American League

AL East – Division Winner:  Boston Red Sox

The AL East has been the best division in baseball for the last several seasons.  This could be a down year in the East with the massive turnover on the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Red Sox and Yankees will predictably be battling it out all season long.  We have Boston winning the division with New York finishing a close second, enough to earn a Wild Card spot.  Tampa Bay still has some great young pitching and the remaining talent in their lineup should be enough for a 3rd place finish.  We like the Blue Jays, with their surprisingly potent offense, to end up close behind the Rays.  We’re predicting the Baltimore Orioles to finish in the cellar, though it does look like they will improve on their win total from 2010.

AL Central – Division Winner: Detroit Tigers

The Tigers have all of the tools in place to win the division.  They have one of the top hitters in the league with Miguel Cabrera, plus one of the best starters in the American League with Justin Verlander.  Competing for the top spot should be the White Sox and Twins, who we have finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively.  The bottom of the division will be slugged out between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians.  The Royals have more hidden talent, making us believe they will finish just head of the Tribe.

AL West – Division Winner: Texas Rangers

We are not expecting much of a shake up out West this season.  The Rangers are clearly the best team out of the division and are a legitimate threat to make a run to the World Series again in 2011.  We’ve got the A’s and Angels battling it out for second place, while the Seattle Mariners will likely finish in last place again this year.

National League

NL East – Division Winner: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are everyone’s favorite to win the World Series this year.  It’s hard to argue with that prediction considering just how good this team is on paper.  They’ve got the best rotation in the Majors and one of the better lineups in the NL when they are healthy.  The team with the best chance to knock the Phillies off this year is the Atlanta Braves, who continue to churn out excellent young talent for their rotation and lineup.  The Florida Marlins are another team with some exciting young talent.  They could gel and shock pundits by competing for the Wild Card, but we think they are probably still a few years from being true contenders.  The Mets and Nationals round out the division.  Neither figures to be much of a factor come playoff time.

NL Central – Division Winner: Milwaukee Brewers

On paper the Milwaukee Brewers look like the top team in the division.  The additions of Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum may be just the boost this team needed to make a play for a pennant.  With that being said, this again looks like one of the more wide-open divisions in baseball.  The Cardinals lost ace Adam Wainwright for the season, but they still have some players to work with in the rotation and a dangerous lineup with Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, Colby Rasmus, and the addition of Lance Berkman.  The Reds shocked many by winning this division last year,.  They have the NL MVP with Joey Votto, and a pretty good lineup to boot, but we would be surprised to see this pitching staff hold up over the course of the season.  The Chicago Cubs could also make some noise in the Central, however, they have some seriously overpriced players (Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Pena, Kosuke Fukudome, etc.) who have yet to live up to their contracts (to be fair, it’s Pena’s first year, but he did only hit .196 last year).  The Pirates and Astros are an afterthought in the Central.  We do like Pittsburgh’s young lineup, but their pitching is behind the rest of the division.  As for the Astros, they might be the worst team in the Majors this year.

NL West – Division Winner: San Francisco Giants

The Giants are still the best team in this division.  They have a good mix of veteran players and young talent, plus they didn’t see much turnover in players from last year’s roster.  The Rockies are the team most likely to challenge the Giants for the top spot.  Colorado has a potentially tremendous lineup, but their starting pitching could be what ends up holding them back.  The Padres and Dodgers are similar in that they have impressive pitching staffs, but not much in terms of offensive production.  We see them finishing 3rd and 4th, respectively.  The Arizona Diamondbacks are a team that doesn’t have much of an identity.  They aren’t a good hitting or pitching team.  It would be surprising if they didn’t end up in the cellar in the division.

Individual MLB Team Previews:

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Starting Lineup

With the addition of Wells and the return of Morales, the Angeles offense should be much better than it was a year ago. Morales had 11 home runs and 39 RBIs in just 51 games before his season was ended with a fractured ankle from celebrating a walk-off grand slam. Morales hit 34 home runs and drove in 108 runs in 2009, and we see no reason why he won’t return to those numbers this season. Wells was a great addition this offseason, especially coming off his best finish in four years. He hit .273 with 31 home runs and 88 RBIs with the Blue Jays last season, and could be the staple to why the Angels win the AL West in 2011. Right fielder Tori Hunter is no longer a young pup, but still managed to hit 23 home runs with 90 RBIs in 2010. Don’t be shocked if he falls off a little this year. Second baseman Howie Kendrick finished with a career-high in doubles (41), home runs (14), and RBIs (75), and it appears the move to become more of a power hitter is working, but he must raise his .313 OBP. Veteran DH Bobby Abreu finished with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs, but posted just a .255 average and like Hunter, he could see his numbers fall this time around.

The rest of the lineup won’t likely give the Angeles a whole lot offensively. Center fielder Peter Bourjos is great in the field, but he hit just .204 with an OBP of .237. Catcher Jeff Mathis hit just .195 with and OBP of .219 in 205 at-bats last season. Shortstop Erick Aybar isn’t expected to hit for much power, but if he is going to keep his job, he he has to improve on his .256 average. Los Angeles is hoping Maicer Izturis can take over the starting job at third, after Brandon Wood completely flopped. The possibility is there for Izturis to hit 10-15 home runs with 70-80 RBIs, but he has to find a way to avoid injuries and stay on the field.

Starting Rotation

Los Angeles figures to have one of the top starting staffs in the West with the likes of Dan Haren and Jered Weaver at the top of the mix. Weaver went just 13-12 in 2010, but his 3.01 ERA and 1.074 WHIP, show he was much better than his record indicates. He has continued to get better with each year, and if the offense improves like they expect, he could be in the running for a Cy Young. The same could be said for Dan Haren, who really turned it on after coming over from the Diamonbacks in a midseason trade. Haren went 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in seven starters with Los Angeles, and should be back around the 15-18 win mark this year. Ervin Santana is coming off one of his best years in 2010. He led the team with 17 wins, and finished with a respectable 3.92 ERA. However, Santana has struggled to put together two great seasons in a row. Joel Pineiro finished last year with a record of 10-7 with a 3.84 ERA, but almost all of his success came at home. He was nearly unstoppable at home, going 7-2 with a 2.18 ERA, but was just 3-5 with a 6.31 ERA on the road. Scott Kazmir was a big disappointment in his first season with the Angels, going just 9-15 with a 5.94 ERA. He no longer seems to be able to strike out batters on a consistent basis, and its hard to see a big improvement in 2011.

2011 Projections: 3rd Place AL West

While there are still a few question marks at a couple positions, we think Los Angeles will have enough offense to go with their impressive pitching staff to make them a serious contender in the West this season. The problem is the Rangers and Athletics both look like contenders as well, and we have the Angels finishing third in a close race.

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Starting Lineup

For the Athletics to really get take off offensively this season, they need center fielder Coco Crisp to avoid getting hurt, something he hasn’t had much success with. Crisp has played in just 124 games over the last two seasons. In only 75 games last season, Crisp hit .279 with eight home runs and 32 stolen bases. Oakland went out and added right fielder David DeJesus from the Royals, and he can really help this team if he can stay on the field. DeJuses was hitting .318 before his season was ended with a thumb injury in 2010. Left Fielder Josh Willingham comes over from the Nationals and is projected to hit in the middle of the lineup. Willingham hit just .268 last season, but his .389 OBP and .848 OPS have us thinking he could really help this team score some runs. Oakland is taking a gamble on DH Hideki Matsui, with the hopes he can provide them some much needed power. Matsui hit .274 with 21 home runs and 84 RBIs last season with the Los Angeles Angels. Oakland is depending on catcher Kurt Suzuki to really be a force offensively this year, after hitting just .242 with a .303 OBP in 2010. First baseman Daric Barton hit .273 with 10 home runs and 57 RBIs, easily his best year in the majors, and his 110 walks has us thinking he could be in for a breakout season. Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff led Oakland with just 16 home runs last year, but hit just .247 with a .283 OBP. Don’t expect much more than an average home run total in 2011. A guy to watch out for is veteran Mark Ellis, who put together a solid 2010 season with a .291 average and .358 OBP. Don’t be surprised if he puts similar or better numbers this season. Cliff Pennington did a respectable job in his first full season as the starting shortstop, but has to improve on his .250 average.

Starting Rotation

While the Athletics appear to have improved their offense, if they are going to win the division this season, it will be because of their starting rotation. It all starts with 22-year-old Trevor Cahill, who went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA in 2010. If the offense improves, Cahill could easily top the 20 win mark this year. Gio Gonzalez really got it going in 2010, going 15-9 with a 3.23 ERA, after posting a 6-7 record with a 5.75 ERA in 2009. Dallas Braden might be the most recognizable starter on this staff thanks to the perfect game he threw last year, but he went just 11-14 with a 3.50 ERA. A lot of that has to do with no run support, which has us thinking he should put up a much higher win total in 2011. Brett Anderson is another young pitcher the A’s are really excited about. Anderson went 7-6 with a 2.80 ERA in just 19 starts, but has to show he can stay healthy after dealing with elbow problems last season. The final spot in the starting staff will likely go to Brandon McCarthy, who went 7-4 with a 4.62 ERA in 17 starts.

2011 Projections: 3rd Place Al West

If The A’s can get a spark offensively from their new additions and a couple of breakout seasons from their young stars, the Athletics will should be able to contend in the West. They pitching staff is as solid as they come, and could even improve off their strong 2010 season. While we didn’t pick the A’s to win the West, they are a sleeper worth watching out for.

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Starting Lineup

The one sure thing in the lineup is leadoff hitter Ichiro Suzuki, who hit .315 and reached the 200 hit mark for a 10th consecutive season. At 36, Suzuki still remains a threat on the bases with 42 swipes in 2010. Third baseman Chone Figgins had a huge dropoff in 2010, and is one of many who have to turn things around in 2011. Figgins hit a career-low .259 with just one home run and 35 RBIs last season. Seattle is hoping first baseman Justin Smoak is ready to break out and give this team some much needed pop in the heart of the batting order. Smoak hit just .218 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 2010, but has the potential to hit 20+ home runs and 80 RBIs. DH Jack Cust was also a disappointment in 2010, hitting just 13 home runs after hitting at least 25 in each of the last three years. There are is no doubt center fielder Franklin Gutierrez is an amazing defender, but he has to be more of a factor offensively. After hitting .283 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 2009, he hit just .245 with 12 home runs and 64 RBIs in 2010. The same could be said for shortstop Jack Wilson, who is great defensively, but hit just .249 last season.

The rest of the lineup doesn’t provide much to get excited about. Seattle added veteran catcher Miguel Olivio, who hit .269 with 14 home runs and 58 RBIs with the Rockies last season. New second baseman Brendan Ryan hit just .223 with the Cardinals last year, and is likely only going to be around until Dustin Ackley is ready to take over. Left fielder Michael Saunders is one player who does have some promise. He hit 10 home runs in just 289 at-bats last year, and we could see those numbers take a big jump if he holds down the everyday job.

Starting Rotation

Just how bad was the Mariners offense last year? Felix Hernandez won the AL CY Young with a 13-12 record, thanks to a 2.27 ERA, 1.057 WHIP, and 8.4 SO/9. If the offense gives him anything to work with, he should win at least 15 games in 2011. Jason Vargas is another guy who was hurt by a lack of offense. He posted a 3.78 ERA and 1.241 WHIP, but went just 9-12 on the season. Doug Fisher had a respectable 4.11 ERA, but went just 6-14, and its hard to see a a big turnaround in 2011 for a guy who doesn’t strike out a lot of batters. Michael Pineda is the Mariners top pitching prospect, who went 11-4 with a 3.36 ERA between Double A and Triple A last year, but you can’t expect a great year with the offense he has behind him. Veteran Erik Bedard hasn’t made more than 15 starts in each of his first two seasons with Seattle, but when he is able to go he is one of the top pitchers on this staff. Bedard went 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 2010, but isn’t of much value if he can’t stay off the DL.

2011 Projections: 4th Place AL West

There just isn’t enough evidence to believe the Mariners are going to have a huge turnaround offensively. Vargas isn’t anything close to to the No. 2 starter they had last year in Cliff Lee, and we just don’t see how they make it out of last place in a pretty tough division this season.

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Projected Lineup

Cleveland was pleased with what left fielder Michael Brantley gave them after a call-up in 2010, and he could end up being the guy who gets this offense going at the top of the order. The 23-year-old has the speed you want at the top, but has to improve on his .246 average and .296 OBP from last year. The days figure to be numbered for center fielder Grady Sizemore, as all signs point to him getting traded at some point this year. Sizemore has battled injury problems in each of the last two seasons, but if he can stay on the field he has the potential to hit 25+ home runs and drive in close to 80 runs wherever he ends up. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera hit .284 with a nice .347 OBP last year, but only played97 games because of a broken left forearm. Cabrera should continue to hit for a high average, and could score a bunch of runs if the guys behind him produce. Right Fielder Shin-Soo Choo really put together a fine season despite the Indians overall struggles. He finished with 20 home runs and stole 20 bases for a second straight season, and also ended with a .300 average. DH Travis Hafner had a great .932 OPS in the second half of 2010, but has also struggled to avoid injuries. He has the potential to put up big time numbers, but its hard to imagine him not getting hurt. Catcher Carlos Santana is one player that has Cleveland fans excited about the future, he was hitting .260 with a .401 OBP before his rookie season was cut short. First baseman Matt LaPorta was expected to put up big numbers after coming over to the Indians in the trade that sent C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers, but will have to rebound from a poor 2010 season where he hit just .221 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs. Cleveland went out and added veteran shortstop Orlando Cabrera in the offseason, and while he won’t wow you with his offensive numbers, he brings great leadership to the clubhouse. Third basemand Jason Nix has some nice pop in his bat, but has to improve on his fielding if he plans on staying in the starting lineup.

Projected Rotation

There is no doubt the ace of this pitching staff is Fausto Carmona, but his numbers weren’t great thanks to a poor offense behind him, as he went just 13-14 with a 3.77 ERA. If the offense can just stay healthy, he could return to his 2007 form when he went 19-8 with a 3.06 ERA. Justin Masterson got off to a bad start in his first full season as a starter, but really came on strong down the stretch, and could be ready to breakout with a big season in 2011. Carlos Carrasco showed some great signs in 2010 as a 23-year-old starter going 2-2 with a 3.83 ERA, if he can build off that performance, he will be a mainstay in this rotation for years to come. Mitch Talbot and Josh Tomlin both put together solid rookie seasons, and how they translate that into this season could determine how the Indians finish up in the Central. Tomlin went 6-4 with a 4.56 ERA in 12 starts, while Talbot went 10-13 with a 4.41 ERA in 28 starts, but won just two games after the All-Star break.

2011 Projection: 5th Place AL Central

Its hard to remember the fact that the Indians were just one victory away from a World Series in 2007. They finished last in attendance in 2010, which demonstrated the disgust of a fan base that at one time sold out 455 straight games. CEO Paul Dolan is not willing to spend big money on free agents at this time, and as a result the cupboard is very bare. If you didn’t think it could get worse in Cleveland, it certainly can and 2011 will prove it.

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Projected Lineup

Projected Lineup

Kansas City has a couple of options they could go with at the top of the order, in second baseman Chris Getz and shortstop Alcides Escobar. Its very likely that whoever doesn’t win this job will end up hitting last, which essentially gives them back-to-back leadoff hitters. Neither player is coming off a very impressive last year, as Getz hit just .237 with and .302 OBP in 72 games, while Escobar hit just .235 with a .288 OBP in 145 games. Third baseman Mike Aviles had a fine season in 2010, hitting .304 with 14 stolen bases in limited action. One player Kansas City is really excited about is DH Billy Butler, who hit .318 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs. The youngster is just 24-years-old and should continue to get better and better as he matures. First baseman Kila Ka’aihue shows a great eye and has some nice power as well. He hit eight home runs with 25 RBis and 24 walks in just 180 at-bats last season. Jeff Francoeur spent 2010 with the Mets and Rangers, but was a major disappointment hitting just .249 with 13 home runs and 65 RBIs. Francoeur is just 27, so there is still time for him to turn things around. This may the last shot with the Royals for Alex Gordon, who hasn’t came close to living up to his potential. Gordon hit just .215 with eight home runs last year. Melky Cabrera is another guy Kansas City is giving a shot to turn his career in the right direction. Cabrera hit just .255 with 4 home runs in 147 games with the Braves last year. The Royals have a couple of options at catcher with veteran Jason Kendall and Brayan Pena, but neither brings a whole lot offensively, and are likely just holding down the job until Manny Pina and Salvador Perez are ready to make the jump to the big leagues.

Projected Rotation

The Royals clearly lack an ace at the top of the starting rotation with Grienke no longer in the mix, and its hard to even find a reliable guy in this rotation that would be a good No. 2 starter on most pitching staffs. Luke Hochevar finally got things going in 2010 after struggling in both 2008 and 2009. Hochevar went 6-6 with a 4.81 ERA, and this could be the year he really makes a name for himself. The Royals took a risk by acquiring Jeff Francis this offseason, and it could end up paying off huge. Francis went 17-9 in 2007 with the Rockies, but struggled in 2008 and missed all of 2009 because of major shoulder surgery. He showed signs of regaining his form in 2010, but was just 4-6 with a 5.00 ERA. The Royals also went out and traded for Vin Mazzaro from the Athletics. Mazzaro is another guy who could surprise, as he went 6-8 with a 4.27 ERA in 2010 after going just 4-9 with a 5.34 ERA in his rookie run in 2009. If Kyle Davies can just find a way to consistently find the strike zone, he figures to put together some pretty good numbers, but that is a big question mark. Davies went just 8-12 with a 5.34 ERA last year. Sean O’Sullivan figures to be the fifth and final starter in this rotation. O’Sullivan is just 24 and really came on strong late in the season, but its more likely he struggles than anything.

2011 Projection: 4th Place AL Central

The positive thing for Kansas City this season is expectations are very low, and they have a bunch of talented players who are trying to prove they belong. The lineup has a ton of potential from a talented outfield to a bunch of marvelous prospects. The rotation is where the Royals are in trouble, with Greinke gone and a bunch of youngsters still trying to find their way. Their bullpen is in good hands with one of the game’s best closers in Joakim Soria. This team has more to work with than Cleveland, but unfortunately for the Royals that’s the only team in this division they can even come close to.

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Projected Lineup

Minnesota feels like they have a ideal leadoff hitter in center fielder Denard Span, who has good speed, but he has to improve off his .264 average and .331 OBP. After Spann Minnesota is hoping new second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka can really be a spark in the lineup. Nishioka won the Japanese Series title with the Chiba Lotte Mariners last season, and won the batting title with a .346 average. If the top two can find a way to consistently get on base, they should score a bunch of runs with Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau coming up behind them. Maur wasn’t quite able to live up to his 2009 MVP season. He finished with a solid .327 average, but his home run totals dropped from 28 to just nine. Still arguably the best in the majors behind the plate. Morneau’s 2010 season was cut short due to a concussion that limited him to just 81 games. Morneau was leading the league with a .437 OBP and was second with a 1.055 OPS before his season ended. The Twins are hoping that Michael Cuddyer will find his home run swing that had him hit 32 home runs in 2009, compared to just the 14 he hit last season. Morneau back healthy will definitely help his cause. Left fielder Delmon Young took a big step forward in 2010 with a career-high 21 home runs and also led the team with 112 RBIs. DH Jason Kubel produced 21 home runs with 92 RBIs last year, but his average went down from .300 to .249 and his OBP dropped from .369 to .323. The Twins have veteran Jim Thome waiting on the bench of Kubel struggles even more in 2011. Rounding up the lineup will be third baseman Danny Valencia and shortstop Alexi Casilla, and Minnesota is really hoping these two can come through. Valencia led all rookies with a .311 average, 16 doubles, and 37 RBIs after the All-Star break, and could be in for a breakout season. Casilla is a big question mark, he was given the chance to be the starter last season, but couldn’t get the job done.

Projected Rotation

Its hard telling what you will get out the Twins starting staff this season, but for this team to contend in the division again in 2011, they need Francisco Liriano to stay healthy. Liriano has the talent of any top pitcher in the game when healthy, and could easily build off his 14-10 record and 3.62 ERA from last season. Carl Pavano turned his career around last season with an amazing performance, going 17-11 with a 3.75 ERA, and will need to be that same pitcher in 2011. Lefty Brian Duensing has the potential to really surprise this year. He went 10-3 with a 2.62 ERA as a starter and reliever in 2010. Nick Blackburn and Sott Baker figure to round up the back of the rotation. Baker won’t shock you with his stuff, but is consistent and has proven he knows how to win with a 55-42 record in six seasons. Blackburn struggled to find his mechanics last season, going 10-12 with a 5.42 ERA, but has the stuff to rebound in 2011. If Blackburn can’t get the job done, the Twins will likely turn to Kevin Slowey.

2011 Projection: 3rd Place AL Central

Minnesota has been thriving on a weak division over the past decade. They finished 94-68 record in 2010 to win the Central. Repeating in 2011 figures to quite the challenge, especially with the improvements both Chicago and Detroit have made. Look for Minnesota to take a step back this season as they failed to address a few needs this offseason. Their starting staff could easily implode instead of improving because there are a bunch of inconsistent guys across the board. Maur and Morneau must stay healthy, their middle-infield experiment must pan out, and closer Joe Nathan must rediscover his pre-Tommy John form. That’s a lot of questions, and why we aren’t picking the Twins to win the division this season.

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Projected Lineup

Chicago is really counting on another big year out of left fielder Juan Pierre at the top of the batting order. Pierre finished 2010 with 96 runs, 68 stolen bases, and a solid .339 OBP, with the guys they have coming up after him, he should be able to top the 100 run mark this season. After Pierre Chicago has an up-and-coming star in the American League in shortstop Alexei Ramirez, who hit .283 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs, and could be in for an All-Star season. Center fielder Alex Rios rebounded from a disappointing 2009 campaign to hit .284 with 21 home runs and 88 RBIs, he also had a career-high 34 stolen bases. Now we get to the power part of the order. Adam Dunn is a huge addition to the middle of this lineup, he has hit 38 home runs in each of the last two seasons, and could easily improve on those totals hitting in hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field. First baseman Paul Konerko proved he still has some life left in his 35-year-old swing, he hit .312 with 39 home runs and 111 RBIs last year. Carlos Quentin won’t hit for a great average, as he hit just .250, but this guy knows hot to bring runners in with 36 home runs and 100 RBIs. Second baseman Gordon Beckham couldn’t get it going early in the season, but hit .310 after June 23, and the 24-year-old could be ready for a breakout season. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is reliable behind the plate, and also brings great leadership and drive to win. The only big question mark for Chicago comes at third base. Brent Morei didn’t have a great run in a late-season call-up but there is a lot of potential and he will be given every chance to hold down the job.

Projected Rotation

For the starting rotation to really be dominant in 2011, they need Jake Peavy to become the pitcher he was with the San Diego Padres. Peavy appears to be on track to return sometime in April, which is a huge plus for this team. He won’t start out as the ace of this staff, but Chicago is really hoping he ends up in that spot. For now veteran Mark Buehurle will likely be the go to guy, but he has to pitch better than his a 13-13 season with a 4.28 ERA. John Danks and Gavin Floyd are two guys the Sox are really counting on to help them win the AL East. Danks went 15-11 with a 3.72 ERA, while Floyd went 10-13 with a 4.08 ERA. Both have the potential to be 15+ game winners this year. The No. 5 spot in the rotation figures to go to Edwin Jackson, who the White Sox acquired in a mid-season trade with Arizona last season. Jackson went 4-2 with a 3.24 ERA in 11 starts with the White Sox, and if he can come anywhere close to that the Sox will be in great shape.

2011 Projection: 2nd Place AL Central

Owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s passion to win has put Chicago in position to compete in the Central on a yearly basis. But those pesky Minnesota Twins have prevented them from getting to the playoffs on a consistent basis. With the Detroit Tigers also looking like they will make some strong improvements this season, I believe the White Sox will fall short again in 2011. The Sox certainly have the pieces in place to make it to the postseason, but they are relying on too many players to bounce back from injury and/or poor seasons.

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Projected Lineup

With the addition of Martinez, the middle of the batting order for Detroit figures to be as good as ever. Martinez won’t spend a whole lot of time catching, as he will mostly be used as a DH. Martinez hit .302 with 20 home runs and 79 RBIs in just 127 games with the Red Sox last year. Martinez will likely hit fifth behind Maglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera. Ordonez has struggled to stay healthy over last few seasons, but if he can find a way to stay in the lineup, he could finish the season right around .300 with 20 home runs and 90 RBIs. Cabrera had a run in 2010, hitting .328 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs, and has continued to get better with each season.

Second year center fielder Austin Jackson really impressed the Tigers in his rookie season, hitting .293 with a .345 OBP. Jackson scored 103 runs and stole 27 bases, and appears to be the ideal leadoff hitter for this lineup. Detroit expects Ryan Raburn to take over the full time duties in left field. He hit .280 with a .340 OBP in 87 games in 2010. Jhonny Peralta was added in a trade with Indians last season, and was so good in his time with Detroit they decided to keep him around to start this year. Third baseman Brandon Inge has the ability to give the Tigers some pop at the end of the lineup, but must to improve on his numbers from last season when he hit just .247 with 13 home runs. Alex Avila will be the primary catcher against right handed pitchers, but the youngster still has some work to do at the plate. Second base looks to be the Tigers biggest question mark coming into the year. Youngster Will Rhymes and veteran Carlos Guillen are the two top candidates for the starting job, but both have the potential to surprise if given the chance.

Projected Rotation

The Tigers are loaded at the top of the rotation with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Verlander has the talent to win the Cy Young in any given season. He went 18-9 with a 3.37 ERA last year, and is without question the leader of this pitching staff. Scherzer really made a name for himself in 2010 with a 12-11 record and 3.50 ERA. The expectations are huge for this 26-year-old. Rick Porcello will likely be the No. 3 starter for the Tigers, despite a big drop off in production from an outstanding rookie season in 2009. Porcello went just 10-12 with a 4.92 ERA last season, but we like his chances of turning things around in 2011. Veteran Brad Penny gives the Tigers a solid arm at the back of the rotation, that is if he doesn’t get hurt. Penny went 3-4 with a 3.23 ERA in nine starts before being shutdown. The Tigers are hoping Phil Coke can hold down the final spot in the rotation. Coke will try and make a C.J. Wilson-like conversion from reliever to starter. In 74 appearances last year, Coke went 7-5 with a 3.76 ERA, but we are a bit concerned with his 1.436 WHIP.

2011 Projection: 1st Place AL Central

The Tigers dumped more than $75 million by letting go of Dontrelle Willis, Johnny Damon, and Jeremy Bondermannonce last year was over, and Detroit seems to have chosen wisely on who they would re-sign. There doesn’t appear to be any glaring weakness on this team, and after bringing in Benoit and Martinez Detroit is ready now more than ever to take down the Central.

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Projected Lineup

The Orioles retooled the heart of their lineup with the offseason additions of DH Vladamir Guerrero and Derek Lee, but its hard telling what these two veterans will provide this offense in 2011. Lee brings outstanding defense at first, but has to stay healthy to make a big impact. Guerrero had an amazing run with the Rangers last season, hitting .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs, but you have to wonder if he can keep those numbers up at age 36. Baltimore also went out and added third baseman Mark Reynolds, who hit 32 home runs with the Diamondbacks, but he also brings a lot of strikeouts with him and a .198 average from last season. Luke Scott should benefit from having some help around him, as he hit .284 with 27 home runs in easily his most productive season at the plate. The key to the Orioles offense is veteran leadoff hitter Brian Roberts, but he managed to play just 59 games last year. If he can avoid getting hurt and come close to his career numbers, the Orioles offense should be in for a huge turnaround. Right fielder Nick Markakis is a doubles machine, finishing fourth in the league with 45 last year. Markakis power numbers were down, but if he continues to hit the gaps you won’t hear much complaining from the Orioles. The two players to keep your eye on are center fielder Adam Jones and catcher Matt Wieters. Jones hit a career-high 19 home runs and has continued to get better in each season. Wieters hasn’t quite lived up to his fist round selection, finishing with just 11 home runs in 2010, but like Jones, the potential for greatness is there. The last piece to the lineup is shortstop J.J. Hardy, who was added in a trade. Hardy’s production were way down last season, hitting just six home runs with 38 RBIs, but is capable of turning things around, as he hit 50 home runs over 2007 and 2008.

Projected Rotation

What is keeping the Orioles from contending in the loaded AL East is their lack of a proven starting rotation, but there is some potential for this unit to improve off a poor 2010 performance. Jeremy Guthrie cemented his status as the ace of this staff, going 8-4 with a 2.76 ERA in the second half of the year. If he builds off those numbers, he could be a major surprise this season. Another guy who appears on the verge of a big year is Brian Matusz, who went 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA in his rookie season. Jake Arrieta is another starter coming off a solid rookie campaign, and the Orioles are hoping he can build off a great end to last year, where he posted a 3.78 ERA over his final eight starts. Baltimore had big expectations for Brad Bergesen in 2010, as he went 7-5 with a 3.43 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie in 2009, but he ended up struggling in his second season, going 8-12 with a 4.98 ERA. Justin Duchscherer and Chris Tillman figure to battle for the final spot in the rotation, but it’s hard to expect much out of either of these starters.

2011 Projection: 5th Place AL East

If the Orioles weren’t playing in such an unforgiving division, it would not be surprising to see them make a playoff run with the talent they have on board. Hard to not like the additions or Reynolds, Lee, and Guerrero to add pop at the plate and leadership in the clubhouse to this young team. Baltimore will score runs, but stopping opposing teams from scoring even more will be the hard part. They are counting on too many ripe starters in their rotation, and their bullpen has proven to be unreliable. Kevin Gregg might add some stability there, but in the end pitching is going to be their downfall.

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