2017 American League Central Preview
Cleveland Indians
2016: 94-67 (AL Central Champs, Llost in World Series to Chicago Cubs)
Key additions: 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion, LHP Boone Logan
Key subtractions: 1B Mike Napoli, RHP Jeff Manship
Path to the playoffs: On paper, the Indians have the easiest path back to the playoffs. They'll need Jose Ramirez to prove his 2016 wasn't a fluke to with with Encarnacion, who should be an upgrade over Napoli, to combat for whatever they might not get from Michael Brantley or Jason Kipnis this year. Like any other team in sports, they need healthy. Because with health, there isn't another team in the division that's more than a marginal threat on paper.
X-factor: Trevor Bauer is 26 and has the prospect pedigree along with the stuff to be a frontline pitcher. The versions he's been so far suggest he's no better than a good 4th starter. But, he's the aside from Corey Kluber, he's the only pitcher in the starting rotation that's never had a history of arm problems (fingers are a different story). Kluber was worked hard last year in the postseason, so there's always some unknown with World Series hangovers. Carlos Carrasco, Danny Salazar, Josh Tomlin and even Mike Clevinger have all had Tommy John and now so has Cody Anderson. Bauer takes good care of his arm and seemingly never hurts and if he can get to 180 innings this year, it could be the key to holding together the rotation through any hangover issues it might have.
Detroit Tigers
2016: 86-75 (2nd in AL Central)
Key additions: C Alex Avila, OF Mikie Mathook
Key subtractions: OF Cameron Maybin
Path to the playoffs: The Tigers were a tiebreaker away from a postseason berth in 2016 despite some things going awry. If they get something close to 2016 Justin Verlander again, get prototypical seasons from Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, JD Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Nick Castellanos keeps improving, they have enough talent here to be a legitimate Wild Card contender and even the division if Michael Fulmer has another good year and Daniel Norris takes the step forward everyone thinks he can. They can't afford to spin their wheels out of the gate however, because the front office may look to move some pieces if they can't get into good position early.
X-factor: Jordan Zimmermann signed a 5 year/$120 million dollar deal last offseason and after a few good early starts was hurt or ineffective most of the year. Verlander should be able to have a Verlander season, Fulmer should be a solid mid-rotation guy along with Norris make a step forward and getting some production from Zimmermann would go a long way for a pitching staff that doesn't have a lot of depth behind their top four.
Kansas City Royals
2016: 81-81 (3rd in AL Central)
Key additions: RHP Jason Hammel, LHP Travis Wood, OF Jorge Soler, OF Brandon Moss
Key subtractions: RHP Yordano Ventura, RHP Wade Davis, RHP Edinson Volquez, 1B/DH Kendrys Morales
Path to the playoffs: The additions of Hammel and Wood along with Danny Duffy solidifying his status as staff ace will have to make up for the tragic loss of Ventura this offseason in the rotation. Matt Strahm and Kelvin Herrera will have to hold the fort down in the bullpen after the club opted to trade Davis rather than lose him as a free agent at the end of this season. Like the Tigers, they'll need to get off to a fast start because of the amount of pending free agents they have after the 2017 season.
X-factor: Michael Moustakas should provide a big return to the lineup after tearing his ACL last season. He's an impending free agent and if he can have a big season, the Royals lineup has a good chance to help support another mediocre rotation.
Chicago White Sox
2016: 78-84 (4th in AL Central)
Key additions: LHP Derek Holland, RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez, RHP MIchael Kopech, INF/OF Yoan Moncada
Key subtractions: C Alex Avila, LHP Chris Sale, OF Adam Eaton
Path to the playoffs: The White Sox put a rebuild in motion this offseason by trading Sale and Eaton and they may still try to sell of Jose Quintana, Melky Cabrera, Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier, David Robertson and Nate Jones. If they do that, their path to the playoffs probably includes a the words "twenty-twenty." If Holland even pitches well, they should flip him. Maybe for once they get off to a good start and find room for Moncada and some other prospects to help keep them afloat in a Wild Card race. Hey, crazier things have happened and at least they're not the Twins.
X-factor: For trading purposes, Quintana is their biggest chip.The longer they hold onto him, he could gain more value or he could get hurt. In order to really take the next step in the rebuilding phase, they'll want to move him and need him healthy and pitching well.
Minnesota Twins
2016: 59-103 (5th in AL Central)
Key additions: C Jason Castro
Key subtractions: C Kurt Suzuki, INF Trevor Plouffe
Path to the playoffs: Somehow in 2015, the Twins were in the Wild Card race into the season's final month. Then they came back to life. In order to contend for any postseason spot, Phil Hughes has to discover what he did in 2015 and three or four other starting pitchers are going to have to suddenly be able to get major league outs. There's enough offense here to be interesting but the bullpen would also have to have some fluky good year again as well for them to compete.
X-factor: Like the White Sox, Brian Dozier is the Twins biggest trade chip as they try to rebuild around some of their already young pieces. They missed a chance to trade him this offseason for young starting pitcher Jose De Leon from the Dodgers. They'll look to find another deal for him during the year and it would be great if he could almost recreate the monstrous second half he had in 2016.
POSTED 04/02/2017 00:19
Lake County Sentinel
