So, yesterday, I mention how the Orioles get a rare well-pitched game from Radhames Liz, and I wrote up my recap on the AL East. Then, Chris Waters goes out and throws a complete game shut-out last night. So, that forces me to mention it, and to do the AL Central wrapup today. By my logic, that means Brian Bass should be lights out tonight. (Or, maybe what I do has nothing to do with how the Orioles play. We'll see.) Anyways, on to the AL Central.
AL Central 2008
Most Encouraging Team: Minnesota Twins
White Sox fans will want me drawn and quartered for this, but really, you can't pick against the Twins. The White Sox had a ton of money invested in this season and a lot of proven guys on their team. They had Dye, Konerko, Thome, Cabrera, Buehrle, Vasquez etc, etc coming into the season, and that was before guys like Carlos Quentin and Alexei Ramirez had big years, and Jon Danks and Gavin Floyd steadied the pitching staff. So, yes, the White Sox have had a great year, but they're only 2.5 games ahead of Minnesota as we speak. This is the same Twins team that people thought were throwing in the towel on 2008 when they traded Johan Santana to the Mets in the offseason. When you take into account Francisco Liriano started the year still recovering from his injury, there was nobody outside of the Twin Cities that thought this team had a shot at the playoffs. Now, thanks to solid work from young starters Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, and Nick Blackburn, plus Liriano's stellar return late in the season, the Twins have kept their noses right in the thick of the AL Central race. They've got what you expected out of Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, and have gotten good contributions from Denard Span, Carlos Gomez, Alexei Casilla and Delmon Young, who has really turned it on in the second half. Not to mention, they have the closer who has been the most dominant in the league. When you take into account all the young, cheap assests the Twins have, I think you have to look at them as the most encouraging team in the division.
Most Disappointing Team: Detroit Tigers
Remember when this team was supposed to be one of the greatest offenses of all-time, have one of the best rotations in the league and have a bullpen that was solid with a couple hard throwers and a savvy veteran closer, and runaway with the American League? Yeah, me either. Talk about totally underachieveing. Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, and Curtis Granderson had fabulous seasons. Placido Polanco was his normal steady self, and they got solid contributions from Carlos Guillen (albeit while battling through injuries) and Marcus Thames. What happened? Well, Ivan Rodriguez was average at best and a problem in the clubhouse, so he was dealt to the Yankees before the trade deadline. They got just about nothing from Edgar Renteria and Gary Sheffield, their defense was god awful, and, most of all, their pitching was ravaged by injuries and ineffectiveness. Dontrelle Willis (who, before this season even started, was the most overrated pitcher in baseball) could never get anything going, and last I checked was getting bombed at Single-A. Jeremy Bonderman got hurt and never came back. Their ace, Justin Verlander, was average at best, well below average if you take into account the expectations the team had for him. Kenny Rogers and Nate Robertson were terrible, and the bullpen had to suffer through injuries to Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney, forcing Tigers fans to suffer through a whole lot of Todd Jones sightings. The one pitching bright spot was rookie Armando Galaragga, who was very good for them this year, but considering most pundits thought they would be one of, if not the best team in the AL, it was certainly a forgettable year for the Tigers.
AL Central MVP:
5- Curtis Granderson, Detroit
First of all, no, Cliff Lee isn't on the Top 5 MVP vote-getters, simply because the AL Central had a lot of quality candidates on the offensive side. Granderson, who has a 375 OBP and a slugging percentage over 500 is certainly in the mix in the division. He has 24 doubles, 13 triples, and also 19 homers. The guy can do everything, including playing a very good center field. He started the season banged up, but has come on full force as one of the few bright spots for Detroit this season.
4- Jermaine Dye, Chicago
Dye has been overshadowed a bit by teammate Carlos Quentin, and rightfully so, as Quentin is a great story. However, don't overlook what Dye has done this year. Dye is slugging over 550 with 32 homers and 39 doubles. He's been a steady force in the middle of that Chicago order, which has been one of the better offenses in the league this season.
3- Justin Morneau, Minnesota
The 2006 MVP is once again in the discussion. His OBP is over 380 and his slugging is at 520. He has 45 doubles and a ridiculous 126 RBI on a team that doesn't really score a whole lot of runs. His bat (along with Mauer's in front of him) has been the main reason why the Twins are still in the race for the AL Central.
2- Grady Sizemore, Cleveland
A 380 OBP, a slugging near 520, 38 steals, and without a doubt the best centerfielder in the league? I'd say you're in the MVP discussion. Sizemore has 32 homers and 36 doubles, and 88 RBI out of the leadoff spot for an average at best Cleveland team. With how well the team has played in the second half, especially Sizemore, it makes you wonder if only they had held on to CC Sabathia, if they could have made a run....
1- Carlos Quentin, Chicago
I know he has been injured for the past few weeks, and Chicago has held onto the Central lead without him, but it's hard to argue against what he has done this season. An OBP of almost 400 and a slugging of 570, Quentin also has 36 homers and 100 RBI, and remember thats with having missed the past 3 weeks or so. Arizona has to be kicking themselves for basically giving Quentin away this past off-season. I hope he gets back into the lineup soon, because it'd be a shame for him to lose out on a chance at MVP because of a late season injury.
Apologies to: Jim Thome, Chicago; Joe Mauer, Minnesota; Cliff Lee, Cleveland; Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera, Detroit.
AL Central Cy Young:
5- Joakim Soria, Kansas City
A lack of really quality starters is one reason, but there is also another reason Soria makes the Top 5: This guy is by far the most underrated closer in baseball. He did make the All-Star Team this year, but let's be honest, it was only because somebody from the Royals had to go. However, he has been filthy this year. An ERA just under 1.70 and 64 strikeouts in 64 innings. Anytime you have 39 saves with two weeks to go for the Royals, you know you've been pretty good.
4- Gavin Floyd, Chicago
The real reason why the White Sox have been so good this year is that their rotation is once again very, very solid. Floyd doesn't have gaudy strikeout numbers (just 129 in 188 innnings) but his ERA is around 3.70 and has put up a lot of innings for this Chicago team. Mark Buerhle and Javier Vasquez have also both been solid, but I went with Floyd because of his low ERA.
3- Jon Danks, Chicago
The one guy I didn't mention is Danks, who has definitely been the best of the White Sox starters this year. His ERA is around 3.30, and he has 147 strikeouts, 18 more than Floyd in 12 less innings. Danks has also only given up 13 home runs this year, while the other 3 standouts on the Chicago staff have given up more than 20.
2- Joe Nathan, Minnesota
Nathan is right there with Papelbon and Rivera in the running for "Closer of the Year" award in the AL. Of course, none of the three will get it because Frankie Rodriguez is going to break the saves record, even though he has been maybe the 5th or so best closer in the league. But I digress. Nathan's numbers are eerily similar to Rivera's, his ERA a bit lower at 1.47, but he has a few less strikeouts, a few more walks, and a few less innings pitched. Nathan has been outstanding for the Twins this season, and one of the many reasons why they are in the playoff hunt.
1- Cliff Lee, Cleveland
For the second division in a row, it's a total no-brainer for Cy Young. Lee has been superb this season, and it's even more amazing when you take into account that last year he was demoted to the minors for bad performance. Lesson learned, I guess. Lee has thrown 210 innings, with an ERA at 2.36. He has only walked 28 batters, and has 157 strikeouts. He also has 4 complete games, and has only given up 10 homers all year. Basically, Lee has been BY FAR the best pitcher in the AL Central this year, and he and Roy Halladay have been BY FAR the two best pitchers in the American League this season.
Apologies to: Mark Buehrle and Javier Vasquez, Chicago; Scott Baker and Kevin Slowey, Minnesota; Armando Galargga, Detroit; Zack Greinke, Kansas City.
All-AL Central Team:
Catcher: Joe Mauer, Minnesota (Runner-Up: Kelly Shoppach, Cleveland)
Obviously it has to be Mauer starting, but Shoppach quietly had a great year for the indians when Victor Martinez was injured. He has 21 homers and 26 doubles, leading some to believe the Indians will start Shoppach at catcher next year, move Victor Martinez to first base, and try and deal Ryan Garko.
First Base: Justin Morneau, Minnesota (Runner-Up: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit)
An easy one-two punch at first base. Cabrera didn't let the move from third to first effect his offense, as he still hit 33 homers and had 33 doubles. No one else in the Central really stood out at first.
Second Base: Alexei Ramirez, Chicago (Runner-Up: Placido Polanco, Detroit)
Ramirez should finish second to Evan Longoria in the Rookie of the Year voting, and has shown that he is certainly going to be a very good player. I worry about his plate disicipline, as he walked only 13 times all year. That needs to improve if he is going to be a first or second hitter in a productive line-up. He'll move to shortstop next year in all likelihood, since Orlando Cabrera will be a free agent.
Shortstop: Mike Aviles, Kansas City (Runner-Up: Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland)
Aviles has only played in 91 games with the Royals, but since he has come up, he has been by far the best shortstop in the division. He is hitting 324 since coming up, and is also slugging 465, which are fantastic numbers for a shortstop. The Royals certainly hope they've found the guy to place next to Alex Gordon for the forseeable future. Peralta has had a good year for the Indians, hitting 21 homers and 38 doubles.
Third Base: Carlos Guillen, Detroit (Runner-Up: Alex Gordon, Kansas City)
Guillen has moved from short, to first, now to third all in the last season and a half or so. He has battled injuries, but played well when he was in there, putting up a 375 OBP. Gordon has had a decent year, hitting 31 doubles. Third base was probably the weakest position in the division.
Left Field: Carlos Quentin, Chicago (Runner-Up: Marcus Thames, Detroit)
The MVP of the division starts, and I went with Thames to back him up. Yes, I know, the 293 OBP is disgusting, but he has hit for really nice power, wit ha 530 slugging that includes 25 homers. There also just weren't a ton of other options, the closest being David DeJesus of the Royals who has been pretty average this year.
Center Field: Grady Sizemore, Cleveland (Runner-Up: Curtis Granderson, Detroit)
Sizemore edges out Granderson, but anyone would love to have either guy. Both are exciting young players to watch, hit with power and speed at the top of the lineup, and play great defense in center field. A nice combo for fans of Cleveland and Detroit to look forward to watching down the road.
Right Field: Jermaine Dye, Chicago (Runner-Up: Magglio Ordonez, Detroit)
All three Tigers outfielders get the back-up role, and that's certainly no insult. Ordonez with a 380 OBP has had a fantastic year, but not quite as good as Dye's. The White Sox probably have had the best Left Field-Right Field 1-2 punch in the majors, with Quentin and Dye. Denard Span of the Twins has also been fantastic since coming up, as he has an OBP up above 380.
Designated Hitter: Jim Thome, Chicago (Runner-Up: Jason Kubel, Minnesota)
Thome had another great year, as he continues moving up on the all-time home run list, with 32 more this season.. He's only hit 247 but his OBP is up around 360 and he is slugging over 500. Kubel has had a solid year for the Twins, but there weren't a ton of choices here as Travis Hafner and Gary Sheffield both had bad years.
Well, that's the AL Central. The AL West will be coming up soon.
