So, in the last few weeks we have seen hitters and pitchers who started the season on a tear fall back down towards their career numbers. Players like Bartolo Colon have regressed, and the elite hitters and pitchers are moving back towards the echelons at the top of the game. On the hitting side of the plate, Josh Hamilton still dominates most offensive numbers, although David Wright, Paul Konerko and Andre Ethier are all players who are doing some of the finest slugging in the league. On the mound, pitchers like Clayton Kershaw, Felix Hernandez and Gio Gonzalez are cementing their spots atop the pitching stats, but the player in an absolute league of his own is Justin Verlander. Words fail to accurately describe the skill, mastery and brutality that Verlander is showing on the mound, and put simply he is the best player in baseball, and is quickly making a case for himself as one of the greatest to grace the game.
Verlander only joined the Major Leagues in 2006, and from the start he showed glimpses of the dominance that was to come. In his debut season, he went 17-9 with a 3.63 ERA and 124 strikeouts. In 2008 he suffered the only down year of his career, racking up a league-leading 18 losses. However, his resurgence from that was nothing short of remarkable, culminating in an MVP and Cy Young winning season in 2011, leading the league in almost every pitching category as well as throwing the second no-hitter of his career.
But the real reason Verlander is so dominant cannot be attributed to mere stats. Verlander's arsenal is, on paper, frightening. He possesses a fastball, change-up, curveball and slider. The slider is probably his least-used pitch, although in his recent 1-hit shutout of the Pirates, he used it far more frequently. It is particularly effective against right-handers, where it starts around the center of the zone before dropping away off the table. The curveball is one of the best in business. At around 80mph, Verlander not only gets hitters hacking away at the dirt but he can, and does, throw this curve for strikes. Against lefties and righties, Verlander is not afraid to start his breaking ball at eye-level and drop it into the zone for called strikes, and judging from the reaction of the hitters, it's not the kind of pitch you can deposit into the bleachers. His change-up is a 'circle change', making it's release point very similar to the fastball - in fact, it looks pretty much the same until it gets 30 feet from the plate.
But Verlander's champion pitch is, of course, the fastball. At the start of games, this pitch clocks in at around 94mph, and Verlander gets useful sinking, 2-seamer movement on it, generating groundball outs and locating it where he wants. But the most impressive part of this pitch is what he can do with it later in games. Around the 6th or 7th inning, this fastball will begin to challenge the speed gun, cranking up towards 97 or 98, and in big situations, breezing towards, and past 100 miles per hour. There are very few pitchers in the game who can hit triple digits, and absolutely none who can do it 130 pitches into a game, whilst painting the outside corner. Verlander's control of his fastball is insane, and when he wants to, he can simply blow hitters away, as he did in his last start, against Cleveland, striking out the side in the 8th inning with 102 mph fastballs. In my opinion, Verlander could easily throw at 104 or 105 - his 'gas' is so easy it beggars belief, his arm stays fluid, but the ball just flies out, and the way that he makes the game look so easy is the reason why he should (and will) be considered one of the best of all time - he is just 29 years old remember.
Right now, as fans, all we can do is sit back and enjoy the show. Because the 6"5 right hander, out of Richmond, Virginia is putting on a show.
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Sunday 20 May 2012
Week 8 Roundup
So, another two weeks have passed in the baseball world, and it's time for another roundup. As the early-season gaudy stats died down, the more elite players in the game returned to the top of the standings and in general there have not been too many massive surprises. However, that doesn't mean there haven't been any...
Has there been a bigger surprise in baseball this year than the Baltimore Orioles? The question everyone has is are they for real? This is a side that in the past has struggled, particularly with pitching, but suddenly they have broken out this season, sporting an AL-best 27-14 record and topping one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Taking their spot at the bottom of the division are the ice-cold Boston Red Sox, who's early season bullpen implosion is still taking its toll. Baltimore's success has largely been down to the success of their bats, or more accurately the bats of Adam Jones and Matt Wieters. The toolsy outfielder has finally put it all together this season, hitting at a .310 average, with 14 homers, 29 RBI and 32 runs, playing a huge part in the success of this Orioles team. The catcher has also finally fulfilled the no.1 draft pick in the 2007 draft, hitting .243 with 8 homers and 20 RBI.
As a team, they have hit the most home runs in the Major Leagues with 64, despite striking out the most of any major league team. The team average and OBP is distinctly, well, average, coming in around the center of the pack. So why is this team so successful? Put simply, they are clutch. The Orioles leave the fewest runners in scoring position per game in the Majors, meaning if someone gets on base, they are likely to score. The bullpen has also been watertight in general, ensuring the Orioles come out of close games on top. Closer Jim Johnson leads the Majors in saves, and his bullpen mates Lindstrom, Strop, Ayala and O'day may not be household names, but they are turning in lights-out performances at the back of games. It will be interesting to see how long this purple patch lasts for the Orioles.
Justin Verlander turned in a typically dominant performance Friday night against the Pirates, coming 2 outs away from his 3rd career no hitter, but Josh Harrison's bloop base hit up the middle broke it up. Personally, I believe Verlander is the best player in baseball at the moment, and will be viewed as one of the greatest of all time come the end of his career. Last season he stepped up from the elite to the best, turning in an astonishing 24-5 record with a 2.40 ERA and 0.92 WHIP to win the MVP and Cy Young awards. He also led the league with 250 strikeouts, and looks set to continue those astounding numbers this season with a 5-1 record, 2.14 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and league-leading 68 strikeouts. The reason for Verlander's dominance is that he simply has another gear that he can click into when he needs to. At the start of games, Verlander's fastball hovers around 94mph, but inning by inning, this increases, allowing Verlander to hit 100mph comfortably by the end of games. This isn't clunky, awkward speed. This is easy gas, Verlander barely strains a sinew as he cranks the velocity up and paints the outside corner with a 100mph heater after 130 pitches like here, against KC. I don't doubt that, if need be, Verlander could throw harder, for longer in games, but he simply doesn't need to. He can save his 100mph heaters for the best hitters, or the big situations. Oh, and if you manage to catch up with his dominating fastball, he can drop a curveball off the table, or freeze you with a changeup, or make you look stupid with a slider. Tigers coach called Verlander's friday night performance the greatest he's ever seen, and it's hard to disagree. It was almost a crime that the Pirates got a hit - they didn't deserve to go near him. Verlander himself admitted that when he took to the mound for the 9th inning he felt as though the no-hitter was a formality. That's not to say he is arrogant. He is one of the more down-to-earth, likeable pitchers in the Majors, and that almost makes it worse.
Kerry Wood also called a day on his Major League career, striking out Dayan Viciedo in his final appearance for the Cubs. The pinnacle of his career ultimately came just 6 starts into his Major League career, when he produced what many believe was the most dominant pitching performance in baseball history, allowing one hit (an infield one, that may have been an error at other times) and striking out a major league record 20 hitters as a rookie. That performance was a glimpse of what ultimately could have been for Wood, who had his career blighted by injuries. Despite several reconstructive surgeries, Wood was never able to show off his over-powering stuff over a long period of time, and his injuries forced him into the bullpen and ultimately into retirement.
Elsewhere, Hamilton and David Wright continued their hot-hitting start to the season, and the Nationals continued to turn heads, particularly with their arms, who continue to lead the Majors in ERA and strikeouts as they top a very competitive division. Interleague play started this week and promises to provide more excitement as wins become more important. Stay tuned!
Has there been a bigger surprise in baseball this year than the Baltimore Orioles? The question everyone has is are they for real? This is a side that in the past has struggled, particularly with pitching, but suddenly they have broken out this season, sporting an AL-best 27-14 record and topping one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Taking their spot at the bottom of the division are the ice-cold Boston Red Sox, who's early season bullpen implosion is still taking its toll. Baltimore's success has largely been down to the success of their bats, or more accurately the bats of Adam Jones and Matt Wieters. The toolsy outfielder has finally put it all together this season, hitting at a .310 average, with 14 homers, 29 RBI and 32 runs, playing a huge part in the success of this Orioles team. The catcher has also finally fulfilled the no.1 draft pick in the 2007 draft, hitting .243 with 8 homers and 20 RBI.
As a team, they have hit the most home runs in the Major Leagues with 64, despite striking out the most of any major league team. The team average and OBP is distinctly, well, average, coming in around the center of the pack. So why is this team so successful? Put simply, they are clutch. The Orioles leave the fewest runners in scoring position per game in the Majors, meaning if someone gets on base, they are likely to score. The bullpen has also been watertight in general, ensuring the Orioles come out of close games on top. Closer Jim Johnson leads the Majors in saves, and his bullpen mates Lindstrom, Strop, Ayala and O'day may not be household names, but they are turning in lights-out performances at the back of games. It will be interesting to see how long this purple patch lasts for the Orioles.
Justin Verlander turned in a typically dominant performance Friday night against the Pirates, coming 2 outs away from his 3rd career no hitter, but Josh Harrison's bloop base hit up the middle broke it up. Personally, I believe Verlander is the best player in baseball at the moment, and will be viewed as one of the greatest of all time come the end of his career. Last season he stepped up from the elite to the best, turning in an astonishing 24-5 record with a 2.40 ERA and 0.92 WHIP to win the MVP and Cy Young awards. He also led the league with 250 strikeouts, and looks set to continue those astounding numbers this season with a 5-1 record, 2.14 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and league-leading 68 strikeouts. The reason for Verlander's dominance is that he simply has another gear that he can click into when he needs to. At the start of games, Verlander's fastball hovers around 94mph, but inning by inning, this increases, allowing Verlander to hit 100mph comfortably by the end of games. This isn't clunky, awkward speed. This is easy gas, Verlander barely strains a sinew as he cranks the velocity up and paints the outside corner with a 100mph heater after 130 pitches like here, against KC. I don't doubt that, if need be, Verlander could throw harder, for longer in games, but he simply doesn't need to. He can save his 100mph heaters for the best hitters, or the big situations. Oh, and if you manage to catch up with his dominating fastball, he can drop a curveball off the table, or freeze you with a changeup, or make you look stupid with a slider. Tigers coach called Verlander's friday night performance the greatest he's ever seen, and it's hard to disagree. It was almost a crime that the Pirates got a hit - they didn't deserve to go near him. Verlander himself admitted that when he took to the mound for the 9th inning he felt as though the no-hitter was a formality. That's not to say he is arrogant. He is one of the more down-to-earth, likeable pitchers in the Majors, and that almost makes it worse.
Kerry Wood also called a day on his Major League career, striking out Dayan Viciedo in his final appearance for the Cubs. The pinnacle of his career ultimately came just 6 starts into his Major League career, when he produced what many believe was the most dominant pitching performance in baseball history, allowing one hit (an infield one, that may have been an error at other times) and striking out a major league record 20 hitters as a rookie. That performance was a glimpse of what ultimately could have been for Wood, who had his career blighted by injuries. Despite several reconstructive surgeries, Wood was never able to show off his over-powering stuff over a long period of time, and his injuries forced him into the bullpen and ultimately into retirement.
Elsewhere, Hamilton and David Wright continued their hot-hitting start to the season, and the Nationals continued to turn heads, particularly with their arms, who continue to lead the Majors in ERA and strikeouts as they top a very competitive division. Interleague play started this week and promises to provide more excitement as wins become more important. Stay tuned!
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Week 6 Roundup
Well, straight off the bat, apologies, I have been a little tardy with my weekly matchups of late, and so have managed to skip out 3 or 4 weeks. But fear not, because I've been staying in touch with the Majors and hopefully will stay on track a little better from now on...
So, what's happened since last time? Perhaps the biggest news is Albert Pujols finally hitting his first homer, ending the longest drought of his 12 year career. It appeared that the weight of the $240m dollar deal he signed during the off season was weighing down on his shoulders, but hopefully this will allow him to break out of the slump, because the Angels need him to spark some offense!
The biggest rookie phenomenon in recent years, Bryce Harper, got his call up to the big league after injuries forced the Nats to call him up prematurely. Aged just 19 years old, Harper has not disappointed the incredible hype surrounding his promotion and has hit maturely in his first 10 games for the Nationals, drawing walks and coming up with key hits. He was at the centre of fresh controversy this week when Cole Hamels, Philadelphia starting pitcher, admitted he had deliberately thrown at Harper in the first inning of their game in Washington, when he plunked Harper in the back with his first pitch. Harper exacted his revenge by stealing home a few plays later, and Hamels himself got hit in his next at-bat (although Zimmermann denied throwing at him intentionally). Nationals manager Mike Rizzo called it 'the most gutless act' he had ever seen in baseball, and since Hamels has been given a 5 game suspension (meaning his next start will be pushed back an entire day).
Also called up to the big league has been Angels prospect Mike Trout. The 5 tool center-fielder was raking in AAA and so got the call up to the big leagues, where he struggled early but has started to find his feet. Rays pitching phenom Matt Moore has disappointed so far in his first major league season, with a 1-2 record, an ERA of 5.71 and a WHIP of 1.64. More worryingly, his K/9 rate is down, and his walk/9 rate is up from the small glimpse we got of him last season, and he simply doesn't have the swing and miss stuff that made jaws drop at the end of last season. Personally, I think this is because he is being made to throw too many fastballs. I haven't seen every game he's thrown, but from what I have seen, he is throwing fastballs 80% of the time. Although his fastball is a good pitch, it simply isn't good enough unless he matches it with off-speed and breaking pitches. Hitters have learnt to sit on his fastball, and when he doesn't locate it, he hasn't got the speed or movement to make it miss the bat. Last season, he was mixing in a healthy stream of curveballs and changeups, forcing hitters off balance and getting them to swing at pitches outside the zone. Because his fastball is getting battered, Moore is trying to catch the corners, and as a consequence he's falling behind in the count. And when you're down 3-0 or 3-1, you're asking for trouble. Moore needs to find the confidence he had in his other pitches, and use them more sparingly.
This comes as a strong contrast to the fortunes of Texas rookie Yu Darvish. The Japanese import has had a strong start to the season, with a 4-1 record through 6 starts, ERA of 2.54 and WHIP of 1.46. More impressively, he has K'd 44 in 39 innings of work, and in his last start against the Indians was nigh-on unhittable, with 18 swinging strikes out of his 112 pitches thrown. He struck out 11, 10 on his breaking ball which is one of the nastiest pitches in the league. The only issues he has faced are control issues. He has walked 21 batters, which restricts him from being a top level pitcher. Not only does it put a man on base, but it pushed his pitch count up, and forces him to throw more fastballs. If he can get his command under control, Darvish might be one of the best pitchers in the league. In my eye there's no question, he has the nastiest curveball in the league - check this link if you don't believe me.
Oh, and whilst we're talking about impressive outings, how about Josh Hamilton last night (8/5/12). Try going 5/5 with 4 home runs and 18 total bases. An incredible performance that is made all the better because of Hamilton's career, as he put the team on his back and took every Orioles pitcher deep in one of the most incredible single-game performances in recent history (it was the first 4 homer game since 2003, and the most total bases in AL history). Hamilton is having quite some season so far, and if he can continue his torrid pace without getting injured, we could see an MVP season for one of the most talented men in baseball.
In terms of team standings, there are a lot of puzzling questions. Are the Orioles for real? Are the Red Sox for real? The Orioles top the AL East with a 19-11 record, whilst the Red Sox (who many tipped for the division title) are sitting in last place, 4 games behind 4th placed Toronto. Texas sit top of their division, which is just reward for an incredible start to the season with the lumber. The Dodgers have continued to impress, behind MVP-calibre performances from Matt Kemp, and the Nationals have been very impressive considering their injuries, with their rotation and bullpen boasting the best ERA in the majors. A lot will change before next time, but for Orioles fans, there's no time like the present.
So, what's happened since last time? Perhaps the biggest news is Albert Pujols finally hitting his first homer, ending the longest drought of his 12 year career. It appeared that the weight of the $240m dollar deal he signed during the off season was weighing down on his shoulders, but hopefully this will allow him to break out of the slump, because the Angels need him to spark some offense!
The biggest rookie phenomenon in recent years, Bryce Harper, got his call up to the big league after injuries forced the Nats to call him up prematurely. Aged just 19 years old, Harper has not disappointed the incredible hype surrounding his promotion and has hit maturely in his first 10 games for the Nationals, drawing walks and coming up with key hits. He was at the centre of fresh controversy this week when Cole Hamels, Philadelphia starting pitcher, admitted he had deliberately thrown at Harper in the first inning of their game in Washington, when he plunked Harper in the back with his first pitch. Harper exacted his revenge by stealing home a few plays later, and Hamels himself got hit in his next at-bat (although Zimmermann denied throwing at him intentionally). Nationals manager Mike Rizzo called it 'the most gutless act' he had ever seen in baseball, and since Hamels has been given a 5 game suspension (meaning his next start will be pushed back an entire day).
Also called up to the big league has been Angels prospect Mike Trout. The 5 tool center-fielder was raking in AAA and so got the call up to the big leagues, where he struggled early but has started to find his feet. Rays pitching phenom Matt Moore has disappointed so far in his first major league season, with a 1-2 record, an ERA of 5.71 and a WHIP of 1.64. More worryingly, his K/9 rate is down, and his walk/9 rate is up from the small glimpse we got of him last season, and he simply doesn't have the swing and miss stuff that made jaws drop at the end of last season. Personally, I think this is because he is being made to throw too many fastballs. I haven't seen every game he's thrown, but from what I have seen, he is throwing fastballs 80% of the time. Although his fastball is a good pitch, it simply isn't good enough unless he matches it with off-speed and breaking pitches. Hitters have learnt to sit on his fastball, and when he doesn't locate it, he hasn't got the speed or movement to make it miss the bat. Last season, he was mixing in a healthy stream of curveballs and changeups, forcing hitters off balance and getting them to swing at pitches outside the zone. Because his fastball is getting battered, Moore is trying to catch the corners, and as a consequence he's falling behind in the count. And when you're down 3-0 or 3-1, you're asking for trouble. Moore needs to find the confidence he had in his other pitches, and use them more sparingly.
This comes as a strong contrast to the fortunes of Texas rookie Yu Darvish. The Japanese import has had a strong start to the season, with a 4-1 record through 6 starts, ERA of 2.54 and WHIP of 1.46. More impressively, he has K'd 44 in 39 innings of work, and in his last start against the Indians was nigh-on unhittable, with 18 swinging strikes out of his 112 pitches thrown. He struck out 11, 10 on his breaking ball which is one of the nastiest pitches in the league. The only issues he has faced are control issues. He has walked 21 batters, which restricts him from being a top level pitcher. Not only does it put a man on base, but it pushed his pitch count up, and forces him to throw more fastballs. If he can get his command under control, Darvish might be one of the best pitchers in the league. In my eye there's no question, he has the nastiest curveball in the league - check this link if you don't believe me.
Oh, and whilst we're talking about impressive outings, how about Josh Hamilton last night (8/5/12). Try going 5/5 with 4 home runs and 18 total bases. An incredible performance that is made all the better because of Hamilton's career, as he put the team on his back and took every Orioles pitcher deep in one of the most incredible single-game performances in recent history (it was the first 4 homer game since 2003, and the most total bases in AL history). Hamilton is having quite some season so far, and if he can continue his torrid pace without getting injured, we could see an MVP season for one of the most talented men in baseball.
In terms of team standings, there are a lot of puzzling questions. Are the Orioles for real? Are the Red Sox for real? The Orioles top the AL East with a 19-11 record, whilst the Red Sox (who many tipped for the division title) are sitting in last place, 4 games behind 4th placed Toronto. Texas sit top of their division, which is just reward for an incredible start to the season with the lumber. The Dodgers have continued to impress, behind MVP-calibre performances from Matt Kemp, and the Nationals have been very impressive considering their injuries, with their rotation and bullpen boasting the best ERA in the majors. A lot will change before next time, but for Orioles fans, there's no time like the present.
Tuesday 1 May 2012
Division breakdown: AL Central
One division down, 5 to go, and continuing the journey across the AL, we stop off next at the AL Central Division. Like the AL East, the Central division has 5 teams. Although often thought of as a reasonably uncompetitive division, it plays host to some of the more exciting teams in baseball. They are the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals.
Last season, the Tigers ran away with the title, with 95 wins, 15 clear of second place Cleveland. Behind MVP pitcher Justin Verlander, the Tigers were simply unstoppable, riding the big bats of Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez to a place in the ALCS after disposing of the Yankees, although they lost to the Rangers at the final hurdle. This season looks like being no different, although no doubt the other teams in the division will have something to say about that...
The Chicago White Sox were not long ago the dominant force in the division, winning the World Series in 2005, and securing another AL Central title in 2008, but now are forced to rebuild. The pitching is not as dominant as it once was, as ace of the rotation Mark Buehrle has joined the Marlins, and the pressure is now more on young pitchers Chris Sale and Addison Reed. With the bat, old forces Paul Konerko and AJ Pierzynski continue to rack up the hits, but last season's massive bust Adam Dunn will be hoping to rebound from an average that would embarrass most pitchers. The Sox don't look like being valid candidates for the post-season this year, and a couple of seasons of rebuilding look in store, as they try to find the line-up of the future.
The Cleveland Indians do not have quite the same history as the White Sox to fall back on, but look destined to be a team that could challenge for the division in the not too distant future. After several reshapes in the years leading up to 2011, the team seemed to have a good, young core, destined to be strong in several teams. The side took a step back in many people's eyes when they traded away 4 top prospects in order to get Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies. Jimenez has since underperformed, although the Indians staff is still a strong one. Behind consistent sinker-baller Justin Masterson, Jimenez, Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez all provide strong performances. With the bat, the team revolves around young catcher Carlos Santana, who is considered by many to be one of the best catchers in the Majors. Having just turned 26, the Indians will be hoping his best days are yet to come. Two bright prospects punctuate the infield - second baseman Jason Kipnis who strode onto the big scene in a big way last season and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, who suffered an injury at the beginning of the season keeping him off the roster. The Indians will likely be vying for second place this season, but the future looks bright for the Tribe.
The Detroit Tigers are not only favourites to win the division, but in many people's eyes, they are favourites for the World Series title. After an impressive performance last season, the Tigers bolstered their offense in a massive way over the off-season, splurging the cash on 1st baseman Prince Fielder to cover for the injury to Victor Martinez. Whilst this move forced Miguel Cabrera to move to 3rd base, it also gave him fantastic protection in the lineup, meaning a possible breakout season for one of the greatest hitters in the league. On the mound, the Tigers look no further than ace Justin Verlander, who is nothing short of an incredible athlete. Topping 100mph consistently on the speed gun (he threw the final pitch of the night at 100mph the other day against KC), and with a nasty slider, curveball and changeup to complement it, Verlander is the most dominant pitcher in the league, and he is backed up ably by ground-ball pitchers Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer.
The Kansas City Royals are in many ways similar to the Indians. Over the last 10 years, the Royals have plummeted from low to low, recording several 100 loss seasons, signing free agents, trading big money players and having Cy Young winner Zack Greinke traded away to the Brewers. However, last season the prospect-collecting began to reap dividends. Players like Alex Gordon stepped up and took leadership in the clubhouse, while young talents Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Manny Pina, Johnny Giavotella and Salvador Perez were called up to the big leagues. Hosmer in particular began to shine, and looks set to provide pop from the heart of the Royals lineup. The pitching staff is led by veteran Bruce Chen, with Luke Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez providing able support. The team won't challenge for the division this year, but should definitely be ones to watch for the coming seasons.
And finally the Minnesota Twins. The Twins dominated the AL Central for most of the 2000's, winning the title in 6 of the 10 years. However, the team is now much weaker, and finished last season in last place in the division with a 63-99 record. The team was weak on offense, with all-star catcher Joe Mauer out injured and ineffective for the season. Only Cuddyer (who has since been traded to the Rockies), Kubel, Revere and Valencia logged over 100 hits whilst the Twins did not have a single 10 game winner on the mound. There is not a whole lot of depth in the minors and prospect development is not particularly strong, so it may be a few seasons yet before the Twins can compete for the division title again.
So, who will end up where? The top and bottom are easy in my opinion. The Tigers are too strong not to be considered favourites, and should take the division at a canter. I'd expect the Indians to finish second provided their young players continue to develop. Kansas City should finish a comfortable third, but they have been off to a terrible start this year, and will need the likes of Hosmer and Butler to come up big if they want to turn it around. The White Sox and Twins will likely battle it out for fourth, although the Sox have gotten off to a tear so far this year, particularly with the bat, and will be looking to show they're more than just an ageing team.
The MVP of the decision is in no doubt in my mind, as Miguel Cabrera should benefit from having the big bat of Fielder behind him in the lineup, and should have a career year with some astronomical numbers. The Royals will see improved production from star first baseman Eric Hosmer, the Indians will hope to see a breakout year from young pitcher Justin Masterson, the White Sox will hope Alex Rios can turn his fortunes around and the Twins will be hoping Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau can bounce back from injuries and have massive 2012's.
It should be a tight, competitive year in the AL Central, but I find it tricky to see anyone beating the Tigers.
Last season, the Tigers ran away with the title, with 95 wins, 15 clear of second place Cleveland. Behind MVP pitcher Justin Verlander, the Tigers were simply unstoppable, riding the big bats of Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez to a place in the ALCS after disposing of the Yankees, although they lost to the Rangers at the final hurdle. This season looks like being no different, although no doubt the other teams in the division will have something to say about that...
The Chicago White Sox were not long ago the dominant force in the division, winning the World Series in 2005, and securing another AL Central title in 2008, but now are forced to rebuild. The pitching is not as dominant as it once was, as ace of the rotation Mark Buehrle has joined the Marlins, and the pressure is now more on young pitchers Chris Sale and Addison Reed. With the bat, old forces Paul Konerko and AJ Pierzynski continue to rack up the hits, but last season's massive bust Adam Dunn will be hoping to rebound from an average that would embarrass most pitchers. The Sox don't look like being valid candidates for the post-season this year, and a couple of seasons of rebuilding look in store, as they try to find the line-up of the future.
The Cleveland Indians do not have quite the same history as the White Sox to fall back on, but look destined to be a team that could challenge for the division in the not too distant future. After several reshapes in the years leading up to 2011, the team seemed to have a good, young core, destined to be strong in several teams. The side took a step back in many people's eyes when they traded away 4 top prospects in order to get Ubaldo Jimenez from the Rockies. Jimenez has since underperformed, although the Indians staff is still a strong one. Behind consistent sinker-baller Justin Masterson, Jimenez, Tomlin and Jeanmar Gomez all provide strong performances. With the bat, the team revolves around young catcher Carlos Santana, who is considered by many to be one of the best catchers in the Majors. Having just turned 26, the Indians will be hoping his best days are yet to come. Two bright prospects punctuate the infield - second baseman Jason Kipnis who strode onto the big scene in a big way last season and third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall, who suffered an injury at the beginning of the season keeping him off the roster. The Indians will likely be vying for second place this season, but the future looks bright for the Tribe.
The Detroit Tigers are not only favourites to win the division, but in many people's eyes, they are favourites for the World Series title. After an impressive performance last season, the Tigers bolstered their offense in a massive way over the off-season, splurging the cash on 1st baseman Prince Fielder to cover for the injury to Victor Martinez. Whilst this move forced Miguel Cabrera to move to 3rd base, it also gave him fantastic protection in the lineup, meaning a possible breakout season for one of the greatest hitters in the league. On the mound, the Tigers look no further than ace Justin Verlander, who is nothing short of an incredible athlete. Topping 100mph consistently on the speed gun (he threw the final pitch of the night at 100mph the other day against KC), and with a nasty slider, curveball and changeup to complement it, Verlander is the most dominant pitcher in the league, and he is backed up ably by ground-ball pitchers Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer.
The Kansas City Royals are in many ways similar to the Indians. Over the last 10 years, the Royals have plummeted from low to low, recording several 100 loss seasons, signing free agents, trading big money players and having Cy Young winner Zack Greinke traded away to the Brewers. However, last season the prospect-collecting began to reap dividends. Players like Alex Gordon stepped up and took leadership in the clubhouse, while young talents Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Manny Pina, Johnny Giavotella and Salvador Perez were called up to the big leagues. Hosmer in particular began to shine, and looks set to provide pop from the heart of the Royals lineup. The pitching staff is led by veteran Bruce Chen, with Luke Hochevar and Jonathan Sanchez providing able support. The team won't challenge for the division this year, but should definitely be ones to watch for the coming seasons.
And finally the Minnesota Twins. The Twins dominated the AL Central for most of the 2000's, winning the title in 6 of the 10 years. However, the team is now much weaker, and finished last season in last place in the division with a 63-99 record. The team was weak on offense, with all-star catcher Joe Mauer out injured and ineffective for the season. Only Cuddyer (who has since been traded to the Rockies), Kubel, Revere and Valencia logged over 100 hits whilst the Twins did not have a single 10 game winner on the mound. There is not a whole lot of depth in the minors and prospect development is not particularly strong, so it may be a few seasons yet before the Twins can compete for the division title again.
So, who will end up where? The top and bottom are easy in my opinion. The Tigers are too strong not to be considered favourites, and should take the division at a canter. I'd expect the Indians to finish second provided their young players continue to develop. Kansas City should finish a comfortable third, but they have been off to a terrible start this year, and will need the likes of Hosmer and Butler to come up big if they want to turn it around. The White Sox and Twins will likely battle it out for fourth, although the Sox have gotten off to a tear so far this year, particularly with the bat, and will be looking to show they're more than just an ageing team.
The MVP of the decision is in no doubt in my mind, as Miguel Cabrera should benefit from having the big bat of Fielder behind him in the lineup, and should have a career year with some astronomical numbers. The Royals will see improved production from star first baseman Eric Hosmer, the Indians will hope to see a breakout year from young pitcher Justin Masterson, the White Sox will hope Alex Rios can turn his fortunes around and the Twins will be hoping Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau can bounce back from injuries and have massive 2012's.
It should be a tight, competitive year in the AL Central, but I find it tricky to see anyone beating the Tigers.
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