Posted by Brian Joseph on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at 5:55 pm

10 writers from BDD and Jeremy Tomasulo who helped us out with the Rockies preview made our own predictions for the upcoming year. Now, we’re no Sports Illustrated when it comes to predictions (take that however you want to) but fresh off of our impressive run in last year’s postseason, we’re ready to put our two cents out there for everyone to enjoy… or mock. Also, following our predictions is a graph based on CHONE win projections with each team’s chances of reaching X amount of wins. Thanks to Bill Baer for his work here.

Typically the American League Central is described as wide open. Again, there was not an overwhelming consensus amongst the BDD crew in this division either but clearly the Cleveland Indians are held in the highest regard with only one of the 11 writers choosing them to finish worse than second. Here’s our predictions:

1. Cleveland Indians
Paul Bugala’s Season Preview from March 14

BODOG Odds to Win Division: 3/2

The BDD writers continue to stick with the chalk here as the Indians attempt to turn last year’s second half run into a 2009 AL Central crown. Six of the 11 writers chose Cleveland to rock the Central on their way to a division title. At 81-81 last year, the Indians should be at least that good with the addition of a legitimate closer and the presumption that the team should be healthier this season than they were last season. It’s hard to imagine this club will need to use 13 different starters to get through the ‘09 season like they needed in ‘08.

2. Minnesota Twins
Matt Sisson’s Season Preview from March 20

BODOG Odds to Win Division: 11/4

After Cleveland, the Twins received the most support amongst the writing team. Three of the 11 chose them to win the division but the Central is so wide open an equal number picked the Twins to finish dead last in the Central. It’s hard to imagine a Rod Gardenhire managed team finishing that poorly and it would take the Twins’ worst effort of his tenure to do so. The rest of us hold the Twins in higher regard and expect them to be at or near the top of the division.

3. Detroit Tigers
Jeff Lubber’s Season Preview from March 8

BODOG Odds to Win Division: 5/2

What a difference a year makes when it comes to predictions. In 2008, the Tigers were the sexy pick for a World Series ring. They were considered an offensive juggernaut with a Cy Young candidate (Justin Verlander) and a few pitchers with the potential of breaking through. The offense sputtered, the only pitcher to break through was Armando Galarraga — a preseason minor league acquisition — and the Tigers tumbled to the AL Central basement. A few of us are still optimistic — Jeff Lubbers and Michael Street think they can win the Central — but more than half of us expect them to pull up the rear in either fourth or fifth.

4. Chicago White Sox
Rob McQuown’s Season Preview from March 24

BODOG Odds to Win Division: 6/1

Despite their division crown in 2008, not one of the BDD predictors chose the White Sox to repeat as the Central champs. Actually, they didn’t make any of our top twos, either. Gone are Orlando Cabrera, Nick Swisher, Joe Crede, Ken Griffey Jr. and Juan Uribe with the club filling their holes on offense mostly from within. At 6/1 according to Bodog, they are the fourth longest shot in the division to win it… right where we think, too.

5. Kansas City Royals
Joe Hamrahi’s Season Preview from March 11

BODOG Odds to Win Division: 7/1

Can a team be better than you think they are going to be when the experts continue to declare them “better than you think”? The Royals climbed out of the bottom of the AL Central last year — by one game — for the first time since 2003. Even though they performed six games better than their Pythagorean W-L, many pundits are calling for a baseball renaissance in Kansas City. Our own Joe Hamrahi has them finishing in second in the division but the rest of us aren’t so high on the Royals with more than half of us selecting them to be the Central bottom feeders.

CHONE Projections (Graph Created By Bill Baer)