AL Central LONG Run

[mrzo2733]

Cleveland scares me more of the two. I kind of liken the Tigers to a much better KC froma few years ago. They are coming back down to earth. I still see Cleveland making a big run like last year before it's over.

[elrockinMT]

Detroit has a good solid team. Cleveland could always come back, as well as the Twinkies, and make a run at us, but Detroit sure looks like the real thing right now.

[ZoomSlowik]

Just asking, what do you see as Chicago's rotation, three bullpen arms and closer three years or so down the road? With the assumption that all of the arms come from within the organization. I know the Sox have a few pretty impressive arms down in the minors.

 

For the Tigers my staff is looking like:

 

1. Justin Verlander

2. Jeremy Bonderman

3. Joel Zumaya

4. Maroth or Robertson

5. Andrew Miller

 

Bullpen 1- Fernando Rodney

Bullpen 2- Humberto Sanchez

Bullpen 3- Wilfredo Ledezma

 

Closer- Kevin Whelan (possibly Zumaya if he gets pigeon-holed as a closer)

 

It's hard to say exactly because you never know with Williams. Also, we've already got 6 starters on the team, and our guys aren't as young as Detroits' guys. This would probably be my best guess though:

 

1) Buehrle

2) Vazquez

3) Garland

4) McCarthy

5) Broadway/Lumsden/Tracey/Liotta?McCoullough

 

closer- Jenks

setup- Cotts

setup- ?

 

By the end of the 2009 season, my vote is that Contreras is just about out of gas, and he either retires or gets dealt because he is no longer effective (kind of like El Duque). I know that he's our best starter right now, but he's also our oldest by far. I get the feeling that Garcia gets dealt this off-season. If that happens, it's possible that whomever we would acquire factors into this somewhere, but I'm leaving him off since I'm not Nostradamus. I see us keeping Vazquez because Williams has wanted him for some time, and he's got the best stuff on our staff (well, actually about even with Jose I think). Garland could conceivably be the odd man out, but I think Freddy will be a little easier to deal and bring more in return because of performance and contract situation.

 

I'm also kind of making the assumption that one of our prospects steps up and forces his way into the rotation, assuming of course that Kenny hasn't dealt them all by then. I can't really predict the other setup spot because we don't really have a young righty flame thrower. Maybe it's Long, but I think we probably end up signing someone to fill in there. Again, not going to predict exactly who that is.

 

 

 

 

Cleveland scares me more of the two. I kind of liken the Tigers to a much better KC froma few years ago. They are coming back down to earth. I still see Cleveland making a big run like last year before it's over.

 

This Tigers' team is A LOT better than that Royals team. KC had no pitching whatsoever, and their lineup wasn't very good either in the long run. That team was an incredible fluke. This Detroit team won't fall off as much as they did.

Edited June 9, 2006 by ZoomSlowik

[RME JICO]

It looks like August will be the telling month for the AL Central.

 

Detroit has a killer 20 game stretch and pretty rough schedule compared to the Sox and Indians. After their last showing vs winning teams (3-8) it looks like they may fade at that point in the season.

 

Detroit

3 at TB

3 vs CLE

3 vs MIN

3 at SOX

3 at BOS

4 vs TEX

4 vs SOX

3 at CLE

3 at NYY

 

Sox

2 at KC

3 at TOR

1 vs LAA

3 vs NYY

3 vs DET

4 vs KC

3 at MIN

4 at DET

3 vs MIN

3 vs TB

 

Cleveland

3 at BOS

3 at DET

3 vs LAA

4 vs KC

3 at MIN

3 at TB

3 at KC

3 vs DET

3 vs TOR

[Gregory Pratt]

The Indians are very much overrated. Their pitching blows. And that's all there really is to it.

 

Detroit is scary, and we'll see them 'till the end or we'll see no one toward the end.

[Chisoxfn]

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?

Cleveland was the most over-rated team in baseball entering the year (I said it than and I'll say it again now) while the Tigers were one of the most under-rated teams. Are the Tigers this good, NO, are the Indians as bad as there record indicates (Which isn't horrid by all means) probably not, but they really aren't much more than a .500. But no one is going to tell me the Indians are a good team. They have a mediocre rotation and a mediocre bullpen with an over-rated offense. The offense is good, but I have yet to see that offense play consistent over a full season (although they are ranked #2 right now).

 

So lets see, the offense is playing great, the pitching is basically what it should be (considering how much they downgraded there pen and rotation last off-season with the losses of Elarton and Millwood as well as Howry and the guy they gave up for Michaels). Oh and did I mention they are a pathetic ass defensive team and are a horrid team on the base paths (every game I watch of the Tribe all I hear the announcers do is whine about how often they get thrown out making stupid baserunning plays. This tribe team isn't much more than an 85 win team (which isn't bad, nor is it good enough to win the division or the wild card).

 

As far as the Tigers are concerned, they have a solid offense (there offense is as good as the Tribes) while there pitching staff is better (however they are counting on younger pitchers as well as guys like Maroth and Robertson who are pitching a bit over there heads; obviously Maroth is on the DL). The Tigers pen is also mediocre, but has managed to do its job up until last night.

[whitesoxfan101]

The last 2 games have shown why Cleveland doesn't scare me. They are one of those teams that just seems to find ways to lose, they are freaking 29-32, and their bullpen is AWFUL, I mean even way worse than ours is, which says something.