A quick look at the other contenders in the AL

This is kinda hard considering how many players are still out there to be had both on the free agent market. For instance, someone in the AL is probably gonna sign Jason Giambi or Ken Griffey Jr., who are both past the point of being able to play the field but could fill out a mid-market contender's lineup very, very nicely. Also, it appears the Yankees are looking to unload one of their excess outfielders, meaning someone could come away with Hideki Matsui, Xavier Nady, or Nick Swisher before all is said and done.
However, it seems like there are a few interesting teams out there to keep an eye on, so let's look at a few of the contenders in the Central and the West.
AL Central
Detroit Tigers - This, to me, might be the most fascinating team in the league. Last year, at this time, the world was picking the Tigers to go to the World Series and win. They had just added one of the best young hitters in the game, Miguel Cabrera, and a risky yet worthy reclamation project in Dontrelle Willis. Added to a team that already had stars, it seemed a logical conclusion that Detroit was poised for a big year.

What happened?

Things went wrong, very, very wrong.

So, a year after being a favorite, few people are talking about the Tiggers right now. They didn't make any splashes in the off season and some of their veterans look to be at the end of their rope.

However, a quick look at their team suggest the rhetoric about the Tigers might have been a year premature.

The Tigers should put out a lineup that looks something like this: Curtis Granderson (CF), Adam Everett (SS), Magglio Ordonez (RF), Miguel Cabrera (1B), Carlos Guillen (LF), Gary Sheffield (DH), Brandon Inge (3B), Placido Polanco (2B). That is a pretty impressive lineup, if I do say so myself. Now, I know that group didn't produce a lot last year, but two years in a row? I just have to believe they will click all together.

The real question is gonna be the teams pitching. I loved the acquisition of Edwin Jackson, a talented righty who showed skills with the Rays during a pennant race last year. Justin Verlander is too talented not to bounce back from his horrid 08 season and still has the stuff to be an electric pitcher in this league. But, after that, there are some real problems, the biggest being Jeremy Bonderman. The hard throwing right hander was one of the most important players to the Tigers in their run to the series in 06. He seemed to have turned a corner, throwing over 200 innings for the first time and harnessing his fastball and hard slider. Then, in 07, he went south again, pitching only 174 innings and posting a 5+ ERA. Last season was a wash as he spent most of the time out of the rotation with injuries.

Bonderman is only 26, even though it seems like he has been around forever, and he is still as talented as ever. If he is right, and Verlander rebounds, the rotation should be good enough to make the Tigers a real threat. If, however, Bonderman just continues to regress, then all bets are off.

My thoughts? I see a rebound year for the Tigers. Jim Leyland is a good enough coach to get more out of these players than he did last year.

Cleveland Indians - Another hot pick from last year, the Indians were miserable almost right from the start. First, CC Sabathia (yes, he was an Indian at the beginning of the year) started off very slow, as did Fausto Carmona, and the vaunted Cleveland offense was no where to be found. By the time the Indians started to feel a little better about themselves it was far too late. They were so far back they had a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup than a division ring.

But, just like the Tigers, the Indians return a team that, based on talent, has a chance to do real damage and, like the Tigers, they made some moves that were overshadowed by the big name moves in December but are, none the less, imperative to helping them win.

First, the lineup has the potential to be explosive, and the recent trade for Mark DeRosa from the Cubs was masterful. He will give that team some much needed leadership and a great bat at the top of the lineup. Grady Sizemore had a terrific year last season and looks to be a perennial star and Shin-Soo Choo was a revelation in the outfield.

This offense, however, will thrive based on two players; Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez.

Both of those players have the talent, and the track records, to believe they can put up HUGE numbers, but both were busts last year. Martinez was a victim of injuries, whereas Hafner was a mixed bag. He started off slow, got injured, came back, got injured again, and never seemed to be able to establish his season. Is Hafner washed up before the age of 30? Hard to imagine.

My guess would be both will have bounce back years.

As with all teams, the pitching is the big question mark, but I actually believe the Indians might be in a better situation than the Tigers in this department. Yes, CC Sabathia left, but Cliff Lee showed himself to be a top-flight pitcher. Can he duplicate that again? I don't know if he could be THAT good again, but he certainly showed an understanding of how to pitch that would indicate that he can stay at the top of the league for a long time. Fausto Carmona was a microcosim of the entire team: lofty expectations that fell flat on its face. Carmona had injuries and performance problems all year, making only 22 starts, 120 innings, and posting a 5.44 ERA. That is a far cry from the previous year when Carmona looked poised to establish himself as an elite pitcher. So, which year was the true indicator?

I am gonna bet on 2007 rather than 2008. Carmona is still only 25 and very talented. Last year went up in smoke, but his stuff is too good to be kept down for long.

The third part of the equation is Jeremy Sowers. Sowers, like Carmona, had high hopes for 08 and those were dashed fairly quickly. Yet the 25-year-old lefty remains someone people expect big things from and, like Carmona, his stuff indicates he should be much better this year than last.

In the bullpen, the Indians revealed their belief that they are going to be challengers this year by signing Kerry Woods to be the team's closer. When the Indians made their run to the ALCS in 07, their achilles heal was the pen. Woods promises to give Cleveland their first real closer since perhaps Lee Smith.

If I were making my picks today, I would take the Indians to win the central, with the Tigers battling them right up until the end of the season. That's what I saw for the division last year and I think I was a year too early.

AL West

Texas Rangers - I am not going to spend any time on the Angels because we all know they are the class of this division. In fact, I had a really hard time finding a team I felt would have a chance in heck of actually keeping them in site for more than two months. My first thought focused on the A's. With the acquisition of Matt Holliday, I thought they would make the most sense. However, a quick look at their roster indicates how strange that move really was. There just isn't any talent there. Maybe moneyball guru Billy Beane knows something I don't, but I just don't see a challenger hiding in that lineup.

The Mariners? Please, I went down that road last year when they had more talent and more options and look where that got everyone. They lost Raul Ibanez and Erik Bedard looks like his injuries have gotten the best of him (not to mention his sour disposition). They have no chance.

That leaves me to make the case for the Rangers.

(Deep breath) Here it goes.

First, I love their lineup. Besides the Angels, this is the best offense in the division by far. Ian Kinsler, Micheal Young, and Josh Hamilton are bonafide stars and big time offensive players. Hank Blalock appears ready to enter the season healthy, meaning a big addition to the offense, and first baseman Chris Davis and catcher Taylor Teagarden (who appears to be the best of the three catchers the Rangers have) are rising stars. It should be an offense that can generate a bunch of runs, especially down in the hot weather in Texas.

Of course, the problem with the Rangers is pitching. Right now, the starting five are Kevin Millwood, Matt Harrison, Vincent Padilla, Dustin Nippert, and Scott Feldman. The pen includes closer CJ Wilson, who proved to have talent last year, and good arms in Frank Francisco and Joaquin Benoit. But, let's face it, that staff isn't exactly keeping hitting coaches up all night.

So, how to overcome that? First, they'll have to get some good starts out of Matt Harrison, the 22 year old who has good stuff and needs to harness that talent. They also need to get serviceable years out of Millwood and Pedilla, neither one of whom are difference makers but perhaps could offer up seasons that could be considered decent overall.

The only reason I have optimism?

Like I said, the Rangers have three very good, young catching prospect (Tegarden, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Max Ramirez) and I have a feeling that they could trade, before or during the season, of the three in a small package for a good young arm. Now, the arm might not be ready to break out this season, but you would assume there would be real talent there. If Harrison pitched well and the Rangers secured another nice young arm from a trade, their offense and decent bullpen should be enough to keep them competitive.

Again, I don't expect much from them, but looking at that division, I don't think it takes a lot to be the second best team behind the Angels.

Other interesting clubs:

Minnesota Twins - Look, they are gonna be competitive. They always are. And, if they got some breaks, could they be in the playoff hunt yet again? Sure. They have two great players in Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, and despite his attitude problems, Delmon Young has the talent to be special as well. Carlos Gomez, Michael Cuddyer, Nick Punto, and the rest of the roster are all solid major leaguers who play terrific defense and seem to just know how to get things done.

The X factor for the Twins will be Francisco Liriano, who is one of the most talented pitchers in the game. If Liriano can become that Johan Santana-esque pitcher, he could anchor a solid, if not spectacular rotation, with Joe Nathan and a good pen backing them up.

I just believe the Indians and Tigers are gonna be too much for teams this year.

Oakland Athletics - I just don't seem them having the chops to stay in there with the good teams without really good starting pitching, which has always been their bread and butter. Yes, Matt Holliday helps, as does Jason Giambi (signed 1/7/09), but they don't have the pieces to be a significant team, even if Billy Beane has convinced himself otherwise.