Posted by Anthony Romano.
DETROIT TIGERS (93-69)
CHICAGO WHITE SOX (84-78)
MINNESOTA TWINS (81-81)
CLEVELAND INDIANS (77-85)
KANSAS CITY ROYALS (70-92)
The Detroit Tigers are the clear cut favorite to win the AL Central division once again. With Cy Young winner and ace of the staff Justin Verlander just beginning to enter his prime, along with the addition of Prince Fielder to an already lethal lineup, the Tigers appear to be even more dangerous than they were last year.
The Chicago White Sox fall in the middle of the pack when it comes to offensive numbers. They have a rotation that is capable of being able to carry them throughout the season but they are going to need run support to stay in games. Outside of Adam Dunn, they are not a power team by any stretch of the imagination and are going to need to produce runs by most likely playing small ball.
The Minnesota Twins were clearly hurt by the loss of their franchise catcher, Joe Mauer, and their all-star first baseman, Justin Morneau. Mauer missed half the season after he was diagnosed with mild pneumonia while Morneau was dealing with post-concussion symptoms. Both look to rebound during the 2012 season and the Twins will need them to if they believe they have any chance of competing this season.
The Cleveland Indians are filled with tons of young talent both offensively and in the rotation. The Indians themselves dealt with injuries to outfielders Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo. Both players are capable of carrying the offense for the Indians and if they can stay healthy, the Indians may be able to surprise a lot of people with strong pitching backing up the offense.
The Kansas City Royals have a ton of young talent in the lineup. Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, and Jeff Francoeur are the veterans of this team as they look to help the younger players mature. It may take a few years for these players to get comfortable at the major league level, but when they do, the Royals will be making noise in what many consider a weak AL Central.
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