AL East Update

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Spring Leaders

Hits - Jake Fox 18
Home runs - Jake Fox 7
RBIs - Jake Fox 12
Stolen Bases - Matt Angle 5
Innings - Brad Bergesen 16 2/3
Strikeouts - Brian Matusz 13

News: Brian Roberts returned to action Sunday after being out since March 7th with back spasms. Roberts played 5 innings and was 0 for 2 with a walk. He'll be in action again today against the Yankees. The 33 year old switch hitting second baseman was limited to just 59 games last season due to a herniated disc in his lower back. Roberts had played at least 155 games and scored at least 100 runs while stealing 30 or more bases in each of the three previous seasons so having a healthy Roberts at the top of the lineup come the beginning of the season would be a huge boost for the O's. First baseman Derrek Lee made his spring debut this weekend after dealing with tendinitis in his wrist and recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. Unfortunately Lee fouled a ball off his foot on his first swing and was forced to miss Sunday's game as a result. The MRI came back ok though so the hope is that he doesn't miss too much time.


BOSTON RED SOX

Spring Leaders

Hits - Jacoby Ellsbury 16
Home runs - 5 tied with 2
RBIs - 2 tied with 8
Stolen Bases - Ryan Kalish 5

Innings - Daisuke Matsuzaka 19 1/3
Strikeouts - Jon Lester 16

News: The Red Sox have announced their pitching rotation that they're going to start the season with. Jon Lester (19-9 3.25) will get the call opening day and he'll be followed by John Lackey (14-11 4.40), Clay Buchholz (17-7 2.33), Josh Beckett (6-6 5.78) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-6 4.69). It has the potential to be one of the most dominant rotations in baseball when you consider what all 5 are capable of. While Lester and Buchholz were solid last season, the three veterans on the staff struggled. Lackey had his highest ERA since 2004, Beckett has has worst season ever statistically speaking after going 17-6 in 2009, and Matsuzaka, while pitching better than he did in 2009, fell well short of the expectations he created for himself after an 18-3 2.90 ERA campaign in 2008. If those three can step their game up, and with the extra offense and bullpen help the Sox brought in during the offseason, this group has the potential to do some special stuff this year.


NEW YORK YANKEES

Spring Leaders

Hits - Alex Rodriguez 16
Home runs - Alex Rodriguez 5
RBIs - Alex Rodriguez 12
Stolen Bases - Eduardo Nunez 6

Innings - C.C. Sabathia 16 1/3
Strikeouts - Bartolo Colon 17

News: Bartolo Colon, Ivan Nova, Freddy Garcia and Sergio Mitre are still battling it out for the final two spots in the Yankees rotation behind C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Phil Hughes. While no decisions have been made, it would appear the veteran Colon and the youngster Nova would have the edge at this point. Colon has issued just 1 walk in 15 innings this spring while fanning a team high 17 and posting a 2.40 ERA over 4 starts. The 24 year old Nova has allowed just 2 runs on 8 hits in 14 innings of work posting a 1.29 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .170 average. The 30 year old Mitre has pitched well this spring, but may be more suited for a role out of the bullpen where all but 3 of his 27 appearances came last year when he posted a 3.33 ERA for New York. Finally there's Garcia who has a 5.93 ERA over his 4 starts. After pitching just 23 games between 2007 and 2009, Garcia rebounded to make 28 starts last year for the White Sox going 12-6 with a 4.64 ERA. The two time all star exceeded 200 innings 7 times in 8 seasons between 1999 and 2006 and 4 times won at least 16 games, but the emergence of Colon may force him out of the rotation. Garcia has stated he will not accept an assignment to AAA, so it will be interesting to see how the Yankees handle the whole deal.


TAMPA BAY RAYS


Spring Leaders

Hits - Casey Kotchman 16
Home runs - 3 tied with 3
RBIs - 3 tied with 8
Stolen Bases - Elliot Johnson 7

Innings - Andy Sonnanstine 14 1/3
Strikeouts - 4 tied with 10

News: Manny Ramirez is swinging a hot bat for Tampa this spring hitting .297 (11/37) and is tied for the team lead in home runs and runs batted in. His partner in crime Johnny Damon is also hitting .297 (11/37) and has 4 doubles. While durability for both remains a question with Ramirez turning 39 in May and Damon being 37, the Rays have to be happy with what they've seen early on. I wouldn't start making plans for October if you're a Rays fan, but there's reason to believe despite the mass exodus of personnel during the offseason that this is a group that will be able to compete.


TORONTO BLUE JAYS


Spring Leaders

Hits - Yunel Escobar 16
Home runs - Edwin Encarnacion 4
RBIs - Jose Bautista 9
Stolen Bases - Anthony Gose 8

Innings - Jesse Litsch 17 1/3
Strikeouts - Jesse Litsch 17

News: Brandon Morrow is looking like an ace so far this spring striking out 16 hitters in 12 innings while allowing just 1 earned run over 3 starts. The 26 year old right hander struck out 178 hitters in 146 1/3 innings in his first full season as a starter last year after making just 15 starts in 3 years with Seattle. Morrow showed exactly what he's capable of last August when he lost a no-hitter in the 9th inning against Tampa Bay but finished with a complete game 1-hit shutout with 17 strikeouts. Injuries have been his achilles heel throughout his young career, but if he can stay healthy, the guy has the potential to put up HUGE numbers.