The Tigers ran away with the division last fall, besting the Indians by a comfortable 15 games despite holding just a two-game lead on August 1. No team had an “easier” road to the playoffs and Detroit is hoping to follow the same path with Prince Fielder at first base in 2012. They got a scare on Monday when Miguel Cabrera took a grounder to the eye, but it would be a shock if the Tigers did not take the division for the second straight year. The rest of the American League Central is no cakewalk, however, with the healthier Twins, maturing Royals, dangerous Indians and veteran White Sox. 2011 Standings (Offensive Rank/Pitching Rank) 1. Detroit: 95-67 (3rd/18th) 2. Cleveland: 80-82 (16th/23rd) 3. Chicago: 79-83 (18th/19th) 4. Kansas City: 71-91 (10th/27th) 5. Minnesota: 63-99 (25th/29th) The Tigers Detroit had a lot to look forward to in 2012 after eliminating the Yankees in the first round of the playoffs in five games, then Victor Martinez injured his knee and their stranglehold on the division evaporated. Soon after, they found a $214 million band-aid in the form of Fielder. They didn’t add much other than Fielder, but they were a very good club in 2011. If Austin Jackson cuts down on his strikeouts and Alex Avila maintains his pace from last year the offense will be fine. The rotation is anchored by Justin Verlander, the reigning American League MVP and Cy Young winner. The Question Mark: Brandon Inge -- Where does he fit? The Key: Max Scherzer -- He has to be formidable behind Verlander. The Lock: Miguel Cabrera -- Early injury or not, Miggy will produce .300/30/100. The Indians Cleveland added some nice depth this winter, but once again there are question marks surrounding the health of Grady Sizemore. If he was healthy and reached the potential we all saw several years ago, the Indians would be a serious threat to the Tigers. Instead, they have Michael Brantley, Felix Pie and Ezequiel Carrera in center field. The pitching staff had an ERA in the bottom third of baseball, but they have an underrated rotation heading into the season. Ubaldo Jimenez had a half-season to adjust to Cleveland and even though they may have overvalued acquiring him, he headlines a solid unit that also consists of Justin Masterson, Derek Lowe, Josh Tomlin and Kevin Slowey. The Question Mark: Grady Sizemore -- Need I say more? The Key: Ubaldo Jimenez -- He had a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts for the Indians. The Lock: Carlos Santana -- Their best hitter at this point. The White Sox With the end of the Ozzie Guillen era, the White Sox can finally focus more on baseball than what is said before and after each game. Robin Ventura does not have a ton of firepower, but he does have a veteran presence in Paul Konerko, who is still effective. Konerko could use some help, however, especially with Carlos Quentin in San Diego. Adam Dunn can lend a hand if he bests his .159 average. The Question Mark: Adam Dunn -- He has to be better than he was in 2011. The Key: Jake Peavy -- Chicago needs more than 18 starts from the righty. The Lock: Robin Ventura -- Wins and losses, and nothing else, will be the story. The Royals The Royals enjoyed offensive growth in 2011, but their pitching was not good enough to push them above .500. Salvador Perez had a .361 OBP in 39 games, while Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas enjoyed varying degrees of success. Perez will miss half the season due to injury, which sets back his growth and that of the team. They added pitching depth by trading Melky Cabrera for Jonathan Sanchez, which can only help in terms of production on the mound. The issue for Kansas City heading into the season is who closes out any quality starts turned in by the rotation. Joakim Soria has serious elbow problems and seems primed for a second Tommy John surgery. The Question Mark: Jonathan Broxton -- The winter addition could close games. The Key: Dayton Moore -- He must continue to balance now against the future. The Lock: Alex Gordon -- Had five home runs in three different months in 2011. The Twins This is the hardest team to analyze because we do not know how much they will get out of either Joe Mauer or Justin Morneau. The pair missed a combined 173 games because of various issues last season and the Morneau hasn’t played in more than a half-season since 2009. If they are not healthy, the loss of Michael Cuddyer via free agency will hurt even more. Minnesota was the favorite in this division last spring, but they collapsed and finished in last place. They have a quality rotation, but none of their starters have a history of striking out a lot of batters. That means they will need to be strong defensively to avoid too many 8-6 or 7-5 games. They may not have the offense to win those types of contests. The Question Mark: Justin Morneau -- Can they even get 100 games out of him? The Key: Joe Mauer -- If healthy, he will challenge for the batting title. The Lock: Carl Pavano -- He has pitched 642 innings over the least three seasons. The Projected Finish 1. Detroit: They might be the easiest division pick this spring. 2. Chicago: They will get more out of their roster than expected. 3. Minnesota: Health is the key to their finish. 4. Cleveland: Last place is unlikely, but so is finishing second again. 5. Kansas City: When will the future be now?