AL East

Tampa Bay Rays 3B Evan Longoria is expected to return from an oblique injury sometime during the Rays' next home stand (April 29-May 5).

This inevitably means that somebody on the current 25-man roster is going to be without a spot. So who should be the man to go? You could make strong cases for Casey Kotchman, Dan Johnson, and Elliot Johnson.

Moving out from behind the plate and working exclusively as the Yankees DH, Jorge Posada was supposed to be fantasy gold.  Despite being 39 years old, a player with his upside, coupled with being eligible at catcher…people were drooling over the potential for him to produce massive power while playing every day.

The power has been there, but the rest of the numbers have certainly disappointed:

The youngest starting rotation in baseball is getting one of its senior citizens back tomorrow when 26-year-old Brandon Morrow returns for the Toronto Blue Jays' matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays.

His return from the disabled list could not come at a better time.

I’m not a sabermetrics guy.

Instead of numbers and formulas, I prefer to rely on what I glimpse with my own two eyes, and judge what I see not with a calculator but with instincts that have been honed through a lifetime of watching baseball.

For the last year, sabermetrics supporters and analysts have been saying that Derek Jeter is done.

I have not believed them.

Well, this certainly isn't the start anyone expected, right?

The Boston Red Sox now sit at 7-11, are in the cellar and are four games off the pace of the New York Yankees in the AL East race.

For the first week of the season, it was easy to be relaxed and beg those in "The Nation" to remain calm because it was still early. After the second week, even the optimistic became nervous.

Playoff expansion has its pros and cons.

I think it is obvious that including more teams (within reason) would be beneficial for the game. The more teams that make the playoffs, the more revenue there would be for teams and more baseball for fans.

But it's equally obvious that there are pitfalls, such as extending play deeper into the cold and rainy months of October and November.

With news that the Los Angeles Angels have designated Brandon Wood for assignment earlier this week, the rumors regarding possible trade destinations have started to emerge.

According to John Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, Toronto could be a potential landing spot.

"The Toronto Blue Jays expressed interest in trading for infielder Brandon Wood as recently as this offseason, sources say.

It's hard to be a baseball manager. It's even harder to manage in New York City. It's even harder than that to manage the New York Yankees.

With pockets deep enough to absorb almost any contract and make any change at any time, the Yankees possess power no team can match.

Remember back in December when Cliff Lee declined the Yankees' enormous offer to sign with the Phillies and Andy Pettitte subsequently retired to spend more time with his family?

Every baseball fan on the planet immediately began to write off the Yankees and question their previous thoughts of the Yankees making the playoffs.

The Orioles kicked off their 2011 campaign in style, sweeping the Tampa Bay Rays, and then taking two of three games from the projected 2011 A.L. Central champion Tigers.