MLB Playoff Predictions 2011: Detroit Tigers Will Handle New York Yankees

This isn't the same old Detroit Tigers team entering into the 2011 playoffs, and that just may take the New York Yankees by surprise.

This isn't the team that seemed almost destined to collapse whenever the second half of the season came around.

This isn't the team that made shaky front office decisions that ended up hurting the team rather than helping at the trade deadline.

This isn't the team so void of leadership that their best player was out partying with the opposition into the early morning, the night before one of the seasons biggest games.

No, this is not the same old Detroit Tigers.

The last time the Yankees and Tigers met up in the playoffs of 2006, Johnny Damon was a Yankee and Curtis Granderson roamed the outfield of Comerica Park.

The Tigers trotted out a rotation that boasted Kenny Rogers, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and ace Justin Verlander.

Flash forward to 2011. This is not the same Detroit Tigers.

Verlander is still in the rotation and he is still the ace, but he is a very different pitcher.

He went from being a great pitcher to one of the rare arms to ever be featured in an MVP debate. Verlander captured the second no-hitter of his career on his way to an astonishing 24-5 record, 2.40 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.

He's undoubtedly the feature of the Tigers rotation, but he's not the only arm capable of mowing the Yankees down.

Since being traded to Detroit from Seattle, Doug Fister posted an 8-1 record with an incredible 1.79 ERA.

Those two are arguably the best one-two pitching combo in baseball, and followed by either Max Scherzer or Rick Porcello, they create one of the best pitching rotations in baseball.

Offensively, the Tigers have evolved into one of the more explosive teams in the MLB. Spearheaded by perennial MVP Miguel Cabrera and crafty veteran Victor Martinez, this is a team that has a batting average of .277, OBP .340, SLG .434 and OPS .773.

The big names aren't the only players the have stepped up either. Young catcher Alex Avila broke out of his shell into an All-Star year in 2011, and finished the season with 137 hits, 19 home runs, 82 RBI and a slugging percentage of .506 in 141 games

No, this isn't the same old Detroit Tigers.

This is a team that got better as the second half of the season went on. This is a team that made all the right roster moves, and this is a team that is focused on winning and nothing else.

The New York Yankees won't know what hit 'em.