McDonald’s has become a dynasty because of consistency. When you walk into one of the fast-food giant’s restaurants in Seattle, it is going to be pretty much the same fare you are going to get at a drive-through in Tampa.

That same type of consistency is what the Chicago White Sox thought they were getting when the traded for Jake Peavy in 2009 and picked up free agent slugger Adam Dunn before the 2011 season. The two have given the Sox anything but that consistency – Peavy for three injury-plagued seasons, Dunn for one disastrous year.

But so far this year, the two have been the dominant performers the Sox thought they were getting all along. Peavy has been superb as a starter in the Sox rotation, posting a 5-1 record thus far, including a brilliant showing Sunday against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out. Dunn has once again become the long-ball threat he had been with the Washington Nationals, clubbing 14 home runs through Sunday and helping the Sox to a sweep of the crosstown rival Cubs in the weekend City Series.

The Sox went for broke last year in signing Dunn and re-signing first baseman Paul Konerko and ringing up a hefty payroll. They wound up broken with a disappointing sub .500 record. The off-season departure of pitching ace Mark Buehrle and their high-profile manager Ozzie Guillen and the trade of outfielder Carlos Quentin gave the message that the youth movement was on for Chicago’s South Side team. But keeping stars like Konerko and catcher A.J. Pierzynski let it be know the Sox weren’t totally in rebuilding mode just yet.

With the American League Central being a very lackluster division this year and the feeling that the Sox have yet to put anything together yet is quickly raising expectations for the squad. Having just climbed back to .500, hopes are starting to emerge – thanks to the solid performances of Dunn and Peavy – and the bastion of consistency Konerko.

If the Sox can figure out how to play on the South Side of Chicago anywhere near how they did on the North Side of the city this past weekend, it could be an interesting summer. With just seven wins in 19 games at home, you have to think the Sox will flip those numbers around at home soon, as long as Peavy and Dunn and other veterans keep leading the way.

If the duo of Dunn and Peavy continue with such consistency and excellence, every Sox fan may soon be stealing the McDonald’s slogan “I’m loving it.”

Newest Indian DH/OF Johnny Damon

You wouldn’t know it by watching SportsCenter, but the Indians have managed to put together a decent stretch of baseball and they find themselves at the top of the Central Division in mid-May.  Albeit not with the most outstanding record in the world (as of this writing, the Tribe was just 3 games above .500), but one can’t complain about being in first place even if we are just one month into the season.

The Indians did make some nationwide baseball news last month when they signed veteran outfielder Johnny Damon to a one year contract. In an attempt to add some pop to the corner outfield position, the Tribe signed Damon, a player seemingly no one wanted prior to the start of the season, to a deal worth about $2 million with incentives.

Damon has not played in the field very much over the past two seasons, but the Indians hope to make him basically their everyday left fielder. While ideally, Damon may have preferred to go to a team where he could have been primarily a designated hitter, that is not an option in Cleveland because the team is paying Travis Hafner $13 million this year just to hit.

Asdrúbal Cabrera (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Tribe is desperate for some offensive power from one of the corner outfield positions. The team is currently being led on the offensive end by second baseman Jason Kipnis, who leads the team with four homeruns. Kipnis was expected to hit for average, but wasn’t exactly supposed to be the one who shouldered the burden of driving in the bulk of the runs. The reliance on Kipnis as an offensive weapon comes just one season after shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera was clearly the team’s best hitter for both power and average.

Teams who need to rely heavily on their middle infielders for their offensive production, don’t tend to be the ones raising the World Series trophy at season’s end. This is not to say that this makes winning impossible, but it certainly doesn’t set the traditional odds in favor of the Wahoos.

While their hitting has been somewhat middle of the road, the team’s pitching has been strong all season. Perhaps the biggest surprise from a starting pitcher has been the performance of Derek Lowe. Lowe was acquired in an off season trade with the Atlanta Braves and wasn’t really thought of to be much more than a decent starter who could eat a lot of innings. Lowe has done much more than pitch a lot of innings. In fact, at this point, he could be poised to accept a spot on the American League All Star team. With a 4-1 record in six starts and a 2.39 ERA, Lowe is currently among the league leaders in various starting pitcher categories.

After being roughed up in his first appearance of the season, closer Chris Perez has also been a bright spot for the Tribe thus far. While other closers around the league have struggle mightily at the start of the season, CP, as he is called by his teammates, has settled down and has now converted 11 of his first 12 save opportunities.

Even with the team’s success, they still rank last in the Majors in attendance. This despite not only playing competitive baseball every night, but also having amazing weather in Northeast Ohio and having strong opponents coming to Progressive Field early in the season. It is apparently going to take a significant amount of time before fans start to believe it is worth their money to travel down to the ballpark to watch a game in person.

Perhaps part of the reason fans are staying away has to do with the fact that the Indians started off fast last year and then completely fell off at the end of the season. If the team stays consistent, fans will start to show up, once they know that the success is here to stay.

The Detroit Tigers were supposed to take baseball by storm this season. The addition of Prince Fielder meant World Series or bust. Playing in what many deemed the worst division in baseball could only mean domination. Some fans even predicted a similar start to the 1984 Detroit Tigers’ 35-5 record.

One month in, and that didn’t quite happen. A lot occurred to derail Detroit’s potential hot start.

The season began with some bad luck when Doug Fister departed his first start with a left side strain, not the type of injury a pitcher can rush back from. The team also experienced Jose Valverde’s first blown save in over a year, foreshadowing some early season struggles. And the pesky second base situation, a position that remains with more questions than answers, hasn’t helped the stability in the field or lineup.

Add in inconsistencies from Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, at least one of which Detroit desperately needs to step up, and Delmon Young’s recent off field tirade and the Tigers continue finding the road to a championship is filled with bumps.

Let’s not fool ourselves either; the Tigers are a good baseball team, one that can attain greatness. But also, a team that needed to face some adversity early to know championships can’t be won on paper.

So what exactly is wrong with the Tigers? We’ll start with the least of their concerns, the hitting.

Keep Swinging

The Tigers offense produced average numbers in the first month. Prince Fielder hit well, but experienced some adjustment to the American League as he still seeks his power stroke. The bottom of the lineup that plagued Detroit much of last year continued to do so as Jim Leyland tooled with the lineup daily.  Even Miguel Cabrera encountered an 0 for 22 hitless streak along the way, the second longest of his career.

Of course, Cabrera kept swinging and reestablished his position as one of the most complete hitters in baseball. And that’s a big reason Detroit will be fine in the long run on offense. Cabrera and Fielder both maintained averages around .300 in the first month even with certain struggles. Cabrera will not experience another slump lasting that long and Fielder proved in past seasons a slow power start for him means nothing for the remainder of the season.

Another person to watch has been Austin Jackson, who seems to have found a swing and shorter kick that works for him. Jackson’s strikeout numbers remain high and seem like they will for his career, but he has a renewed focus on reaching base. Jackson walked more than Cabrera or Fielder in the first month of the season. He also found ways to be more patient, get ahead in the count and play for contact. The team depends on Fielder and Cabrera, but without base runners like Jackson for them to knock in, their plate opportunities become wasted. Other players struggling have shown consistency in the past, but Jackson may be the most important in keeping the lineup stable.

Miguel Cabrera (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While some of the hitters struggling are veterans who may be readjusting to the cold and grind of another season, the bottom of Detroit’s lineup has had questions for years. This year, however, certain moves were recently made that may allow some cohesion in the 7, 8, 9 spots.

The Brandon Inge saga came to a close a few weeks into the season and Leyland no longer has the pressure of playing him in a certain amount of games. Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago will gain more consistent playing time to find their rhythms. Alex Avila, the young catcher, has a legitimate backup in Gerald Laird this year, in hopes that he won’t wear down like he did last season. Avila has been up and down early this year, which mirrors last season. He can become hot in an instant.

Finally, Delmon Young’s suspension may not be such a terrible thing for the team after all. The team is forced to insert some of its younger depth players in the lineup. Andy Dirks, Danny Worth, and Don Kelly all have the opportunity for real playing time for the first time this season. Even if they struggle now, the continuity will help the overall depth of the Tigers later in the season.

In The Field

Before anyone saw Detroit’s mediocre start, the number one question revolved around the Tigers ability to field a baseball. Cabrera moved to third base, the Tigers lacked a true second baseman, and a couple outfielders could use some work.

So far the fielding has been good enough. The Tigers are average in errors and fielding percentage.  Nothing has truly cost them any games yet that occurred in the field. The only worrisome stat is their lack of Baseball Reference’s defensive efficiency, where they reside near the bottom.  Certain plays stick out early like Delmon Young turning in circles as the ball falls next to him.

As for Cabrera, the biggest question mark, he has been okay. He has shown good range and a very strong arm. The only issue early with his fielding would be handling balls while on the run. Whether it is a bunt or a slow roller, if Cabrera doesn’t have time to set and throw an adventure may ensue. In the Seattle series and Yankees series a few bunts headed his way that caused some issues. Expect more teams to challenge him with bunting as he relearns how to handle those plays. His improvement will be vital in the stretch run and in the playoffs when runs become even more precious.

Find the Strike Zone

The final area of concern and the one that will make or break Detroit is pitching. No matter how well a team hits, the final result usually revolves around pitching. The good news: Justin Verlander is still Justin Verlander. Add in the emergence of rookie Drew Smyly, a former 2010 second round pick with an ERA under 1.50 in his first four starts, the foundation for a solid rotation exists.

As previously mentioned, the Fister injury set things back a bit. His spot has been filled by spot starters who don’t last too many innings. If Fister comes back healthy in May as expected, Detroit may have their top three pitchers, even if number three (Smyly) is an unlikely source.

That leaves Porcello and Scherzer, two with high expectations who looked shaky in April. Porcello showed promise in his first two starts of the season, going seven or more in each and giving up a total of three runs. Then he got steamrolled versus Texas and followed up with a dud against Seattle. This is the 23 year-old righty’s fourth year in the majors and he must find a way to stay dependable start to start with an ERA under 4.00.

Max Scherzer warming up his arm during pre-game, Tigers at Royals, June 4, 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The bigger mystery, however, resides in Scherzer. He walked seven in his final April start and gave up at least 3 runs in each of his five starts. Scherzer traditionally struggles in the first half of the season, but Detroit can’t afford to wait around too long. He has yet to go beyond six innings in any start, putting pressure on an already tired bullpen.

Having a tired bullpen in April is not a good sign for the future. Detroit currently stands in the bottom 10 in ERA and innings pitched for starter pitchers. Considering Verlander pitched three games into the ninth inning in April, the other starters aren’t holding up their end of the bargain. Detroit dug deep bringing various relievers up and down from the minors to try and find some cohesion.

Octavio Dotel, brought in as a free agent, produced the strongest numbers of any reliever in April. The two mainstays of Joaquin Benoit and Valverde from last season, however, struggled throughout the month. Both were vital in Detroit’s late season surge to pull away and reach the playoffs. While each pitcher should gain more of a rhythm, both have struggled at various points in their careers and the Tigers may keep one eye open for extra reliever help down the road.

Only one other reliever, recently converted back to a starter Duane Below, showed true promise in April. When Fister comes back, Below may be put back in the long relief role he flourished in. The Tigers also saw Phil Coke do what he does. He won’t dominate, but in non-pressure situations he can help keep the score down.

So what does all this mean? Teams often struggle in April, but Detroit’s holes were exposed quicker than many envisioned. Instead of the bottom falling out later, the team knows where it must improve as the season goes in. Expect Detroit to remain average for another month as they gain their bearings and start doing the little things it takes to win. The flashy 10 run victories aren’t going to magically appear so the team will learn to manufacture runs in other ways. By June, the team should catch fire and don’t be surprised if the AL Central begins to follow the preseason predictions of a Tigers runaway.

Logo taken from Google Images

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 12: Phillip Humber #41 of the Chicago White Sox pitches against the Oakland Athletics on June 12, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Phillip Humber threw a perfect game yesterday for the Chicago White Sox, adding his name to the list of former Mets pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. While a couple pitchers had accomplished the feat prior to joining the Mets, most have done it after they have left the team. Humber is the second former Met to ever throw a perfect game, accomplished only by David Cone with the New York Yankees.

Mike Scott was traded in 1982 by the Mets for OF Danny Heep. While Heep was a member of the 1986 World Series Champion team, Scott became a nemasis, nearly ending the Mets NL Pennant dream. He also clinched the NL West title for the Astros by throwing a no-hitter, becoming another former Mets pitcher to throw one. Hideo Nomo threw one when he pitched for the Dodgers in 1996, pitched for the Mets, then threw a second one pitching for the Boston Red Sox.

Of course, the Mets have acquired their share of pitchers who had no hitters on their resume. The Mets acquired Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen from the Royals in 1992, a year after he threw a no-hitter for the Kansas City Royals. They traded for LHP Al Leiter from the Marlins before the 1998 season, after he threw a no-hitter for the Marlins in 1996. Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, who joined the Mets pitching staff in 1965 while doubling as pitching coach, threw two no-hitters for the Braves in 1960 and 1961.

The earliest no-hitter thrown by a pitcher that would later pitch for the Mets was Don Cardwell, who as a Cubs pitcher no-hit the Cardinals on May 15, 1960. Cardwell joined the Mets in 1967. Dean Chance pitched a no-hitter for the Twins in 1967 before pitching three games for the Mets in 1970. Dock Ellis threw a no-hitter for the Pirates in 1970 (reportedly while tripping on acid) and pitched for the Mets in 1979. John Candelaria, who pitched in a handful of September games for the Mets in 1987, threw a no-hitter pitching for the Pirates in 1976.

CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 07: Phillip Humber #41 Chicago White Sox tips his cap after leaving the game in the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners on June 7, 2011 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois. The Sox defeated the Mariners 5-1. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Kenny Rogers is the only pitcher to throw a perfect game before pitching for the Mets. This happened in 1994 pitching for the Texas Rangers. He would pitch for the Mets in 1999. Scott Erickson, who briefly pitched for the Mets in 2004, threw a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins in 1994 as well.

In the history of the franchise, there are four relief pitchers who have been part of no-hitters. Alejandro Pena pitched the final inning of a combined no hitter started by Kent Merker (7 innings) and Mark Wohlers (1 IP) in 1991, not too long after being traded from the Mets. LHP Ricardo Rincon, who would see some action in 2008 with the Mets, was part of a 10 inning no hitter for the Pirates, relieving Francisco Cordova and pitching an inning of hitless ball. Two pitchers who are now members of New York Mets alumni, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner, were part of that crazy no-hitter the Houston Astrosthrew against the Yankees in 2003. They each pitched an inning, combining with Roy Oswalt (1 IP), Peter Munro (2 2/3), Kirk Saarloos (1 1/3) and Brad Lidge (2) to keep the Yankees hitless.

The only other pitcher who was part of the Mets roster to pitch a no-hitter is Jim Bibby, who was a September call-up in 1971. He never got into a game, but was on the roster and in uniform for the team. He would pitch his no-hitter in 1973, while pitching for the Texas Rangers.

All this history about no-hitters and the Mets, you would think one would have been wearing a Mets uniform when they did it. Of course not, and it will be 50 years or more before it ever happens, if it ever does at all.

The ending of Spring Training is supposed to be a time when all teams are still optimistic about their opportunities in the upcoming season. Despite promises in the media by players and coaches alike, many Indians fans are more than leery about the beginning of the season.

The Indians finished Spring Training with the worst record in the Majors. The Tribe had a streak of double digit losses which is virtually unheard of during Spring Training competition. The Indians opened the season with the Toronto Blue Jays, who sported the best record in the Majors during Spring Training and are the sexy pick by many to win a Wild Card spot in the American League.

Opening weekend will also bring a homecoming of sorts for a Tribe favorite. At the ripe old age of 45, shortstop Omar Vizquel has made the Blue Jays Major League roster. His return to Cleveland will no doubt fill himself and fans with memories of better days when the Tribe was rolling in the American League Central Division.

Hopefully the team doesn’t get too nostalgic over Vizquel’s appearance because it certainly seems that they have a lot to do to get back to the form they were playing at during last season.

Things looked like they were on the right path for the Indians during the first game of the season as starter Justin Masterson handed the game to the bullpen with a 4-1 lead. However, the self-proclaimed “Bullpen Mafia” couldn’t shut the door on the Jays. All Star closer Chris Perez gave up three runs in the ninth inning as the Jays forced extra frames, seven of them to be exact. The game ended in the 16th inning after the Indians were unable to score in extra innings despite having the bases loaded with one out.

The Indians blew the lead in the second game of the season as well and were forced to play multiple extra frames during which they were on the losing end again. A season ago, the Tribe started the season with two losses and then won eight straight. The team would no doubt love for history to repeat itself, but the losses sustained last year were nowhere near as heart wrenching of those during the 2012 campaign. The pressure and expectations both weren’t nearly as high.

All things considered, the starting pitching for the Tribe has been impressively strong and consistent during the first series of the season. After those two losses, the Indians were able to get a win over the Blue Jays, hopefully setting themselves up to finish off the first home stand of the season on a strong note.

One of the main worries for the Tribe is whether they are going to be able to count on a prize possession that they received from a transaction near last year’s trade deadline. When the team dealt their top two promising pitching prospects for Colorado Rockies’ hurler Ubaldo Jimenez, they thought they were getting someone who would be the ace of their staff. At this point, it seems what the team has received in Jimenez is someone who can make headlines for almost everything else besides how he performs on the mound.

During one of the last games of Spring Training, Jimenez purposefully threw at former teammate Troy Tulowitzki presumably due to some comments Tulowitzki said about him in a Denver paper. While Jimenez did choose a game that didn’t count as the forum to take out his anger on his former mate, he has now ended up hurting the team in games that will count because of his actions. While Jimenez was appealing the suspension he was handed down from the league of five games, or one start, the likelihood that he won’t have to miss his turn in the rotation soon is very slim.

Prior to Jimenez’s first start of the season on Saturday, he announced that after the game, he was going to drop the appeal of his suspension.

Who is ready for some baseball, or at least regular season ball? Tell you what, I am. The Twins seem to be ready for it too. They are down to 27 on the roster with Baker going to the 15-day DL and Marquis hitting the bereavement list. The entire roster as listed on MLB right now is as follows:

SP: Pavano, Liriano, Hendricks, Blackburn (Baker and Marquis will be here shortly)
RP: Capps (closer), Duensing(L), Maloney(L), Perkins(L), Burnett, Grey, Swarzak, Burton (who still has to be added to the official roster until Baker and Marquis are back)

Jared Burton and at least one other RP are more than likely going back to AAA when Baker and Marquis come back with Hendricks going to the Bullpen

C: Mauer and Doumit

Doumit is going to spend time at 1B and in RF throughout the year also as well as spell Mauer at C. Here is one quick change based on the Spring. Even though Gardenhire really wanted to go with 3 catchers, Mauer as DH to start the season didn’t allow it.
1B: Morneau and Parmelee: Parmelee’s better than expected Spring Training has made it possible to move Morneau over to mostly DH duties, but I don’t expect Justin to stay there all year. Parmelee will also be expected to play some in RF.

2B & SS: Casilla and Carroll

Here is one of my biggest sticking point of the spring. Casilla is still dealing with some inflammation of the knee, Carroll has spent most of his time in the Majors at 2B, Hughes has been on fire all Spring but will start on the bench unless Casilla cant go, and Plouffe is getting moved to the OF. Also one of the best prospects in our system, Dozier, was just sent down because he “needs to play everyday”.

3B: Valencia and Burroughs
Burroughs is still not on the official roster but will be added as a formality with the move of Baker and Marquis. Burroughs is being looked at as another option at 1B as well as mostly a Jim Thome type from last year as a late game PH. Lastly, he is also viewed to keep pressure on Valencia to continue to develop

OF: Willingham, Span, Revere, Plouffe

Willingham was brought in to play RF, but has since been moved back to LF where he has more experience. Plouffe is being moved from IF to RF, where he will be sharing time with Doumit and Parmelee. Revere is being talked about spending time in RF too, but I don’t expect to see him anywhere other than a backup at CF and LF unless in emergency duty.

This has been a trying spring though, from a fan’s perspective. Where a majority of the contending teams have lineups that are going to look close to the same on Opening Day as the last day, the Twins are yet again going to lead the majors in different lineups and that is without serious injuries. Without any problems you have 2 1Bs, 2 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 2 Cs, 2 CFs, and a RF that was a SS last year. You have 5 players at minimum that will make starts at different positions this year. I admit that having good players that can play multiple positions is nice for tailoring the lineup based on matchups with who you are facing,  but I would still rather have a good core of players that are everyday players.

With what I have seen this spring, I will list the changes that I would make. Dozier at SS. Carroll at 2B. That alone would be nice. I also don’t think that we need 5 6 different people that can play 1st in Morneau, Mauer, Doumit, Parmelee, Burroughs, and Hughes. Burroughs is being kept for the Thome position last year, but he doesn’t have the history of proven success. Doumit is going to be a catch all backup and Hughes is also. Burroughs is a great story, but do great stories to give you the best chance to win? I hope for the best with him and hope he continues his comeback story, but as a GM that is the exact type of decision that you get paid to make.

On a positive note, I have been listening to the games and the offense has really started to mesh on the field, and the fielding doesn’t seem to be as bad as last year. Now the big question is the pitching. I like Liriano as the #1, but he hasn’t been consistent enough to earn it. Hendricks seems to be making some waves and could do very well in his extended tryout. Pavano is not a #1 to build around in my mind, but would make a good #2 or #3 starter. Blackburn seems to have bounced back in a good way this spring with some great innings and numbers. Baker was doing better before elbow tendinitis set back in. Marquis did not get enough innings in to give a good sample size, but what I saw and know about him as a player in the past is that he is a great hitting pitcher that is an end of the rotation thrower, which would be great if we were in the NL; but we aren’t. Now I wish nothing but the best for him and his young daughter that had the accident. I just don’t believe he is ready yet.

I really hope that as a fan, and someone that is now writing about this team, that all of the season predictions that I have read and that most people are feeling will happen this year are wrong. Most are saying the Twins are being picked 4th or 5th in the AL Central this year, fighting not to be last with the White Sox. I just can’t fathom being beat again by KC and Cleveland, with how good we just were 2 years ago. Yes KC has some great young power in their lineup, and Cleveland seems to have a nice balance between pitching, defense, and offense, but we are not that far behind them. I guess the main thing to remember is that I am just a fan and can really do nothing better than support your team and voice your frustrations to anyone that will listen. Here is to hoping I get to cheer and laud their actions more than I come here to air my grievances.

Lets Go Twins!!!!

The Kansas City Royals were at one time the class of the American League. They were established as a premiere team that was built with homegrown talent, sprinkled with free agents that made the team contenders year after year. However, for the last 15-plus years they turned into a laughing stock, basically a minor league feeder team for contenders looking year after year for a vital piece to a playoff puzzle.

That’s the sad reality of who the Kansas City Royals became. Since 1995, the Royals enjoyed just one winning season, 2003, and were almost certain locks to finish dead last in the AL Central before the season began. Luckily, both for the Royals’ organization and their fans, that is no longer the case.

2012 has brought with it a new, fresh attitude for the team. No longer are they expected to be playing for pride by July 1 or selling off good young talent at the trade deadline. No, the 2012 Royals have a legitimate shot at being significant. Not only that, they could and should compete for a playoff spot, not just in 2012 but for the foreseeable future. An atmosphere of winning has been building throughout the organization, and the Royals have the players in place to make their own mark in team history.

As is the case with most teams, success doesn’t start on the field. Rather it begins in the front office where GM Dayton Moore has started signing many of his young players to long-term deals, proving both he and the organization are willing to invest in the team now, and not just five years from now.

Joakim Soria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although knee surgery will keep him off the field for most of the 2012 season, catcher Salvador Perez was inked to a deal that could keep him in Kansas City through the 2019 season, a move that wouldn’t have been made by the front office even a few years ago. Also signed long-term is shortstop Alcides Escobar, who could stay with the Royals through the 2017 season. Add in Billy Butler and Joakim Soria, who are also under contract for a few more years, and the Royals have a nice foundation going forward. The real test will come in trying to sign slugger Alex Gordon, along with fellow young stars Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer. Additionally, the Royals also boast one of the best minor league systems in the game, seemingly with no end in sight of talented pitchers and position players ready to make it to the majors in the next couple of seasons.

The position players are much further along than the pitching, and as was the case in 2011, Gordon and company will be expected to shoulder the load. There’s no reason to think they aren’t up to the challenge, though. They were sixth in the American League in runs per game with 4.51, and fourth with a team batting average of .275. They did not hit many home runs (129), but that number could increase dramatically as many of the young sluggers grow into their full major league potential.

Despite the lack of prodigious power, the Royals have a great balance of power and speed in their lineup.

Alcides Escobar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Alcides Escobar is entering his third season as a full-time starting shortstop. He’s already shown flashes of greatness defensively that most knew he possessed. If he can continue improving his plate discipline, he has the ability to be a very good top-of-the-order hitter with potential to steal 40-plus bases. For now, though, he’ll be at the bottom of the order until he can show he is a more mature hitter. Along with Escobar, Lorenzo Cain came to the Royals in the Zack Greinke trade before the start of last season. He spent most of the season at Omaha, but he looks to be the team’s starting center fielder, at least until Bubba Starling is ready to take his place. He could be a similar player to Escobar, only with the ability to hit many more home runs.

Alex Gordon finally began to show promise on the potential that caused the Royals to draft him second overall in the 2005 draft, ahead of Ryan Braun, Troy Tulowitzki, and Andrew McCutchen. He finished 2011 hitting .303 with 23 home runs and 87 RBI. With the talent around him continuing to improve, a 30-home run, 100 RBI season should be easily attainable for the former University of Nebraska player.

Billy Butler, Eric Hosmer, and Mike Moustakas may not get as many headlines as Gordon, but none are any less important to the Royals line-up than the left fielder. Butler can easily be relied upon to hit .295, with 20 home runs, and drive in at least 90 runs. He’s a consistent enough hitter that the Royals should never go into a prolonged slump as a team. Hosmer took the league by storm last year after debuting in early May. His .293 average with 19 home runs and 78 RBI was good for third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. Manager Ned Yost has been quoted several times saying that Hosmer is a “future perennial All-Star player.” Moustakas struggled in his rookie year, hitting .263 and lacking the power that he displayed coming up through the minor leagues. He’s struggled thus far in Spring Training as well, but he doesn’t need to be counted on to carry the offense, so hopefully he can relax and regain the form he showed in 2010 when he hit 36 home runs and drove in 124 runs in just 118 games between Double and Triple A.

Even with the addition of Jonathan Sanchez from the Giants in the Melky Cabrera trade, the Royals are still lacking a complete starting rotation. Neither Sanchez or Luke Hochevar are great top-of-the-rotation choices, but they’ll have to serve as such until some of the Royals’ prospects fulfill their potential, or the team becomes active in the trade market again. Because of the potent line-up, the rotation which includes Bruce Chen, Felipe Paulino, and Danny Duffy, does not need to be dominant. Consistent quality starts from the group would be enough to get the Royals to their very good bullpen and outstanding closer, Joakim Soria.

Soria will be joined by former Dodgers’ closer, Jonathan Broxton, who will be looking to regain the form that saw him save 36 games for the Dodgers in 2009. Lefties Jose Mijares and Tim Collins will balance out the bullpen and along with Aaron Crow and Vin Mazzaro, the Royals should have a deep bullpen that can shorten games for the starting staff.

The Royals will have a chance early in the season to show whether or not they’ll be contenders in 2012. 10 of their first 16 games are against the Angels, Tigers, and Blue Jays, all of whom are expected to be in the hunt for the playoffs this year. Having a 10-game home stand in the middle of April should allow the team to build momentum quickly, which would only add to the excitement in Kansas City and bolster the team’s chances of adding to the weakened pitching staff.

It is indeed a new day in the history of the Kansas City Royals. Will the team that is currently assembled reach the heights of the teams in the 1970s and 80s, culminating in a World Series championship in 1985?  For most baseball fans, the instant reaction would be “No way.” Given the overall decline of the AL Central in the past year, however, no one should be surprised if the Royals finish with a winning record in 2012 and even compete with the Detroit Tigers for the division crown.

Source: Google Images via USAToday.net

Spring Training is supposed to be the time of the year when all teams believe they have a shot at the title in the fall and fans all over the country have dreams of watching their team in the playoffs come October. The only thing that could derail this is injuries to some of the team’s biggest contributors and that is exactly what has happened to the Cleveland Indians during the early days of spring training.

One position the Indians thought they had wrapped up coming into the season is the role of the closer. Chris Perez played well all season last year and was selected to the All Star team. The hope in having Perez for the entire season was quickly dashed during the first few days of spring training when he sustained an injury and is now out for an estimated six weeks.

On the subject of Jimenez; his name was in the news this week again due to information related to his trade this past July. One of the top pitching prospects the Indians traded for Jimenez, Alex White, was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving near the Colorado Rockies’ training facility. If White had still been a member of the Tribe, he would have been the third member of the team in the past year to get arrested for reasons related to drunk driving. The other two were outfielders Austin Kearns (during last year’s Spring Training) and Shin Soo Choo (during the regular season).

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One of the most surprising parts of the Indians’ Spring Training so far was the appearance of one of the team’s former sluggers, Albert Belle. Belle was an important part of the Tribe squad from 1995 that lost to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. Belle did not leave the Indians on the best of terms when he left as a free agent to the Chicago White Sox and many believed that would be the last the team would ever see of him. There are now thoughts that Belle may join the Indians as some type of Spring Training instructor in the future.

The Indians have not had a stellar start to Spring Training. Through their first four games, the Indians had lost two games, tied one and won one. However, the outcomes of Spring Training games have come to mean almost nothing as long as the manager is getting the team set for the season.

There are still a number of  questions for filling out the Indians roster. In fact, the areas up for contention are pretty much mirror images of those that were up for grabs at the same time last year. The constant problem is that the Indians have struggled to find a big bat from any position. The Indians have signed a number of players to Minor League contracts with an invite to Spring Training in the hopes that they find the bat they have been missing hiding in the hands of one of these players.