Delivering Championships Since 1972

I am going to come right out and say this is the most post powerful division in baseball because it has the defending champion Red Sox and the always-dangerous New York Yankees. Although the AL Central makes this a tuff decision, they are all very good but have plenty of question marks that need to be addressed.

The defending champs and the Yankees stayed just about the same this off-season. They both attempted to trade for a big arm in Johan Santana but lost the race to the Mets. Both teams will be relying on young talent in their rotations.

New York Yankees

Last Year: 2nd

Predicted: 1st

Pitching – The Yanks staff is the only question mark the team has coming into the season. They are lead by Chien Ming Wang (19 game winner) who quietly goes about his business but gets the job done. He is the ace of the staff but the leader is clearly southpaw Andy Petitte. Andy is coming off a ruff off-season due to the controversy of the Mitchell Report and is coming into this season to prove all the critics wrong. He will lead the youngsters of the staff, Phillip Hughes and Ian Kennedy, to 15 win seasons. The bullpen also has another stud rookie, Joba Chaimberlin, ready to setup for “Mr. Reliable” Mariano Rivera.

Hitting – This lineup is filled with veteran hitters who can flat out hit the baseball. They scored more runs than any team last year and I expect them to do it again. Led by another South Florida product that graduated from Westminster Christian, the best player in baseball Alex “A-rod” Rodriguez. I look for one young guy in this lineup to have a breakout season, Robinson “Bobby” Cano.

Overview – This team failed to make it past the division series last year and I look for them to take the division. Led by their new manager, the 2005 coach of the year, Joe Girardi, was selected over another Yankee great Don Mattingly to take this team to “the ship.” All of us here in South Florida who saw him coach the Marlins know what he is capable of and I guarantee he will deliver in New York.

Boston Red Sox

Last Year: 1st

Predicted: 2nd

Pitching – The Sox rotation is anchored by a former World Series MVP, Josh Beckett. Last season he was just edged out for the AL Cy Young award and I have a feeling that will not set well with him. Beckett will lead the young guns in this rotation to battle with the Yankees for the first spot in this division. However, I feel that the decline in production from Tim Wakefield and Curt Schilling (the old foggies) will be the ultimate hindrance to the Sox winning the division.

Hitting – There is no surprise here, this team can flat out hit. There is not pitcher in baseball looking forward to pitching to the middle of this lineup. Last year Manny Ramirez got off to a slow start, but this year Manny being Manny will carry this team on his back. But if this doesn’t happen our hometown favorite and reigning World Series MVP, FIU alumni Mike Lowell, will pick up the slack. Also, look for the two young studs, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia, who were big contributors in the Playoffs last year, to continue being successful.

Overview - The Sox will be relying on young talent in their rotation, but not to worry the future looks good. The lack of production from the old veterans is why I’m picking them to end second. The monster lineup is what will help them clinch the wild card and you never know what can happen in October.

Toronto Blue Jays

Last Year: 3rd

Predicted: 3rd

Pitching – The rotation has a wicked one two punch in Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett. Both of them have the stuff to be in the running for the Cy Young every year. Dustin McGowan is a great young pitcher that got to learn on the job last year because of the injuries to the staff. He has a lot of upside and I look for him to have a solid season.

Hitting – The team went out and made significant off-season moves to sign Scott Rolen and David Eckstein to round out the infield. These guys are both winners that come in to Toronto to help out a great of lineup led by Vernon Wells, Alex Rios and Frank Thomas. This group of veterans is ready to make a run to compete with the two giants and steal the division.

Overview – This is a great looking team on paper, but is always plagued by injuries. If they stay healthy (by this I am referring to SP - A.J. Burnett and Closer - B.J. Ryan) they have plenty of talent to make a run as long as the injury bug does not affect them. With Ryan on the DL to start the season leads me to believe that its going to be hard to contend with the Sox and the Yanks.

Tampa Bay Rays

Last Year: 5th

Predicted: 4th

Pitching – The Rays staff also has a few great arms at the top of their rotation in Scott Kazmir, James Shields and Matt Garza. The question that needs to be answered is whether they will some run support. In the off-season the team signed Troy Percival to be the closer, which would push Al Reyes to be the setup man. If the young arms can get the ball into these two guys hands they should win a few games.

Hitting – The Rays have one of the top prospects in baseball at 3rd base, Evan Longoria. This spring he looked very impressive and their best option at 3rd. However, the front office has sent him to the minors to prevent him from being a free agent until 2014 instead of 2013. It looks like a good move for the long run and clearly points the conclusion that even they know they are a few years from being contenders. This leaves the run scoring department to B.J. Upton, Carl Crawford and Johnny Gomes.

Overview - The Tampa Bay Devil Rays changed their name to the Rays and are a great young looking team. They will be pesky and cause the division front-runners some trouble. However, they are still a few years from really being contenders in this division.

Baltimore Orioles

Last Year: 4th

Predicted: 5th

Pitching - By trading away their best pitcher has left this team asking for some guys to step up and fill in some large shoes. The staff is now led by a youngster with alot of promise, Jeremy Guthrie. He made it into the rotation last year and finished the season ranked second among AL rookies in ERA (3.70) strikeouts (123) and innings pitched (175 1/3). He will need to have a big year.

Hitting - This team is in a major rebuilding mode. They no longer have Miguel Tejada and are looking to deal Brian Roberts. The also have some aging players in Aubrey Huff and Kevin Millar. That leaves everything up to Nick Markakis to lead these young players and produce runs for this team.

Overview - Last and certainly the worst team in the division is the Orioles. I don’t think anyone including their front office knows what is going on. They traded away Erik Bedard their best pitcher and had two key players named in the Mitchell Report. They will lose a lot of games this year, maybe close to 100.