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A couple of teams in this division opened up the pocketbook in an effort to gain some ground on the Chicago White Sox,who ran away and hid from the rest of the pack in 2021.
Still, they’ve all got some holes. Pitching is a tough commodity to develop and hold onto. Even the White Sox let one slip away as Carlos Rodon, who came into his own last season and showed signs of being a dominant pitcher, flew the coop.
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So do others have a chance?
Let’s take a look at each team in the American League Central (listed in alphabetical order):
Chicago White Sox Team Preview 2022
To Win Division: -180
To Win AL Pennant: +550
To Win World Series: +950
This is the division’s most well-rounded team once again, and we say that even though they lost their top starter, Carlos Rodon, to the Giants in free agency.
Will they score? Well, there are assets up and down the lineup, like Jose Abreu (30 HR, 117 RBI), Luis Robert (.378 OBA), Tim Anderson (former batting champ) and Yasmani Grandal, one of the more productive catchers in the game (23 homers in 279 at bats, .420 on-base average last year).
There’s nothing wrong with the pitching. Lance Lynn (11-6, 2.69 ERA) was a Cy Young candidate for a while, and of course there is Lucas Giolito (11-9, 3.53, 178-2/3 innings). Dylan Cease (13-7) showed signs of really coming around. They probably don’t need to count on Dallas Keuchel (5.78 ERA last year) returning to the form that won him a Cy Young, but it wouldn’t hurt. Liam Hendriks was just a monster closer in 2021, with 14.3 strikeouts per nine innings, 38 saves and a microscopic 0.732 WHIP ratio.
The wild card here is Michael Kopech, at one time an all-world prospect, who has been sidetracked by injuries but might finally be ready to go into the starting rotation.
With 93 wins, the Pale Hose won this division by thirteen games last season. We think they should win it again, but we wouldn’t count on the same kind of margin.
Cleveland Guardians Team Preview 2022
To Win Division: +850
To Win AL Pennant: +2800
To Win World Series: +5500
Yeah, it’s been an interesting off-season, as this franchise changed its nickname. And we can say with some degree of confidence that most of their fans are not overjoyed with what they came up with.
This is a VERY young lineup; as we project it, there won’t be anyone over the age of 30. The stud, of course, is Jose Ramirez, who had 36 homers, 103 RBI and an .893 OPS last season.
Aside from 2020 Cy Young winner Shane Bieber, this is a no-name rotation, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be very effective, when you consider the 2021 performance of Aaron Civale (12-5, 1.12 WHIP) and Cal Quantrill (8-3, 2.89 ERA). And in the closer spot, you couldn’t have done much better than Emmanuel Clase, who posted a 1.29 ERA and 0.96 WHIP ratio, allowing just two homers in 69 innings.
Detroit Tigers Team Preview 2022
To Win Division: +550
To Win AL Pennant: +1750
To Win World Series: +3500
The Bengals certainly weren’t shy in the free agent market, signing infielder Javier Baez, who hit 31 homers last year, and Eduardo Rodriguez 913-8, 4.74 ERA for Boston last year), who was sixth in the Cy Young voting in 2019 after nineteen wins.
Certainly there are a few pieces in place. Right fielder Robbie Grossman had 23 homers and 20 steals in 2021; Jonathan Schoop provides some offense (22 HR. 84 RBI) from the second base spot.
Miguel Cabrera’s going to stick around and get his 3000th hit, but he hasn’t done a whole lot since 2018. Is there any reason to believe things will be different at age 39?
Kansas City Royals Team Preview 2022
To Win Division: +950
To Win AL Pennant: +4500
To Win World Series: +10000
Well, I think one of the questions you might have to ask yourself is whether catcher Salvador Perez can hit 48 home runs again. We wouldn’t be all that optimistic about it. And when you look at his .316 on-base percentage, well, that’s not the kind of thing you’d expect from a fearsome power hitter.
Whit Merrifield had 40 steals and a .277 average last year; he’s led the league in base hits twice and stolen bases three times, but he’s got to get on base more often. Most of his numbers were down in 2021, and it looks like he may be moving positions.
Righty Zack Greinke has returned to Kansas City to chew up some innings and add to a resume that might just land him in the Hall of Fame one day. But if he’s the #1 starter, that’s a problem. The highlight of this season might just be tracking what happens with third baseman Bobby Witt Jr., one of MLB’s best prospects, who, between Double-A and Triple-A, hit 33 homers and stole 29 bases last year.
Minnesota Twins Team Preview 2022
To Win Division: +400
To Win AL Pennant: +2300
To Win World Series: +4500
The Twins didn’t figure to make bold, aggressive moves in the off-season. Yet here they are, with some major pieces to play with.
They reached out and signed the most coveted free agent on the market when they inked shortstop Carlos Correa to a three-year, $105.5 million deal. He’ll make for quite a 1-2 punch with center fielder Brian Buxton (1.005 OPS in 2021).
If Minnesota doesn’t score some runs, the way they’re being scored these days, there should be an investigation. Guys like first baseman Miguel Sano (30 HR last year) and Jorge Polanco, who hit 33 round-trippers, pack considerable power. If nothing else, catcher Gary Sanchez can hit homers. The same can be said for Max Kepler. They’ll have to find a place for Gio Urshela, who they picked up from the Yankees with Sanchez in the trade that sent Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Bronx.
Sonny Gray also came over from Cincinnati to head up a starting rotation that will probably be the only thing that prevents the Twins from winning the division.
2022 American League Central Division Winner Prediction
1) Chicago White Sox
2) Minnesota Twins
3) Cleveland Guardians
4) Detroit Tigers
5) Kansas City Royals
