Twitter
Facebook
Reddit
Digg
Tell us what you think!Send a letter to the editor about this or any other article in The Maine Campus.
In no other division can you win 85 games and come in fourth place, and it may be hard to believe, but the best division in baseball improved this offseason by totally dominating the hot stove.
The American League East will most definitely showcase a breathtaking division race in 2011 with a great chance of all five teams finishing with winning percentages. It’ll also be home to the team that represents the American League in this year’s World Series.
1. Boston Red Sox — Last Year: 3rd Place, 7 GB (89-73)
Boston had the most productive and beneficial offseason of all 30 teams. The club’s blockbuster moves came within a span of three days during December when they traded with San Diego for slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and signed four-time All-Star outfielder Carl Crawford just two days later.
Gonzalez and Crawford join what is already a respectable lineup that includes 2008 MVP second baseman Dustin Pedroia, perfectionist infielder Kevin Youkilis, fan favorite six-time All-Star designated hitter David Ortiz and speedy outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury.
Losing catcher Victor Martinez might seem like a blow, but the platoon of replacement 25-year-old Jarrod Saltalamacchia and captain Jason Varitek will not disappoint.
The Red Sox’s pitching rotation is the best it’s been in years with five pitchers combing for five All-Star appearances, two no-hitters, five World Series rings and an average age of 29. Lefty Jon Lester will be the team’s ace after a 2010 season where he was fourth in the majors in both wins and strikeouts with 19 and 225 respectively.
Expect another excellent year from 26-year-old Clay Buchholz, whose ERA ranked third in the league last season, and bounce-back years from both Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
The bullpen also added depth with the acquisition of two-time All-Star reliever Bobby Jenks. The former Chicago White Sox closer will most likely fill the spot of set-up man behind four-time All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon.
There’s no question that Boston will be in contention with New York all season long, but the league’s best team will not have a problem introducing the Yankees to the wild card spot come October.
2. New York Yankees — Last Year: 2nd Place, 1 GB (95-67)
The Bronx Bombers return this season with few new faces after an extraordinarily poor offseason compared to recent years. The highlight of the team’s negotiating came Dec. 7 when they re-signed 11-time All-Star captain shortstop Derek Jeter after contract disputes began to loom over the player-organization relationship.
The Yankees have the league’s best starting infield after adding catcher Russell Martin who will join first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano, Jeter and third baseman Alex Rodriguez to complete a five-player combo that combines for an unprecedented total of 30 All-Star appearances, 20 Silver Slugger awards and 13 Gold Glove awards. The club’s outfield is mediocre, with room for improvement.
The pitching rotation remains solid with the return of four-time All-Star ace C.C. Sabathia, who tied for the league lead in wins last season with 21. Expect 24-year-old starter Phil Hughes to shine as the youngster approaches his prime. Decorated veteran closer Mariano Rivera returns for his 17th season in New York and will be aided by newly acquired relief pitcher Rafael Soriano.
If not for the AL East’s ridiculous talent, the Yankees would be able to win the division in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, they’ll have to settle for this year’s AL wild card spot.
3. Tampa Bay Rays — Last Year: 1st Place (96-66)
This Rays team will beat out both Baltimore and Toronto for one main reason: their pitching. Twenty-five-year-old ace David Price tied for fourth overall in wins with 19 last season. The All-Star was also seventh overall in ERA and led the league in winning percentage at 76 percent.
Along with Price, the rotation will feature Rays veteran James Shields, 25-year-old Wade Davis and Jeff Niemann, last year’s league-leader in fewest hits allowed. Journeyman Kyle Farnsworth will attempt his first season as a Major League closer.
The additions of both 12-time All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez and two-time All-Star Johnny Damon could make or break this team’s offense. It will be interesting to see if Ramirez can regain prior form with fewer distractions in Tampa Bay. The loss of Crawford to division rival Boston definitely hurts, but don’t be surprised to see three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria step up and become the team’s new leader.
Tampa Bay has certainly lost their competence for another first place finish, but they’ll still have enough in the tank to beat out the division’s remaining clubs in Baltimore and Toronto.
4. Baltimore Orioles — Last Year: 5th Place, 30 GB (66-96)
Baltimore has finished fifth in the AL East for the past three seasons but will exit the basement in 2011.
The Orioles had an effective offseason, issuing a comparable amount of success to that of Boston’s in an effort to considerably remodel its starting lineup. The front office started things off Dec. 6 by trading for power-hitting third baseman Mark Reynolds. They continued negotiations by later acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy and veteran first baseman Derek Lee both of whom will join two-time All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts to complete an infield worthy of recognition.
The most prominent signing came in early February when the team inked a deal with nine-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero, who should fit perfectly in the middle of the club’s lineup after racking up a league’s sixth-best 115 RBIs last year.
The loss of lone 2010 All-Star outfielder Ty Wigginton hurts, but both Guerrero and five-year Orioles outfielder Nick Markakis won’t skip a beat.
On the mound, Baltimore is lacking a reliable ace, which will surely hurt the chances of a prolific year from newly acquired closer Kevin Gregg, who tied for ninth in saves last season with 37.
Expect Baltimore to still have an excellent season nonetheless, especially if their pitching is consistent.
5. Toronto Blue Jays — Last Year: 4th Place, 11 GB (85-77)
The Blue Jays enter 2011 as an AL East underdog, a deceiving title that could translate to second place in any other division. The offseason was spent mostly on improving the club’s relief pitching, adding journeyman Octavio Dotel, righty Frank Francisco and the league’s tallest player in history, 6-foot-11-inch hurler Jon Rauch.
Toronto takes a blow with the subtraction of the face of their franchise, outfielder Vernon Wells, but his replacement, Juan Rivera, who currently has a .495 batting average in spring training, isn’t looking too bad. It’s going to be difficult for 2010 Home Run champion Jose Bautista to perform an encore after last year’s career season, but as the new face of the team, it’s going to be expected.
Nothing exciting will emerge from the rotation or bullpen and the rest of the lineup is below average. Toronto needs players to step up in order for them avoid becoming this year’s division cellar dwellers.
Bangor Daily News