Expert: Rebecca Toney - 6/19/2001

Question
As an avid tribe fan, i wanted to get your take on who poses the biggest threat to us in the division.  Everyone around town talks about catching Minnesota, but i am more worried about last years' champs in the White Sox.  While I know they are 8 games behind us, it seems like just last week we had a 15 game lead on them.  With the new scheduling, I am worried they will seize the underdog role and suprise us.  The twinkies do not scare me at all.  What is your take on this?  Who scares you the most?  When we win the division, will it be Chi-Sox or Twinkies who take the wild-card?

Answer
Joe,

Sorry it took me a few days--I needed to think about your question, and then got caught up in the beautiful weekend we had here in Cleveland.

I know this may sound like a cop-out answer, but the team I am most afraid of taking us down is the Indians themselves.  They are somewhat falling victim to the same "June swoon" they had last year (again initiated by Cincinnati).  The starters seem to be taking a break (i.e., Colon), so the bullpen is burning up.  Lofton is screwing himself and the team over with the umps from the first at-bat of the night, and Manuel is letting pitchers and the Strikeout King (Branyan, not Thome) bat in key contact situations.  None of that has anything to do with their opponents.  The Tribe has the potential to beat any of their Central rivals.  However, they also have the potential to lose games to teams that they have no business losing to (i.e., the Pirates).  

As far as who will provide the major competition for the Division race, I wouldn't count either Chicago or Minnesota out yet.  I expect the White Sox will be close at the end of the season.  Whether the youth of the Twins will cause them to tire or not is the question for whether they will make to the finish line with the Tribe and the Sox.  I haven't been paying enough attention to either team, though, to give a more in-depth analysis than that.

Hope this is what you were looking for.  Good question--thanks!

Rebecca