In response to nhsteven's comment:

Yup. Best not to mention him though. I'm sure he has 3 or 4 other monikers ready to dust off at a moment's notice.

In response to carnie's comment:

We should probably start a "guess what the next moniker" shall be. I'm guessing they'll be #s in it again.

In response to nhsteven's comment:

I thought I saw him breaking in selenium the other day.

Boston--92 Luck has a way. Improved.
Tampa Bay--88 Didn't improve, but they still win.
New York--87 Getting old. Didn't improve.
Toronto--85 Improved. Still don't love their talent.
Baltimore--77 Luck has a way. Didn't improve.

In response to jesseyeric's comment:

I agree.  I think Toronto is the early favorite, but I don't think they're an overwhelming favorite.  They've improved, but they had a LOT of improving to do.

It's hard to predict how the East is going to play out.  I think the teams are pretty evenly matched for the most part.   Any team that gets things to break the right way as far as staying healthy and maybe finding a diamond in the rough could win the division, save for maybe Baltimore.

 

In response to Iceman4's comment:

I like it, Iceman ....

In response to RedSoxKimmi's comment:

definitely, baltimore isn't going to sniff anywhere near the top of the division IMO. they did virtually NOTHING this offseason.

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In response to HelloItsMeAgain1's comment:

I'm shocked, shocked I tells ya...

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In response to moonslav59's comment:

The American League West had all seven team finished at .500 or above in 1991:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1991.shtml

As did the five-team National League East in 2005:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/2005.shtml

In response to carnie's comment:

About as shocked as for the homers on the RS Side. Baltimore won 93 games last yr; that's 24; repeat that, 24 games better than the RS did last yr, who had their worst yr since 1965. However, I'll think they'll finish ahead of the NYY as well.

The American League West had all seven team finished at .500 or above in 1991:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1991.shtml

 

Perhaps, even more amazing was that only 3 of the 14 AL teams that year finished below .500!

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In response to Hfxsoxnut's comment:

That sounds like the best answer yet.

Before I post I'll say I honestly have no idea how it will play out. No freakin' idea. 

My gut tells me it's going to be a tight year with four teams duking it out and one team falling out of it completely. 

I have remaining concerns about our team but for optimism's sake I am putting them aside and going with very similar to Iceman: 

Bos 

Tor

TB

Yanks

Balt (way out in last place)

I figure the top four teams will each win in their 80s, maybe Yanks in high 70s.....

This is totally a guess and I realize it's not likely to happen but right now I don't have a better idea.

In response to nhsteven's comment:

That sounds about right. I think the division is there to be had by anyone, and will probably be won by the team that avoids injuries.

Baltimore 81 - 81

Boston 81 - 81

New York 81 - 81

Tampa 81 - 81

Toronto 81 - 81

 

After the season, the 5 teams would need to square off in a tournament to determine who goes to the post-season.  This 10 day affair would potentially make the World Series extend to Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Now wouldn't that be fun?

i dont think Boston can win past .500 with this division...it is that tight...but if the pitchers can do very well, that tightness will leave us in contention....i think the difference between first and last in the AL east is going to be very small

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In response to carnie's comment:

 

All the talk about Toronto kind of reminds me of all the best team ever talk before the 2011 season. But they'll always be the Blow Jays to me. Just sayin'...

 

 

I totally agree on Toronto,

Boston? 88 and 74, I still see competing for the division with good health. Why? just a hunch because I don't see anyone dominating in our division and we have just enough talent.  With That said I still feel the Tigers will be the team to beat in 2013.  We are still one big bat and SP or two away from being a championship calibar team again.

The Orioles? 87 and 75, they had an amazing year last season and should continue to play well off the but I still think Boston is better even with their patch work lineup.

The Yanks? 86 and 76, Jeter will be interesting to watch coming off the injury and age limitations at SS. Regardless, he will always be one of my favorite players. I think the ARod situation becomes a huge distraction but if the Yanks can get out of his contract and dump some salary before 2014 pickings should be pretty good on the FA market. I would never count these guys out.

Toronto? 83 and 79, with a new manager and inconsistent pitching I still see an average team.  Did they make a few decent moves?  Sure, but I don't see this changing their makeup all that much even if Bautista has a great year. 

Tampa? 80 and 82, I predicted this before and have been dead wrong but I truly believe 2013 is the year the bottom finally falls out of their boat even with Maddons leadership and young talent.  Pitching and close game wins have always been their strength but I think after almost reaching that WC level through a lot of smart draft picks and luck they begin to fall at an alarming rate. 

 

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In response to HelloItsMeAgain1's comment:

I'm sure.

Almost as shocked as the homers picking a team that hasn't really improved much (if at all) to go from worst to first.

[/QUOTE]


What shocks me is you picking a team that lost Russel Martin, Nick Swisher, ARod, and Raul Ibanez plus has a pair of aging ballplayers in Jeter and Mo coming off pretty serious injuries manning key positions, and whose only signing of any significance was a Red Sox reject to man the hot corner to finish ahead of a team that added 3 players in their early 30s and a pitcher that averages right around 200 IP per year. (Not really)

In response to carnie's comment:

What shocks me is you picking a team that lost Russel Martin, Nick Swisher, ARod, and Raul Ibanez plus has a pair of aging ballplayers in Jeter and Mo coming off pretty serious injuries manning key positions, and whose only signing of any significance was a Red Sox reject to man the hot corner to finish ahead of a team that added 3 players in their early 30s and a pitcher that averages right around 200 IP per year. (Not really)

[/QUOTE]

.You're both right; but what else would U expect?