CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
Though Kansas City has run away with the division title, September still promises to be an important month for AL Central teams. A look at a big decision each faces as the season winds down:
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Lonnie Chisenhall, Carlos Santana and Mike Aviles weren't the answer at third base, but Cleveland hopes it has found a long-term solution in Giovanny Urshela, easily the best fielder the team has had there in years. But the 23-year-old Colombian needs to prove he will hit enough to hold the position; a .609 OPS in his first two months is worrisome.
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Alex Gordon is about to return from the groin strain that kept him out two months, and getting him ready for the playoffs is priority No. 1 for Kansas City. But so is solving the lineup quandary his return triggers: Where does newly acquired Ben Zobrist play? He will likely end up at second base, but right field is possible, too.
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With new General Manager Al Avila in charge, virtually every Tigers player is playing for his job, so September will be critical. It's also a big opportunity for Bruce Rondon to convince Avila that he can finally be the solution to Detroit's nagging bullpen problem. He is 2-for-3 in saves since Joaquin Soria was traded, but he has given up runs in three of his past four outings.
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