AL East Preview

By Matthew Klein

The AL East is the most talented and toughest division. You have the two powerhouse team with the Red Sox and Yankees. Along with Tampa Bay who is right behind those two and the Orioles who are a team building for the future and the Jays who have taken a step back. This is how I think the AL East will fare this year.

1. New York Yankees

The defending World Champions are still the team to beat in the division. The lost World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon. But also at the same time picked up Curtis Granderson and Javier Vasquez who I think will be the second best pitcher in the rotation. There front three of CC, AJ Burnett and Andy Pettite are one of the best staff's in Baseball. It looks like Joba will be headed back to the bullpen where he belongs and Hughes will take the fifth spot. Along with Joba they have David Robertson and Alfredo Aceves both who are on the rise, which will give the Yanks one of the best bullpens in Baseball. When it's all said and done I expect them to battle with Sox and will end up taking the division.

2. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are another team with great pitching. You could make the case that their front three of Beckett, Lester and Lackey are better than the Yankees front three. The hitting is what might stop the them from being better than the Yankees Ortiz is borderline done same as Lowell. They still have Youkilis and Pedroia and Ellsbury and they can still try to land Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego. They will battle with Yankees all season but, I expect them to finish in second and take the Wild Card.

3. Tampa Bay Rays

Unfortunatly, for the Rays they are in the same division with the Sox and Yanks and it will be very difficult to compete for first. They did not really make any key moves in the offseason and BJ Upton is coming off a miserable year and will need him to win. They still have all the power hitters in Longoria, Crawford and Pena. Pitching will be key for them David Price is going to have to develop and come through for them and Garza and Shield and the other pitchers will have to stay healthy. Unless Upton bounces back and has a great year they will finish in third and come up short because of the division they are in.

4. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles are an interesting team that are trying to rebuild for the future. Matt Wieters had a solid rookie campaign last year and is already being talked about of being one of the best catchers in the game one day. Adam Jones has showed major potential and Nick Markakis has been their best hitter. They added Miguel Tejada at third base as well as Garret Atkins for first base. They have young pitchers that are on the rise and added Kevin Millwood in the offseason. The Orioles will win in the 70-80 games category but, like the Rays the division that they are in will just make it too tough to compete for a playoff spot and will finish fourth.

5. Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays are a team that has gone downward the past couple of years. AJ Burnett signed with the Yankees and they traded away ace Roy Halladay in the offseason. The fired GM JP Richardi in October. The huge $126 million contract that they gave Vernon Wells in 2007 has not lived up and they lost one of their best hitters from last year Marco Scutaro and replaced him with Alex Gonzalez. The olny good thing is they have a couple of nice players in Aaron Hill, Brandon Morrow and Travis Snyder but at the end of the day they will finish in last place and only win about 50-60 games.