Preview/Prediction

That's right, Red Sox fans, baseball is back. The team is currently in the early portion of their Spring Training schedule, and all signs look good for the 2011 season.

But what should we be focused on in 2011? Who or what will most contribute to the team's overall performance this season? As with every baseball season, there are questions still left unanswered, and that's where we (the Boston Red Sox featured columnists here on Bleacher Report) come in.

Welcome to the third installment of seven in this preseason breakdown of each MLB division. The first six articles will cover the divisions, and the seventh will predict the playoffs and major award winners. Each team will have its offseason moves broken down, one major strength and weakness identified, one X-factor selected, and then their projected record for the 2011 season. The order of the slideshows will be from last to first in the division.

Today brings us to the AL Central.

The Boston Red Sox were as busy as any team in baseball this offseason. Although they lost Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre to free agency, they made two shift-of-power signings in Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez.

One of the best little news fragments to emerge recently from Red Sox spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., to me, was that Daisuke Matsuzaka is trying to alter his cut fastball and changeup to make them more effective in 2011.

Rewind to a year ago, and the Tampa Bay Rays were thinking Championship; fast forward to today, and just making the playoffs seems a bit far fetched.

The Rays are one of the best teams in baseball at developing young talent and getting as much as they can out of a small payroll. Having won two division titles in three years, including an AL pennant in 2008, the Rays will rely heavily on youth once again to make a run in the 2010-2011 season.

9 Innings Blog will be bringing you previews of every Major League Baseball team for the next 30 days. This is in accordance with our 30 teams in 30 days series. Today we’re bringing you the 2011 preview of the fledgling Cleveland Indians ball club. The Indians have prospects waiting to prosper in their organization, but I do not think this year will be the year each of them peak to their full potential.

The Baltimore Orioles suffered through their 13th-straight losing season in 2010 and finished with a 66-96 record. They put themselves in a huge hole from the start, going 2-16 out of the gate. Baltimore went through three different managers last year, but appear to have found their man in Buck Showalter. Under the control of Showalter—who was appointed as head coach on July, 30 2010—the Orioles went an impressive 34-23 over their final 57 games.

Angels fans did not have much to cheer about last season. Following a trip to the ALCS in ‘09, the 2010 Halos stumbled to an 80-82 record and missed out on the postseason. I predict the Angels to return to form and win the division. Improved pitching, fielding and hitting will be the main catalysts.

Pitching     

The fact that the Toronto Blue Jays were able to finish the year with a winning record (85-77) in the tough AL East last season was an accomplishment in itself. Still, it isn't likely they will put to rest a near-two decade playoff drought. The Blue Jays topped the league with an amazing 257 home runs last season, but they can’t expect to get that kind of production again.

The Tampa Bay Rays took home their second AL East title in the last three years in 2010 by finishing with a 96-66 record. A quick exit in the Divisional Round at the hands of the Texas Rangers would soon follow.