Bizarro World for now but ...

The Yanks in last and the Rays in first??? Sounds like a Seinfeld episode. What is going on?

With only a quarter of the season over, it is no time to panic (Konrad -- relax we already established that pennants can be won and lost in May). With roughly 120 games to figure all of this out, one has to hope the Sox outlast the rest of the division. Let's handicap the field.

Baltimore -- Quite simply not enough pitching. These guys are playing much better than many thought going into the season but their lack of depth on the mound is going to prove to be their downfall. Guthrie and Cabrera have never done it over the course of the entire season. Prediction = 74 wins 88 losses.

Toronto -- Everyone's sleeper in the division to start the year has struggled. Without Mighty Mite Eckstein and Stone faced Wells over the next couple of weeks these guys may struggle. Gotta like the pitching of Halladay and Marcum. I have never been a big Burnett fan. Good stuff but doesn't challenge guys enough. Matt "the professional hitter"Stairs can't do it forever. Even with the Sox being awful at the Roger's Centre, I can't see this team challenging for the division. Prediction = 77 wins 85 losses.

Tampa Bay -- These guys are for real. Upton, Pena, Crawford, Longoria are excellent offensive weapons. Even cast off Eric Hinske is shining. Now that the staff has Kazmir the Red Sox Killer back they could hang around for a while. The other starters; Jackson, Garza, Sonnanstine and Sheilds have pitched well. Bullpen is much improved. Could this team be the Diamondbacks of 2008? In the end, their inexperience will cost them a shot at the division. Watchout in the future, whoever the G.M. is he is signing the good, young players to long contracts. Kazmir and Longoria are two examples.
Prediction 81 wins 81 losses.

New York -- The $200 million kids are built for the long haul. No Posada or FakeRod has hurt but the worry has to be the pitching. The guy that has saved the Yanks is Mussina. He is looking more and more like Greg Maddux. As long as he is not throwing to Manny he may do ok. Wang is been real good (BTW who throws a 93 mph sinker). Pettite will win his share. Rasner is pitched well in his first two starts. Kennedy and Hughes have been disappointments. I hate to do it but I agree that Joba the Hut should become a starter. This offense will break out sooner or later. (BTW how is Girardi coaching in the All Star game?)
Prediction 93 wins 69 losses. Wildcard contenders.

Boston -- Best rotation. Best closer. Balanced line up. Solid manager. Think about it, other than Dice K no one is having an unbelievable start to the season. JD Drew should be doing what he is doing. Ellsbury, Youkilis, Pedroia, Beckett and Manny are all doing their thing. Papi, Lowell and Wakefield will heat up. The big plus may be a whiff of Colon. With Clay and Lester both inconsistent, we have a great insurance policy. Just a hunch: Theo makes a deal for a major player before the trade deadline. Lot of chips to offer.
Prediction 95 wins 67 losses.

At the halfway point I reserve the right to update these predictions.