The World Series champion Boston Red Sox have taken the “world” title seriously, opening season in Japan. They are better than even money to win the division, and 9-4 to return to World Series, with a potent lineup and deep pitching staff. Joe Girardi was brought in to change the face of the franchise, along with younger ownership, (same Steinbrenner attitude however) and what will be a new starting rotation. Holdovers Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada will try to climb Red Sox Mountain and are 6-5 to win division. Toronto is 4-1 to breakup the gruesome twosome, as they head to septentrional home. The Blue Jays believe they have enough hitting to compete and are confident deep starting pitching gives them a chance. Can Tampa Bay really have better odds to win AL East than Baltimore? Oddsmakers must like the fact they dropped the “devil” from nickname, giving them “rays” of hope. The Rays a 20-1 and the Orioles are insidious 100-1. Here's a look at each of the teams in the AL East Division, including 2007 key stats and situational records, offseason moves, projected lineups, plus keys and predictions for 2008.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Manager: DAVE TREMBLEY
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 69-93 (0.426), +-19.6 ML Units (#29 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 81-71-10
StatFox Power Rating: : 85 (#28 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 65.5 (-105)/Under 65.5 (-125)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: OFs Adam Jones and Luke Scott, 3B Mike Costanzo, RHPs Steve Trachsel, Lance Cormier, Chris Tillman, Matt Albers, Greg Aquino and Dennis Sarfate, LHP Troy Patton
Departures: LHP Erik Bedard, SS Miguel Tejada, CF Corey Patterson, RHP Scott Williamson

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: New president Andy MacPhail has shown an ability to get things done, moving Tejada and Bedard for 10 total players in the offseason. The rebuilding plan was long overdue, and MacPhail is getting equivalent talent for the pieces he is letting go. ... Markakis was the shining light in an otherwise lost season for the Orioles' offense in 2007. At just 24 years old, Markakis is only getting better. The lefthanded slugger also stole 18 bases and scored 97 runs last season. ... Guthrie emerged last season and went 6-2 with a 2.47 ERA in 16 starts before tiring down the stretch. With Bedard gone, Guthrie becomes the de facto ace of the staff.

Weaknesses: An aging offense in the infield and complete lack of proven talent. Mora, Hernandez and Millar are all on the wrong side of 30, and none of them figure to be around when MacPhail's rebuilding plan is finished in a few seasons. ... Guthrie is a solid pitcher, but probably should not be anchoring a staff. Loewen has a five-inch screw in his arm and is attempting to come back from a fractured elbow, and Cabrera has yet to harness his prodigious talent. ... There is a lack of organizational depth, with 2007 top pick Matt Wieters ranking as the best prospect in the system, but still a few years away from the majors.

Rotation Outlook: Bleak. Guthrie is more of a No. 3 starter than an ace. ... Loewen has the potential to be great, but until he proves he can stay healthy, it will all just be projection with the Canadian lefthander. ... Cabrera has been one of the biggest mysteries in the majors for the past few seasons, with opposing hitters raving about his raw stuff but the results coming back ugly. The Dominican righthander led the AL in losses (18), earned runs allowed (126) and walks (108) in 2007. ... Trachsel, Olson, Albers, Cormier and Radhames Liz are all fighting for the last two spots.

Bullpen Situation: : A little better. Sherrill has never been a full-time closer in the major leagues, but boasts the peripheral statistics - a 0.99 WHIP, 11.04 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.29 strikeout to walk ratio - that suggest he can get the job done. ... Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker, who were splitting closer duties at the end of last season, should benefit from a confirmed closer and a structured bullpen. ... Chris Ray and Danys Baez both underwent "Tommy John" surgery late last season, and neither are expected back before midseason at the earliest. ... Sarfate, who came over from Houston in the Tejada deal, is a promising young righthander.

Projected Finish: Fifth in AL East

BOSTON RED SOX

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Manager: TERRY FRANCONA
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 107-69 (0.608), +11.8 ML Units (#6 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 80-87-9
StatFox Power Rating: : 133 (#1 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 93 (-125)/Under 93 (-105)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: RHPs David Aardsma and Dan Kolb, LHP Jon Switzer, 1B Sean Casey, OF Jonathan Van Every
Departing: RHPs Eric Gagne and Brendan Donnelly, IF-OF Eric Hinske, SS Royce Clayton

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: Depth, talent, experience, youth and financial resources. The Red Sox, under principal owner John Henry and general manager Theo Epstein, have built the "$100 million player development machine" that Epstein envisioned when he took over the front office after the 2002 season. Two World Series championships in the past four seasons have cemented Boston as the preeminent franchise in the major leagues. ... The lineup is littered with home run and on-base threats (Ortiz, Ramirez, Lowell, Drew, Youkilis and Pedroia) and also is diverse enough to manufacture runs with speed (Ellsbury, Crisp and Lugo). ... The pitching staff remains largely intact after posting the best ERA in the AL last season and has a number of intriguing arms in the minors ready to contribute this season. ... Alex Cora, Sean Casey and Bobby Kielty form a productive bench. ... Manager Terry Francona, bench coach Brad Mills and pitching coach John Farrell are coming off a 2007 campaign that saw them push all the right buttons.

Weaknesses: Not many. Lugo and Drew struggled in the first half of 2007, but both emerged during the run to the playoffs. ... Wakefield and reliever Mike Timlin are both past 40 and struggled with injuries last season. ... Curt Schilling will be out until at least the All-Star break with a shoulder injury.

Rotation Outlook: Beckett is coming off the best season of his career, when he finished second in the Cy Young voting. He parlayed that into a dominant postseason, going 4-0 while allowing four runs in 30 innings. Beckett turns 28 years old in May and is just entering his prime. ... Matsuzaka did not quite live up to expectations in his first season but struck out 201 hitters and won 15 games, and should be even more comfortable this season. ... Lester and Buchholz are both high-upside young pitchers who have the ability to dominate. Lester won the clinching game of the World Series against Colorado and Buchholz tossed a no hitter in his second major league start last September. ... Wakefield missed the World Series with a shoulder injury, but has been problem-free this spring. ... Julian Tavarez, Kyle Snyder and prospects Justin Masterson, Michael Bowden and David Pauley are all around for spot-start duty.

Bullpen Situation: : Papelbon is well on his way to becoming the best closer in the game. The 27-year-old righthander made his second straight All-Star appearance last year while posting a 0.77 WHIP and a 12.96 strikeouts per nine innings average. ... Hideki Okajima emerged as the primary setup man in his first season in the U.S., making the All-Star team and finishing with a 2.22 ERA. ... Manny Delcarmen began to realize his enormous potential last season, and Timlin, Tavarez and Snyder remain to provide support.

Projected Finish: First in AL East

NEW YORK YANKEES

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Manager: JOE GIRARDI
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 95-71 (0.572), +-15.5 ML Units (#24 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 80-73-13
StatFox Power Rating: : 126 (#3 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 93.5 (-125)/Under 93.5 (-105)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: RHPs LaTroy Hawkins and Scott Strickland, LHP Billy Traber, IFs Morgan Ensberg, Cody Ransom, Chris Woodward, Bernie Castro and Nick Green, OF Jason Lane
Departures: 1Bs Andy Phillips and Doug Mientkiewicz, IFs Miguel Cairo and Chris Basak, RHPs Roger Clemens, Tyler Clippard, Luis Vizcaino, and Matt DeSalvo, and LHP Ron Villone

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: Offense, offense, offense. The core is getting older, but the production has remained largely the same. The Yankees led the majors with a .290 batting average, 968 runs scored and 2,649 total bases in 2007. ... The entire lineup returns intact from that group, including Rodriguez and Posada at a combined cost of $327 million over 14 years. ... Damon and Abreu came into spring training in good shape after each finished 2007 strong. Both have the potential to be even better in 2008, provided they stay healthy. ... Damon, Jeter and Abreu form a core of on-base threats with speed at the top of the lineup in front of Rodriguez, Matsui and Posada. With Cano, Cabrera and Giambi all hitting toward the bottom of the lineup, New York has no holes for opposing pitchers to attack.

Weaknesses: The stability of Joe Torre is gone after a 12-year run as manager that included four World Series titles and 12 trips to the playoffs. In his place is Joe Girardi, a former player and coach under Torre who won the National League Manager of the Year award in his lone season with the Florida Marlins in 2006. How Girardi manages the media and massages the egos of a $200 million payroll will go a long way toward determining the Yankees' success. ... Pitching and defense are the potential weaknesses on the field, as the rotation features Wang, Pettitte and a bunch of question marks. The infield defense with Rodriguez, Jeter, Cano and Giambi will have the least amount of range of any team in the division.

Rotation Outlook: The rotation behind Wang and Pettitte is the big question mark. Hughes, Kennedy and phenom Joba Chamberlain, who is expected to move into rotation at some point this season, have a combined 91 2/3 innings of major league experience over 16 starts (13 of those by Hughes). ... The Yankees' hierarchy, led by general manager Brian Cashman, will advise Girardi to use the young arms wisely, and none should be able to pitch close to 200 innings. The lone veteran in the back end of the rotation, Mussina, is coming off his worst season as a professional, and, at 39 years old, can no longer be counted on to provide 30 starts in a season.

Bullpen Situation: : Rivera has been as close to a sure thing as there is in the major leagues for the past 11 seasons, averaging nearly 40 saves during that span. But he started to show his age in 2007, posting his highest ERA since becoming a full-time closer in 1998. New York gave him a three-year extension in the offseason, despite his 38 years. ... The problem for the past several seasons has been finding a reliable setup man to bridge the gap between the starters and Rivera. Chamberlain will probably begin 2008 in the eighth-inning role, with the erratic Kyle Farnsworth and Hawkins filling seventh-inning duty.

Projected Finish: Second in the AL East

TAMPA BAY DEVIL RAYS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Manager: JOE MADDON
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 66-96 (0.407), +-14.6 ML Units (#21 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 83-69-10
StatFox Power Rating: : 85 (#29 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 75.5 (-115)/Under 75.5 (-115)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: OF Cliff Floyd, SS Jason Bartlett, RHPs Matt Garza and Troy Percival, LHP Trever Miller, IF Willy Aybar
Departures: IFs Brendan Harris and Josh Wilson, RF Delmon Young, CF Elijah Dukes, DH Greg Norton, LHP Casey Fossum, RHPs Shawn Camp, Jay Witasick and Brian Stokes

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: Talent and youth. The Rays have loads of both. Floyd is the only player projected to be in the Opening Day lineup who is north of 30, and 24-year-old Kazmir is the most experienced member of the rotation with 97 major league starts. ... Kazmir, Shields and Garza have the potential to be a terrific trio at the top of the rotation, and at the very least should prove to be difficult matchups for the likes of the Red Sox and Yankees in the American League East. ... The Rays have speed (Crawford, Upton, Iwamura and Bartlett) and power (Pena, Longoria, Upton and Floyd) in the lineup, along with Baldelli, who has the potential to be the best of the bunch if could stay healthy. ... Should anyone falter, the Rays' farm system is ranked as the best in the majors and has a number of players who could contribute this season.

Weaknesses: Inexperience. The Rays may have the most talent on the field in almost every game this season, but much of it is untested, with just Crawford, who is only 26 years old, standing out among the major pieces as having played in at least four full seasons. ... Navarro was once a top prospect and is still just 24 years old, but is just a .247 career hitter in 255 games. ... Should Longoria not be ready to go out of spring training, the third base options include underachieving youngster Joel Guzman, non-roster invitee Hinske and Aybar, who missed last season while battling substance abuse problems.

Rotation Outlook: Kazmir led the American League in strikeouts last season with 239 and posted career highs in wins (13) and innings pitched (206 2/3). His small frame always brings injury concern, but when healthy, Kazmir is a dominant pitcher. ... Shields burst onto the scene last season and was rewarded contract extension that could keep him with the team for the next seven seasons. He finished third in the AL in WHIP (1.107) and second in strikeout to walk ratio (5.11). ... Garza was the main piece coming back in the offseason trade that sent promising young outfielder Delmon Young to the Minnesota Twins. A hard-throwing righthander, Garza posted a 3.69 ERA for the Twins after being recalled on July 2 last season. ... Sonnanstine and Jackson have each shown flashes of brilliance, and former top draft picks David Price, Jake McGee, Wade Davis and Christopher Mason are all getting closer to the majors.

Bullpen Situation: : Much improved. Tampa Bay has remade the bullpen over the past two seasons, bringing in Al Reyes before last season and trading for Dan Wheeler at the 2007 trading deadline. The last piece just might be Percival, who was signed to a two-year deal to become the team's closer in the offseason after a successful comeback from retirement last season with St. Louis. ... Miller was also brought back this offseason after spending two seasons in Houston, and is expected to provide solid setup work from the left side. ... Gary Glover, Scott Dohmann and Juan Salas are solid from the right side, and Jason Hammell and J.P. Howell will bide their time in the bullpen until a spot in the rotation opens.

Projected Finish: Third in AL East

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Division: AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Manager: JOHN GIBBONS
LOCAL TEAM NEWS LINK
2007 Record: 83-79 (0.512), +0.3 ML Units (#11 of 30)
2007 Totals (O-U-P): 67-88-7
StatFox Power Rating: : 114 (#4 of 30)
Sportsbook.com Season Wins Prop: Over 85.5 (-115)/Under 85.5 (-115)

2007 Situational Records:

Key 2007 Team Stats:

Arrivals: 3B Scott Rolen, SS David Eckstein, 2B Marco Scutaro, C Rod Barajas
Departures: RHP Josh Towers, 3B Troy Glaus

Projected Starters:

Projected Rotation:

Projected Closer:

Strengths: The starting rotation features four power arms at the top in Halladay, Burnett, McGowan and Marcum. All four are capable of dominating in any given start and could form the best rotation in the AL East if they stay healthy. ... General manager J.P. Ricciardi made a number of moves this offseason to build depth into the roster, signing veteran utilityman Scutaro to provide infield support and bringing in Eckstein so that John McDonald could move into a backup role. Matt Stairs was re-signed as insurance at first base, corner outfield and designated hitter, and Barajas was brought in to supplement Zaun. ... The infield defense should be greatly improved with a healthy Rolen and Overbay at the corners, and there is speed at all three outfield spots. ... The pitching staff ranked second in the AL with a 4.00 ERA in 2007 thanks in large part to a solid bullpen filled with young arms such as Accardo.

Weaknesses: Age and injury concerns litter the Blue Jays' roster. Overbay, Zaun, Johnson, Rolen, Eckstein and Burnett all missed significant time last season due to injury and Halladay and Wells both battled various ailments throughout the 2007 campaign. Thomas, though surprisingly healthy the past two seasons, will turn 40 on May 27. ... The lineup has a number of nice pieces, but with the exception of Hill, Rios and Thomas, everyone is coming off seasons that were at or near career worsts. ... As nice as Marcum, Litsch and especially McGowan looked at times last season, none has spent a full season in a major league rotation. Should any of them falter or suffer an injury, once-heralded lefthander Gustavo Chacin, who made only five starts while battling arm trouble in 2007, is waiting in the wings.

Rotation Outlook: In a word, bright. Halladay is a former Cy Young Award winner who has posted at least 16 wins in four of the past six seasons and owns a career ERA of 3.63. The unquestioned ace of the staff, Halladay is one of the game's great competitors and has led the American League in complete games three times. ... Burnett has some of the best natural stuff in the game, provided he's healthy enough to use it. When he is on the mound, there is no doubt how dominant he can be, as evidenced by his 9.56 strikeouts per nine innings last season - good for fourth in the AL. ... McGowan, who is one of the most promising young starters in the game, went 8-6 with a 2.98 ERA from June 24 to September 17, limiting opponents to a .202 batting average. ... Marcum joined McGowan as a full-time starter in 2007

Bullpen Situation: : Unclear. Ryan is supposedly the closer, though he will be less than 11 months removed from "Tommy John" surgery on Opening Day, a procedure that usually comes with a recovery time of 12 to 18 months. If he is on the mound and healthy, Ryan can be a dominant closer. He saved 28 games with a 1.37 ERA in 2006. ... In Ryan's absence, Accardo stepped in and performed admirably last season, and will likely reprise his ninth-inning role should Ryan need more time. ... Righthander Casey Janssen, who contributed to the successful bullpen last season, will miss the entire season with a torn labrum. ... Scott Downs and Brian Tallet provide a pair of lefthanded setup men, and Brian Wolfe and Jason Frasor complete the mix from the right side.

Projected Finish: Fourth in AL East

* Divisional Previews were compiled by Steve Makinen & Doug Upstone with contributions from PA Sports Ticker.