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67 BAY AREA NEWS GROUP PLAY BALL 1.KansasCityRoyals Lastyear:95-67,firstplace (beat New York Mets in World Series) Keylosses:RHP Johnny Cueto, INF/OF Ben Zobrist,RHP Ryan Madson, RHP Jeremy Guthrie,OF Alex Rios, RHP Greg Holland Keynewcomers:RHP Joakim Soria, RHP Dillon Gee, C Tony Cruz Best-casescenario:The Royals ride a 2015 title, speed and a lockdown bullpen to the first repeat championship since the Yankees from 1998 through 2000. Worst-casescenario:The post-title departures hurt and Kansas City becomes the third straight champion to miss out on the playoffs the following year. Hotprospect: SS Raul Mondesi Jr. made his major league debut in the World Series, but the infielder might need more minor league grooming. 2. Cleveland Indians Lastyear:81-80, third place Keylosses:None Keynewcomers:1B Mike Napoli, RHP Joba Chamberlain, OF Rajai Davis, OF Collin Cowgill Best-casescenario: They continue to pitch their way into contention, and Michael Brantley returns early in the season from a shoulder injury to spark the offense to a playoff spot and fourth straight winning record. Worst-casescenario: Brantley, expected back in the first month of the season, struggles, and Napoli doesn't provide the punch Cleveland needs, and the offense holds the Indians back. Hotprospect:OF Bradley Zimmer is a USF product and first-round pick from 2014 with a .281/.377/.459 slash line and 22 HR in 175 minor league games. 3. Detroit Tigers Lastyear:74-87, fi h place Keylosses: C Alex Avila, LHP Ian Krol Keynewcomers:RHP Jordan Zimmermann, LF Justin Upton, RHP Mark Lowe, RHP Francisco Rodriguez, OF Cameron Maybin, LHP Justin Wilson Best-casescenario:AhealthyMiguel Cabreraseeshispowernumbersreturn (just18HRin'15),JustinVerlanderbuilds onanimprovedseason,andarevamped bullpengetsDetroitbackinthemix. Worst-casescenario:Thepitching, whichranked28thinMLBlastyear, remainsputrid,andtheTigersfind themselvesinornearthebasementagain. Hotprospect:RHP Michael Fulmer, acquired in the Yoenis Cespedes deal with the Mets, was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in 2015 and could be ready to help in the big leagues soon. 4. Minnesota Twins Lastyear:83-79, second place Keylosses:OF Torii Hunter, RHP Mike Pelfrey, OF Aaron Hicks Keynewcomer:DH/1B Byung-ho Park Best-casescenario:Park, who hit 53 home runs in Korea last year, is a true power threat in the big leagues, Byron Buxton becomes the star he's projected to be, and the Twins build on their surprising year of contention to do it again. Worst-casescenario: An average pitching staff and lineup prove to be just that — average — and Minnesota spends the year hovering around the .500 mark. Hotprospect:OF Buxton played in 46 games last year but maintained his rookie status by two at-bats. He's been touted among MLB's top prospects in recent years. 5. Chicago White Sox Lastyear: 76-86, fourth place Keylosses:RHP Jeff Samardzija, INF Gordon Beckham, C Tyler Flowers Keynewcomers:3B Todd Frazier, 2B Brett Lawrie, C Dioner Navarro, C Alex Avila Best-casescenario: Frazier brings an All-Star bat to the lineup,Adam LaRoche and Melky Cabrera play more like the guys Chicago thought it signed last year,and the White Sox push for a winning record. Worst-casescenario:Those bounce- back offensive seasons don't come,and the team again possesses one of the AL's worst offenses while barreling toward a fourth straight losing season. Hotprospect:SS Tim Anderson is a career .301 hitter in the minor leagues with speed and plays a position at which the Sox would welcome some help. 1. Toronto Blue Jays Lastyear:93-69, first place (lost to Kansas City Royals in ALCS) Keylosses:LHP David Price, RHP Mark Lowe, RHP Liam Hendriks Keynewcomers: RHP Drew Storen, LHP J.A. Happ, RHP Jesse Chavez Best-casescenario:Baseball's most powerful lineup continues to thump behind 3B Josh Donaldson, RF Jose Bautista, DH Edwin Encarnacion and SS Troy Tulowitzki, and Toronto powers its way to the World Series. Worst-casescenario:The pitching staff's lack of depth and front-end arms can't be masked by the offensive firepower, and the Blue Jays come up short in the postseason again. Hotprospect: CF Anthony Alford batted .298 with 27 SB and 91 runs in Class A ball last year. 2. Boston Red Sox Lastyear: 78-84, fi h place Keyloss: LHP Wade Miley Keynewcomers:LHP David Price, RHP Craig Kimbrel, RHP Carson Smith, OF Chris Young Best-casescenario:DH David Ortiz has a big farewell season,3B Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez,who will shi to 1B, bounce back from their awful debut years in Boston,and Price anchors a rotation that returns the Sox to the playoffs. Worst-casescenario:Sandoval, whose belly pictures made the rounds at the start of spring training, duplicates his terrible 2015 (.245, 10 HR, 47 RBI), and he and Ramírez drag down the vibe of the team again in another subpar season. Hotprospect: 2B Yoan Moncada still needs seasoning a er Boston invested $63 million in the Cuban. 3. New York Yankees Lastyear: 87-75, second place (lost to Houston Astros in AL wild card) Keylosses:OF Chris Young, RHP Adam Warren, LHP Justin Wilson Keynewcomers:2B Starlin Castro, LHP Aroldis Chapman, OF Aaron Hicks Best-casescenario: If the starting pitching, headlined by RHP Masahiro Tanaka and featuring second-year starter Luis Severino, can stay healthy and deliver, this aging Yankees squad could make a run at the AL East title. Worst-casescenario: A lineup with 40-year-old Alex Rodriguez and soon- to-be-39 Carlos Beltran can't hold up all season, and New York misses the playoffs for the third time in four years. Hotprospect:SS Jorge Mateo is a speedster who stole 82 bases in 117 minor league games last year. 4. Baltimore Orioles Lastyear:81-81, third place Keyloss:LHP Wei-Yin Chen Keynewcomers: OF/1B Mark Trumbo, LF Hyun-soo Kim Best-casescenario:They stay in the hunt long enough and find a way to snag something resembling a No. 1 starter that can help get them into the postseason out of a tough division. Worst-casescenario: A rotation that posted a 4.53 ERA and hasn't improved, at least on paper, prevents Baltimore from moving up the AL East food chain despite a potent and powerful offense. Hotprospect:RHP Dylan Bundy was dra ed No. 4 overall in 2011, but Tommy John surgery has slowed his ascent. 5. Tampa Bay Rays Lastyear:80-82, fourth place Keylosses: SS Asdrubal Cabrera, RHP Nate Karns, C J.P. Arencibia Keynewcomers:LF Corey Dickerson, 1B/DH Logan Morrison, C Hank Conger, RHP Danny Farquhar Best-casescenario: The pitching is there to stay competitive, and the team's best hitter — 3B Evan Longoria — returns to All-Star form to boost the Rays' offense. Worst-casescenario: If the pitching is anything less than stellar, Tampa Bay is in trouble and staring at 90-plus losses. Hotprospect: LHP Blake Snell is a potential phenom, and the Rays reportedly have talked about a long-term contract before he has even made his MLB debut. THELEAGUE RatingtheALCentral Rating the AL East GETTY IMAGES