ADSF Predictions: AL East

[BrewCrewFan]

How will the AL East end up? Who wins?

Your predictions:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

 

[A.E]

1. Red Sox
2. Blue Jays
3. Orioles
4. Yankees
5. Rays

I love everything about the Sox' offense this season, especially now that they're not willing to hold young guys back in favor of high-priced veterans. Hanley looks great on 1B and Panda will be relegated to the bench if favor of Travis Shaw. There's no better defensive outfield in the AL. The rotation still has a lot of questions behind Price but Buchholz is in a contract year, E-Rod projects to be solid, and I anticipate Dombrowski making another move if neither Porcello or Kelly can't get it together.

The Jays will go as far as their offense takes them. I'm love Stroman but he doesn't have the innings logged to be considered an "ace". Dislike the rest of their rotation and the bullpen is equally dismal. Storen will emerge as a better closer again but will he get the save opportunities?

The O's are essentially the Jays w/o as potent of an offense. B'more will regret not making more of a splash to upgrade the rotation this offseason. The wheels damn-near fall off for the Yankees. The Rays will stay competitive for half the season but they don't have the depth nor the resources to compete in the 2nd half, as usual.

 

[Big Papi]

1. Red Sox
2. Blue Jays
3. Rays
4. Yankees
5. Orioles

Simple bias

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[axman15]

Some bias as well, but I don't know how you can bet against the Jays offense. It doesn't get better than Donaldson, Bautista, EE, Tulo, Martin, etc. If Travis can come back from his injury and pick up where he left off it makes us even better. While the rotation has a number of question marks, we have enough pieces to at least be average and the bullpen will be better than a lot of people think.

 

[catman]

Tough division to pick.
Jays
Red Sox
Rays
Yankees
Orioles

 

[PWNdroia]

1. Yankees
2. Blue Jays
3. Red Sox
4. Rays
5. Orioles

Just because the Red Sox added David Price doesn't mean they're the best team. Price pitches one every five days and the other four days we are running out mediocre starters who have proven to be horrible. Porcello is a complete waste, Joe Kelly is outright awful, Buchholz is an injury-prone pitcher made of glass, and who even knows who the fifth starter is. If it's Rodriguez, he's okay, but heavily inexperienced.

I love everything about the Sox' offense this season, especially now that they're not willing to hold young guys back in favor of high-priced veterans. Hanley looks great on 1B and Panda will be relegated to the bench if favor of Travis Shaw. There's no better defensive outfield in the AL. The rotation still has a lot of questions behind Price but Buchholz is in a contract year, E-Rod projects to be solid, and I anticipate Dombrowski making another move if neither Porcello or Kelly can't get it together.

1. Travis Shaw is highly overrated at this point. The guy couldn't hit above .270 in Pawtucket and all of a sudden he comes up and has a little success and we want to say he's the best thing since sliced bread? I'm not sold he's the answer, but he can't be worse than Panda.

2. Contract year does not necessarily equate to successful year. 2011 was a contract year for him and he only pitched 80 innings. I'll also point out that Buchholz has never pitched 200+ innings in a season. Pitiful if you ask me. No longevity at all. He should have been traded back in 2014 when we were retooling.

Our bullpen is significantly better, but it's not any better than the Yankees, who also have the aid of at least better than mediocre rotation.

Who knows about our offense. It could be really good or bad.

Blue Jays without Price or another pitching phenom are not postseason bound. Orioles are looking worse and worse each year since winning the East, and Rays have been nothing since Friedman left. The Yankees never lose. Always find ways to win year in and year out even with a horrible roster. They get my vote.

Some bias as well, but I don't know how you can bet against the Jays offense. It doesn't get better than Donaldson, Bautista, EE, Tulo, Martin, etc. If Travis can come back from his injury and pick up where he left off it makes us even better. While the rotation has a number of question marks, we have enough pieces to at least be average and the bullpen will be better than a lot of people think.

Where's the pitching? That's what will cost the Jays the division.

 

[A.E]

^ Most depressing Red Sox fan I've ever come across

 

[Big Papi]

^ Most depressing Red Sox fan I've ever come across

He has always been, we don't have too many discussions anymore haha.

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[PWNdroia]

I'm just not sold this team is it. I was saying we would win it last year and look what happened. 2013 was so amazing because you put together a team of players that would never have won it any other year.

But this team is not much different than last year when we won 70 games. We will definitely be better, just not good enough in my eyes. I think the division is a crapshoot to be honest and whoever wins it will be a first or second round exit in the playoffs.

I hope I'm wrong and the Red Sox win. I just don't see any advantages outside of Price. Also, if Price gets injured, we're screwed. I don't like the idea of being dependent on one player. Price is legit and I'm happy we signed him, but I can't see him being the ends all for this team.

 

[axman15]

Where's the Jays pitching?

Stroman- Small sample, yes, but he clearly has ace potential. He came back from a torn ACL in an incredibly fast time, out-pitched anyone on the Blue Jays (David Price included) with an ERA under 2.00 in 4 starts. He went on to be the Blue Jays best pitcher in the playoffs.

Happ- Was dominant in 11 starts for the Pirates, he should be a solid middle/back of the rotation pitcher.

Estrada- Also had a career year last year, became a ground ball pitcher and that's when he took off. Even if he regresses, he's not a terrible option at #2.

Sanchez- He has made it clear that he wants to start, and has been good in Spring Training. Sanchez was always a highly touted pitching prospect, and he was great in the bullpen last year. If he can make the transition, it makes the rotation that much better.

Dickey- Yes, we over spent on him last year, but he isn't a bad option. He'll give us 200 innings, and more often than not put us in a place to win.

Chavez- If all we need him to be is a #5 (if that), how bad can he be?

 

[PWNdroia]

Where's the Jays pitching?

Stroman- Small sample, yes, but he clearly has ace potential. He came back from a torn ACL in an incredibly fast time, out-pitched anyone on the Blue Jays (David Price included) with an ERA under 2.00 in 4 starts. He went on to be the Blue Jays best pitcher in the playoffs.

Happ- Was dominant in 11 starts for the Pirates, he should be a solid middle/back of the rotation pitcher.

Estrada- Also had a career year last year, became a ground ball pitcher and that's when he took off. Even if he regresses, he's not a terrible option at #2.

Sanchez- He has made it clear that he wants to start, and has been good in Spring Training. Sanchez was always a highly touted pitching prospect, and he was great in the bullpen last year. If he can make the transition, it makes the rotation that much better.

Dickey- Yes, we over spent on him last year, but he isn't a bad option. He'll give us 200 innings, and more often than not put us in a place to win.

Chavez- If all we need him to be is a #5 (if that), how bad can he be?

I'll give you Stroman. Other than that, the other guys aren't spectacular. And I can't name a single bullpen guy.

What makes the Yankees effective is that they have average to above average starters rounded out by a superior bullpen. Jays have the offense, but it won't get them far enough without pitching. Yankees have enough offense to win games. Still, I think the Jays get second place, but under 90 wins.

Everyone overlooks the Yankees. They win and win and win, even with mediocre rosters. I have no doubts that they'll continue to win, even after two to three years of everyone placing them in preseason third and fourth place finishes. The Yankees are just built on a winning culture. Most recently, they win the division and tank in the playoffs, so I'm expecting just that to happen again this year.

 

[BrewCrewFan]

You do't need a ridiculous rotation when you have the offense that the Jays have. That lineup is deadly and is going to put up runs this year. The Jays are missing that top of the rotation pitcher right now though which is why I am a bit iffy on them, but the Jays are a very solid team overall and probably the favorites to win the AL East this year.

 

[PWNdroia]

You do't need a ridiculous rotation when you have the offense that the Jays have. That lineup is deadly and is going to put up runs this year. The Jays are missing that top of the rotation pitcher right now though which is why I am a bit iffy on them, but the Jays are a very solid team overall and probably the favorites to win the AL East this year.

Completely this, with the fact that I'm not too sure about their bullpen either.

 

[A.E]

The AL East may be won on who adds more to their pitching staff before October. The Yankees are going to remain in their holding pattern and won't do much. They wouldn't have went after Chapman if the Reds didn't give him away. And I cannot see the Jays or Orioles outbidding Dombrowski come trade season. I also think people are making a grave error in assuming the Jays' offense will be as potent as last season. An injury or two in the field and all that changes. You need pitching to win. That much hasn't changed in 100 years of baseball.

 

[Giantmetfan07]

Yankees have too many question marks. Their bullpen is sick but can their rotation even get them there?

 

[PWNdroia]

Yankees have too many question marks. Their bullpen is sick but can their rotation even get them there?

It did last year. And with Michael Pineda on the pine tar, that certainly makes their rotation ten times more adequate. If Yankees don't win the division, they will certainly be relevant all season long.

Red Sox should have traded for James Shields. Trade a bad contract for another bad contract. We're still a starter short from competing. Shields is a proven AL East pitcher who has thrown over 200 innings the last seven seasons (more than Buchholz has thrown in a single season of his career). If anyone was smart, they would've signed this guy before 2015 and/or they would have traded for him. He's better than Porcello who we gutted a ton of money for.

The AL East may be won on who adds more to their pitching staff before October. The Yankees are going to remain in their holding pattern and won't do much. They wouldn't have went after Chapman if the Reds didn't give him away. And I cannot see the Jays or Orioles outbidding Dombrowski come trade season. I also think people are making a grave error in assuming the Jays' offense will be as potent as last season. An injury or two in the field and all that changes. You need pitching to win. That much hasn't changed in 100 years of baseball.

Good point, but I also think people are in error thinking the Yankees are a fourth place team.

 

[A.E]

Good point, but I also think people are in error thinking the Yankees are a fourth place team.

The Yankees are even more flawed this season. Last year was the product of A-Rod's second wind, Teixeira's bat, and Jacoby didn't get hurt. A lot of uncharacteristic play from a stale roster. If anything, the Yanks are doing right by letting what they have play out and developing guys like Judge, Ref, and Bird.

 

[PWNdroia]

The Yankees are even more flawed this season. Last year was the product of A-Rod's second wind, Teixeira's bat, and Jacoby didn't get hurt. A lot of uncharacteristic play from a stale roster. If anything, the Yanks are doing right by letting what they have play out and developing guys like Judge, Ref, and Bird.

Yet they're the luckiest team in baseball. Always have been, always will. I agree their roster looks awful, but they still find ways to do better than most other teams, so until they're mathematically eliminated, I'm not counting them out for the division.

 

[axman15]

I'd take the Jays staff over the Yankees. And offensively, the comparison isn't even close. All that the Yankees really have over Toronto is a better bullpen, but the Jays pen should be improved, and like others have said what good is an outstanding bullpen if they never pitch with the lead? The bullpen should be the last piece a contender assembles.

 

[Ian]

1. Boston Red Sox
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. New York Yankees
4. Baltimore Orioles
5. Tampa Bay Rays

This will be a very interesting and competitive division, however I like the Red Sox the most because of their talented, young up-the-middle players with Yoan Moncada, Xander Boegarts, Mookie Betts and Blake Swihart, as well as their new ace in David Price. The Royals and Jays really put it together with their additions of a bona fide ace to add to the rotation, and I believe that is what the Red Sox need too. I also believe the Jays, while relying entirely on their hitting and Stroman at this point, will be a Wild Card team.