Word Count: 549 Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2009 7:19 AM
MLB Tickets - A.L. Bold Predictions
Here are a few things that fans of the American League may not see coming this season.
Neither C.C. Sabathia nor A.J. Burnett will be the best pitcher on the Yankees' staff: Some people may have forgotten about him because he missed more than half the season last year, and some may have forgotten about him because he isn't a flashy hurler that strikes out a lot of batters and sells loads of MLB tickets, but Chien-Ming Wang is headed for a bounce-back year. Wang posted consecutive 19-win seasons before injuring his foot on the base path during interleague play last season. He's a sinker pitcher who depends on ground balls and could win 20 games this season.
The Royals will approach a .500 record: The Royals are better than you think. They've got an ace with legitimate stuff in Gil Meche and an up-and-coming starter in Zack Greinke. These two guys are both capable of fanning 200 batters this season and should help stabilize the rotation. The team also has a marquee closer in Joakim Soria. The lineup is solid, perhaps a bit unspectacular, but solid. If Bully Butler and Alex Gordon can find consistency at the plate, this team could really take off.
The Cleveland Indians will be in contention for the playoffs: The Indians managed only 81 wins in 2008, but the team experienced a lot of injuries. With Fausto Carmona, Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez healthy, this team can really do some damage. Cliff Lee probably won't have the same kind of amazing season as he did last year, but he should be solid if nothing else. Grady Sizemore is one of the best players in the league with his deadly combination of power and speed. This team may not have the pitching to make a run at the World Series, but they'll be in the mix in the American League Central.
The ALCS will be played between two teams that missed the playoffs last season: I think the ALCS will feature the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins. I'm really high on the Twins this season because they're so well-rounded and their starting pitching is grossly underrated. Scott Baker showed the potential to be an ace last season, while Kevin Slowey and Nick Blackburn were solid. With Francisco Liriano back in the bigs full time, this rotation should be one of the best in the league. The team's bullpen is really good as well with Joe Nathan slamming the door in the ninth. The lineup is anchored by Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau and features a number of young players ready to break out, such as Delmon Young, Carlos Gomez and Denard Span.
The Twins were one game away from making the playoffs last season and should see significant development from their young players, while they didn't lose anyone significant this offseason. The Yankees, on the other hand, rebuilt their rotation with the acquisitions of Sabathia ad Burnett and should challenge for the best record in baseball. Alex Rodriguez will only miss four to six weeks of the regular season due to his hip injury and the lineup should survive without him during that time thanks in part to the presence of newly-acquired slugger Mark Teixeira.
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