Tracy Ringolsby- Tigers look best, Indians close in AL Centr

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7709154
The Central Division has become the most competitive division in the American League. Only Kansas City has failed to advance to the postseason in the last three years. Detroit has claimed a wild-card berth. The White Sox (2005), Twins (2006) and Indians (2007) all won division titles.

A look at what's been going on with the five divisional members this off-season:


Chicago White Sox

What has changed: The White Sox unloaded Scott Podsednik and signed Alexei Ramirez with plans for him to take over in center field. A 2B/OF on the Cuban National Team, he hit .335 in his Cuban career.

Battle Front: Josh Fields has a shot to claim the third base job, which will open the way for a trade of Joe Crede, once he proves during the spring that he has rebounded from last season's back surgery.

Story line: White Sox have cleaned out pitching depth, which is strange in a time where pitching is considered the key to success.

Strength: Closer Bobby Jenks has added support with the signing of RHPs Scott Linebrink and Octavio Dotel.

Weakness: The team is old and slow, even by American League standards.

Sleeper: RHP Gavin Floyd was given up on by Philadelphia, but White Sox got glimpses of why he was a No. 1 draft pick out of high school in his first year with the organization last season.

Off-season deals: Signed Cuban defector 2B/CF Alexei Ramirez to four-year contract. Acquired OF/1B Nick Swisher from Oakland for prospects; SS Orlando Cabrera from Angels for RHP Jon Garland, and OF Carlos Quentin from Arizona for 1B Chris Carter. Signed free agent RHP Octavio Dotel and RHP Scott Linebrink. Lost free agent OFs Darin Erstad and Scott Podsednik.

Summary: White Sox have done nothing to regain magical touch that earned them a world championship three years ago.

Fausto Carmona won 19 games and posted a 3.06 ERA in 215 innings. ( / Getty Images)

Cleveland Indians

What has changed: OF Kenny Lofton was acquired in July to take over in left field, but didn't re-sign with the Indians, so the hope is Jason Michaels will reclaim the job.

Battle Front: LHPs Aaron Laffey, Cliff Lee and Jeremy Sowers will get a shot at the fifth starter job.

Story line: Indians are looking to show AL that a pitching-oriented team can win a pennant.

Strength: Rotation and bullpen are among AL elite. C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona, both 19-game winners in 2007, are foundation for rotation that also includes two 15-game winners — Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd. Joe Borowski may not be a prototype closer but he led AL with 45 saves and Rafael Betancourt (1.47 ERA, six unintentional walks and .183 average allowed) is a premier setup man.

Weakness: Indians have corner outfielders who have bottom of the lineup run production abilities.

Sleeper: Alex Marte has become an afterthought but he still has the ability that made him one of game's key prospects. Forced into a utility role by Casey Blake claiming third base, could Marte land a corner outfield job?

Off-season deals: Signed free-agent RHP Masahide Kobayashi. Acquired INF Jamey Carroll from Colorado for future considerations. Lost free agent OF Kenny Lofton.

Summary: Indians took a conservative route in the ultra-competitive AL Central, failing to add a major contributor during the off-season.

Pudge Rodriguez hit .281 with 11 homers and 63 RBI in 2007. ( / Getty Images)

Detroit Tigers

What has changed: Tigers reworked their lineup with trades for 3B Miguel Cabrera, SS Edgar Renteria and LF Jacque Jones.

Battle Front: Roster is pretty well set with the off-season additions, which also included LH starter Dontrelle Willis.

Story line: Tigers got a taste of World Series two years ago and know their window of opportunity is slim so they gutted farm system to beef up big-league roster during the past year.

Strength: Age could take a toll but on paper, lineup is explosive. If everyone is healthy bottom three spots figure to belong to Edgar Renteria, Jacque Jones and Pudge Rodriguez.

Weakness: Pitching staff has health concerns, and the focus is on finding a replacement for Joel Zumaya, who will miss at least half the season following shoulder surgery, and struggles of Fernando Rodney, leaving little support for aging and erratic closer Todd Jones.

Sleeper: The Tigers are awake. Either the guys they are counting on come through or Tigers fall flat. There's no young phenom waiting for a chance.

Off-season deals: Acquired SS Edgar Renteria from Atlanta for two prospects, LF Jacques Jones from Cubs for INF Omar Infante, and 3B Miguel Cabrera and LHP Dontrelle Willis from Marlins for package of prospects that included LHP Andrew Miller and CF Cameron Maybin, their top two prospects. Lost free agent 1B Sean Casey.

Summary: Tigers are putting a lot of faith in veteran roster that has injury-marred history.

Kansas City Royals

What has changed: Mike Sweeney, the long-time face of the franchise whose final years were marred by injuries that limited playing time of the highest paid player in franchise history, has moved on. Prospect Billy Butler, who is lost defensively, gets the DH job.

Battle Front: RHP Luke Hochevar, No. 1 pick in 2006 draft, gets shot at one of two open spots in rotation, but he has to earn it and will be challenged by veterans including Brett Tomko and Hideo Nomo, along with holdovers Luke Hudson, Kyle Davis, Jorge De La Rosa, John Bale and Leo Nunez.

Story line: Royals had money to spend, but garage sales aren't where true bargains turn up.

Strength: Royals do have a youthful core with 3B Alex Gordon, DH Billy Butler, OF Mark Teahen, and RHPs Zack Greinke, Brian Bannister and Joakim Soria.

Weakness: Overall talent doesn't matchup to rest of AL Central.

Sleeper: 1B Ryan Shealy struggled when Royals tried a major overhaul of his hitting mechanics last spring. Now he can regroup, get back to his old style and provide Royals a bonus in their lineup.

Off-season deals: Signed free agent RHPs Yasuhiko Yabuta, Hideo Nomo and Brett Tomko, LHP Ron Mahay, OF Jose Guillen and C Miguel Olivo. Lost free agent DH Mike Sweeney, OF Emil Brown and RHP David Riske. Acquired INF Alberto Callaspo from Arizona for RHP Billy Buckner.

Summary: Royals may be headed in right direction but in talent-laden AL Central they still have a lengthy journey to get to the top. They will have to work to end streak of four consecutive last-place finishes.

Johan Santana was just 15-13 last season despite a 3.33 ERA and averaging more than a strikeout per inning. ( / Getty Images)

Minnesota Twins

What has changed: SS Adam Everett, one of the most consistent defensive infielders in baseball, will get a real test on the ersatz grass of the Metrodome, where he is being asked to fill what has been a troublesome position for the Twins.

Battle Front: With the loss of Torii Hunter, the clubhouse force in addition to an All-Star caliber center fielder, the Twins will have spring auditions to fill his spot on the field. There's no proven center fielder. Depth chart has Craig Monroe and Jason Pridie listed in center.

Story line: Twins appear to be in a major rebuilding which will be emphasized if they do deal LHP Johan Santana and closer Joe Nathan.

Strength: Bullpen is solid as long as Nathan remains, and there are some quality young arms for the rotation, particularly if LH Francisco Liriano has fully recovered from November 2006 reconstructive elbow surgery. Others include Scott Baker, Boof Bonser, Kevin Slowey, Glen Perkins, Nick Blackburn and Brian Duensing.

Weakness: Even if the Twins keep Santana to open the season, the ongoing speculation of his being traded will only add to the feeling that team management is looking at the future, not 2008, for success. Players pick up on that.

Sleeper: 3B Mike Lamb has pop in his bat, and will be in a no-pressure situation with expectations being down in Minnesota, which will allow him to relax and rejuvenate his career.

Off-season deals: Acquired OFs Delmon Young and Jason Pridie and INF Brendan Harris from Tampa Bay for INF Jason Bartlett and RHPs Matt Garza and Eduardo Morland, and OF Craig Monroe from Cubs for future considerations. Signed free agent 3B Mike Lamb and SS Adam Everett. Lost free agent OF Torii Hunter and RHP Carlos Silva.

Summary: There's a new ballpark on the horizon and a winning season might have to wait until 2010 too.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/john_donovan/01/24/donovan.holes/index.html


• The lower half of the Yankees' rotation: I'll give you Chien-Ming Wang. And I'd tend to give you Andy Pettitte, if he hadn't had all that offseason drama. But should Yankees' fans be convinced about Mike Mussina, who lost his rotation spot last year? Plus, Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain are unproven in taking on a full big-league season. We'll see.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft08/news/story?id=3212077
MOBILE, Ala. -- Let the bidding for the No. 1 pick begin.

"We're open for business," new Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland, on hand to watch practices for the Senior Bowl, told the NFL Network on Wednesday.

Kiper: To Deal, Or Not?

The Dolphins need help on defense and Bill Parcells is a defensive-minded coach, so Mel Kiper says it stands to reason that tackle Glenn Dorsey would be the logical pick. Story Insider

Ireland, whose quote appeared in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, has been working at a breakneck pace since Bill Parcells hired him away from the Cowboys three weeks ago.

In the time after Ireland became GM, the Dolphins fired Cam Cameron and most of his staff, hired Tony Sparano as coach and started to assemble a staff of assistant coaches.

"Have I been able to breathe yet? Uh, a little bit," Ireland said Wednesday after watching a Senior Bowl workout. "I'm just glad to be watching some football players."

Then there's the matter of whether the Dolphins plan to keep the top selection in April's draft or trade it. Based on its just-completed 1-15 season, Miami has a plethora of needs.

"Rome wasn't built in a day, and this won't be built in a day either," Ireland said, according to the Sun-Sentinel. "The No. 1 pick is no different from the 22nd pick. You've got to make the right selection. You just can't miss on it.

"We're going to do everything in our power to make the right choices, whether it be to take the pick or move down. We'll listen to all offers."

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN.com's NFL draft expert, is not alone in forecasting LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey as the top pick to the Dolphins. Ireland declined to discuss specific players or positions of special interest to the Dolphins, but he said he and Parcells, who last month became executive vice president of football operations, have reviewed their observations from the Senior Bowl workouts about 30 minutes each day. Parcells watched the workouts on cable TV.

Sparano also didn't make the trip to Mobile, instead remaining in South Florida to focus on hiring a coaching staff. Ireland said he's comfortable with the way he'll divide responsibility with Sparano and Parcells.

"The situation that we're in is that Bill does oversee everything," Ireland said. "But yet I am the GM and we have a head coach, so there is going to be a triangle of communication involved here.

"I can't say that Bill will have the final say on everything, because we communicate so well. That's why Tony's in the position that he's in and that's why Bill brought me here [to Mobile] -- because we'll communicate and make decisions together."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.