This has probably the best line of teams from top to bottom, as Baltimore is better, with Buck Showalter as manager, Toronto is always around .500, then Tampa even with all of its losses, is still going to contend because of its farm system, then of course there is the head honchos of Boston and New York with their big bucks and spending all of their money. Again, the prediction will go from bottom to top as far as order of finish.
Baltimore Orioles
Biggest addition: Showalter. Yes, he came in at the end of last year, and he helped transform the team from something awful to something very competitive. Granted, the team wasn't playing for anything when he arrived, so it's easy to win when you don't have anything to play for. Showalter is very motivational, and that should help, but the division is way too tough for the Orioles to make any headway.
Biggest loss: Kevin Millwood. Millwood wasn't very good last season, but he was the opening day starter last season, which says a little something.
The Orioles went out and added pieces over the offseason to try and be competitive, but as I mentioned earlier, the division is way too stacked for Baltimore to have a chance. Baltimore traded for Mark Reynolds, who will be a perfect fit, since he is a pull hitter in a hitter's park. They also upgraded their defense with Derrek Lee at first, who is a stop gap solution until the O's try to get Prince Fielder in free agency. The Orioles also have some other good young players such as Matt Wieters behind the plate, J.J. Hardy at short, and Adam Jones in center. They'll need big stats out of these players, as the pitching is not all that good.
Toronto Blue Jays
Biggest addition: Octavio Dotel. This is the biggest addition, as the Jays didn't really make any moves over the offseason. Dotel will be given the chance to close after Kevin Gregg departed for Baltimore. Dotel will probably be in a position like he was in Pittsburgh, a chance to close and then traded for some prospects near the trade deadline.
Biggest loss: John Buck. Buck was an all-star last season after he put up career highs in all major statistical categories. Buck will be a huge loss to this team's offensive punch.
Toronto, as mentioned earlier, always seems to trend around the .500 mark. Take for instance their past five years in wins: 87, 83, 86, 75, 85. So, yes, they are incredibly mediocre. They cannot seem to go higher or lower than that number, as they try to sign good, not great players in free agency while trying to develop their farm system. Plus, with the Red Sox and Yankees keeping on spending, they can't seem to stay anywhere but in third or fourth place.
Tampa Bay Rays
Biggest addition: Manny Ramirez or Johnny Damon, take your pick. Both players are aging, but they can still be incredibly productive. Damon hit .271 last season, and Ramirez is coming off a very down year after being suspended for a violation of MLB's drug policy. Damon will not provide anything in the way of defense in left, but he's able to do it for 140 games, which is plenty. Ramirez will be the team's primary DH and Tampa prays he can put up numbers similar more to 2009 than 2010.
Biggest loss: Take your pick, the Rays lost their following from last season: their starting left fielder, shortstop, first baseman, designated hitter, a starting pitcher, and closer from opening day last season to this season. All of those players are gone via free agency or via trade.
Now, you may ask with all of those key pieces gone from a season ago, how do you expect the Rays to compete in this division? well, answer is simple, they draft very well. Tampa has one of the best farm systems in all of the major leagues consistently year in and year out. Tampa probably will not get back to the postseason this year, but I expect them to be around 80 wins, which is a heckuva lot better than their first decade in existence, where they withered down near the bottom of the division each year. Tampa has a really good pitching staff anchored by David Price, which afforded them the luxury of trading Matt Garza to Chicago over the offseason. They also have some other pieces which will make them competitive, their biggest question mark though is their bullpen, as it was completely raided by free agency. That will be their downfall probably.
New York Yankees
Biggest gain: Russell Martin. Martin will be the Yankees primary catcher, as Jorge Posada's knees probably can't take the everyday wear and tear anymore, plus Posada was awful at throwing out runners last season. Martin is fully capable of providing much better defense and is able to handle the pitching staff very well, as well as provide a fair amount of offense for the catcher's spot.
Biggest loss: Andy Pettite. Pettite was one of the so called "core four" of the Yankees since 1996. the others being Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. Pettite helped the Yankees pitching staff immensely, as if A.J. Burnett had a bad start, which was often, Pettite would come the next day and save the bullpen. Pettite will also be missed if the Yankees make the postseason, as he was one of the best postseason pitchers ever.
The Yankees will always be up in the top of everyone's list to make the playoffs year in year out because they have the payroll to be able to get any free agent they want. The Yankees offense will again be great, as they have all-stars at six to seven positions just on their bats alone, so that will be no problem scoring runs. the Yankees signed Rafael Soriano to be their set-up man for the greatest closer of all-time Mariano Rivera. Soriano was an all-star for the Rays last year and could've closed anywhere he wanted, but ended up taking the money with New York, so the bullpen is not going to be a problem. The only problem the Yankees will have is in their starting pitching, as after CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes, there are some question marks. Does anyone really trust A.J. Burnett as the number three starter, or Ivan Nova to be really good? Or will Freddy Garcia be a viable number five starter? That is the only question for the Yankees, and that's why I have them second behind the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox
Biggest addition: Take your pick between perennial all-stars Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Crawford will provide more speed to an outfield which already had Jacoby Ellsbury in center, and the Red Sox could conceivably only have two outfielders with how much ground the two of them can cover. Then Gonzalez comes from a very pitcher friendly park in San Diego to possibly the best park for a left handed hitter such as Gonzalez. Plus, Gonzalez will be an upgrade defensively over Kevin Youkilis at first, who can move back to third base.
Biggest loss: Adrian Beltre. Beltre was Boston's MVP last season, as he provided excellent defense over at third, and then provided some big pop. Beltre then signed a new multi-year deal with the Rangers after only signing a one year deal with the Red Sox.
This team has everything. It has really good starting pitching from one to five, a lineup which is as good as any in the big leagues, and a bullpen which is as good as any in the majors. Now, it's just time for the Red Sox to go out and perform as they are capable of performing. This teams should have no trouble winning its third American League Pennant in the new millenium.
Coming later this week: AL Central and West division previews, a final four preview, and the March game of the month. Hope that you all like it!
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