AL Central LONG Run

[NYSox35]

I have been saying all along that the Indians bother me more than Detroit.

My friends out here in NY think I'm insane...but here are a few reasons why:

1. Look at our record vs. Cleveland comapred with detroit

2. Cleveland hasn't gotten hot like last year, whereas Detroit already has had a hot run (doesn't mean they can't have more).

3. This is the big one for me... Det vs. AL's elite...

1-3 vs. NYY (This would've been 0-4 in all likelihood if Mo Rivera wasn't hurt (Farns blew a game).

1-2 vs. Bos

0-5 vs. White Sox (to date).

 

Thoughts?

[Kalapse]

Cleveland is the much scarier team of the 2, right now they're still hanging out around .500 waiting to make thier big run. Their pitching is much weaker this year, bullpen included but after last season it's hard to discount the Indians especially with the way that lineup can hit when they're clicking.

[NYSox35]

Cleveland is the much scarier team of the 2, right now they're still hanging out around .500 waiting to make thier big run. Their pitching is much weaker this year, bullpen included but after last season it's hard to discount the Indians especially with the way that lineup can hit when they're clicking.

 

Well said Kalapse! Yeah, their pitching is somewhat down, I just feel they have more firepower to hang with us over 162 games when compared to Detroit.

[Wedge]

Cleveland is the much scarier team of the 2, right now they're still hanging out around .500 waiting to make thier big run. Their pitching is much weaker this year, bullpen included but after last season it's hard to discount the Indians especially with the way that lineup can hit when they're clicking.

 

The Indians certainly have shown they are capable of the big run, but they've lost a bunch of pieces from last year's team that helped make that possible. I just don't see them catching the "never lose a game" magic they had going for about 2 months.

 

I fear the Tigers more because I think Leyland is a fantastic manager (I don't think Wedge with the Indians is very good) and I think that they are a very complete team. They have a respectable defensive player at each position that can hit and a pretty good pitching staff. Now, I think losing Maroth is going to hurt a bit (who would have said that a year ago) and might be the difference between the division and the wild card for the Tigers.

[southsider2k5]

Definately Cleveland. Detroit looked scared in these two games, and seems to be slipping into a tailspin.

[DBAHO]

Long term I think the Tigers may POTENTIALLY have the better pitching of the 2. Verlander, Bonderman, Zumaya and Miller should all be building blocks for that organization.

 

But there's no doubt, Cleveland has the better nucleus with their hitters. But they'll need the likes of Jeremy Sowers to succeed in the majors or they'll need to keep dipping into the FA market for SP's.

 

As for this season, I'd still be 50-50. Johnson and Byrd are weaknesses in that rotation, and no matter how the Tribe hit, they'll need to least pitch better than what they have so far.

[Kalapse]

Long term I think the Tigers may POTENTIALLY have the better pitching of the 2. Verlander, Bonderman, Zumaya and Miller should all be building blocks for that organization.

 

But there's no doubt, Cleveland has the better nucleus with their hitters. But they'll need the likes of Jeremy Sowers to succeed in the majors or they'll need to keep dipping into the FA market for SP's.

When it comes to the long long run I'd go with the Tigers simply because of that pitching staff. That's a s*** load of fire power between a few guys and they throw it so damn easily it's scary. Also, they have proven that they have absolutley not problem with spending some money (I-Rod, Maggs, Rogers) so they could look to add a few pieces through free agency as well as keeping their good young players around for as long as possible.

[Dick Allen]

Assuming the White Sox stay healthy, Cleveland can't fall too much far behind. They have a good team, but its very doubtful they could come up with a streak like last season. Detroit has a solid team, and to me is in the same boat as Cleveland last year, except maybe a little better. If the Indians could have beat the White Sox head to head last year, the season probably would have been a different story. If Detroit was able to beat the White Sox this year, they would be running away with the division. If the Sox fix their bullpen, and health isn't an issue, they should win. If either fails, they could easily come in 3rd.

[DBAHO]

When it comes to the long long run I'd go with the Tigers simply because of that pitching staff. That's a s*** load of fire power between a few guys and they throw it so damn easily it's scary. Also, they have proven that they have absolutley not problem with spending some money (I-Rod, Maggs, Rogers) so they could look to add a few pieces through free agency as well as keeping their good young players around for as long as possible.

Yeah Mike Illitch has shown he wants to bring a winner to Detroit, and he'll keep spending until that happens.

 

The key for them will be for Dombromski to make the right signings at the right times, especially in terms of their offense, and to lock up that young core of theirs. But there's no reason to think, we won't have at least 3 if not 4 teams (if Minny get their act together) that could potentially win 90 games and upwards for the next few seasons at least.

[NorthSideSox72]

Long term I think the Tigers may POTENTIALLY have the better pitching of the 2. Verlander, Bonderman, Zumaya and Miller should all be building blocks for that organization.

 

But there's no doubt, Cleveland has the better nucleus with their hitters. But they'll need the likes of Jeremy Sowers to succeed in the majors or they'll need to keep dipping into the FA market for SP's.

 

As for this season, I'd still be 50-50. Johnson and Byrd are weaknesses in that rotation, and no matter how the Tribe hit, they'll need to least pitch better than what they have so far.

I agree on the 50-50 for this season. Detroit will fall back at some point, and the Indians will get hot... but Clevelend just doesn't look as good this year as last (as was apparent with their offseason moves).

[RockRaines]

Cleveland's pitching is atrotious. Its absolutley horrible. Det has a much better rotation and pen.

[illinilaw08]

Cleveland's pitching is atrotious. Its absolutley horrible. Det has a much better rotation and pen.

 

Thats exactly right. Furthermore, as good as CLE's lineup is, Detroit's lineup is pretty good too. The question with Detroit in my mind is if they can stay healthy. Guillen, Mags, and IROD all have injury history.

 

Cleveland reminds me of the White Sox prior to last year, the bats are very good, but the pitching just is not there.

[sox84]

Cleveland also worries me much more. I think Detroit may prove to be more of a problem in the future, but right now Cleveland worries me alot more.

[RME JICO]

Cleveland's pitching is atrotious. Its absolutley horrible. Det has a much better rotation and pen.

 

I agree, Cleveland's pitching staff is not the same without Milwood. In contrast, Detroit's has been the best in the league so far this year.

 

9 out of the top 10 pitching staffs are teams that have a winning record. A 5.00 Team ERA for Cleveland is not going to get them very far.

[AbeFroman]

AL Central Long Run:

 

Minnesota has Francisco Liriano

Detroit had Justin Verlander

Cleveland has Jeremy Sowers

 

All three has performed way beyond all expectations considering where they are at in their careers. Liriano is 4-1 with at 2.44 ERA. Verlander is 7-4 with at 3.35 ERA, and Sowers is an absurd 6-1 with a 1.12 ERA in AAA.

 

Considering that these guys are basically rookies, I am not looking forward to having them in this division for years to come. I'm happy we have McCarthy.... but these guys, especially Liriano, are frightening.

 

P.S. Sowers went to Vanderbilt: so you know he's a huge prick (haha).

Edited June 8, 2006 by AbeFroman

[BigSqwert]

...and the Indians will get hot...

I don't think they have what it takes to have a sustained good month. Bad pitching and bad defense can only be covered up by good offense for a short amount of time.

[Balta1701]

Detroit still scares me more right now, for a couple reasons.

 

1. Pitching. Even with people hurting, Detroit simply has more of it. The only pitcher Cleveland has I'd really enjoy having on my team is Captain Cheeseburger. Detroit has a bunch of really good arms.

2. Coaching. Jimmy Leyland is a damn good coach at keeping his team fighting.

[WCSox]

When it comes to the long long run I'd go with the Tigers simply because of that pitching staff. That's a s*** load of fire power between a few guys and they throw it so damn easily it's scary. Also, they have proven that they have absolutley not problem with spending some money (I-Rod, Maggs, Rogers) so they could look to add a few pieces through free agency as well as keeping their good young players around for as long as possible.

 

^^^

 

I don't like their chances this year, though. Their record against elite teams is atrocious.

 

I'd be surprised if the Indians didn't win at least 85 games this season, but they're in trouble if CC continues to be their only relialbe starter.

[ZoomSlowik]

I don't think they have what it takes to have a sustained good month. Bad pitching and bad defense can only be covered up by good offense for a short amount of time.

 

People said the same thing about Boston and New York last year. Yeah, they lost in the playoffs, but they still got there.

 

As long as we keep our s*** together, I don't think either team is going to beat us this year. Cleveland is short at least one dependable arm, and I can't see Detroit's guys pitching this well all year.

 

In the long run, Detroit is starting to look like a threat with all these arms. If the guys they already have can get more consistent and Miller breaks into the rotation in 2 or 3 years, that's an impressive collection of stuff. The Twins look like they could be dangerous too with Santana and Liriano, but they don't have the finances to fill in a lot of other holes, and they farm system isn't as deep as it was a few years ago.

[CanOfCorn]

After this series, Detroit doesn't scare me as much. I still think they are going to come back down to earth (actually, it's already started) and Cleveland, unless they make a big pre-trading deadline pitching move, can't rely on Paul Byrd as the replacement for Millwood.

 

In the future, Detroit has the pitching, they just need consistent offense from players without an injury history.

Cleveland has the position players, they just need to fix the pitching.

 

Minnesota, with the construction of the new ballpark will get a quick infusion of cash, so watch out for them after that's built.

 

KC will be .500 by the year 2156.

[Harry Chappas]

My take on the Tigers is that their rotation is good and bullpen is very strong.

 

Their lineup on paper is not that good. They have some solid big league players but I am not sold on Shelton, Monroe, Granderson, Infante, Inge, Gomez, Thames, Polanco for any length of time. Ordonez, I-Rod and Guillen are legit.

 

The thing though that I do like is they seemed to work the count really really well. Every count was 2-2 or 3-2. It seems nobody swung until they had at least a strike and in some cases two and if the count went 0-2, 1-2 they worked it hence the high pitch counts. If this is their approach against everyone, I like it.

 

As for the Indians their rotation is good. Westbrook is a .500 pitcher unless he faces us. Their pen is equal to ours but our rotation is better. As for hitting I like Hafner, Martinez and Sizemore. I do not think to much of Broussard, Blake, Belliard, Boone, Michaels, Jhonny I am not sure of.

 

If the Sox mind their business theis division will be tough but manageable. The Indians are losing to the Tigers who are losing to the White Sox who are losing to the Indians so what do I know.

[The Ginger Kid]

I don't think Cleveland can have another run like last year simply because the competition in the central is so much better this year with detrot, and most games are played against the division.

 

honestly, I'm still keeping an eye on Minny. It's still early enough for them to start playing better and get back in this thing if Sox/tigers/indians beat up on each other.

[whitesoxfan101]

Cleveland doesn't have the pitching to get hot enough to catch us, but Detroit has the pitching to stay in the race. Detroit scares me way more, the Indians this year are like we were circa 2003 and 2004....they may get hot at the plate or something, but they are an 80 to 85 win team.

[jackie hayes]

Long term, I'm as concerned about Minny as either of those. We all know what Santana can do, and when I've seen Liriano pitch -- omfg, hs, and wtf.

[whitesoxfan101]

Minnesota has 2 terrifying starters in Liriano and Santana, and a stud closer in Nathan.....but other than that, I don't see a damn thing about them that scares me. 2 stud horses and a closer can win you some games, but that's not enough in this division.