Season Preview

When we last saw the Indians, they couldn't close the deal against Boston in last October's American League Championship Series. It was a rough stretch -- the Indians were one win away from their first Series since 1997 and having a chance to win their first since 1948, Paul Byrd was nailed for human growth hormone before Game 7 ... ugh. So here they are again, at the base of the mountain, ready to roll the boulder back up with largely the same team intact. Video Outlook

Strengths
There are no significant changes from last year, which is good. I think. Maybe. Detroit improved dramatically, at least on paper, and Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro is gambling that the guys who won 96 games last year can do it again. His main argument: Last year's position players had the second-youngest average age of any club's position players in the game. It's a solid point and, logically, Shapiro should be right. With Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Casey Blake leading the charge and the young second baseman with the poetic name, Asdrubal Cabera, impressive in a small sampling last season, let the games begin.

Weaknesses
It's not a weakness, but Travis Hafner had a down season for him in 2007, his batting average dropping to .266 with 24 homers from .308 with 42 in '06. And C.C. Sabathia had a rough October after winning the Cy Young last season. There are no significant weaknesses here, unless Sabathia, who will be in the last season of his contract before entering free agency last winter, is weighed down by an unknown future and the pressure of pitching for a big contract. Prediction here is he handles it just fine.

Difference Maker
Grady Sizemore. He's a Most Valuable Player in waiting, a five-tool superstar who would be a household name by now if he played in Boston or New York.