This was, of course, a direct result of the “Better Baseball through Chemicals,” strategy that the players had adopted and MLB Executives pretended not to see.  So, then, it should come as no surprise that this trend seems to be reversing now that MLB decided, at Congressional gunpoint, to clean up the game.

Leading the way is one of the former AL East Muscle Beach competitors, the Boston Red Sox.  Jason Bay, arguably the most powerful Boston bat last season, was allowed to board the Acela Express to New York to join the Mets.  The Sox countered by signing 37 year old centerfielder, Mike Cameron who, despite his advanced baseball age, is still considered to be among the better defensive MLB outfielders.  What he is not, is an offensive player on Bay’s level.

The Red Sox did not bank the money they saved on what would have been an expensive contract for Bay, rather, they bolstered an already impressive pitching staff by signing the Angels’ number one starter, John Lackey.  In the discussion of the best starting staffs in MLB, its difficult to argue against a team that trots out Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Lackey at the top of the rotation.

In the infield, injuries and age have reduced Mike Lowell, once a productive player on both sides of the ball, to a stationary defender with an average bat.  Off season rumors had the Sox in hot pursuit of the San Diego Padres’ slugging superstar first baseman, Adrian Gonzalez.   Whether the rumors were accurate or not, the deal did not materialize.

So what did GM Theo Epstein do?  Find another slugging corner infielder?  That would have been so 2009.  Epstein signed Adrian Beltre, perhaps the best defensive third baseman in MLB today, to a one year contract.  Yet another indication of the philosophical change taking hold over on Yawkey Way.

“We needed to improve our run prevention,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said in December when Cameron was introduced to the Boston media.

There is a fear among Boston fans and  media outlets that Theo’s sudden emphasis on gloves over bats is more a result of his failure to add bats to a lineup that silently perished at the hands of the Angels in last year’s ALDS while batting, as a team, far south of the Mendoza Line.

It should be noted that Epstein is not the only MLB executive who has fallen in love with defense and pitching.  According to self appointed baseball genius and Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane, his club and division rival Seattle Mariners are charting a similar course to the Red Sox.

“At the end of the day, if you score 500 runs in a season and your opponents score 400 runs in a season, it’s the same as scoring 1000 and giving up 900,” Beane told Sports Illustrated.  ”It’s still ultimately a zero-sum game. You try to use some equation, and some combination, that allows you to succeed. For us and the Mariners, it’s defense.”

After delivering two World Series trophies, Epstein was viewed as something as a baseball savant by the once jaded Red Sox fandom.  “In Theo, we trust,” replaced, “Wait til Next Year,” as New England’s official baseball motto.

Should the Red Sox stumble out of the gate, it won’t take long for the Nation to turn on the Boy Wonder as quickly as it anointed him as the chosen one.  Time will tell whether Run Prevention was an effective strategy or just a desperate attempt to explain away Epstein’s inability to improve an offense that often times 2009, seemed powerless against good pitching.

Those of us old enough to remember when pitching and defense truly did win championships would welcome a return to an MLB in which it takes more than chemically ehnaced offense to be the last team standing

I have had the good fortune to come in contact with a few of you over the last twenty four hours.  That is always a distinct pleasure.  It is good to see that you are able to find something of interest to deflect your attention from the sorry state of the current edition of your baseball team.

The news that ex-Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez had been suspended from Major League baseball as a result of failing a random drug test seemingly pumped new life into what has become a rather meek and troubled fan base.

Congrats.

There is this gleeful hope among you that this news will serve to undo what is such a painful period in your beloved team’s history.

“See? The Red Sawx cheated too,” you seem to be collectively shouting. “Now the World Series wins are tarnished!!!!”

Actually, very few Yankee fans use the word “tarnished,” because it is multi-syllabic but you get the idea.  I do admit that I admire your fighting spirit since you root for the American League version of the Washington Nationals.  That said, I am sorry to inform you that neither this new revelation, nor any that will follow will tarnish the World Series Championships won by the Red Sox in this decade.

You see, the sad reality of this baseball generation is that it will be forever tainted by Steroid use.   Performance Enhancing Drugs infiltrated the sport to such an extent, that no team should expect to have escaped the stigma of having juicers on their roster and no player should expect to escape suspicion of the authenticity of his statistics.   No one who enjoys the game of baseball likes this Steroid-induced cloud under which baseball finds itself but we all must accept that it has.

If and when the smoke clears and we have a more complete understanding as to just how many players used or are still using, it seems pretty certain that every franchise will have been implicated to some degree.

Your problem, dear Yankee fans, is that since 2004, you have become so fixated on the Red Sox that you simply cannot comprehend what is going on in the baseball world.  Thus, yesterday’s breaking news allowed you to rejoice in the fact that a former Red Sox player, and not a current or ex-Yankee had been implicated.

Perhaps, it might be useful to re-count the Yankees, past and present, who have been identified as having violated baseball’s policy on the use of PEDs: Jason Giambi, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield and Kevin Brown.

Giambi, Pettite, Rodriguez and Sheffield were all members of that infamous 2004 Yankee team that will be forever remembered as having established a new low for choking in major league sports.  They have become the standard against which all post season collapses, in all sports, will forever be measured.

Given the aforementioned widespread use of PED since the mid 1990s, it is patently absurd to attempt to make a case that any of the World Series Championships are now somehow diminshed.  Yes, misery does, indeed, love company but you should take no joy in this.
Yesterday’s news painfully reminds all baseball fans that the gaping wound the players, and due to their complicity, the owners and player’s union, have opened in the fabric of the game will not soon heal.  It doesn’t, however, change history and no thinking person would attempt to build the case that any one team benefited or was harmed more than any other team.

The World Series Championships of 2004 and 2007 mean as much to Red Sox fans today as they did early Thursday morning.  Sadly, Yankee fans, there is no Time Machine in which you can travel back and revise history.  It is, what is.

How ironic that history, once your biggest ally (“1918!!”) now haunts you to such a debilitating degree.

Penny, who was signed as a free agent during the offseason, made his third Spring Training start on April 2nd against the Twins, throwing 79 pitches (49 for strikes) and allowed three runs on five hits.

According to Adam Kilgore’s Extra Bases blog on Boston.com, (http://www.boston.com/), felt better on the mound than he did at any point last season.

Penny told Kilgore that he never reached 90 mph last season but reached 96 mph on one pitch versus the Twins.

The Red Sox enter the season with as deep a starting rotation as there is in major league baseball. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield will join Penny in the rotation with John Smoltz expected to return from rehab in early June.

As if that isn’t enough, top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz had a tremendous Spring but was demoted to AAA Pawtucket to begin the season.

1B – The Free Agent prize of the off season, Mark Teixeira will be a fixture in the middle of the lineup while providing Gold Glove caliber defense.  Nick Swisher, off season acquisition from the White Sox, will be the backup.

2B – Yankee fans are hoping that Robinson Cano’s 2007 first half performance (.151 BA) was an aberration. There is reason to believe that it was just that and, if so, the Yankee lineup will be a very dangerous one.   Cody Ransom was expected to be the backup 2B but will see lots of action at the hot corner until Alex Rodriguez returns.

SS – Derek Jeter is a Yankee icon but an aging one.  His offensive game is still effective but, defensively, his range is a shadow of what it once was.  Still, there is no other option at SS so the Yankees will live with Jeter making the routine plays while continuing to hit .300.  Jeter’s eventual replacement may be, temporarily at least, sharing a locker room with the captain as 23 year old Ramiro Pena seems to have the inside track on the utility infielder position until Rodriguez returns to action.

3B – With all of the controversy that swirled around Alex Rodriguez during this offseason and all the anger aimed at him by frustrated Yankee fans over the past few years, the team’s immediate future rests on his shoulders.  Take ARod out of the batting order and suddenly the pinstripers aren’t quite so intimidating offensively.   The feeling here is that the Yankees can survive with Cody Ransom at 3B for the month of April.  If, however, Rodriguez’ recovery from hip surgery takes longer than expected or results in a drop in his production, New York will be home for the post season.

LF – Johnny Damon will be the starting left fielder which is a wise move since he is such a defensive liability anywhere else in the outfield.  Manage Joe Girardi has experimented with swapping Damon and Jeter in the 1-2 spots in the batting order and it seems that the change may be permanent.  At this stage in their respective careers, Damon is a more effective  #2 hitter than Jeter.

CF – Brett Gardner is slated to be the opening day CF but rumors persist that the Yankees may yet make a deal for veteran Milwaukee CF, Mike Cameron.  Melky Cabrera and Swisher will likely serve as reserve outfielders.

RF – Xavier Nady gives the Yankees a solid offensive and defensive presence in RF.  A platoon player for much of his MLB career, Nady will get the opportunity to prove that he is a full time starting outfielder.

DH – Hideki Matsui is coming off of knee surgery and will be restricted to DH duties until some time in June.  His bat is critical to the success of the team this season, especially while ARod is out of the lineup.

A look at the pitching:

Starters – Free Agent signees CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett should turn this starting staff into one of the league’s very best.  Sabathia give New York something they have lacked over the past few seasons; a legitimate Ace at the front of the rotation.  Chien-Ming Wang now slides comfortably in the #2 slot while AJ Burnett, Andy Petite and Joba Chamberlain round out a staff that can matchup with any other in MLB.

Youngsters Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy, both of whom were ineffective in the starting rotation last April will start the season in AAA.  Hughes, who had a sold Spring Training for the Yankees, will be back with the big club at some time this season.  Kennedy also remains very much in the team’s future plans.

Relievers – Future Hall of Famer, Mariano Rivera anchors a bullpen that should be an effective unit for Girardi.   Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte, Jose Veras, Edwar Ramirez and young left hander Phil Coke will man the bullpen in front of Rivera.  Reportedly, Jonathan Albaladejo, who saw brief action with the Yankees last season is in line for the final bullpen job.

Outlook:

There are so many question marks as the Yankees enter the season that it is difficult to predict how this season will turn out.  That said, there is so much talent here, especially with the additions of Teixeira, Sabathia and Burnett, logic dictates the team will be in the hunt for the AL Eastern crown for the entire season.

Prediction:

The Yankees will be engaged in a three way, steel cage death match with the Red Sox and Rays.  The prediction here is that they will outlast the Rays to finish 90-72 and capture second place in the East and the Wildcard slot

Key Subtractions:  RHP Mike Timlin (free agent, unsigned), 1B Sean Casey (retired), RHP Paul Byrd (free agent, unsigned), RHP Curt Schilling (retired), C Kevin Cash (free agent, signed with the Yankees), OF Coco Crisp (traded to Royals), SS Alex Cora (free agent, signed with Mets).

A look at the lineup:

The Red Sox front office spent the first few months of the off season in hot pursuit of Free Agent 1B Mark Teixeira.  Ultimately, long time nemesis, Uber Agent Scott Boras orchestrated a mega deal for Teixeira with the AL East rival New York Yankees.

Surprisingly, to some at least, the Red Sox did not pursue other high profile offensive free agents such as Adam Dunn. Instead the Theo Epstein and company decided to gamble on the return to health of David Ortiz and Mike Lowell and the continued improvement of young stars Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis.

Time will tell if the Sox were being pound wise or penny foolish.

Catcher:  After a prolonged contract negotiation, free agent catcher and team captain Jason Varitek re-signed with the Red Sox.  There are many Red Sox fans who believe that was not exactly a positive development as Varitek (.220 BA, 13 HR, 43 RBI .672 OPS) suffered through a terrible year at the plate.  Long considered one of the best handlers of a pitching staff, Varitek’s defensive skill can no longer offset his weak hitting.

At this writing, prospect George Kottaras (.243 BA, 22 HR, 65 RBI at AAA Pawtucket) is slated to backup Varitek as well as serving as knuckleballer Tim Wakefield’s personal catcher.  It would not surprise anyone if the Red Sox traded for a young catcher, if Kottaras cannot convince the team quickly, that he is the catcher of the future.

First Base:  After losing out on Teixeira, the front office and fans could console themselves with the knowledge that rising star Kevin Youkilis will be playing the position.  Youkilis (.312 BA, 29 HR, 115 RBI) finished third in the AL MVP race and played stellar defense.  Had the Sox landed Teixeira, Youkilis would likely have moved back to his natural 3B position but given how well he fielded the position last season before Mike Lowell’s injury forced him back to third, Manager Terry Francona would like to see Youk stay on the left side of the infield for the entire season.

Last year’s regular season backup 1B Sean Casey has retired but Mark Kotsay is due back from off season surgery in early May.  Kotsay played a surprisingly crisp defensive 1B during last season’s post season and will likely be the main backup at 1B.

Second Base: Back in early May of 2007, then-rookie 2B Dustin Pedroia’s batting average was hovering around the .150 mark.  It’s hard to believe that a player could make the trek from being a prime candidate for demotion to 2007 AL Rookie of the Year to 2008 AL MVP but that is precisely what Pedroia did.   The diminutive but scrappy 2B put up an impressive array of offensive stats including a .326 BA, a surprising 17 HR and 83 RBI.   Given Pedroia’s competitive disposition and quest to prove wrong, anyone who ever had a disparaging word to say about him, one can imagine he continue to improve.

No slouch in the field, Dustin was named as AL Gold Glove winner at 2B. The backup situation is muddled by the injury to SS Julio Lugo.  It was thought that Jed Lowrie (.248/2 HR/ 46 RBI) would fill the utility role freed up by the departure of Alex Cora but he will now open the season in the starting SS role. Veteran utility IF Nick Green is the likeliest candidate to fill the utility role until Lugo’s return.

Shortstop:  There was an interesting battle brewing in Spring Training for the starting SS role, until Lugo suffered a knee injury and had to undergo surgery.  Now it seems certain that Lowrie will be the opening day SS.  Even when he returns in late April, Lugo is not assured of winning back the starting job based on his lackluster offensive performance (.268/1 HR/22 RBI) in 2008.

Third Base:  Losing starting 3B Mike Lowell to a season ending hip injury at mid season stripped the Red Sox of one of their leading offensive run producers and also a steady, if unspectacular defensive 3B.  Following off season surgery, Lowell was held out of exhibition games until late March.  Reports have been positive and the Red Sox seem cautiously optimistic about Lowell’s health for the 2009 season.  Even with his injury, Lowell managed to crank out 17 HRs and 73 RBIs last season.

Lowrie and Youkilis can each play 3B should Lowell need a rest from time to time or suffer another injury.

Left Field:  Jason Bay (.286/ 31 HR/ 101 RBI) filled in admirably for one of the greatest hitters of his time, Manny Ramirez following Ramirez’ shameful exit from Boston at last season’s trading deadline.  Despite the acrimony at the end of his Red Sox career, Manny is still loved by a segment of Red Sox fans.  A slow start on Bay’s part may result in him being the target of the fans’ disappointment at the loss of Manny.

Center Field:  Rookie CF Jacoby Ellsbury’s offensive numbers (.280/ 9 HR/ 47 RBI) weren’t bad for his first full MLB season.  Yet, there was a general sense that Ellsbury’s performance was disappointing, especially following his hot post season performance in 2007.  The Red Sox would like Ellsbury to hit the ball on the ground more and improve on his .336 OBP.  At some point, Ellsbury is going to have to accept that he is more leadoff batter than he is a #3 hitter.

Right Field: The ever-fragile JD Drew started only 109 games in 2008 due to injury (is anyone surprised?) and continues to be one of the more maddening players in MLB.  When he is on the field the guy is a prolific hitter ( as his .927 OPS will attest) but he just has never been able to remain healthy for an entire season.

With the uncertainty surrounding the health Lowell and David Ortiz, the Sox need a healthy Drew in RF for 140-150 games.  Things don’t look good in that regard since Drew has been complaining of back stiffness since he beginning of Spring Training.  Free Agent OF and Rhode Island native , Rocco Baldelli will back up all three of the OF spots.  Baldelli has not exactly been the picture of health over the past few season but received a positive diagnosis of his past medical issues, having been found to be suffering from Channelopathy.  The good news is that his doctors feel that the disease is controllable with medication and Baldelli hopes to see much more action in 2009 than he did in 2008.

Designated Hitter:  David Ortiz battled the injury bug as well in 2008, as a wrist injury sidelined him for seven weeks and continued to affect his swing once he returned.  Ortiz is still the key component to the Red Sox offense, especially with Ramirez off enjoying the sunshine in Manny-wood.   With a healthy, more fit Ortiz (he was clearly overweight last season but came to this Spring Training looking as if he spent his off season with Richard Simmons and Jared from Subway) prospects for a return to Ortiz’ pre 2008 numbers seem bright.

It’s as simple as this.  With a healthy Ortiz, the Red Sox batting order is murder on opposing pitching staffs.  Without him, they are a gritty group who will battle the opposing pitcher on every AB, but one that will not be nearly as intimidating as the 2004-2007 lineups that were among the best in MLB.

A look at the pitching:

Starters: Staff Ace Josh Beckett was not able to replicate his dominating 2007 performance in 2008.  Reportedly, Beckett was not in the best of condition when he reported to Fort Myers last February and got off on the wrong foot.  His stats (12-10, 4.03 ERA, 172 Ks and 1.19 WHIP) were not all that bad but he struggled through many of his starts and just was not as sharp as he was in 2007.

Beckett suffered elbow and back injuries last season which contributed to his drop off in performance.  All indications are that the big Texan is in excellent shape this year and has looked much more like his 2007 self this spring.

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s pitching line for 2008 is a study in contradictions, as were many of his starts.  “Dice-K,” finished with an impressive 18-2 record and a 2.90 ERA.  Cy Young stuff, right?  Not so fast.  Matsuzaka tends to run up his pitch counts early in the game and is prone to streaks of wildness (his 1.67 WHIP is testament to that) and seemed to be constantly pitching his way out of bases loaded jams.  It’s hard to argue with an 18 win season but Matsuzaka must learn to pound the strike zone with more frequency if he is going to join the ranks of elite MLB starting pitchers.  That said, most MLB teams would gladly slot Matsuzaka in the #2 slot in the rotation.

Jon Lester: One of the most inspiring sports stories to come along in some time, last season, Lester went from being best known as a cancer survivor to one of the best left handed starters in all of MLB.  Lester (16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 Ks) put to rest any doubts that may have existed regarding his stamina as he pitched a career high 210 1/3 innings in 2008.  He was the team’s most consistent starting pitcher throughout last season.

Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (10-11, 4.13 ERA, 1.18 WHIP) continues to be an effective back of the rotation starter at the age of 42.  Despite a few nagging injuries over the past two seasons, Wake can be counted on to give the team 180+ innings.

The dentity of the fifth starter in the rotation is a bit uncertain at this writing.  The Red Sox signed Brad Penny and John Smoltz, both of whom are coming off 2008 seasons lost to injury, as potential 4th or 5th starters.  Smoltz was signed with the understanding that he would not be available until early June.  It was hoped that Penny would be ready for duty early in the season.

Penny made his first Spring Training appearance at the end of March, pitched well and may be on target for a start on April 12th, the first day the Red Sox will require the service of a fifth starter.  Smoltz is just beginning to throw bullpen sessions and is, as expected a couple of months away from joining the team.

Also in the picture is Clay Buchholz, a top pitching prospect who spent most of last season in AAA after a frighteningly ineffective (2-9, 6.72 ERA, 1.76 WHIP) early season performance with the big club.  After an off season in which he was rumored to be on the block as the Red Sox reportedly discussed a trade for one of the Texas Rangers young catchers, Buchholz has bounced back nicely and this looks very much like the pitcher who threw a no hitter in one of his first MLB starts in 2007.

The Red Sox, to date, have been unwilling to give up on Buchholz’ considerable potential.   That could change, especially if Varitek starts slowly, prompting the Sox to re-open discussions with Texas. The Rangers will likely demand Buchholz in return for one of the team’s young catching prospects.

To further complicate the starting rotation picture, second year pitcher Justin Masterson, thought to be targeted for a bullpen role again this season, has pitched well enough to remain in contention for a starting spot.

All of this may cause the Red Sox coaching staff to suffer a few sleepless nights but one would imagine the rest of MLB would have little sympathy for the Sox since few other teams count a pitching surplus among their problem areas.

Bullpen:  The Red Sox have, on paper, one of, if not the deepest bullpens in all of baseball.

Jonathan Papelbon has been money during his three seasons as the Red Sox closer.  Last season he was as dominating as ever (41 Saves, 0.95 WHIP) throughout most of the year but he seemed less effective late in the season and in the post season.  Papelbon admitted during the off season that he had next-to-nothing left in his tank at the end of the season.  Francona and pitching coach John Farrell are going to have to be mindful of scaling back Papelbon’s innings in 2009 if they want to avoid a breakdown.

With that in mind, The Sox signed Free Agent relief pitcher, ex-Dodger Takashi Saito.  The Japanese import notched 81 saves in his three year stint as closer in Los Angeles but suffered a season ending elbow injury in 2008.  Saito has looked sharp in his Spring Training appearances thus far in 2008 and may very well afford Francona the luxury of reducing Papelbon’s workload.  Saito will also serve as the RH setup man.

Hideki Okajima (2.61 ERA, 23 Holds, 1.16 WHIP) continued to be a valuable left handed set up man last season and figures to remain in that role in 2008.  Fellow left hander, Javier Lopez (2.43 ERA, 10 Holds, 1.35 WHIP) may find himself in a battle for a roster spot.

Boston added yet another dependable arm to the pen in the offseason when they traded OF Coco Crisp to the Kansas City Royals for Ramon Ramirez (2.64 ERA, 21 Holds, 1.23 WHIP).  Ramirez is expected to provide middle relief along with Boston native, Manny Delcarmen.

Masterson will likely return to the bullpen, making this one of the deepest MLB relief corps in recent memory.

Outlook:  The Red Sox enter 2009 as the favorite to win the American League East.  The pitching staff is the deepest in MLB and the offense, even with the injury/age related concerns regarding Lowell and Ortiz, is still one of the best in baseball.

The bad news for the rest of the American League is that, with all the young talent that has already made its way to Fenway Park from the farm system, there is more on the way.  It is very likely that top prospect 1B Lars Anderson (Baseball America’s #17th ranked MLB Prospect) and SP Michael Bowden (1-0, 3.60 ERA with Red Sox in 2008) will make it to the big club before the season draws to an end.

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Prediction: The Prediction here is that the Red Sox win the AL East after a season long, three way battle with the Yankees and Rays.  As much as the Yankees have improved themselves with their free agent signings and as much young talent on Tampa’s roster, the Red Sox pitching is too deep and the batting order still too dangerous.

I see a 95-67 regular season record for the Red Sox who must be considered among a handful of favorites to win the 2009 World Series.

The Rays went on to defeat the defending World Series Champion Red Sox in a seven game ALCS battle before their magic carpet ride of a season ended in a World Series defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Rays, with a year of post season experience under their belts, on paper, seemed to have improved themselves. The Yankees have reloaded in a way that must have made Old Man Steinbrenner proud. The Red Sox added depth to what was already among the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball.

The stage is set for a three way, Steel Cage Death Match, to decide the 2009 AL East Champion.

Any discussion of an AL East race must begin with the Yankees as their off season moves made it very clear they intend to be the team to beat. They beefed up both their already potent offense and, what was a thin starting pitching staff, as well.

It’s almost seems unfair to plunk Mark Teixeira in the middle of a lineup that already features Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Teixeira is an OBP machine who, like most of the Yankee batters, battles on each and every at bat. Opposition pitch counts are going to pile up quickly this season.

Teixeira may have as big an impact defensively as he will at the plate. He is an exceptional fielder and will have a positive effect on a Yankee infield that has been erratic defensively.

The Yankees’ lack of post season success over the past few years was due, in part, to the lack of a true Ace at the top of the rotation. Chien-Ming Wang has been a very good regular season starter but his post season struggles have been a source of disappointment for Yankee management and fans.

That all changed with the signing of C.C. Sabathia. The big, lefthander is a horse. Manager Joe Girardi enters this season, unlike last year, confident that his ace matches up very well against the other #1 starters in MLB.

The Yankees also added AJ Burnett but, while he has great stuff, Burnett has demonstrated an inability to stay healthy on a consistent basis. One thing the Yankees do not need is Carl Pavano, the Sequel. That said, there is no doubt that the pitching staff taking the mound in the Bronx in 2009 is far superior to the 2008 edition. And let us not forget, they have Joba Chamberlain and the great Mariano Rivera in the bullpen.

The biggest question surrounding the Yankees this season is the progressively more volatile situation surrounding the admitted (well sort of) steroid use of Alex Rodriguez. Following a press conference in Tampa during the first week of Spring Training, it seemed that the controversy might be somewhat diffused. Subsequently, each day seemed to bring to light information that rendered Arod’s public apology more than a bit hollow.

New York teams, especially the Yankees, are used to being in the glare of the media spotlight. Should ARod’s explanation continue to unravel, the negative fallout would be tremendous, even by New York standards.

In a much more serene setting to the South, the nucleus of young talent that propelled Tampa Bay to its improbable march to an AL Championship, is returning in 2009. This year, the Rays are a year wiser and brimming with the confidence gained by hanging on to defeat the Red Sox in the ALCS.

What should put fear in AL East rivals is the knowledge that the Rays should have an improved batting lineup this season. Carl Crawford, once the team’s best player, was hampered last season by hamstring problems and had a sub par offensive season as a result. He is expected back at full strength.

Rookie of the Year 3B Evan Longoria who began last season in the minors will have a full season to improve on his impressive rookie numbers. Often times, during a young player’s second season, MLB pitchers will find and begin to exploit holes in their swing. While that is always a possibility, I don’t think rival managers are holding their collective breath in anticipation of Longoria suffering from the Sophomore Jinx.

The Rays also added another big stick to their lineup when they signed free agent Pat Burrell. The ex-Phillies’ slugger is slated to DH and will provide needed power to the Tampa offense.

Rookie pitcher, David Price, who rocketed through the Tampa Bay minor league system before a September call up to the majors, will likely be slotted at the end of the starting rotation. It won’t be long, based on his post season performance, before he takes his place at the top of the Rays’ rotation. In the meantime, James Shields, Scott Kazmir and Matt Garza will man the top of Tampa’s staff.

Rays’ Manager Joe Maddon masterfully guided his young charges last season as his unusually laid back approach served to keep his team relaxed and seemingly unfazed by the pressure of playing in big games; most for the first time in their careers.

This season, Maddon’s biggest challenge will be to keep the team from reading, and believing, its press clippings. It is not unusual for a young team to suffer a drop in performance following the first taste of success. Maddon will need to ensure the team doesn’t experience an early season hangover from Banquet Circuit following last season’s Cinderella ride.

The Boston Red Sox, with the notable exception of their pursuit of Teixeira, took a decidedly relaxed approach to this off season. The investment they have made in rebuilding their minor league system has been bearing fruit over the past couple of years which allowed the Sox to be discriminating in the pursuit of high priced free agents.

Farm system products Dustin Pedroia (reigning AL MVP), Kevin Youkilis (runner up to Pedroia in MVP voting), Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Jed Lowrie all played pivotal roles in last year’s team and they are the core of the franchise moving forward. The good news for Red Sox fans is that youngsters such as pitcher Michael Bowden and 1B Lars Anderson are no more than a season away from challenging for a spot on the Major League roster.

While Boston did not make a big ticket free agent purchase, they did sign veteran starting pitchers John Smoltz, and Brad Penny as well as ex-Dodger closer Takashi Saito. All three experienced injury plagued 2008 seasons but are expected to contribute for Boston this season.

Smoltz, in particular, could be a valuable addition once he completes his rehab and joins the team, reportedly in May. Should Smoltz regain some semblance of his past form, he would slide comfortably into the “big game,” pitcher role occupied by Curt Schilling since 2004.

Saito and Penny are also slated to become important components of a very deep pitching staff. Saito could help offload some of the innings absorbed by Jonathan Papelbon, who admitted he was breaking down due to overuse at the end of last season.

While the Red Sox have a very productive lineup, it remains to be seen just how badly they will miss Manny Ramirez. The enigmatic left fielder’s production will not be matched by his replacement, Jason Bay, who, despite being a solid major league power hitter, will not rival the numbers put up by Ramirez during his time in Boston.

Time will tell whether the upgrade Bay brings in terms of defense and emotional stability can offset the shortfall in offensive statistics.

The Toronto Blue Jays had been the dark horse pick to challenge the dominance enjoyed by the Red Sox and Yankees over the past couple of years but were never quite able to crash the post season party.

While the Jays do have some talented players such as ace starting pitcher Roy Halladay, OFs Alex Rios, Vernon Wells and hot prospect Travis Snider, they have not improved significantly from 2008. Losing Burnett to the Yankees created a hole in the starting rotation and it’s unclear who is going to fill it.

The Orioles have been in a decade long rebuilding process and the once proud franchise has become one of MLB’s more inept organizations. Orioles fans have grown increasingly frustrated as highly touted prospects reach the major leagues only to be dealt in order to avoid having to sign them to long term contracts.

This past off season, the Orioles stepped up to sign young star OF Nick Markakis to a six year contract, perhaps signaling a willingness to pay the price required to keep young talent on which to build the foundation for a successful franchise.

The Markakis signing combined with the expected arrival of top MLB prospect, catcher Matt Wieters to the major league club could serve to give long suffering Orioles’fans some hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The AL East race could very well remain unresolved until the final weeks of the season as the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays slug it out until the final bell. The prediction here is that the Red Sox hang on to repeat as Divisional Champs while the Yankees return to the post season as the Wildcard team.

Photos From Keith Alison- Flickr.

His press conference likely will serve to lessen the abuse he will take this season and perhaps shorten the length of time he spends in the white hot glare of an angry baseball public.  In that sense, he accomplished what he likely set out to do.  Alex is, as we know, all about Alex.

What it did not do, however, is the move us any closer to the end of our long National Pastime’s nightmare.

Look, it’s all well and good to admit guilt but, seriously, what’s the big deal when said admission occurs AFTER you have been forced to wear the red “S?”  No, I’m sorry, ARod’s performance yesterday was a very transparent attempt to convince the baseball fans and, more importantly the members of the media with Hall of Fame voting credentials, that he should not be cast aside for a transgression born of youthful ignorance.

He wanted to ensure that the doors in Cooperstown remain open, if only a crack.

If the MLB players, the MLBPA and the MLB owners want to nudge the game down the road to recovery may I suggest a first step?  Convince one of the 103 MLB Players who tested positive for steroids in 2003 (but not yet identified,) to come forward and publicly apologize for his actions.  This gesture will be significantly more effective if the player is among the game’s best.

Imagine the public and media reaction?  The cameras roll as this mythical player steps to the microphone to say something to the effect of, “We’ve done enough damage to this game and I can no longer live with this inside of me.  I made a terrible mistake and any attempts to justify my actions will, and should, fall on deaf ears.  I am truly sorry and want, more than anything else, for the game we love to move beyond this mess we’ve put it in. I call on my fellow players who also used banned substances to come forward and join me in this apology.”

I’m not holding my breath for this to happen, nor should you.  Yet, one of the things I so love about the game of baseball is its unpredictability.  The result is never assured until the final out is made.  So, I will hold out hope that one of the anonymous 103 loves the game as much as we do and chooses to step forward rather than hide in the shadows.

There are two outs in the bottom of the ninth.  Baseball needs a hero.  Are there any left?