AL Central report cards: Grading offseason moves

With spring training fast approaching, theScore's MLB editors hand out their offseason grades for each division. We continue our report cards with the American League Central.

It was only a few months ago that the Kansas City Royals hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy at Citi Field, crowned World Series champions for the first time in 30 years after winning their division by a whopping 12 games. What a difference an offseason makes, eh?

Parity abounds throughout the American League as the 2016 season looms, and the AL Central remains perhaps the most wide open of the three divisions, with all five teams seemingly capable of both coming in first and finishing below .500 following a chaotic winter.

Between Kansas City's free-agent casualties, some major acquisitions by the Tigers, another reload from the White Sox, and a few subtly shrewd moves by Cleveland, it's probably unwise to place any bets on who'll win the AL Central this season.

Here are the offseason grades for the AL Central:

Chicago White Sox

Key Arrivals: Todd Frazier (trade), Brett Lawrie (trade), Alex Avila (FA), Dioner Navarro (FA), Jacob Turner (FA), Jerry Sands (waivers), Tommy Kahnle (trade)

Key Departures: Jeff Samardzija (SFG), Alexei Ramirez (SD), Geovany Soto (LAA), Gordon Beckham (ATL), Emilio Bonifacio (ATL), Micah Johnson (LAD), Trayce Thompson (LAD)

140-character takeaway: Undeterred by last year's failed makeover, the White Sox loaded up again for another run at a playoff berth.

Grade: B-

Cleveland Indians

Key Arrivals: Mike Napoli (FA), Rajai Davis (FA), Dan Otero (trade), Joba Chamberlain (FA), Tom Gorzelanny (FA), Ross Detwiler (FA), Shane Robinson (FA)

Key Departures: David Murphy (FA), Ryan Raburn (FA), Mike Aviles (DET), Scott Atchison (retired), Gavin Floyd (FA)

140-character takeaway: Following a few low-cost additions to their lineup, the Indians should be in the mix for a division title with the rotation they have.

Grade: B

Detroit Tigers

Key Arrivals: Justin Upton (FA), Jordan Zimmermann (FA), Francisco Rodriguez (trade), Cameron Maybin (trade), Mike Pelfrey (FA), Justin Wilson (trade), Mark Lowe (FA), Mike Aviles (FA), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (FA)

Key Departures: Alfredo Simon (FA), Rajai Davis (CLE), Alex Avila (CWS), Joe Nathan (FA), Tom Gorzelanny (CLE), Ian Krol (ATL), Kyle Lobstein (PIT)

140-character takeaway: In a division lacking a true favorite, Mike Ilitch was determined to distinguish his talented but aging club, no matter the cost.

Grade: A-

Kansas City Royals

Key Arrivals: Alex Gordon (re-signed), Ian Kennedy (FA), Joakim Soria (FA), Chris Young (re-signed), Tony Cruz (trade)

Key Departures: Johnny Cueto (SFG), Ben Zobrist (CHC), Greg Holland (non-tender), Ryan Madson (OAK), Franklin Morales (FA), Alex Rios (FA), Jeremy Guthrie (FA), Jason Frasor (FA)

140-character takeaway: With their competitive window likely to shut after 2017, the reigning champs made some win-now moves that could hurt them in a few years.

Grade: B

Minnesota Twins

Key Arrivals: Byung-ho Park (FA), John Ryan Murphy (trade)

Key Departures: Torii Hunter (retired), Mike Pelfrey (DET), Aaron Hicks (NYY), Brian Duensing (FA), Tim Stauffer (ARI), Blaine Boyer (FA), Chris Herrmann (ARI)

140-character takeaway: Confident that the kids who debuted in 2015 can take them to the next level in the near future, the Twins mostly kept quiet this winter.

Grade: B-