Following their heartbreaking loss at the hands of my Boston Red Sox in the 2007 ALDS, the Cleveland Indians were essentially comatose for seven years. In the last few seasons, however, Cleveland has masterfully combined dominant pitching with timely hitting to become one of the best teams in baseball. The question isn’t IF the Indians will win the AL Central in 2018, but rather WHEN, and by HOW MANY GAMES.
1/ Cleveland Indians (103-59)
After coming oh, so close to breaking its 68-year World Series drought in 2016, Cleveland took a step back in ’17, as they were promptly eliminated by the upstart Yankees in the ALDS. The surprising early exit was not indicative of the talent the Indians carry on their roster–it’s better than most. Jose Ramirez looks to continue the success he enjoyed in 2017 (.318 with 29 homers and 93 runs batted in), while Edwin Encarnacion looks to do the same (after a shockingly slow start to ’17, he returned to his normal self in the second half of the campaign, finishing with his characteristic 38 homer, 107 RBI line). Lonnie Chisenhall, Francisco Lindor, and Carlos Santana are all capable of going on torrid stretches at the plate.
On the mound, Cleveland is led once again by reigning Cy Young award winner Corey Kluber. The 31-year-old proved himself last season with a 2.25 ERA. Kluber also pitched his way to five complete games in 2017, a true testament to his durability. Behind Kluber in the rotation is Trevor Bauer, who infamously pitched 5 1/3 innings against the Yankees without giving up a hit in last year’s ALDS.
2/ Minnesota Twins (87-75)
I give Minnesota all sorts of credit for pulling off a playoff spot in 2017 after a 100-loss season in 2016. Their tenacity and experience-rich roster gives me reason to believe they’ll contend again in ’18. Take one look at the Twins’ pitching staff, for example, and you’ll see a trend: veterans. Phil Hughes. Michael Pineda. Fernando Rodney. Zach Duke. Ervin Santana. I’m not saying those guys are all minted All-Stars, but they all have the ability to throw strikes and get the Twins out of jams. At the plate, the Twins are blessed with Brian Dozier, who was probably the main reason Minnesota cracked the postseason a year ago. Dozier went yard 34 times in ’17, while driving in 93, and I fully expect him to back up those statistics this season. Despite the success of Dozier, I still feel like the Twins need to trade for some offensive help come summertime. Whether or not the Twinkies are in contention will dictate whether or not they pull off a move.
3/ Kansas City Royals (81-81)
Losing Eric Hosmer to the Padres was a tough blow for the Royals, who were counting on a bounce-back year. In Hosmer’s absence, I just don’t know if this club has enough weapons on offense to stay afloat. Salvador Perez could end up needing to be the offensive spark of this team, and as we’ve seen in the past, he can be streaky at times. On the mound, Kansas City doesn’t have the dominant rotation that won them a title in 2015. With that said, Jake Junis proved he can compete in ’17 (the 25-year-old righty went 9-3). Taking everything into consideration, the Royals will need to get off to a hot start if they are to compete in ’18. If this team is mediocre or worse by the trade deadline, expect a lot of selling from Kansas City as they aim to get back to the club they were three years ago.
4/ Chicago White Sox (70-92)
For what feels like the millionth straight year, there isn’t a whole lot to get excited about on the South Side. The Sox, who haven’t been to the postseason since 2008, are stuck in a rebuild. However, there are some pieces to be excited about in Chi-Town. Avisail Garcia hit .330 in 2017 with 18 homers, while Jose Abreu reaffirmed himself as one of the best hitters in the game with a .304/33/102 stat line. On the mound, nothing really jumps out. The Sox have a few veterans that could steal some wins (Joakim Soria, to name one). With Baseball America ranking the White Sox’ farm system 4th in the league, fruitful years may not be far away for the White Sox.
5/ Detroit Tigers (66-96)
The Tigers will likely struggle with an aging lineup and an inexperienced pitching staff. Victor Martinez will turn 40 in December, and Miguel Cabrera isn’t far behind him. Both still have the ability to contribute, but I worry about their durability over a long season that should see a lot more downs than ups. One guy I do have my eye on in Detroit is Nick Castellanos. For fantasy junkies, this guy could be a late steal. Castellanos knocked 26 homers in 2017, while driving in 101. Any way you slice it, however, it’s shaping up to be a lean year in the Motor City.
