Fantasy News: AL Central Notebook 2016 Predictions (Frazier, Verlander, & More)
Not much has changed from Friday to today, so we'll start the regular season with my AL Central predictions for 2016 and some team/player predictions:
| W | L | |
|---|---|---|
| Indians | 87 | 75 |
| White Sox | 86 | 76 |
| Royals | 83 | 79 |
| Twins | 81 | 81 |
| Tigers | 80 | 82 |
I could make an argument for each team winning this division, but I think that Cleveland's pitching will just be too much.
Chicago White Sox:
Todfather Will Top Previous Seasons, Again
Todd Frazier has been in the league since 2011. Every year, his home runs and RBI increases. Even after his 35 HR, 89 RBI campaign in 2015, I think he will improve upon those stats as Frazier plays his first season for the White Sox.
Cleveland Indians:
Gomes Gears Up For 2016
Yan Gomes enters the season as the 11th catcher in the average draft position of the NFBC. Last year, the batting average dropped from .278 to .231. The home runs and RBI numbers were also close to cut in half. However, Gomes tried to rush back from an MCL injury. In the final week of the regular season, Gomes was 6-17 (.353) and concluded the year on a 10-game hitting streak. This spring, Gomes was 15-50 (.300) and led all catchers with six home runs. For 2016, Gomes will return as a Top Five catcher in HR and RBI.
Detroit Tigers:
Verlander Posts Sub-3 ERA
Justin Verlander hasn't produced an ERA under 3.00 since 2012 (2.64 ERA). In 2015, while he finished the season with a 3.38 ERA, Verlander had a solid second-half. After the All-Star break, in 15 outings, Verlander boasted a 2.80 ERA.
Kansas City Royals:
Defending Champs Miss Playoffs
For back-to-back seasons, Kansas City has been the AL representative in the World Series. However, I don't see that run extending to a third term. In fact, I'm predicting that they won't even make the postseason. The AL Central is an extremely tough division this year. Edinson Volquez is currently the "ace" of the rotation. Ian Kennedy, who had a 4.28 ERA in the NL last year, is their No. 2. The Royals bullpen is great, but teams only need to take the lead in the first five innings in order to earn the win.
Minnesota Twins:
Twin Powers Activate
Minnesota will lead the AL in runs scored in 2016. Last year, the Twins scored the 13th-most runs (696) and were second to Kansas City in the AL Central. However, the team from the Twin Cities led their division with 156 homers. This year, Minnesota added Byung-ho Park. In his past two seasons in the KBO, Park hit a combined 105 home runs. This spring, Park was tied for second on the team with three home runs.
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