season…. trust me, I am a Sox fan, he looked like he would rather be in Iraq than Boston!… this team needs RP and has little to trade with…. 2- Why they put Miguel Cabrera at 3b with Brandon Inge here? Inge is an elite 3b and Miggy is a mess…. Jacque Jones is a 4th OF platoon type….. this team is better with Inge at 3b and Miggy in LF…. the Red Sox have won 2 World Series with Miggy’s twin brother Manny Ramirez in LF! This team needs infield D and Inge helps the staff.
Tigers Bullpen candidates by seasons end….Chad Cordero, Jon Rauch, Jason Isringhausen, Huston Street, Matt Capps, Brian Fuentes, Scott Proctor and do not laugh… Trevor Hoffman
3- Kansas City-My Surprise team….
Good-Top 3 SPs(Meche,Bannister,Greinke) are very good and they have one of the best young closers in the game in Joakin Soria…. AL breakout player in 3b Alex Gordon…. talk of the spring bat in Billy Butler… good defensive team.. exciting new manager in Trey Hillman, aggressive GM in Drayton Moore
Bad-Not enough hitting and power in the AL— division has 2 teams that spend $$$$(Detroit,CWS) and the other two have strong farm systems and organizational structure(Cleveland and Minnesota)…losing mentality
4- Chicago White Sox-
Good-Good veteran power guys— added 2 high energy players in OF-1B Nick Swisher and SS Orlando Cabrera, one of the more underrated ML players… elite closer in RHP Bobby Jenks… good top 2 SPs in Buehrle and Vasquez
Bad- Average to bad SPs after the top 2… bad team D…. Manager is volatile and insane…. Stadium is a launching pad… new set up guys are fly ball pitchers, particularily RHP Scott Linebrink , who pitched in San Diego for most of his career…
Keep an eye on…OF-2b Alexei Ramirez— super athlete who plays a position they need at 2b.. Alfonso Soriano type skills
5- Minnesota
Good-Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer among the top players in the game…. excellent manager in Ron Gardenhire…. resigned closer Joe Nathan
Bad-Lets run thru this teams offseason…
1- Lost CF and team leader Torii Hunter and replaced him with lunatic Delmon Young and Craig Monroe
2- Trade Johan Santana— the new #1 starter…LIVIAN HERNANDEZ-
Bad, bad team, young and poor SP, platoon type players in the INF….
Keep an Eye on….Manager Ron Gardenhire… he might hang himself by June
AL WEST
1-Seattle
2- Los Angeles
3- Texas
4- Oakland
1- Seattle
Good-Deep top 5 SP, led by elite top end guys in Felix Hernandez and Eric Bedard… elite stud closer in RHP JJ Putz and deep set-up unit…. homefield is a huge weapon, best pitchers park in AL… good team offense….Raul Ibanez among the most consistent bats in the game… excellent left side INF D…. and that Ichiro guy is ok
Bad-Top 2 Sps are young and volatile…injury issues? … Need Wilkerson and Sexson to hit HRs, team lacks power
2-Los Angeles-AL WILD CARD WINNER
Good-Excellent game manager.. good energy and athletes, NL type team….Vlad Guerrero among the most feared hitters in the game… elite closer in KRod…. Torii Hunter signing improves D(moves Gary Matthews Jr to LF) and allows them to rest vets Garrett Anderson and Vlad at DH….Deep bullpen with variety
Bad-Up and down defensive team….pitching injuries to 2 of the top 3(John Lackey, Kelvim Escobar) starters plus top set-up guy(Scott Shields) could kill this team… could use another elite bat…. GM and owner have not made a big move with trades, team has tons of prospects and has held them
3- Texas-
Good-Decent everyday lineup.- power, variety,speed— new CF Josh Hamilton is a stud…. deep catching… starting pitching and young closer(CJ Wilson) with upside
Bad-terrible ballpark for pitching development… need comeback years from Blalock,Michael Young and Milton Bradley
Tell me why….Team trades Mark Teixeira for Jarrod Saltalamacchia– who is now in the minors? I forgot Gerald Laird is going to Cooperstown!
4-Oakland-
Good-GM is among the best in the game…. Top 2 SPs in Blanton and Harden… young closer…. Young 1b prospect Daric Barton is a tremendous talent
Bad-Kids in the AL- not good!….. Eric Chavez’s back is hurt…. AGAIN… team is in full rebuild mode… tradeable assets in Joe Blanton, Rich Harden and Huston Street
