Consider the competition
For the AL Central, that’s really only the Indians. And while Cleveland has substantially the more veteran roster, Minnesota might find itself with more advantages when serious play begins.
For starters, the Twins are younger. Of the Twins nine projected starters, seven are in their 20s; only Cruz and Castro have seen 30.
The Indians project to start four players in their 30s, among them light-hitting catcher Roberto Perez, center fielder Leonys Martin, and veteran infielder Jason Kipnis, who Cleveland has to date been unsuccessful in moving out of town.
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Production is a second concern in Cleveland. Perez is coming off a .168 season, so the thought of him becoming the team’s regular catcher is interesting, to say the least. Martin, who is slated to start in center, was acquired from Detroit in a mid-season deal. At 30, he enjoyed by far his best season with a composite .255 average and 11 home runs. But it was his first quality season since 2014 and he has a lifetime .248 mark with sub-par on-base and slugging averages.
Elsewhere, the Indians are counting on unproven talents, notably outfielders Jordan Luplow and Tyler Naquin plus first baseman/DH Jake Bauers.
A 2018 rookie, Bauers batted just .201 for Tampa Bay so the Indians, who got him in a trade, are banking on a breakthrough of their own. The same is true of Luplow, who they got from Pittsburgh. He earned the team’s faith and a spot in left field by batting .185 in 103 plate appearances. As for Naquin, the designated right fielder, Indians fans have been waiting for him to develop since he arrived in 2016. Last year he combined a .265 average with a .295 on-base average to produce a 75 OPS+ on a scale where 100 equals major league average.
Nobody disputes the quality of the Indians pitching staff. But the myriad questions surrounding their offense call their favorites’ role in the divisional race into question…at least in Minnesota.