The Minnesota Twins will be hard
pressed to win the Central Division
for the third consecutive year,
but who else is going to challenge?

By Amaury Pi-GonzálezIt is easy to see why the Twins have
dominated this Division. They remind
me of the A’S, their farm system
keeps producing young exciting
players and last year they
won 90 games again. One of
those players is Venezuelan
lef-hander Johan Santana
(12-3 3.07 ERA) who could
emerge as their ace pitcher
this season, keep an eye
for him.

However, the most interesting
team here are the Kansas City
Royals directed by Dominican
Tony Peña, who manages with
the same intensity he played
behind the plate. I like Peña’s
enthusiasm for the game.
The Royals have added two
veteran stars, both born in
Puerto Rico. Catcher Benito
Santiago and outfielder Juan
González. González is a two
time MVP that has gone downhill
because he has not been able
to stay healthy for a whole
season. Carlos Beltrán,
another player from Puerto Rico
is an underrated centerfielder
who usually bats .300, to be
exact last season .307 26 home
runs and 100 RBI. Beltrán was
rumored to leave K.C and he
might do so. He will be a free
agent at the end of this season.
Oakland A’S want a established
outfielder ? Carlos is your man !
But if he has another good season,
can the A’S afford him ?
Beltrán is worth a Kotsay a
Kielty and a Byrnes.

The Chicago White Sox lost one of
their best starters in Bartolo Colón
who is now with the “loaded”Anaheim
Angels. However, the Chisox still
have Mexican starter Esteban Loaiza
who had his best season to date
in 2003. Loaiza 21-9 2.90 ERA,
Magglio Ordoñez still is one of the
most dangerous hitters around
(.317 29 home runs 99 RBI)he is
the quiet man from Venezuela who
comes ready to play. The White
Sox have a new manager this
season, Osvaldo(Ozzie)Guillén.
Osvaldo loves to talk and if he
manages the way he talks they
should win this division, he hails
from “the land of shorstops”
Venezuela.

These are some of the shortstops
that have played in the Majors
born in Venezuela:
-Hall of Famer, Luis Aparicio.
-Ernesto (Chico)Carrasquel.
-David Concepción
-Omar Vizquel
-Carlos Guillén
-Osvaldo Guillén

Cleveland and Detroit bring up
the rear. With the Indians
completely “Under Construction”.
The only veteran left is Omar
Vizquel, their shortstop who
missed much of 2003 with knee
injuries and failed a physical
when the Indians tried to
trade him to his original team
Seattle. Vizquel lives in
Isaquah, a beautiful suburb
of Seattle. By the way the
Venezuelan shortstop has the
best fielding percentage for
a shortstop in the history of
the game. The only three things
to see in Cleveland are: The
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
Lebron James and Omar
Vizquel who can
still pick’em at short.

The Detroit Tigers lost
119 games in 2003. The
question is: How many are
they going to loose this year?
Sad but true.
They might be a little better,
they signed 10 time Gold Globe
and future Hall of Famer
Iván Rodríguez. The Puerto
Rican catcher who was the
MVP of the National League
Championship Series got a
four-year $40 million contract.
That is as much as the GM
CEO in Detroit !

They also acquired Seattle’s
shortstop Carlos Guillén, a good
player who fought all kinds of
injuries playing in Seattle.

Predicition time !
If Kansas City had a little more
experienced pitchers I might
pick them. They surprised
everybody last season but
I have no choice but to pick
the Twins to win it again.
Although the Chicago White
Sox have a solid lineup
but I cannot see Loaiza
winning 20 games again
and they lost Colón.

Minnesota Twins. First Place.
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