Baseball Update: AL East

The Baseball Update is a look at the happenings around Major League Baseball

The AL East has four teams that are in the thick of the divisional race. Even Tampa Bay is only five games behind Boston. A game and a half is what separates the Red Sox from first place and third place. One thing I have noticed though is that all the AL East teams have been exposed in some way by tougher competition.

Both Boston and and the Yankees were exposed by the Mets and Philadelphia. Both Boston and New York lost two out of three games to tougher NL East teams. And we even saw that d-bag Jonathon Papelbon blow a save. So while this division does look real competitive, I wouldn't be surprised to see another team come out of the American League to play in the World Series that doesn't play in the East.

Exposed?: Like I said at the top both the Yankees and Red Sox were exposed, at home no less, by tougher NL East teams. The Red Sox lost twice because their rotation is overrated. When Dice-K faced off against Johan Santana, he lost. Papelbon blew a save after a double was reversed by replay and turned into a home run. The only pitcher right now playing at a consistent level has been old man Tim Wakefield(more on him later). The Red Sox definitely need more help from both Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

The Yankees in the meanwhile went 8-2 in their last ten games. But most of those wins were against weak opponents in Minnesota and Baltimore. When they faced a team with as powerful lineup as them in Philadelphia, they lost two out of three games. Their only game they won, was when Brad Lidge went Houston Astro Brad Lidge and blew the game.

The leagues are pretty much even when you look at it. Both the Mets and Phillies can compete with these teams with their lineups and pitching.

Tim Wakefield?: I don't know what has gotten in this guy, but he has been the best pitcher on the Red Sox's pitching staff all season. Better than Beckett, Lester, and Brad Penny. Remember Dice-K has been injured.

Wakefield has worked his knuckleball magic all season. He has gone 6-2 with with a 3.99 ERA with 33 strikeouts with a 1.31 WHIP. With the rest of the staff struggling, Wakefield has been the best. But how long will this hold up? He is 42 years old after all.

Posers: The Toronto Blue Jays jumped out to a huge lead in the East early in the season, by feeding off weak competition. When they faced tougher competition away from home in Boston and Atlanta they were exposed as posers. But most importantly, their lineup has gone cold. In their last seven loses they have only scored 11 runs. That is San Francisco Giants bad. Their biggest problem is that they strike out too much and don't walk enough. They have a total of 270 strikeouts and 171 walks. While the pitching staff has been chugging along, the lineup must start driving in runs to give them run support.

Posers?: Tampa Bay has gone 6-4 in their last ten games but they have fed off weak opponents in Cleveland, Oakland, and Florida. And last night they blew a 10 run lead to Cleveland. Their pitching staff has been a disaster this year. Scott Kazmir has disappointed with a 4-4 record with a team low 7.69 ERA. The good news for the team they have finally brought up David Price and he won his first game of the season.

Look Ahead:

Tampa Bay finishes off their series in Cleveland then go to Minnesota. Whoopee......

Who cares about who Baltimore plays?

Toronto plays a home series against Boston this weekend. Maybe they can redeem themselves from their disaster in Boston last week.

Boston can extend their lead in the AL East this weekend at Toronto.

New York can beef up their record this weekend against the Indians.