AL East

The Boston Red Sox have not won 100 games since Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and (he's better than his brother Joe) Dominic DiMaggio were playing for Joe Cronin in 1946.

This season will be different.  Solid offseason additions by Theo Epstein join an impressive returning cast for the 2011 Red Sox team.  On paper, this might be the best team the Red Sox have had—ever.

This team will end the streak of double-digit winners and move into the immortal group of 100-game winners.

Heading into the season, while many felt the Yankees' best arrangement would be with Brett Gardner sitting atop the lineup, the constant chatter was that Derek Jeter would remain the Yankees leadoff hitter. 

For or better or worse, the Yankees legend was getting the limelight, despite a .348 OBP in the leadoff spot in ’10, while Gardner would be hitting ninth.

However, all of that changed yesterday.  Jack Curry of the YES Network posted on Twitter:

If you're a fan of the New York Yankees, the 2010-11 off-season must have felt like one, long nightmare.

First, the dreaded Boston Red Sox landed stud first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in a trade with the San Diego Padres. Then, just a couple days later, the Red Sox swooped in, seemingly out of nowhere, and signed outfielder Carl Crawford, a player the Yanks were reportedly courting.

In general, unwritten rules are stupid. That’s why no one took the time to write them down. Think about it. If something really needs to be a rule—and it’s widely agreed that it needs to be a rule—it’s going to be documented, set in stone and thumb tacked to the wall of every minor league clubhouse.

By not making something an official rule, Major League Baseball is officially saying that it is okay, allowable and within the realm of acceptability.

Anyone who has read my very first post to B/R knows that I am not a fan of the unwritten rules of baseball. I am even less a fan of these idioms during a spring training game.

On Monday, Baltimore Orioles catcher Jake Fox incurred the wrath of his own manager, Buck Showalter, as well as the ire of Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

According to both mlb.com and cbcsports.com, Toronto has acquired super-utility-man, Jayson Nix, from the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations.

To make room on the roster, Toronto has placed reliever Jesse Carlson on the 60 day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. This means that David Purcey will now serve as the lefty specialist for the time being.

Gwen awakened from a fitful sleep. She was bothered and knew that she would be bothered for a long time. Her idol, her favorite player, the man they referred to as A-Rod, was no longer the best third baseman in New York.

Her mind was immediately filled with A-Rod's 2010 statistics. He was coming off the worst year of his career.

Last year, the New York Yankees fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship. With a new season approaching and a couple new players to the team, who needs to have a good season for the Yankees to see success?

New York Yankees recently-named fifth starter Freddy Garcia finished spring training strong, allowing just one run on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 4.2 innings in an Opening Day preview against the Tigers.

Garcia, who ended the exhibition season with a 4.91 ERA, threw 51 of his 79 pitches for strikes and worked out of trouble in the second and third innings of New York's 2-1 win over Detroit.

This time of year, America is buzzing over both March Madness and the fantasy baseball information superhighway. 

In this show, I'll provide you with the broadband information you'll need to win a championship and get your coins in.

Join me as I get it in and let you know the under the radar players to roster.

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