Mid-Season MLB Report Card: AL East

It's been an exhilarating first half of the season in Major League Baseball. A few pleasant surprises, i.e. the Nationals and White Sox, mixed in with some strange and even disappointing stories like the Yankees entire season thus far or the Kenny Rogers incident. Nonetheless, there are grades to be handed out to each team and bold predictions to be made about the second half. Without further adieu:

AL EAST

Boston Red Sox: I'm not going to lie, the Red Sox have stumbled into first place in the division thanks to a slide by the Orioles and a dreadful start by the Yankees. The Red Sox just recently acquired Chad Bradford in a trade for the reassigned Jay Payton. That move with the Curt Schilling decision creates a little bit more of a positive situation for the Sox bullpen.

Manny Ramirez's batting average remains well below his usual numbers, but his power and run creating ability remain productive. David Ortiz, Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek, and Trot Nixon all delivered good first halves, and with the continued progression of Bill Mueller, Edgar Renteria, and Manny, the Red Sox hitters show no sign of slowing down. The main aforementioned problem is the bullpen. If the Red Sox can a) use Schilling effectively and limit the costs of losing Keith Foulke or b) put a starter like Tim Wakefield or Bronson Arroyo in the bullpen and reinsert Schilling in the rotation, and gain positive results out of their move, they should be in prime position to win the division and undoubtedly compete for another World Series. Grade: B
Final Season Record (prediction): 97-65; AL East Champs

Baltimore Orioles: With their recent stumbling after a great start, the Orioles find themselves smack-dab in the middle of a great AL East divisional race. A team that raced out to a 30-16 record, the Orioles have lost 24 of 41 since, and remain in desperate need for a proven arm. With a lineup already capable of scoring runs, the Orioles must focus on acquiring pitching help before their young staff becomes a problem late in the season. Closer B.J. Ryan is the only quality reliever that the Orioles can rely on at this point in the year (Todd Williams K/BB ratio is tantalizingly mediocre), and should accordingly approach the Mariners about Eddie Guardado or the Rockies about Brian Fuentes.

The Orioles should continue to expect Tejada to produce as the best shortstop and one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball, Brian Roberts to keep up his success, and Melvin Mora to improve upon his still quality .298 average. The Orioles need to improve upon their bullpen and hope their consistent first halvers can produce in the second half and keep the Birds in the running. Grade: B+
Final Season Record: 84-78; 3rd place in the AL East

New York Yankees: With a $200-million roster, and just 46 wins at the break, the Yankees perhaps have had the most disappointing first half of recent memory (in Yankee terms). However, statistics show that the Yankees are one of the worst fielding teams ever fielded in the Bronx. They have a major problem fielding balls put into play and recording outs. This puts a lot of pressure on their pitching staff, which has been less than good thus far. But one cannot expect a staff filled with stars-- Johnson, Pavano, Mussina, Brown-- to continue their ineffective ways for much longer. The bullpen needs a little help before Gordon and Rivera, and Tanyon Sturtze should fit in nicely as the main, go-to middle reliever.

With the current lineup still as powerful as any and Jason Giambi starting to turn things around, it's hard to believe that the Yankees are bad enough to miss the playoffs. One has to remember that George Steinbrenner will do anything to win, so keep an eye out for Yankee acquisitions before the trade deadline to improve at second-base, centerfield, starting pitching, or their long relief. Grade: C-
Final Season Record: 88-74; 2nd place in the AL East and the AL Wild Card

Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are exactly .500--and still only 5 1/2 games out of first place. That being said, they are staring into the dark face of imminent struggling if they do not improve upon several key areas. The pitching rotation still lacks anything much beyond Cy Young frontrunner Roy Halladay, who happens to be out for the next month if not more, and the fresh-faced assassin Gustavo Chacin. Ted Lilly has yet to produce since becoming a Blue Jay. The bullpen, anchored by Miguel Batista, Justin Speier, and Pete Walker, continues to put in quality innings.

The hitting, however, needs major upgrades immediately. Vernon Wells and Shea Hillenbrand are very good at hitting, but still lack that dominant, 4-spot power that every team needs to score runs. The lack of any power beyond Wells has cost the Blue Jays. With sluggers like Adam Dunn rumored to be on the block, the Jays need to become buyers and move players to improve on their starting pitching, the middle of their batting order, and a leadoff type guy. They also lack that one player outside of Hillenbrand and Wells that can regularly get on base, and give Shea and Vernon a chance to knock some runs in. Grade: C
Final Season Record: 82-80; 4th place in the AL East

Tampa Bay Devil Rays: Watching this team play is like watching "Bad News Bears" on repeat for an entire pro baseball season. Lou Piniella is literally on his last stand as their manager before he quits out of pure frustration. With only Julio Lugo, Danys Baez, and Carl Crawford worth anyone's time, the Devil Rays clearly show signs of being one of the worst ballclubs in the new Millenium. With a budget that could barely feed a family of four, the D-Rays look like Little Leaguers playing against their dads night in and night out.

There isn't much that could help this club right now. They are just awful, plain and simple, and poor Lou has to manage them. Grade: F
Final Season Record: 53-109; Dead Last.

AL East Outlook: In what began as a shockingly quick changing of the guard, the race for the AL East has shifted back to the capable hands at the All-Star Break. The Red Sox and Yankees will battle it out over the next 2 1/2 months for the lead, with the Orioles standing firm as the third wheel. The Orioles seem like they are a year away from a major World Series run, and this season they are certainly no slouch. Don't be surprised if the Orioles win this division or finish 2nd. Until they prove the critics wrong, however, they will be viewed as the rambunctious kid brother eager to hang out with the real deals in town.

The Red Sox will win this division because the Yankees are too beat up physically to catch up to them. That being said, I believe the Bronx Bombers have at least one more good run in them this season, and that run should put them into major divisional contention unless the Red Sox get hot like they did last year at the beginning of August. Call it a showdown in the AL East, with the Red Sox winning by an inch, the Yankees right on their tails, and the Orioles serving as major dark horses.