American league Topic Page

Before the season starts I have to get my predictions set in stone, so people can point and laugh at me at the end of the season. Please share your picks in the comments.

American League

East: Tampa Bay Rays

Central: Cleveland Indians

West: Los Angeles Angels

Wild Card: New York Yankees

Cy Young: Roy Halladay

MVP: Grady Sizemore

ROY: David Price

Let's continue on with the 2008 player projections. We're working through the pitching staff right now, and then we'll move onto the hitters. Today, we get a look at Livan Hernandez, whom the Twins signed late in the offseason to a 1 year $5 million contract. I already gave a rundown of him in early February when the deal went down, so if you find you can just never get enough Livan talk, be sure to read that.

Doug Mientkiewicz is the last Twin not named Torii Hunter to win a gold glove. That came in 2001. Hunter has taken home 6 straight gold gloves running form 2001 to last season and may very well win the prize again in 2007, if for no other reason than reputation.

The Twins offense exploded for a combined 32 runs in the two games in Chicago on Friday. That one day accounts for nearly 7.5% of the Twins' runs scored so far through 86 games. Things were going so well that even Nick Punto had 3 hits on the day.

Seattle held a narrow 1-run lead against Johan Santana and the Twins for most of this game, but the Twins were able to put together a big inning in the seventh and hold off a ninth inning charge from the Mariners to win the game and sweep the 3 game series. The Mariners scored first when Ichiro reached on a Jason Bartlett throwing error. Ichiro was thrown caught in a run-down later in the inning between third and home, but it allowed Jose Vidro to move to second and be driven in by a Raul Ibanez single.

With a couple weeks to go until the season begins the right field position is still a little up in the air. Surely, a number of players will see some playing time out there all season, but Lew Ford or Michael Cuddyer will probably see most of the playing time there, at least early on in the season. It's uncertain if Jason Kubel will be on the opening day roster let alone, starting.