MLB 2016 Season Preview (American League Central-Centric Edition)
Another baseball season is upon us. Some early stories of this season (which do not involve the American League Central) include Mets star Yoenis Cespedes’ various rides to spring training (my favorite was the horse), the 30-game suspension of the Yankees’ flamethrower closer Aroldis Chapman under the league’s domestic violence policy, and the Nationals’ slugger Bryce Harper’s claim that baseball is “a tired sport.” Two of these stories are worth longer, more thoughtful discussion, and it will be interesting to see how they unfold during the season. For this piece though, I want to focus on my team, the Twins, and their division, the AL Central.
When the previous season’s World Series winner is in your division, it’s pretty much guaranteed that any road to the postseason will be a bumpy one. The Royals have lost some solid players to free agency (e.g. pitcher Johnny Cueto to the Giants, which, if you believe in the power of three and superstition, the Giants should win the World Series this year), but have picked up valuable free agents in pitchers Ian Kennedy and Joakim Soria. The Royals will be the team to beat in the AL Central and perhaps have a beat to make it to the World Series for a third straight year.
Undoubtedly, the biggest move for the Twins this offseason was the acquisition of Byung Ho Park. The Korean slugger (.343 BA, 53 HR, 146 RBI in 2015) and first baseman will give the Twins lineup some pop. As of this writing, Park’s hitting .316 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. Too much can’t be read into spring training, but it seems like Park will deliver for the Twins. Hopefully, a pitcher will emerge for the Twins as well. In a division loaded with excellent pitchers, this is a position where the Twins continue to need help.
Some other moves in the AL Central to keep an eye on: Grant Brisbee writes for SB Nation that the Cleveland Indians are this year’s Mets — riding the backs of talented young pitchers with no bats to back them up; the Detroit Tigers acquired outfielder Justin Upton and starting pitcher Jordan Zimmerman to start behind mainstay Justin Verlander; the White Sox under performed last year and do not seem to have done much to right the ship.
If it’s not a team from the AL East (either the Yankees or the Red Sox), chances are, lately, that the AL team in the World Series is from the Central. Since 2000, the Royals, Tigers, and White Sox have been that AL team. And it does seem that the Royals can make it back this year. Of course, the Chicago Cubs are the World Series favorites and I think even this Twins fan would be happy if they got there and won (especially if it was against the Royals). Recent history resists this conclusion though, favoring the San Francisco Giants.
I’m torn and can’t make a prediction — it’s a push from the only Twins fan you might know. In any case, good luck to you and your team. See you at the ballpark.
