Your weekly look forward to what's in store for baseball fans over the next seven days...

Series of the Week: Indians @ White Sox

Two members of baseball's toughest division get together on the South Side of Chicago for a three-game set that starts Monday. It's an important one. Yes, it's the first week of the season, but the games in April count just as much in the standings as the ones in September. So placing less emphasis on these games than you place on stretch-drive contests is nonsensical.

The Sox won 90 games last season, and the Indians, despite a 78-84 record and a fourth-place finish, notched a strong run differential of plus-88. That and the improved bullpen are why the Indians may be the favorites in the Central. As for Chicago, the issue this season will be the rotation. In 2005, the Sox ranked second in the AL with a starters' ERA of 3.75. Last season, however, the rotation ERA climbed to 4.65 (good for only eighth in the 14-team AL). So if the Sox are to contend in this brutal circuit, then the starters will need to rebound. They'll get an early test against Cleveland. U.S. Cellar Field is a hitter's haven, and the Indians boast one of the game's best offenses.

Here's how the pitching match-ups will probably go:

Monday: C.C. Sabathia vs. Jose Contreras
Wednesday: Jake Westbrook vs. Jon Garland
Thursday: Jeremy Sowers vs. Mark Buehrle

Sabathia has legit designs on a Cy Young this season, and Sowers' performance at the back end will be critical to the Indians' hopes this season. Last season, Sowers as a rookie posted a nifty 3.57 ERA, but he did so despite striking out only 35 batters in 88.1 innings. That suggests he was quite lucky to have such a low ERA. Unless he can miss more bats, that ERA will rise significantly this season.

As for Chicago, keeping Contreras healthy and getting Buerhle to bounce back will be vital. Buehrle last season logged the worst ERA of his career, coughed up 36 homers in 204 innings and struck out only 98 batters. Those trend lines don't portend improvement. How Buehrle fares against an offense that ranked third in the AL last season in OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) against lefties will be telling.

Overall, this one's an important pacesetter for the division.

Runner-up: Mets @ Cardinals

Anti-Series of the Week: Marlins @ Nationals

Because of the Royals' brutal schedule, the Nationals may wind up with a better record this season, but in a neutral context they figure to be the worst team in the game. Ryan Zimmerman is absolutely worth your while, and John Patterson, if healthy, is a certifiable ace. Otherwise, however, the Alfonso Soriano-less Nats don't have much appeal.

As for the Marlins, their cachet as the surprise team of '06 obscures the fact that they finished 78-84 and in fourth place. This season, they'll come out of the gate with a back of the rotation that comprises Sergio Mitre and Ricky Nolasco. Miguel Cabrera is one of the best hitters in the game, but overall the Fish have little hope of contending this season.

Runner-up: Pirates @ Reds

Best Pitching Duel: Roy Halladay vs. Jeremy Bonderman, Monday

Halladay has made hay for years with strong groundball tendencies and exceptional command. Bonderman, meanwhile, is a rising star. For the first time in his career, Bonderman last season posted an ERA better than the league average, and he also whiffed more than 200 batters. At age 24, the best is yet to come, and many in the analytical community feel that 2007 will be Bonderman's breakout campaign. Over at Baseball Prospectus, for instance, the PECOTA projection system thinks Bonderman will work 210.0 innings with a 3.50 ERA. He'll be tested early on Monday afternoon against a tough Blue Jay lineup.

Set To Go Off: Barry Bonds, Giants

 

Going forward, Bonds, who's of course only 22 dingers shy of setting the all-time mark, may never be healthier and more fully rested than he is right now. As well, he slugged .721 this spring with five homers in 43 at bats. Furthermore, he'll be playing at home all week and facing a right-hander each time out. Bonds might hit the ground running in his pursuit of Hank Aaron.

Sub-Plot of the Week: Dice K's debut

Ballyhooed import Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his MLB debut on Thursday, and he couldn't ask for a more accommodating set of circumstances. He'll be toiling on road (away from the pressure cooker that is Fenway) and opposing the punchless Royals (they ranked 12th in the AL in runs scored last season). In Grapefruit League play, Dice K logged a 2.91 ERA and 26 whiffs in 21.2 innings, so there's a strong chance he'll turn in a dominating performance against KC.