Continued: Joe Christensen's Sunday Insider: So much for what we know

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OK, so we screwed up.

We devoted our season preview section to the AL Central, suggesting it might be the best division in baseball.

We were mesmerized by Detroit's offseason trading and spending spree. We were dazzled by Cleveland, which had all its key parts back after falling just short of the 2007 World Series. We even thought the Royals were making strides.

Shame on us, and shame on this division.

That sound you hear is the East Coast snickering. The Yankees might be down, but the AL East is not. Against that division, AL Central teams are a combined 65-94.

The Twins are 9-19 and still play three at Baltimore and four at Tampa Bay.

But the Twins and White Sox aren't the ones making the AL Central look bad. Detroit and Cleveland were supposed to be the division's heavyweights.

What the heck happened?

The Tigers were a mess from the beginning. Dontrelle Willis was a bust. Injuries crippled the bullpen. Gary Sheffield's shoulder started killing him, and the vaunted lineup looked old and slow.

Injuries derailed Cleveland. The Indians lost Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona. Recognizing this wasn't their year, they traded pending free agent CC Sabathia to Milwaukee for four prospects.

Sabathia has been a monster for the Brewers, but Cleveland went 30-20 after the trade, and Cliff Lee became the Indians' first 20-game winner since Gaylord Perry in 1974.

While the Twins and White Sox battle for the AL Central title, the Tigers, Indians and Royals will spend three more weeks planning for 2009.

It sounds like Royals General Manager Dayton Moore is ready to tear things up to change the nucleus around manager Trey Hillman.

After going 69-93 last season, the Royals entered Saturday at 60-80 -- same old story.

But don't look for Detroit and Cleveland to rebuild.

Sabathia was the main offseason issue for the Indians, who have their best young players signed to long-term contracts.

Cleveland's victory total since 2005 has gone 93, 78, 96 and 68 (entering Saturday), an every-other-year pattern, just like the Twins, who won 83, 96, 79 and 78 during that same span.

There are rumblings the Tigers will slash payroll after fielding a $138 million lemon this year, but they did sell 3 million tickets, keeping revenues strong.

Even if they just keep players under control for next season, without a single upgrade, they would be on the hook for about $120 million.

Tigers owner Mike Illitch has become the AL Central's version of George Steinbrenner. Illitch urged Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski to trade for Willis and Miguel Cabrera last November.

Illitch has won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, but he's still looking for that first World Series title.

It would be just like him to keep shelling out for baseball talent, and just like us to think it will tip the balance in the entire American League.

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