With the bulk of the MLB season in the books, it’s time to turn our attention towards the potential playoff races. We’ve already previewed the AL East and NL East races, and it’s time to dig into one of the less competitive pennant races, the AL Central.
After three-straight division titles, the Detroit Tigers likely won’t be giving up their AL Central crown any time soon. Another excellent first half of the season has the Tigers well-positioned to run away with the division, with the rest of the pack left hoping for a possible Wild Card spot. Below, we take a deeper look at how this Detroit-dominated division all shakes out.
Want to know which baseball games to follow at the start of the second half? Click here to see the best five baseball games to bet on for the day. Otherwise, continue reading to see how AL Central will shape up after the 2014 MLB Regular Season.
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AL Central Division Title Race Odds, Analysis and Prediction for 2014
Favorites – Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are overwhelming -500 favorites to clinch a fourth-straight AL Central division crown. Detroit’s vaunted offense has helped give them the third-best winning percentage (.568) in the American League behind only the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland Athletics. Offense has also led the Tigers to win games despite ranking 10th in the American League in team ERA (3.97). The Detroit Tigers are second in the majors in batting average (.280) and fourth in runs scored (449).
[sc:MLB240banner ]They have been dominant in the first half of the season, but suffered a rough patch, going 2-8 at one point. Nevertheless, they ended the first half of the season with authority, sweeping the majors-leading Oakland Athletics in a three-game series to start the month of July. The Detroit Tigers have defeated the current majors’ leaders Oakland Athletics in the postseason for two consecutive years.
Dominant as they’ve been in the AL Central, it may be more appropriate to consider Detroit’s odds to win the whole league. Detroit is +300 to win the American League Pennant.
High-Value Sleepers – Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians
The Kansas City Royals (+650) don’t shy away from batting themselves. They have the fifth-best batting average in the majors, hitting .264 through the first half of the regular season. The Royals are seven games behind the Detroit Tigers, and they still have a chance to catch up if they play their best in the second half of the season. However, they ended the first half on a sour note with a 3-1 series loss to the Tigers.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians (+450) can’t be counted out. You may remember how they struggled to consistently perform in the 2013 regular season, before going on a 10-game winning streak at the end of the season to pull within one game of the Detroit Tigers.
This season Cleveland is not far behind Kansas City in trailing the AL Central-leading Detroit. The Indians ended the first half with a .500 winning percentage, falling 7.5 games behind the leaders. They will have a difficult time catching up to Detroit as their pitching has limited them from going above .500 for most of the first half. Cleveland is 21st in the majors in team ERA (3.95).
Key Player – Victor Martinez (Detroit Tigers)
Designated hitter Victor Martinez carried Detroit’s lineup for much of the first half. He leads the Tigers in batting average (.328) – tied for fourth in the AL, on base percentage (.391) and homers (21) – fifth in the AL. Martinez has scored nine runs in his last 10 games, and may be the difference maker in winning several series for the Detroit Tigers.
Key Series – September 19-21 – Detroit Tigers @ Kansas City Royals
The Detroit Tigers won AL Central in the 2013 season; however it was not without a stern challenge. They barely edged the Cleveland Indians, finishing ahead by only one game.
This year, the Kansas City Royals could have a chance to make a run at Detroit’s lead. Detroit has done better on the road with a 28-16 record while the Royals have struggled at home going 22-25 this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Detroit Tigers (-500) will take their fourth-straight AL Central title.
