- New York Yankees
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Boston Red Sox
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Baltimore Orioles
The division with the greatest potential for a shakeup for the 2011 MB season has to be the AL. For years it was the Yankees who ran the table, with the Red Sox getting in their shots as well. Then came the Tampa Bay Rays and their improbable run at the World Series in 2008. 2010 saw the Rays make it to the post-season again, however they lost a lot of big names during the off-season. They still have the potential to be a force, but there are a lot of baseball fans wondering if the Orioles or Blue Jays are ready to make a jump. Both the Orioles and the Jays have been stockpiling talent, and as their players know what it takes to compete in the AL East, they will not be intimidated by the Red Sox, Yankees, or anyone else! The Yankees have plenty of question as far as pitching, and many a Yankee hater is wondering if this is the year Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera start to show their age. You know these Yankees aren’t going down without a fight, but in 2011 the AL East will give us a first hand look at the battle between youth and experience. Expect to see a lot of high scoring games in the AL East this year, because all the teams can score.
And then you have the Boston Red Sox, who are enjoying the first fantastic off-season since the team acquired Josh Beckett in 2007. With one of the tough rotations in baseball led by Jon Lester, expect some great games out of the BoSox. And lets not forget about their lineup! The Red Sox managed to stay one of the the highest scoring teams last year, even though the team was ravaged by injuries. In 2011 they have the same lineup, except that Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford have joined in. Paired with a healthy Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia, this team could do some offensive damage for sure. And that not even mentioning David Ortiz and JD Drew, who are still among the toughest outs in the game. Yes the Red Sox are a popular pick to win the East this year, but theres plenty of baseball to be played. Stock up on baseball tickets right now because the AL East is looking to be as fun as ever.