AL Central

Following a meltdown late in 2009, the Detroit Tigers struggled to get back on track in 2010. Once again, Detroit collapsed in the second half and ended the year at 81-81—third place in the AL Central division.

We all know Max Scherzer’s 2010 story. It was a tale of two seasons, to say the least, as we can tell by his splits before he was sent down to the minors and after it:

In almost all instances, preseason baseball predictions need to be taken with a grain of salt.

This is especially true in examining, and trying to figure out who is going to be playing in the Fall Classic when it's all said and done. Case in point–the Giants were on very few lists to win the trophy last March.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer became a full-fledged hero in Minnesota, and across baseball for that matter, when he signed an eight-year, $184 million contract extension with his hometown club before the 2010 season.

Every year, a handful of MLB players get really, really lucky.

A few extra seeing-eye ground balls get through the infield, and a hitter best suited to benchwarming looks like a legitimate big-league starter. A good-not-great pitcher benefits from an unusually skilled backing defense and suddenly finds his name popping up in the same sentence as "Cy Young."

One of the greatest innovations of sabermetrics is the ability to measure and isolate the element of luck in players' performances (at least, to some extent).

The 2010 season ended on sour notes for Ozzie Guillen's Chicago White Sox. After battling into mid-September for the division title, they fell out of contention when the Minnesota Twins thumped them in a three-game sweep that month. Bobby Jenks and Guillen had a nasty falling-out, and Guillen only narrowly kept his job after a highly-publicized quasi-feud with GM Kenny Williams.

Just 24 days until Opening Day Indians fans.

In 24 days, we will finally begin our journey into another season of Cleveland Indians baseball.

Sure, expectations may be questionable by some, but who is to say the Tribe can't make some noise in the AL Central in 2011? In order to exceed expectations though, some players will need to step up when called upon and deliver in anyway they can during the 162 game marathon.

Welcome to the third installment of seven in this preseason breakdown of each MLB division. The first six articles will cover the divisions, and the seventh will predict the playoffs and major award winners. Each team will have its offseason moves broken down, one major strength and weakness identified, one X-factor selected, and then their projected record for the 2011 season. The order of the slideshows will be from last to first in the division.

Today brings us to the AL Central.

9 Innings Blog will be bringing you previews of every Major League Baseball team for the next 30 days. This is in accordance with our 30 teams in 30 days series. Today we’re bringing you the 2011 preview of the fledgling Cleveland Indians ball club. The Indians have prospects waiting to prosper in their organization, but I do not think this year will be the year each of them peak to their full potential.

The Cleveland Indians have added another veteran free agent to the ranks in first basemen Nick Johnson.  The deal was a minor league contract, but Johnson has a late Spring Training invite and an opportunity to make the big league club.