Previewing the AL East in 2010

As baseball season is arriving, many people are wondering where their team is going to be come October.

The AL East is hoping to be the best division in baseball this year by possibly producing multiple 90-win teams.

There is no doubt that the talent in the AL East can not be matched by any other division this year.

Here is a look at the division breakdown of the AL East and team-by-team breakdown for the 2010 season.

AL EAST

 

1. Boston Red Sox

Projected Lineup
1. Jacoby Ellsbury - LF
2. Dustin Pedroia - 2B
3. Victor Martinez - C
4. Kevin Youkilis - 1B
5. David Ortiz - DH
6. J.D. Drew - RF
7. Adrian Beltre - 3B
8. Mike Cameron - CF
9. Marco Scutaro - SS

Rotation:
1. Josh Beckett - R
2. Jon Lester - L
3. John Lackey - R
4. Daisuke Matsuzaka - R
5. Clay Buchholz - R

Key Signings:  RP Scott Atchison (Japan), 3B Adrian Beltre (SEA), SP Boof Bonser (MIN), OF Mike Cameron (MIL), INF Bill Hall (SEA), OF Jeremy Hermida (FLA), SP John Lackey (ANA), SS Marco Scutaro (TOR)

Key Departures:  OF Brian Anderson (KC), OF Rocco Baldelli (FA), OF Jason Bay (NYM), SP Paul Byrd (FA), SS Alex Gonzalez (TOR), 1B Casey Kotchman (SEA), RP Takashi Saito (ATL)

Projection: (98-64) The Red Sox are going to be a dangerous team this year with one of the best pitching staffs in the league.

To back up the pitching staff, they have a batting order that is powered by Victor Martinez, David Ortiz and Kevin Youkilis. Jason Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia will provide the Red Sox with speed at the top of the lineup.

The only question of concern is the bench of the Red Sox, but the bench does have veteran catcher, Jason Varitek headlining it.

I project this team to go far in October and be a huge threat in the Playoffs.

 

2. New York Yankees

Projected Lineup
1. Derek Jeter - SS
2. Nick Johnson - DH
3. Mark Teixeira - 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez - 3B
5. Jorge Posada - C
6. Robinson Cano - 2B
7. Curtis Granderson - CF
8. Nick Swisher - RF
9. Brett Gardner - LF

Rotation:
1. CC Sabathia - L
2. A.J. Burnett - R
3. Javier Vazquez - R
4. Andy Pettitte - L
5. Phil Hughes - R

Key Signings:  OF Curtis Granderson (DET), 1B Nick Johnson (FLA), RP Boone Logan (ATL), SP Javier Vazquez (ATL), OF Randy Winn (SF),

Key Departures:  RP Brian Bruney (WAS), OF Melky Cabrera (ATL), RP Phil Coke (DET), OF Johnny Damon (DET), INF Jerry Hairston Jr. (SD), 1B/OF Eric Hinske (ATL), OF Austin Jackson (DET), SP Ian Kennedy (ARI), OF Hideki Matsui (ANA), C Jose Molina (TOR), OF Xavier Nady (CHC), SP Chien-Ming Wang (WAS)

Projections: (96-66)   With probably the most dangerous lineup in MLB, the Yankees will be a threat in the AL East and the Wild Card if Boston pulls everything together.

With the one-two punch of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees should be a pitcher's worst nightmare, since both players are very good power hitters.

Along with power, the new pick-up of Curtis Granderson will add the speed that Damon took with him.

Don't count out the pitching staff, especially with the acquisition of SP Javier Vasquez. Look for the pitching staff to lead the major leagues in innings pitched, as all five pitchers can pitch for 7+ innings per game.

 

3. Tampa Bay Rays

Projected Lineup
1. Jason Bartlett - SS
2. Carl Crawford - LF
3. Evan Longoria - 3B
4. Carlos Pena - 1B
5. B.J. Upton - CF
6. Ben Zobrist - 2B
7. Pat Burrell - C
8. Matt Joyce - RF
9. Dioner Navarro - C

Rotation:
1. James Shields - R
2. Matt Garza - R
3. Jeff Niemann - R
4. David Price - L
5. Wade Davis - R

Key Signings:  C Kelly Shoppach (CLE), RP Rafael Soriano (ATL)

Key Departures : RP Chad Bradford (FA), RP Jesse Chavez (ATL), OF Gabe Gross (OAK), 2B Akinori Iwamura (PIT), RP Joe Nelson (BOS), C Gregg Zaun (MIL)

Projections: (90-72).  Two years ago, Tampa Bay was the feel-good story of the MLB with a comeback season.

Expect the Rays to be led by the middle of the lineup with Crawford, Longoria and Pena—these three players had a combined 87 home runs and 281 RBI last season.

This team will likely be very dangerous in the season with a lineup that has very little weak points.

The pitching staff is what you would call average with the need for somebody to step up and take the lead role with a 15-plus win season, especially since pitcher Scott Kazmir got traded.

 

4. Baltimore Orioles

Projected Lineup
1. Brian Roberts - 2B
2. Adam Jones - CF
3. Miguel Tejada - 3B
4. Nick Markakis - RF
5. Luke Scott - DH
6. Nolan Reimold - LF
7. Matt Wieters - C
8. Garrett Atkins - 1B
9. Cesar Izturis - SS

Rotation:
1. Kevin Millwood - R
2. Jeremy Guthrie - R
3. Brian Matusz - L
4. Chris Tillman - R
5. Brad Bergesen - R

Key Signings:  1B/3B Garrett Atkins (COL), RP Mike Gonzalez (ATL), SP Kevin Millwood (TEX), 3B Miguel Tejada (HOU)

Key Departures:  RP Danys Baez (PHI), SP Rich Hill (STL), 3B Melvin Mora (TEX), RP Chris Ray (TEX), RP Jamie Walker (FA)

Projections: (78-84)  Over the last few years, little has been said about Baltimore—this year could be another one of those years.

This postseason they picked up a lot of help, which includes Atkins, Gonzalez, Millwood and Tejada. The move for Tejada does not make sense to some people, but at this moment it is hard to judge if he will be back to his All-Star form.

A weak pitching staff will make it hard for Baltimore to prevent the huge offenses of the AL East from putting run after run on the board.

Expect this season to be another rebuilding process that may see success in a year or two.

 

5. Toronto Blue Jays

Projected Lineup
1. Jose Bautista - RF
2. Aaron Hill - 2B
3. Adam Lind - DH
4. Vernon Wells - CF
5. Lyle Overbay - 1B
6. Travis Snider - LF
7. Edwin Encarnacion - 3B
8. John Buck - C
9. Alex Gonzalez - SS

Rotation:
1. Ricky Romero - L
2. Shaun Marcum - R
3. Brandon Morrow - R
4. Marc Rzepczynski - L
5. Brett Cecil - L

Key Signings : C John Buck (KC), C Travis d'Arnaud (PHI), SP Kyle Drabek (PHI),RP Kevin Gregg (CHC), SS Alex Gonzalez (BOS), C Jose Molina (NYY), SP Brandon Morrow (SEA), 1B Brett Wallace (OAK)

Key Departures:  C Rod Barajas (NYM), SP Roy Halladay (PHI), RP Brandon League (SEA), 1B/OF Kevin Millar (CHC), SS Marco Scutaro (BOS), RP Brian Wolfe (Japan)

Projections:  (70-92).  The Blue Jays lost big names on their roster over the off-season and I do not expect this team to play well this year.

They have a pitching staff with one bright spot in Romero, but he is fresh off a rookie season and won't be able to lead a whole rotation. With the loss to Halladay, the rotation will be lucky to have a pitcher with a 15-plus win season.

The batting order should be expected to have a down year, unless Vernon Wells will be healthy throughout the season.

Expect the Blue Jays to have a losing season and come back next year as a rebuilt team with new pick ups, and possibly a winning season.

 

AL EAST ROOKIE  OF THE YEAR

Sean Rodriguez (Tampa Bay)

Acquired during the Scott Kazmir trade, fans in Tampa are dreaming of a second coming of Ben Zobrist. Rodriguez has the ability to play a variety of positions. Look for this guy to have around 15 Homers, 50 RBIs, a .280 AVG and around 15 stolen bases.

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