To many people here are just counting out the Twins.  Bad, bad idea.

Yeah, the Twins are always going to be a solid team as long as Gardenhiere is there manager and Santana is there ACE. Lets not forget about there addition of Castillo to the top of there lineup. With all there young talent, they will be tough once again. I'm not counting out the Twins. The Tigers have improved and the Indians are young and dangerous. The AL Central just might be better than the AL East this year.

I really think Minny is almost better served giving Liriano the #4 and Baker #5. Im sure they dont want two rooks in the rotation, but Loshe sucks.

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Agreed, Lohse will probably be traded by the deadline.

To many people here are just counting out the Twins.  Bad, bad idea.

 

I'm not really counting them out. But what did they do to upgrade their pathetic offense of a year ago?

I'm not really counting them out.  But what did they do to upgrade their pathetic offense of a year ago?

Adding in Castillo won't hurt, getting back Torii Hunter won't hurt, and another year on the backs of Mauer and Morneau won't hurt.

 

None of those guarantee to be enough. But if all goes well, it could very well be enough. They were only 53 runs behind us, for example. The keys are obviously Mauer and Morneau.

Adding in Castillo won't hurt, getting back Torii Hunter won't hurt, and another year on the backs of Mauer and Morneau won't hurt.

 

None of those guarantee to be enough.  But if all goes well, it could very well be enough.    They were only 53 runs behind us, for example.  The keys are obviously Mauer and Morneau.

 

Totally forgot about the Castillo addition. Hunter will help. I just don't see them being that much better than last year.

Unless George Brett,  Danny Tartabull and pre-hip problem Bo Jackson are coming back to KC this year,  no way in hell they finish above the Tigers.  Kenny Rogers,  Jeremy Bonderman,  Mike Maroth,  Nate Robertson and Justin Verlander is CONSIDERABLY better than whatever crap the Royals are gonna march out to the mound.

 

The Royals were 56-106 last year, easily the worst team in MLB. Even TB, COL, and PIT (all 67-95) were considerably better. And KC's done almost nothing to improve. I'd be shocked if they could do better than 5th place.

 

Fearless predictions...

 

Sox: 95-67

Injuns: 88-74

Twinkies: 87-75

Tigers: 77-85

Royals: 65-97

Edited March 6, 200620 yr by WCSox

C - Buck

1B - Mientkiewicz

2B - Grudzielanek

SS - Berroa

3B - Teahen

LF - Sanders

CF - Dejesus

RF - Brown

DH - Sweeney

 

I don't see a powerhouse offense, but I do see a very solid offense, and one that could be very underrated.

 

Their rotation isn't great(probably going to be Greinke(if he comes back)-Redman (assuming he can get healed up)-Elarton-Hernandez-Mays/Madritsch/Dessens/Bautista), but it will probably be around league average. I also love their pen...MacDougal isn't the greatest closer in the world, but Burgos and Sisco are studs, and Peralta was a very solid waiver pickup as well.

 

Just a feeling I have, but I think the Royals are a better team than anyone gives them credit for. I also don't like the Tigers at all - Kenny Rogers is nothing but overpaid, and Todd Jones had a flukey year last year. Remember the last time the Tigers signed an old reliever coming off a bad year? Yeah, he retired this year after giving up a bomb to a career minor leaguer in an instrasquad exhibition.