American League East News

“Since I gave up hope, I feel much better.”

The past few months have been spent in almost constant analysis of the way Orioles president Andy MacPhail has reconfigured the roster and set the team in a new direction, which might or might not lead to a new ... via The Baltimore Sun

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“We absolutely needed a change, but I'm not going to say it was based on those two young men (Young, Dukes)”

Heightened expectations don't scare the Tampa Bay Rays.

They welcome them after losing more than 90 games each of the past 10 seasons and enter Monday's opener in Baltimore oozing confidence after the most successful spring training in club history.

Going a franchise-best 18-8-2 during a month of exhibition games doesn't guarantee success in the regular season, but the Rays are hoping it sets the tone to escape the cellar in the AL East.

'There's definitely a change in the attitude,' All-Star left fielder Carl Crawford said. 'We tried to be positive at the beginning in the past, but things happen. Now it feels like this might actually run through the season.' Read more

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Brad Penny threw 6 2/3 shutout innings in his first career Opening Day start, as Los Angeles blanked San Francisco, 5-0, in Joe Torre's debut as manager of the Dodgers. via WHER-FM Hattiesburg

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A whirlwind offseason of change carried over into opening day for Tampa Bay, when the Rays reversed an annoying trend at the expense of the Baltimore Orioles.

James Shields pitched seven innings of five-hit ball, Eric Hinske homered and the Rays coasted to a 6-2 victory Monday.

Since its inception in 1998, Tampa Bay was 1-9 in road openers, including a seven-game skid that was the longest active run in the big leagues. But things are different this year, beginning with the team's nickname _ no longer are they the Devil Rays. Read more

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“It's amazing how popular that game has become.”

With its mostly green pitching staff, unproven starters at several key positions and a cleanup hitter who hasn't slugged even 20 home runs in each of the past four years, the 2008 Orioles - who kick off their season at Camden Yards at 3:05 p.m. today - might need some serious sleight-of-hand to become true contenders in the always-competitive American League East this year.

Few expect manager Dave Trembley to yank a rabbit that size out of his orange-and-black cap - all the more reason, perhaps, for long-suffering Baltimore fans to cling to the one shell game they've learned never lets them down. Read more

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“It just seems that when you play the teams you feel like you should beat, those are the series where there's no energy and things kind of get away from you”

Toronto ace Roy Halladay wants the Blue Jays to stop seeing themselves as third-class citizens in the AL East Division this season. via National Post

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“It's not necessarily that one of us earned it”

What better way to start the baseball season than with a clash between a couple of evenly matched rivals in the AL East?

No, not those two.

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are again expected to duel for the division crown this season. Baltimore and Tampa Bay, meanwhile, will hold their annual competition at the other end of the standings.

Since entering the major leagues in 1998, Tampa Bay has finished one notch behind Baltimore for 10 years running. It's not a source of pride for the Orioles, but rather an indictment of Tampa Bay, which ended up in the cellar in nine of those 10 years. Read more

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“It could potentially get very ugly”

The Orioles continue to recite the mantra of a rebuilding team, whether it's done inside the brick walls of the B&O Warehouse or the cramped offices and sun-drenched fields at their spring training home. Sometimes it's necessary to take one step backward to move two steps forward. Count on the stride being shorter in the wrong direction.

Unless a team is willing to raise its payroll through the roof, this method is the only way to go from bad to good - and this especially applies to clubs that have posted 10 straight losing seasons. Read more

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“The two things that Mr. MacPhail has done for me, when I was with the Cubs and when I got here”

Andy MacPhail won't deny it. The job that launched his highly successful career in baseball - business manager of Bradenton Pirates in 1976 - was the result of nepotism. via Slam Sports

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The Toronto Blue Jays already have the deck stacked against them, playing in the American League East alongside the high-spending Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. via FOX30Online

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