Mo Power in Motown

For the past two seasons, the team to represent the American League in the World Series has hailed out of the AL West with the Texas Rangers claiming back-to-back American League pennants. And after an influx of blockbuster moves being made this offseason by both the Rangers who won the sweepstakes for Japanese pitching sensation Yu Darvish and the division-rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim who acquired Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson, those favored to represent the American League in the World Series this year once again appeared to be coming out of the West. That was until the Detroit Tigers signed 3-time All-Star slugging first baseman Prince Fielder to a 9-year, $214 Million contract on Tuesday. Prior to his big pay day with Detroit, the Rangers, Blue Jays, Mariners, Nationals and Cubs were all said to be interested in the hard hitting slugger, but similar to the Pujols signing, it was a dark horse who flew under the radar and came out on top to snag the slugger.

For Detroit fans, the news of the ball club landing arguably the most highly coveted free-agent this offseason couldn't have came at a better time as it was learned just a week ago that the Tigers would be without Victor Martinez for the entire 2012 season after tearing his ACL during offseason conditioning. Martinez, a 4-time All-Star who spent last season sharing time serving as the team's designated-hitter as well as catcher, finished the year with 103 RBI's and a career-high .330 batting average to help Detroit run away with the AL Central division during the second half of the season and come within two wins of a World Series birth. Tigers manager Jim Leyland chimed in regarding Martinez' unfortunate injury days after the incident and said Martinez was irreplaceable. Leyland would proudly eat his words now that he has hands down the best hitting tandem in all of baseball with Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera, both of whom finished in the top 3 in MVP voting last year in their respective leagues. The only problem being both players are accustomed to playing first base leaving Leyland to shuffle them around the field just like he'll be doing with the batting order.

Without Fielder who logged 38 home runs and 120 RBI's for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011, the Tigers are the best team in the division. With him they're arguably the best team in the American League. Led by the best pitcher in the Major Leagues in Justin Verlander who became the first pitcher since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 to be crowned MVP as well as take home Cy Young Award honors, the Tigers are just as dangerous from a pitching standpoint as they are on offense. With Doug Fister and Max Scherzer also in the rotation and with Jose Valverde in the bullpen who went an entire season without a blowing a single save, Detroit has all the right pieces to dominant the AL Central for many years to come. Whether or not they can contend for a Championship without Victor Martinez remains unknown. Once he returns fully healthy from his injury however, look out.

At the age of 27, Fielder is no stranger to the Tigers organization as he grew up watching his father Cecil Fielder play a majority of his Major League career with Detroit where he became a fixture around the teams clubhouse as a child, often taking batting practice with the team. And just like his father who served seven years with the Tigers as a fan favorite, Prince shouldn't have any trouble fitting in.