For as long as I can remember, the AL East has been dominated by the Yankees and Red Sox. Since 1993, they are the only two teams to have won the division more than once. From 2003-2009, either the Yankees or Red Sox have won the AL wild card. So it's pretty safe to say the AL is dominant of recent. Over the past few years, we have seen the Tampa Bay Rays come to life. A team that has only been in the league for just over ten years, the Rays' young prospects have blossomed into an explosive team that made it to the World Series in 2008. One of the Rays' farm teams is near my house, so I've had the fortune to see players like Josh Hamilton, Evan Longoria, Andy Sonnastine, Ryan Dempster, Scott Podsednik, and Jorge Cantu, grow into exceptional major leaguers. Obviously only Longoria and Sonnastine remain in Tampa from those names, but that small list shows how impressive Tampa's minor league system has been since '98, the teams inception. With the Rays, Red Sox, Yankees all in the AL East, there were always talks of it being the hardest division in baseball.
Well if there were any doubters, 2010 has shut them up. The Toronto Blue Jays are throwing a coming out party this year, and it's a banger. Yeah, they're only tied for 3rd place, but they are just a mere 4 games back. With an explosive offense led by Vernon Wells (.306 AVG, 15 HR, 40 RBI), and Jose Bautista (.250 AVG, 18 HR, 45 RBI), and talented young pitchers such as Ricky Romero, Shawn Camp, and Shaun Marcum, the Jays are a team that has the potential to sneak up and steal the wild card.
So is the AL East as good as advertised? The answer is yes, and there is no doubt in my mind that in September, this will be a race the entire country will have their eye on.
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