The Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox spent the offseason trying to close the gap at the top of the division after watching Cy Young award winner C.C. Sabathia help the Cleveland Indians run away with the AL Central in 2007.

Perhaps no other team made the same kind of commitment to winning as the Tigers over the winter, when they traded away their top pitching prospect, Andrew Miller, and top hitting prospect, Cameron Maybin, to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

Cabrera is widely considered one of baseball's top 10 players at the tender age of 24, while the Tigers hope a change of scenery will help Willis rebound off his sub-par 2007 season.

The Tigers did not stop by trading Miller and Maybin as they also dealt starter Jair Jurjjens, one of their most promising young arms, to the Atlanta Braves for shortstop Edgar Renteria.

With Cabrera and Renteria, both of whom hit over .320 in 2007, penciled into a Tigers lineup that was third in the majors in runs scored last season, manager Jim Leyland could be looking at one of the most productive lineups in the baseball history.

The White Sox brought in former A's slugger Nick Swisher to Chicago to bat second in their retooled lineup that will also include scrappy shortstop Orlando Cabrera. Chicago sent starter Jon Garland to the Angels to acquire Cabrera.

The additions of Swisher and Cabrera make the outlook much brighter in Chicago after scoring the third fewest runs in the majors in 2007.

The defending champion Indians, on the other hand, made no major changes over the offseason following a 2007 season in which they tied for the best record in baseball in the regular season before falling to Boston in the AL Championship Series.

Predictions

1. Cleveland Indians

Last year's squad won the division by eight games despite a down year from Travis Hafner and season-long questions at the back of the rotation. This spring, however, there was major competition for the fifth spot in the Indians' rotation and expectations are high for a Hafner turnaround.

Sabathia is at the peak of his career and may become the American League's most dominant starter now that Johan Santana has changed leagues. Fausto Carmona enjoyed a breakout 18-win campaign as the Indians' number two starter in '07 that should continue over into the '08 season.

While closer Joe Borowski is suspect, the Indians have Rafael Betancourt ready to take over the closer's role if Borowski falters. Other than Borowski, who did miraculously save 45 games last season, there are no glaring weaknesses in Cleveland again this season.

Ryan Garko's development as a legitimate Major League power hitter gives the Tribe yet another dangerous bat in the middle of the lineup behind Hafner and all-star catcher Victor Martinez. With Grady Sizemore batting in front of those three, the Indians should have a powerful offense this season.

2. Detroit Tigers

Sure, the Tigers could easily score over a thousand runs as a team this season, but it's hard to understand why they traded away two big league ready pitchers to add more power to an already productive lineup.

With the bullpen facing major injury concerns and the rotation full of pitchers with moderate upside, this summer's deals are looking less and less beneficial to the Tigers, who could certainly use Andrew Miller and Jair Jurjjens either in the rotation or in the bullpen.

On the brighter side, flamethrower Justin Verlander is primed for a Cy Young caliber season in his third full year in the big leagues and Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson could easily provide 15-win seasons given the run support the Tigers will offer.

Down the stretch it will be hard for the Tigers to keep pace with the Indians if they lose a couple pitchers to injury, but don't rule out the Tigers trading extra pieces such as Marcus Thames or Brandon Inge for some relief pitching near the trade deadline.

3. Minnesota Twins

That's right. The Twins lose two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana and seven-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter, but still manage to finish third in the Central ahead of the White Sox and Royals.

It's not crazy to think Francisco Liriano could fill the void left by Johan Santana, who actually endured somewhat of a down year in 2007 with a 15–13 record on the season.

Likewise, AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Delmon Young could pick up right where Torii Hunter left off offensively in his second full season in the majors.

Throw in the free agent acquisition of reliable starter Livan Hernandez, exciting youngster Carlos Gomez in centerfield and the return of a fully healthy Joe Mauer and this team could most certainly match last year's 79–83 record.

The Twins also have a couple young pitchers who could make an impact this season in Kevin Slowey, who has shown great promise this spring, and former Mets' top pitching prospect Phil Humber.

4. Chicago White Sox

Expectations are high in Chicago where the club expects to compete for a division title. Little do they know they will be disappointed and wind up struggling to avoid last place.

The additions of Nick Swisher and Orlando Cabrera to go alongside Jermaine Dye, Jim Thome and Paul Konerko will certainly make for a more formidable White Sox lineup, but the Sox will be limited by mediocre starting pitching all season.

The race to stay out of the division cellar will go down to the wire with there being a chance the Royals' youth prevails, but the odds are with the White Sox.

5. Kansas City Royals

Former Tennessee Vol Luke Hochevar reached the majors at the end of last season and could be called up again at some point this season in the event of an injury.

After years of misery, things are on the way up in Kansas City with young talents Alex Gordon and Billy Butler leading the way. Gil Meche and Brian Bannister will anchor a better than average rotation that could possibly compete in another division.

However in this top-heavy division, the Royals will remain little more than an afterthought in the AL Central despite making major strides of the past two seasons, .

AL Central MVP:

Victor Martinez, Cleveland Indians

AL Central Cy Young:

Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers

AL Central Manager of the Year:

Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins