"Justin Verlander, like most major-league ballplayers, is a creature of habit.

So even at the end of what the Tigers ace admits was a "pretty hectic" offseason, there is some comfort in this: The reigning American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner started throwing a baseball again late last week and …

"It feels like crap, like usual," Verlander said, smiling.

Nothing a little Taco Bell won't cure the night before the April 5 season opener against the Red Sox, though. And nothing Verlander wasn't expecting, or welcoming, as he prepares for an encore performance following a remarkable 2011 season that cemented his status as one of baseball's brightest stars.

On the heels of last year's success, Verlander says he knows what to expect … and so should we: More of the same."