1. Cleveland
2. Twins
3. White Sox
4. Detroit
5. Kansas City
"Minnesota is one of the few American League teams that clearly improved over the offseason, with a big addition (Nelson Cruz) and a solid, buy-low option (Jonathan Schoop). Getting Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano back on the field and productive is just as important as any free agent signing. … Minnesota is a sleeper playoff candidate."
Baseball Prospectus AL Central
1. Cleveland 97-65
2. Twins 82-80
3. Kansas City 73-89
4. Chicago 70-92
5. Detroit 66-96
PECOTA projections have the Twins with a run differential of 739-729, batting average of .252, on-base percentage of .321 and slugging percentage of .426. The projected percentage to make the playoffs is .364.
Sports Illustrated AL Central
1. Twins 90-72
2. Cleveland 89-73
3. Chicago 75-87
4. Kansas City 68-94
5. Detroit 66-96
Power rankings: Fifth in AL
"With three rebuilding teams below them and one (maybe) above, the Twins have a chance to steal the AL Central from the defending champion Indians. But that chance hinges on a healthy Byron Buxton. …The wins will pile up for them in the worst division in baseball."
mlb.com AL Central
1. Cleveland 90-72
2. Twins 83-79
3. Kansas City 77-85
4. Chicago 69-93
5. Detroit 62-100
"They are in the scary middle ground of being better than the rebuilding teams yet not good enough to quite challenge for a postseason spot, which is precisely where you don't want to be. The disappointments of Buxton and Miguel Sano — who were supposed to be stars, and still could be — have lowered the ceiling on this team. The problem with being an 82-win team is that teams below you are building to be a lot more than that."
The Twins got one of five votes to win the division, one vote to be a wild-card. Rocco Baldelli got three of five votes for American League manager of the year. Byron Buxton got three of five votes for AL comeback player of the year. Comment: "If the Twins get bounce-back seasons from Sano and Buxton, this team has the chance to contend for the postseason."
Seventh in La Velle E. Neal III's American League power rankings. Record prediction: Sid Hartman 90-72, Jim Souhan 88-74, Chip Scoggins 85-77, La Velle E. Neal III 85-77, Patrick Reusse 85-77, Phil Miller 83-79.
Fangraphs AL Central
1. Cleveland 92-79
2. Twins 82-80
3. Chicago 71-91
4. Kansas City 70-92
5. Detroit 68-94
Yahoo! Sports AL Central
1. Cleveland
2. Twins
3. Chicago
4. Kansas City
5. Detroit
Bleacher Report AL Central
1. Cleveland 95-67
2. Twins 87-75
3. Chicago 74-88
4. Kansas City 63-99
5. Detroit 62-100
50-1 Odds to win World Series
20-1 Odds to win American League
27-10 Odds to win American League Central
The Twins are 3-13 since losing Pablo López to a long-term injury in early June. This weekend’s sweep by the Brewers might have been the lowest of the low, Michael Rand writes in today’s 10 things.
