Who Will be the odd team out in the AL East?

Going into the 2010 Major League Baseball season, many wondered who would win the AL East. Many baseball analyst's said that the 3 best teams going into the 2010 season were the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Rays. The problem is that only one team can win the division and one team can win the wild card in the American League, even though anyone who knows about baseball can tell you, the winner of the AL wild card is coming from the AL East. This means that one team will be the odd team out. Who will it be?

Up until the 2008 season the Rays were called the Devil Rays and they were the laughing stock of the American League. They barely had more fans at their games then most high school football games in Texas. Maybe its because they have a team in a area where many old timers move down to, or maybe because they just flat out were terrible. I'm going to go with the second one, the Rays organization had there first season in 1998, and it wasn't pretty as expected, but up until 2008 it seemed that the Rays would never move out of the basement in the AL East, let alone compete with the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Two of the most prestigious and respected franchises in all of sports. But something went right in 2008, led by Joe Maddon the Rays came out of no where and won the AL East, beating the Red Sox, who finished with the wild card, and the Yankees who missed the postseason for the first time since 1995. The 2009 season was suppose to be just like the 2008 season, which was dubbed the coming out party for the Rays organization. It didn't go as well, as everyone hoped it would, it didn't help that the Yankees regained form and won the division by winning over 100 games and the Red Sox being competitive like they are year in and year out winning the wild card.

It seems ever since the beginning of time, the Yankees and Red Sox have hated each other and its true. Everyone knows the Curse of the Bambino, Bucky Dent, Aaron Boone, the bloody sock and who could forget the Yankees collapse in the 2004 ALCS, losing 4 games in row to the Red Sox. Even if the Yankees or Red Sox are having a bad season, every game between each other is like another battle in the war that has gone on for years. Within the last 15 years year in and year out they have been competitive.

In 2009 both the Yankees and Red Sox made the playoffs, with the Yankees winning the division and the Red Sox winning the wild card, and everyone was hoping for another meeting of the two powerhouses in the ALCS, but the Red Sox were knocked out the playoffs in the first round. The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins and handily beat the Angels in 6 games. They then went on to win their first world series in 9 years in 6 games against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even though we are only one month in the 2010 season, it already feels like its getting down to the wire in the AL East. The Rays are in first place by .5 game over the Yankees and 7 games over the Red Sox. The Rays and Yankees are off to blazing hot, history making starts. The Rays and Yankees have the two best records in baseball as of May 8th. The Red Sox aren't having the beginning of the season they were hoping for but again its only May and a lot can happen, but they aren't helping out there cause.

Again like I said before a lot can happen from now until October, I believe the Yankees will take over the Rays at the top of the AL East, not because I am a Yankee fan, but because the Yankees are better, there is no way around it. There pitching staff and lineup and the end of there bullpen is just flat out better. The Rays are young and yes they have been down the stressful stretch of October before, but the Yankees and the Red Sox have players who are older, and have been there done that more than once.

I believe the Red Sox will make a move for a big hitter, someone that will actually strike fear in the opposing pitcher. Not saying that Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkillis and Victor Martinez are big hitters. But lets be honest here Pedroia is a great baseball player and arguably the best second basemen in baseball, but he should not be batting 3rd. Youkillis is a great hitter don't get me wrong and he should be batting 4th but he has no one protecting him in their lineup. Martinez is one of the best hitters for catchers in the MLB, but again he is a catcher and he is no Joe Mauer. He should be batting at least 6th in their lineup. Look the Red Sox have the pitching there is no doubt about it and it will come around, but they need a power hitter in that lineup, could that someone be Adrian Gonzalez?

Don't get me wrong I jumped on the bandwagon of the Rays in 2008. Who didn't? It was a great story of a young team taking down the Goliath’s of the American League, they have an amazing lineup with good hitters up and down the lineup, but there pitching is young and unproven. There pitching great right now, and Jamie Shields is a proven pitcher and David Price was on the team in 2008 and he pitched well, but other then that, who is proven. Matt Garza is off to a hot start and he can pitch in the big games, but where was he last year, and Wade Davis has the stuff to be a very good pitcher is baseball, but what has he proven. The Yankees have CC Sabthia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte and who can forget Mariano Rivera. Those four combined have 13 world series championships. The Red Sox have Josh Beckett, John Lackey and John Lester. All three of these pitchers are big game pitchers; they have ice in their veins. I just don't see how the Rays can hold off both team, but who knows that’s why they play the game right?

American League East Final Standings (Prediction)

1. Yankees

2. Red Sox

3. Rays

4. Toronto

5. Orioles

What do you think will happen?