1) Boston Red Sox
2) New York Yankees
3) Toronto Blue Jays
4) Tampa Bay Rays
5) Baltimore Orioles

Projected Lineups:	Projected Rotations:
Boston Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury Dustin Pedroia David Ortiz Manny Ramirez Mike Lowell Kevin Youkilis J.D. Drew Jason Varitek Julio Lugo	Josh Beckett Daisuke Matsuzaka Curt Schilling Clay Buchholz Jon Lester
New York Yankees
Johnny Damon Derek Jeter Alex Rodriguez Bobby Abreu Hideki Matsui Jorge Posada Jason Giambi Robinson Cano Melky Cabrera	Chien-Ming Wang Andy Pettitte Phil Hughes Mike Mussina Ian Kennedy
Toronto Blue Jays
David Eckstein Lyle Overbay Alex Rios Frank Thomas Vernon Wells Scott Rolen Aaron Hill Adam Lind Gregg Zaun	Roy Halladay A.J. Burnett Dustin McGowan Shaun Marcum Gustavo Chacin
Tampa Bay Rays
Akinori Iwamura Carl Crawford Carlos Pena B.J. Upton Rocco Baldelli Jonny Gomes Evan Longoria Dioner Navarro Jason Bartlett	Scott Kazmir James Shields Matt Garza Edwin Jackson Brian Anderson
Baltimore Orioles
Brian Roberts Melvin Mora Nick Markakis Kevin Millar Aubrey Huff Ramon Hernandez Luke Scott Jay Payton Luis Hernandez	Jeremy Guthrie Daniel Cabrera Adam Loewen Matt Albers Radhames Liz

]]> http://www.sporttalker.com/2008/02/10/2008-al-east-preview.html/feed 0 http://www.sporttalker.com/2007/05/28/baseball-season-well-under-way-al-east.html http://www.sporttalker.com/2007/05/28/baseball-season-well-under-way-al-east.html#comments Mon, 28 May 2007 19:40:45 +0000 Sport Talker http://www.sporttalker.com/2007/05/28/baseball-season-well-under-way-al-east.html As we approach the completion of May, Major League Baseball completes the first third of the 2007 season. Lots of baseball remains, but yet the standings are beginning to shape up and we begin to see who are contenders and who aren’t.

In the American League East, the Boston Red Sox are in control and hold a 11 1/2 game lead over the Baltimore Orioles. Though Red Sox ace, Josh Beckett, is mid-way through a DL stint for blister problems on his throwing hand, he still is close to the major league lead in wins with 7, just trailing Los Angeles Angels’ John Lackey who just won his 8th game.
Yankee third baseman, Alex Rodriguez’s hot April, where he hit a record tying 14 home runs, didn’t lift the team as high as he would have hopes. Though the Yankee’s will vastly improve their rotation with the addition of aging ace, Roger Clemens, who may start as soon as June 4th against the Chicago White Sox.

For Baltimore, Erik Bedard has been brilliant, racking up 83 strikeouts in only 68 innings pitched. Poor run support and a poor bullpen has been costly for Bedard, who’s record is a dismal 3-3. Baltimore, 11 1/2 games back from Boston, is holding onto second place in the division by a mere half game over Toronto.