AL East

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a fine start to their 2012 regular season.

Sitting third in the division with a 15-11 record through 26 games, the Jays have been impressive through April and early May.

But does the current roster have enough starting pitching to compete all season long? Probably not. The Jays have a rotation stacked with young pitchers who have an incredibly high ceiling, but they don't have a legitimate fifth starter at the moment.

Sometimes I wonder if I am but one of a few baseball fans who does not support the repulsive-at-times treatment some have shown New York Yankees veteran hurler Freddy Garcia.

Headlines can be a writer's best friend, and a writer's worst nightmare. Sometimes they can attract attention to a story in a positive way and up the reads and feedback on a story. Sometimes they can instigate widespread anger that is misleading with regards to the actual story.

This column is the latter.

I could not help but chuckle at the obnoxious Boston Red Sox fan shouting obscenities at Orioles first baseman Chris Davis Friday night at Fenway Park.

As Davis stepped to the plate in the top of the 13th inning, with the game tied at four, all I could hear was, “Go home Davis! Go home, you’re horrible!”

For 22-year-old Red Sox shortstop phenom Jose Iglesias, playing defense has never been an issue. This slick-fielding Cuban defector has dazzled spectators time and time again with his amazing range, glove work and almost magically quick release.

Of all the stories that have surrounded the 2012 Boston Red Sox, the Adrian Gonzalez saga has seemingly flown under the radar for the most part.

Saga, you say?

Well, that might be a bit dramatic. The problem is, Gonzalez has yet to truly perform in Boston in 2012. You can even make a solid argument that his numbers in 2011 were faulty due to the fact that he never produced in the clutch.

Think about that for a second.

It’s been a rough week for the Tampa Bay Rays, and it’s only Tuesday.

Earlier today we learned that Evan Longoria could miss six to eight weeks after injuring his hamstring during an awkward slide on Monday night. 

Tim Beckham of the Tampa Bay Rays has been suspended 50 games for his second violation for a drug of abuse under the Minor League drug program (via MLB.com).

The former No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft, Beckham was hitting just .204 in 13 games for Durham, the Rays' Triple-A affiliate.

Around lunchtime on Tuesday, a report surfaced that Tampa Bay third baseman Longoria would miss six to eight weeks with a partial hamstring tear, a seemingly crippling blow to the Rays' chances of making the American League playoffs this year.

With Evan Longoria expected to miss anywhere from six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, the Tampa Bay Rays are left without their most consistent offensive performer.

Longoria's April put him in the running as an early AL MVP candidate, but any chances of that happening now seem slim to none.