Indians, Astros Biggest Realignment Winners

What teams will benefit most from realignment into threedivisions?

The Cleveland Indians in the American League and Houston Astrosin the National League.

The Indians have moved from the money-competitive East to theCentral, where the White Sox appear to be the only seriouscontenders. The Astros have gone from trying to catch the SanFrancisco Giants, Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers in the Westto becoming favorites in the Central.

Not even Indians general manager John Hart can deny what themove has meant to his team.

"In the short term, it is good for us," Hart said. "Until theBasic Agreement (with regard to the salary cap) is changed or a wayto rework the economics of the game is changed, it was tough tocompete (in the East)."

Hart said the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, BaltimoreOrioles and New York Yankees usually went out and bought what theyneeded, while the poorer Indians were rebuilding with inexpensiveyouth. That has changed somewhat now that the Indians considerthemselves no worse than second in the Central.

Hart signed veteran starters Dennis Martinez from the MontrealExpos and Jack Morris from the Blue Jays and added veteran firstbaseman Eddie Murray from the New York Mets.

"We would have signed them anyhow," Hart said. "We just thinkour ballclub at this stage is ready to take a step. Ultimately, wefelt the club would break through this year."

But Hart doesn't want to compare his team to the defending Westchampion White Sox.

"I don't think anybody will pick us to be the favorite," hesaid. "The White Sox will be the favorite, along with the Royals.We're probably projected in the middle of the pack."

"While it's good to get out of the East, which had five teams asgood as anybody in baseball, it's not any easier in the CentralDivision," manager Mike Hargrove said. "The White Sox won the West,and Kansas City is a very good ballclub. The White Sox are going tobe as good as their starting pitching, and those are very goodstarting pitchers.

"If people don't pick the White Sox, they should."

Royals manager Hal McRae agreed, but he also said, "Cleveland isa much-improved club. But I think we're improved also, and we shouldcontend if we stay healthy. The club to beat is the White Sox, butthe team that wins the division will be the one that stays healthy."

As for the Astros, owner Drayton McLane Jr. said his team mightbe closer to a division title, "But to get to the World Series, westill have to beat Philadlephia, Atlanta and San Francisco."

If there are other winners from realignment, it would be theTexas Rangers and the Giants, who are favored in the two WestDivisions. The Giants won 103 games last season and still finishedsecond to the Braves, who have moved to the East. The Rangers wentfrom playing second fiddle to the White Sox to first string.

"Not having Chicago in our division is a plus," Rangers managerKevin Kennedy said. "I think we're in a much better position than wewere a year ago."