For all the name power in the American League East, and the hype and buzz that goes with it, this division just doesn't produce champions like it used to, does it? The AL East has only one World Series title in the last four years: the 2009 Yankees.
Will normalcy be restored this season? To be determined. There certainly is high-priced talent all over the place. But maybe just enough questions on the money teams -- the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays -- to keep this division down when it counts.
Until then, let's examine all five teams, and their strengths and weaknesses as we await the first pitch of 2012 (Odds courtesy of PinnacleSports.com):
New York Yankees
Last year's record: 97-65
This year's season win total: 93.5
Odds to win the AL East: -136
WHO'S IN: Raul Ibanez, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, Andy Pettitte, Bill Hall
WHO'S OUT: Jorge Posada, Jesus Montero, A.J. Burnett
TEAM STRENGTH: Power. What the Yankees lack in team batting average (.263 last season), they can make up for with the long balls. They whacked 222 last season, which led the majors, and though age is catching up to Derek Jeter, 37 years old, and Alex Rodriguez, 36, Curtis Granderson (41 homers last season), Mark Teixeira (39), Robinson Cano (28) and even Nick Swisher (23) should be able to pick up where they left off.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. CC Sabathia aside, there are questions to be answered. And there is no more Burnett to pick on, so Ivan Nova (16-4, 3.70 ERA last year) cannot suffer a slump a year after his breakout, and the unknowns that are Phil Hughes and Pettitte must at the least, deliver quality innings, and hand leads over to an aging but still effective bullpen.
Tampa Bay Rays
Last year's record: 91-71
This year's season win total: 86.5
Odds to win the AL East: +500
WHO'S IN: Carlos Pena, Luke Scott
WHO'S OUT: Casey Kotchman, Johnny Damon
TEAM STRENGTH: Starting pitching. James Shields (16-12, 2.82 ERA, 225 strikeouts) and David Price (12-13, 3.49, 218) can certainly produce better numbers than last year, and will lead a staff loaded with upside, including the much heralded Matt Moore, who was 1-0 with just three walks in limited duty last season. He will begin the year in the rotation, and won't have the pressure other youngsters have on other teams because of the horses in front of him.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Strikeouts. Pena and Scott could be a feast-or-famine parlay, as the two combined for 37 homers last season, but also produced a joint 215 punchouts. With health, those power numbers will increase, especially as Pena returns to the American League. But the threat of the strikeout, especially with runners on base for a team that needs to maximize offense, will loom large all season.
Boston Red Sox
Last year's record: 90-72
This year's season win total: 90.5
Odds to win the AL East: +300
WHO'S IN: Andrew Bailey, Cody Ross, Nick Punto
WHO'S OUT: Marco Scutaro, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew
TEAM STRENGTH: Speed. Believe it or not, a team with Jacoby Ellsbury (39 steals), Dustin Pedroia (26) and Carl Crawford (18) last season finished 17th in the league in stolen bases. But the key here, is the latter of the three. Crawford, considering his talent, motivation and health, is due for a big season in Beantown, and if he's getting on base, and swiping them at a regular clip, the Red Sox could be the most dangerous baserunning team out there.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Bullpen. Not as much as a weakness just yet, as much as it's an unknown. New manager Bobby Valentine does not have the services of Jonathan Papelbon, who is now with the Phillies. And though he has options -- Bailey had 24 saves last season -- the mystery that is Daniel Bard -- Is he staying in the bullpen? Is he headed to the rotation? Will he stay at either place very long? -- might just hover over this group and do more harm than good.
Toronto Blue Jays
Last year's record: 81-81
This year's season win total: 83
Odds to win the AL East: +1325
WHO'S IN: Sergio Santos, Francisco Cordero
WHO'S OUT: Corey Patterson
TEAM STRENGTH: Bullpen. An area of weakness last season, the relief staff should be a strong spot this year. Sergio Santos, Jason Frasor and Cordero have all closed games before, and done well in the role. Santos and Cordero, in fact, combined for 67 saves last season, and nine victories.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Protection. Jose Bautista is one of the most feared hitters in baseball, but there isn’t another bat in Toronto’s lineup to make an opposing pitcher sweat.
Baltimore Orioles
Last year's record: 69-93
This year's season win total: 70.5
Odds to win the AL East: +10,600
WHO'S IN: Wilson Betemit, Jason Hammel, Matt Lindstrom
WHO'S OUT: Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Scott, Derrek Lee
TEAM STRENGTH: You have to like the upside of the outfield. Adam Jones may never be the player he was billed as, but Orioles fans can probably live with the numbers he threw up last year: .280 average, 25 homers, 83 RBIs, 68 runs and 12 steals. Combine him Nick Markakis (73 RBIs and 72 runs), and at least you've got something out there in the grass of Camden Yards.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. Guthrie certainly wasn't Cy Young, but he won 47 games for bad Baltimore teams from 2007-11, and will be sorely missed. The names left for the rotation depth chart -- let's face it -- will not top many fantasy draft boards: Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, Wei-Yin Chen, Tsuyoshi Wada, Zach Britton, Hammel. In this division? Good luck.
Will normalcy be restored this season? To be determined. There certainly is high-priced talent all over the place. But maybe just enough questions on the money teams -- the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays -- to keep this division down when it counts.
Until then, let's examine all five teams, and their strengths and weaknesses as we await the first pitch of 2012 (Odds courtesy of PinnacleSports.com):
New York Yankees
Last year's record: 97-65
This year's season win total: 93.5
Odds to win the AL East: -136
WHO'S IN: Raul Ibanez, Hiroki Kuroda, Michael Pineda, Andy Pettitte, Bill Hall
WHO'S OUT: Jorge Posada, Jesus Montero, A.J. Burnett
TEAM STRENGTH: Power. What the Yankees lack in team batting average (.263 last season), they can make up for with the long balls. They whacked 222 last season, which led the majors, and though age is catching up to Derek Jeter, 37 years old, and Alex Rodriguez, 36, Curtis Granderson (41 homers last season), Mark Teixeira (39), Robinson Cano (28) and even Nick Swisher (23) should be able to pick up where they left off.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. CC Sabathia aside, there are questions to be answered. And there is no more Burnett to pick on, so Ivan Nova (16-4, 3.70 ERA last year) cannot suffer a slump a year after his breakout, and the unknowns that are Phil Hughes and Pettitte must at the least, deliver quality innings, and hand leads over to an aging but still effective bullpen.
Tampa Bay Rays
Last year's record: 91-71
This year's season win total: 86.5
Odds to win the AL East: +500
WHO'S IN: Carlos Pena, Luke Scott
WHO'S OUT: Casey Kotchman, Johnny Damon
TEAM STRENGTH: Starting pitching. James Shields (16-12, 2.82 ERA, 225 strikeouts) and David Price (12-13, 3.49, 218) can certainly produce better numbers than last year, and will lead a staff loaded with upside, including the much heralded Matt Moore, who was 1-0 with just three walks in limited duty last season. He will begin the year in the rotation, and won't have the pressure other youngsters have on other teams because of the horses in front of him.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Strikeouts. Pena and Scott could be a feast-or-famine parlay, as the two combined for 37 homers last season, but also produced a joint 215 punchouts. With health, those power numbers will increase, especially as Pena returns to the American League. But the threat of the strikeout, especially with runners on base for a team that needs to maximize offense, will loom large all season.
Boston Red Sox
Last year's record: 90-72
This year's season win total: 90.5
Odds to win the AL East: +300
WHO'S IN: Andrew Bailey, Cody Ross, Nick Punto
WHO'S OUT: Marco Scutaro, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew
TEAM STRENGTH: Speed. Believe it or not, a team with Jacoby Ellsbury (39 steals), Dustin Pedroia (26) and Carl Crawford (18) last season finished 17th in the league in stolen bases. But the key here, is the latter of the three. Crawford, considering his talent, motivation and health, is due for a big season in Beantown, and if he's getting on base, and swiping them at a regular clip, the Red Sox could be the most dangerous baserunning team out there.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Bullpen. Not as much as a weakness just yet, as much as it's an unknown. New manager Bobby Valentine does not have the services of Jonathan Papelbon, who is now with the Phillies. And though he has options -- Bailey had 24 saves last season -- the mystery that is Daniel Bard -- Is he staying in the bullpen? Is he headed to the rotation? Will he stay at either place very long? -- might just hover over this group and do more harm than good.
Toronto Blue Jays
Last year's record: 81-81
This year's season win total: 83
Odds to win the AL East: +1325
WHO'S IN: Sergio Santos, Francisco Cordero
WHO'S OUT: Corey Patterson
TEAM STRENGTH: Bullpen. An area of weakness last season, the relief staff should be a strong spot this year. Sergio Santos, Jason Frasor and Cordero have all closed games before, and done well in the role. Santos and Cordero, in fact, combined for 67 saves last season, and nine victories.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Protection. Jose Bautista is one of the most feared hitters in baseball, but there isn’t another bat in Toronto’s lineup to make an opposing pitcher sweat.
Baltimore Orioles
Last year's record: 69-93
This year's season win total: 70.5
Odds to win the AL East: +10,600
WHO'S IN: Wilson Betemit, Jason Hammel, Matt Lindstrom
WHO'S OUT: Jeremy Guthrie, Luke Scott, Derrek Lee
TEAM STRENGTH: You have to like the upside of the outfield. Adam Jones may never be the player he was billed as, but Orioles fans can probably live with the numbers he threw up last year: .280 average, 25 homers, 83 RBIs, 68 runs and 12 steals. Combine him Nick Markakis (73 RBIs and 72 runs), and at least you've got something out there in the grass of Camden Yards.
TEAM WEAKNESS: Starting pitching. Guthrie certainly wasn't Cy Young, but he won 47 games for bad Baltimore teams from 2007-11, and will be sorely missed. The names left for the rotation depth chart -- let's face it -- will not top many fantasy draft boards: Jake Arrieta, Tommy Hunter, Wei-Yin Chen, Tsuyoshi Wada, Zach Britton, Hammel. In this division? Good luck.
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