The best of the Central Division?

[mikelink45]

I had another of those sleepless nights where my mind travels into distant lands and I can only follow.  This time I was thinking about the Central division and if I had to pick my all-star best at each position.  And then where do the Twins land on this list because the projections I have been seeing have the Royals and Tigers ahead of them and maybe the Guardians.  Why?

Start with Pitching:

The best rotation (not just the best pitcher) - Detroit because Skubal, Flaherty and Jackson are really studs (I know Jackson is a rookie) and Mize and Manning or Reese fills out the rotation.

Second - KC has Ragans, Bubic, Lorenzen, Wacha and Lugo - and I would have them tied with the Twins Lopez, Ryan, Ober, SWR and I guess Paddock

Relief pitching: 

The Guardians led by Clase are the best. 

The Twins need Duran to be what he was in the past and the others to live up to our twincentric projections, but KC and Detroit also have the potential to be as good or better than us.

Catching

KC's Salvador Perez is the man.  

Jeffer's is second best individual and then we wonder what Vasquez will do

Teel for the Sox has potential and the Guardians Naylor and Hedges could be the second best combo. 

1B

This one is tough, but I cannot put France this high

Is the Guardians Santana (our old friend) the best?  I don't think so.  I will take Pasquantino for KC.  Santana second, Vaughn of the Sox third.

Detroit's 1B combo is as mixed up as ours.

2B

KC got India and they got the best of the division

Gleyber Torres and Keith give the Tigers a good combo and Torres has proven he can produce.

We are third - but Lee and Julien have the potential to rise or fall.  

The Guardians and the Sox are out of the discussion

SS

KC wins here - as much as I like Correa - Bobby Witt is the best

After these two I can only laugh when I think of Baez

3B

There is no contest - the Guardians Ramirez is one of the two best position players in the division (Witt is the other)

After that there is no discussion - no one else stands out

LF

Detroit wins - Riley Green is a star

Steven Kwan of the Guardians would be second

And we can hope that Larnach will come in third

CF

Buxton wins this one for us if he is on the field

Luis Roberts of the Sox is next in line 

Then it is a coin flip

RF

I really like Wallner but Kerry Carpenter of Detroit has already risen as a star 

Those are my top two

DH

I do not know - there is no outstanding DH - position players rotate through for all of these clubs.

Manager

Hinch is my choice

But Vogt did great last year for Cleveland

Quatraro and Rocco follow and Venable is an unknown

 

So where does the leave me?  I don't know.  I think I lean towards KC and Detroit but not by much.  In other words - the division is up for grabs.