MLB 2010 Preview: Steroid Era

For our 2010 MLB preview, we're lumping teams into the eras we feel they most resemble. This will cause our rankings to look more like Power Rankings than Divisional rankings, but, like most things at LCB, I wouldn't take any of it too literally. Enjoy, comment, critique, lambast.

AL Central Tiebreaker: Who I'm rooting for

For a second straight season, the AL Central will need 163 games to decide the winner of the division. All it took was a monumental collapse from the Tigers and a greatly timed winning streak by the Twins. Tomorrow they will play, in what could be the last game at the Hefty Bag, for the right to play and probably lose to the Yankees. A lot of us will watch this game, solely for the fact that it's being played on a Tuesday. But only a few of us will have any rooting interest. So how do we decide the more worthy team? How about a straightforward but biased checklist?

• Salaries: I chose the Dodgers when I was a little kid, years before I found myself enamored in the world of finance. So when I am deciding on whom to cheer and who to jeer, I check out the payroll. The Twins are the epitome of efficiency, ranking 24th with an average salary of $2,251,699 and a total of $65,299,267. On the other hand, the Tigers are among the biggest spenders, ranking 5th with an average salary of $4,110,184 and a total of $115,085,145. (Twins +1)
  
• Ballpark: I understand in certain areas of the country, domes have there purpose to avoid unseasonably warm or cold weather. But apart from that what are domes good for? They are unsightly, require turf, and leave the possibility of pumping in crowd noise. (Tigers +1)
  
• Better Food: The Twins have the Met Jumbo dog, the biggest frank sold in baseball. The Tigers have Little Caesars. Bigger isn't always better, but in this case, it is. (Twins +1)
  
• Player to Cheer: The Tigers have the likable Curtis Granderson and the gritty Brandon Inge, but I went to the same high school as Mike Cuddyer. (Twins +1)
  
• Better Fans: Since I can't really differentiate between the two fan bases, we will change this category to "more deserving fans." Taking into account that it's been a quarter-century since their last World Series triumph and the despair felt all across the city due to the sinking automobile industry, it's the Tigers by a hair. (Tigers +1)

Final count: Twins 3, Tigers 2. Just like the rest of the season, this went down to the wire. But like I said, I went to school with Mike Cuddyer. So let's go Twins.

Pudge traded to New York

The Yankees acquired 14-time All-Star and catcher Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers on Wednesday in exchange for right-handed reliever Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees were in need of a catcher due to Jorge Posadas' decision to have season-ending surgery on his throwing-shoulder. Rodriguez is having a rough year offensively, by batting .295 with five home runs and 32 RBIs in 82 games this season. A career .302 hitter, the 37-year-old catcher is in his 18th Major League season. Nonetheless Pudge is a huge upgrade from the catching tandem of Jose Molina and Chad Moeller. Farnsworth, 32,is having a decent season posting a 3.65 ERA in 45 appearances.

The Yankees will remove Chad Moeller from their roster before Wednesday's game to address their bullpen needs, probably by promoting a reliever from the minors. Rodriguez is expected to be in uniform on Thursday as the Yankees meet the Angels to open a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

AL Central All-Stars

Before I get started with this, here's a classic Ozzie Guillen rant.


In terms of reality television, I think Ozzie having his own tball team to manage would make for some quality viewing. Just thinking about him cussing and screaming at 5 year olds makes me giggle. The ChiSox are up 1 1/2 games on the Twinkies, and look to be in the driver seat. Detroit looms as a potential sleeper if they get any pitching at all. Kansas City has been frisky, while Cleveland has been a major disappointment. Without further ado the All-Stars......


C- Joe Mauer, Minnesota (.322, 5 HR, 41 RBI, 97 H, 58 R)
1B- Justin Morneau, Minnesota (.323, 14 HR, 68 RBI, 118 H, 55 R)
2B- Placido Polanco, Detroit (.304, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 103 H, 44 R)
3B- Carlos Guillen, Detroit (.284, 8 HR, 47 RBI, 8 SB, 92 H, 45 R)
SS- Orlando Cabrera, Chicago (.270, 6 HR, 40 RBI, 15 SB, 104 H, 56 R)
OF- Delmon Young, Minnesota (.286, 3 HR, 38 RBI, 10 SB, 97 H, 47 R)
OF- Grady Sizemore, Cleveland (.273, 23 HR, 54 RBI, 22 SB, 99 H, 60 R)
OF- Jermaine Dye, Chicago (.306, 21 HR, 56 RBI, 105 H, 56 R)
DH- Jim Thome, Chicago (.253, 18 HR, 51 RBI, 72 H, 50 R)

The M and M boys have keyed the Twins offense, with Morneau hitting for a much higher average than usual. Cabrera started out slow, and despite rumors that he is a cancer in the clubhouse, gets the nod at SS. Polanco and Guillen have been steady for Motown. Grady Sizemore leads the league in Homers, and could potentially be a 40-40 man with a big second half. Dye leads the Sox offense, while Thome is simply the best out of the others. Nothing spectacular from him so far, and the Sox need bigger production out of him to keep their lead. Delmon Young brings a decent amount to the table and doesn't take anything off, unless he decides to throw his bat at the umpire again.

SP- Cliff Lee, Cleveland ( 12-2, 2.31 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 106 K's)
SP- Jon Danks, Chicago ( 7-4 2.67 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 94 K's)
SP- Zach Grienke, Kansas City (7-5, 3.48 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 104 K's)
SP- Gavin Floyd, Chicago ( 10-5, 3.63 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 75 K's)
SP- Andres Galarraga, Detroit ( 7-3, 3.27 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 62 K's)
RP- Joe Nathan, Minnesota ( 27 SV's, 1.13 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 46 K's)
RP- Joakim Soria, Kansas City ( 25 SV's, 1.47 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 46 K's)
RP- Bobby Jenks, Chicago ( 18 SV's, 1.95 ERA, 1.11 WHIP)

Cliff Lee should be comeback player of the year. Less than a year after a minor league stint, he's been the best pitcher in the American League not named Roy Hallday. Aside from Lee, I guarantee only diehards had ever even heard of the rest of the starters. All have had very solid seasons up to this points however. In a year where closers have been dominant, Nathan and Soria have been up near the top. The Palehose need Jenks to come back from injury soon.

Bench
A.J. Pierzynski, Chicago
Miguel Cabrera, Detroit
Mark Grudzielanek, Kansas City
Jhonny Peralta, Cleveland
Joe Crede, Chicago
Carlos Quentin, Chicago
Jose Guillen, Kansas City
Magglio Ordonez, Detroit
Todd Jones, Detroit
Jesse Crain, Minnesota
Scott Baker, Minnesota
Nick Blackburn, Minnesota
Glen Perkins, Minnesota
Ron Mahay, Kansas City
Masado Kobayashi, Cleveland

In looking at this, how in the hell is Minnesota in 2nd? Look for them to fall off with Detroit getting hot and challenging the White Sox. Next up, the AL West All-Stars. (I think Josh Hamilton might make it).