2010 American League Preview

AL East

1. New York Yankees 95-67 - They remain the class of the AL East, and, well, the entire AL for that matter. With Curtis Granderson added to the top of the lineup, there will be no shortage of power in the Big Apple. Expect the Bombers to power their way through the AL again and re-meet an old foe in late October.

2. * Boston Red Sox 90-72 - They remain the deepest rotation in the majors, being able to add John Lackey into that mix certainly helps boast their claim. Theo Epstein's Sox had a quietly successful off-season in adding Marco Scutaro, Adrian Beltre and Mike Cameron. Yet, at the same time the Sox are not getting any younger either.

3. Tampa Bay Rays 87-75 - Only two years removed from a startling run to the World Series and it appears as if this team will remain in contention for quite some time. This young team as a cohesive unit will grow together and continue to stay right in the thick of things in the always tight AL East.

4. Baltimore Orioles 80-82 - Matt Wieters is the best prospect to touch a baseball diamond in quite some time and will help carry the O’s into this decade of turnaround for the club. This young team will only get better in time and can eventually challenge for a playoff spot in the coming years. Then again, this division never stops growing and is always competitive.

5. Toronto Blue Jays 70-92 - Toronto will deeply miss Roy “Doc” Halladay, yet their return was not all that bad (Kyle Drabek, Brett Wallace, Travis d‘Arnaud). Even with new young talent coming in, the Jays remain at the bottom of the AL East hill with no peak in sight, at least not until the rookies start to carry the team.

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins 83-79 - The Twins will let their new Target Field work distinctly to their advantage (especially in April & October.) Joe Mauer is the best pure hitter in the AL and this team is ever-improving. And even with Joe Nathan out for the season, they will find ways to win as always.

2. Detroit Tigers 82-80 - It puzzles me how a team as deep as the Tigers does not take the Central by 8-10 games annually. Their line-up, even without Granderson, remains a force to be reckoned with. They are intelligently in a bit of a re-building mode while at the same time still managing to contend.

3. Chicago White Sox 78-84 - The Sox have talent and plenty of it to go around, yet they still can not manage to break through their ceiling. They are consistently right around the middle of the division and apparently not much will change this season. Another so-so season might be just the ammunition that GM Ken Williams needs to unload Manager Ozzie Guillen.

4. Kansas City Royals 72-90 - “The Great” Zack Greinke was dominate last season, which won him the Cy Young despite playing for a cellar-dweller. It is a shame that he can only pitch every five days though. The Royals are still quite young, yet are improving and making drastic strides in a weak division.

5. Cleveland Indians 69-93 - The Tribe will certainly round-up a weak Central. Grady Sizemore is at full health now, but he alone can not carry the Indians all season. They will enjoy the prospects from the Cliff Lee trade and someday soon benefit off of that deal. In the meantime, this team has a lot of growing up to do.

AL West
1. Los Angeles Angels 95-67 - The Angels, for whatever reason, never seem to slow down. They are like a fine wine, they tend to get better with age. Though the loss of star pitcher John Lackey will hurt, they continue to be the class of the AL West every season and that will not change in the new decade.

2. Seattle Mariners 91-71 - Cliff Lee & Felix Hernandez are fixing to be a fearsome duo for the Mariners this season. If healthy, Lee, who landed in Seattle as a Christmas present as part of a 3-team trade also involving Roy Halladay, will enhance the Mariners’ chances of swimming with the big fish in the AL. Offense will be the lone phase of the game that could potentially hold them back.

3. Texas Rangers 90-72 - The Rangers will win this division in the near future, yet this will not happen this season. Young talent everywhere is intricate to Texas’ success and ultimately should determine their future.

4. Oakland Athletics 73-89 - Oakland appears to be in an inescapable rut. They are currently in the toughest division in the AL and show no signs of immediate growth. Remember though, Billy Beane is crafty and can turn things around in an instant.

AL MVP - Mark Teixeira
AL Cy Young - Jon Lester