MLB 2008 Season Preview: AL Central

Next up in my preview of the 2008 Major League Baseball season is the American League Central. Here are the key questions facing each team this season.

While Swisher and Cabrera should help improve the offense, the White Sox face the bigger problem that they are getting old. Jim Thome, Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko, their three main run producers will be 38, 34 and 32 this season and there is plenty of question on whether Thome’s and Dye’s bodies can hold up. After Mark Buehrle, the pitching staff is full of questions marks and the front office made no move it in the off season. In fact, it was weakened by the loss of Jon Garland in the trade for Cabrera. Without pitching help and the big hitters proving that they aren’t wearing down, energy is not going to be enough for the White Sox in 2008.

Cleveland came within one game of a trip to the World Series last season before Boston’s comeback from a 3-1 hole. The Indians made no major changes to last year’s squad and figure again to battle for the top spot in the Central. Pitching will play a key role, especially going head to head with Detroit who will boast the top lineup in the Majors.

While most assume Cleveland will once again feature the awesome one-two combination of C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona atop the rotation, I am a little more leary. Including the post season, the 24 year-old Carmona pitcher 56 more innings last season than he had in any other season before. Typically, pitchers with such large increases in the workload early in their careers suffer an injury or have markedly higher ERAs the following year, Francisco Liriano being a recent notable example. Carmona certainly looked like he was running out of gas against the Red Sox in the ALCS and you have to wonder if that might be a sign of things to come this season. Justin Verlander had an excellent season last year following the 2006 season when he pitched in the World Series and had a similar dramatic increase in innings pitched, however he is the exception to the rule. Given history, I would be hesitant to count on Carmona to repeat his success of last year.

For all the questions there are about their pitching, at least the starting rotation should be stronger than what some are saying it is. Justin Verlander is the unquestioned ace and should contend for the Cy Young. Jeremy Bonderman should bounce back from a miserable second half to last year and Nate Robertson is a solid starter at the back end of the rotation. Dontrelle Willis is the big question mark. Chances are he will struggle in the switch to the American League. If he can adjust and stop the decline he has been on the last couple years, Detroit could feature one of the better starting rotations in the league.

The bullpen is where things really get dicey, especially without Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. These two have absolutely electric stuff but it is uncertain when they will return from injuries and how effective they will be once they do. Also there is no depth in the rotation after the first five and should anyone go down, Detroit will be in trouble. No of this should matter in the regular season as the Yankees have consistently shown us you can win 90 plus games on offense alone with some mediocre pitching mixed in. Look for the offense to carry the load but the Tigers must make some pitching acquisitions during the season if they are to succeed in the playoffs.

Gordon entered last season with the label "the Next George Brett". Pretty lofty expectations for a 23 year-old who skipped Triple A ball. On the surface, Gordon had a terribly disappointing year, but if you look closer you see that from June on, he hit .296 with 12 home runs. Not monster numbers, but pretty decent for a rookie campaign. The expectations to be the savior of a franchise is not an easy burden to bear, especially for some one with so little experience. With the adjustment period behind him and expectations toned down, look for Gordon to perform more like the player he is expected to be than a repeat of last season. If Gordon does take the next step up, he and Billy Butler and Mark Teahan should combine to form a pretty formidable middle of the line up for the Royals. With Gil Meche and Brian Bannister in the starting rotation, Kansas City is a team you might look at the standings one day and realize they aren’t that bad.

I wouldn’t be as quick to write of the Twins this year as others have been, though they face an uphill climb in a division that is top heavy with the Indians and Tigers. There office could be even better this year with the additions of Delmon Young, Carlos Gomez and Brendan Harris. This big issue is replacing the departed Santana.

Liriano has the talent to do so, however, the left who is coming off of Tommy John surgery is unlikely to do so this year. Despite all the stuff, talent and potential Liriano my possess, this year will probably be a struggle despite the clean bill of health. So often pitchers struggle their first season back from an elbow reconstruction. It is mental more than anything as they lack the confidence they had before the injury and fear they could reinjure themselves at any point. I think this will be a likely problem for Liriano who was initially afraid his career was over when he began the recovery process. The Twins instead will need Boof Bonser, Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker to shoulder more of the load, especially until Liriano has the confidence to become the ace that he was on track to be before the injury.