2015 American League Central Preview

Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals players celebrate on the field after defeating the Baltimore Orioles in game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals swept the Orioles to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

This offseason was one of the busiest of MLB’s history.

Bleacher Report’s Jason Catania ranks the 2014-2015 off-season near the top in baseball history in terms of both the amount of moves made and money spent.

One of the teams at the forefront of this zany winter resides in the American League Central, the Chicago White Sox. They were seen as spenders heading into the winter and certainly did not disappoint (more on that later) and closed the gap in the division.

Everyone has been looking up at the Detroit Tigers over the past four years, yet it was the out-of-nowhere Kansas City Royals who clinched the AL pennant in 2014. The Cleveland Indians have the Junior Circuit’s reigning Cy Young Award winner, and the Minnesota Twins made some nice acquisitions.

Here are my thoughts on how the AL Central will shake out in 2015.

Sep 27, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Twins second baseman

(2) receives congratulations from first baseman

(7) after he hits a home run in the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

5: Minnesota Twins (68-94)

The Minnesota Twins will retain their spot in the AL Central cellar next year, but make no mistake about it, they are an improved team. A new manager in Hall of Famer Paul Molitor takes over the team from Ron Gardenhire, who was at the helm since 2002 could infuse new life into the players.

The signings of starting pitcher Ervin Santana and former Twins player and fan favorite outfielder Torii Hunter, combined with a strong farm system and pieces like former MVP Joe Mauer, home run derby participant Brian Dozier and all-star closer Glen Perkins, the Twins have good pieces in place.

More from White Sox News

• The Chicago White Sox might have had a season ending loss
• The Chicago White Sox are expecting Tim Anderson back soon
• Miguel Cairo’s words spark life into the Chicago White Sox
• Dylan Cease should be the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award
• Ozzie Guillen speaks the whole truth about Tony La Russa

However, they have not won more than 70 games since 2010, their first year at Target Field. The rotation behind Santana and last year’s ace Phil Hughes is shaky. It is worth noting, however, the last time they dipped into the big-market starting pitching free agent pool it did not go well, with Ricky Nolasco flopping in the Twin Cities.

With a good young core of players such as Kennys Vargas, Danny Santana and Oswaldo Arcia with top prospects Miguel Sano, Alex Meyer and Byron Buxton, the Twins are still a couple years away from contention.

Sep 21, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher

(28) pitches in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

4: Cleveland Indians (80-82)

I know … how can a team with the reigning American League Cy Young winner in Corey Kluber and Top-3 MVP finisher Michael Brantley, being run by manager Terry Francona, finish this low in the division?

Well, the bullpen is a bit unsettled (and White Sox fans know how that goes), although Cody Allen had a nice run as the team’s closer following John Axford‘s implosion that cost him his tenure in Cleveland.

Jason Kipnis has regressed, Nick Swisher was having a poor season before having surgery on both knees and they are looking to strike lightning in a bottle in the bottom half of their admittedly underrated rotation.

Next: White Sox prospect Micker Adolfo has potential

(Did you SEE Carlos Carrasco‘s post all-star break numbers?!)

White Sox fans do not need to be reminded of the ups and downs of Gavin Floyd, who is most likely to be the club’s fourth starter. Brandon Moss may as well have been gifted to the Tribe since Cleveland did not need a 24-year-old second base prospect behind the aforementioned Kipnis, who is only 27 and already had one All-Star effort in 2013.

The Indians would be in a better position if not for their being in arguably the most improved division in baseball.

More from Southside Showdown

• The Chicago White Sox might have had a season ending loss
• The Chicago White Sox are expecting Tim Anderson back soon
• Miguel Cairo’s words spark life into the Chicago White Sox
• Dylan Cease should be the favorite for the AL Cy Young Award
• Ozzie Guillen speaks the whole truth about Tony La Russa

Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first gameeman

(24) during player introductions before game three of the 2014 ALDS baseball playoff game against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

2: Detroit Tigers (87-75)

For the first time in four years, the Detroit Tigers will not win the American League Central Division.

The offense is still near the top in the league, but with word that MVP-runner up Victor Martinez needs surgery to repair torn meniscus in his left knee (the same knee he injured when he missed the entire 2012 season), there is some reason to be worried.

Yoenis Cespedes should help recoup some of those numbers, but no one can replace Martinez’s exceptional 2014 season in Motown.

The reason they lose out on their fifth straight divisional crown is because of the pitching. Max Scherzer has left for the Washington Nationals, and Justin Verlander is another year removed from his MVP year of 2011. David Price struggled in his half-season in Detroit (extrapolated over a full year, it would have been his worst since his rookie year), and Anibal Sanchez is one of the best No. 3 pitchers in baseball.

Let’s not forget Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene/Kyle Lobstein, but they scare no one at the end of that rotation.

All this without regarding they lost a clubhouse figure in Torii Hunter, they have a bullpen that struggled mightily in recent years despite big name and the declining health of former Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera paves the way for another team to win the division for the first time in nearly half a decade.

Oct 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman

(8) celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the 7th inning during game six of the 2014 World Series at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

1: Kansas City Royals (90-72)

How can you go against the club that came within one run of a World Series title?

Their historically good bullpen remains intact with Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis and Greg Holland. Plus, they feature a lineup that returns Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, ALCS MVP Lorenzo Cain and one of the game’s best young catchers in Salvador Perez.

Longtime Royals fan favorite and face of the franchise Billy Butler is gone, signing with the Oakland Athletics, but he was replaced by Kendrys Morales and the club added Alex Rios, who was a 20/20 player in 2012 and quietly swiped 42 bases in 2013.

(No, seriously, did anyone know he had 40+ bags two years ago?!)

The likely departure of starting pitcher James Shields certainly hurts the rotation, but “Big Game James” was anything but in the Royals pennant run, and Yordano Ventura seems poised to take over that ace spot in the rotation.

I think Kris Medlen could be the best under-the-radar signing across the bigs this winter. The Royals made the postseason as a wild card team a year ago; this year, they get there on the heels of a divisional title.