Taking into account yesterday's megadeal, what are your current power rankings for the AL East?

[SilentJames]

Until the Jays actually accomplish something you can't put them higher.

The rays and yanks are tied atop. The orioles and jays are tied beneath. The sox are bringing up the rear.

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[Dark Helmet]

Until the Jays actually accomplish something you can't put them higher.

The rays and yanks are tied atop. The orioles and jays are tied beneath. The sox are bringing up the rear.

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How does that logic make sense, if you have the Rays tied with the Yanks at the top. How did TB pass the O's since the season ended?

[SilentJames]

How does that logic make sense, if you have the Rays tied with the Yanks at the top. How did TB pass the O's since the season ended?

The Rays have proven over the last few years that they deserve to be ranked among the class of the AL East. The Jays have been stuck in second gear for what feels like the last three or four years. Their young arms have yet to come together in a meaningful way; their offense outside of Encarnacion and Bautista has been lackluster. Even when they were challenging the homerun record and Bautista busted out they still had a ton of trouble getting on base as a team and getting runs in.

They are a lot like the Orioles really.

So until they actually accomplish something I can't start them any higher than the Orioles because their track record over the last couple years has been mediocre.

The point is, this is all kind of futile because the AL East is going to be wide open this year.

The Yanks are old, and getting older

The Rays will have the pitching but their offense will be suspect without BJ Upton

I don't see any reason for the Orioles to be playing worse than they did in 2012

The Jays were decimated by injuries, have largely abandoned their youth movement but did get a great younger pitcher - from the NL east, with an injury history

The Sox are in rebuild mode.

[DrungoHazewood]

So until they actually accomplish something I can't start them any higher than the Orioles because their track record over the last couple years has been mediocre.

I imagine that would be less successful than trying to come up with a detailed accounting of the likely production of the members of each team.

[SilentJames]

I imagine that would be less successful than trying to come up with a detailed accounting of the likely production of the members of each team.

I understand what everyone here is saying. But I'm not going all gaga over this. This time last year we were saying the same thing about the Jays. This time the year prior we were saying the same thing about the Jays. This move makes them better - it sure does. But consider the following:

Ricky Romero does not suddenly revert back to his 2011 season, instead he has a year that more closely resembles 2010 (happy median between '12 and '11)

They were a terrible offense on the road last year (OPS of .693)

They still have a serious OBP problem and it has been that way the last two seasons, and I don't think that Reyes alone will do that at best he is a .340's guy.

Kyle Drabek has not really developed into anything due to injury and whatnot. Sure you are replacing him with Johnson: A NL East pitcher coming to the AL which is always going to be a struggle. Plus he has an injury history as well.

Morrow is developing nicely. Buehrle is a nice compliment to that staff.

Bautista has been struggled with wrist issues all last season, and the immediate success of this team will really depend on Bautista's bat in the middle of the lineup.

They are improved, and they could easily take a big jump next year if things break their way. But in this deal they kinda raided their farm system that was considered one of the most stacked not two years ago.

At this point I think the AL East is largely wide open and most every team has a realistic path to 90 wins, save for maybe the Red Sox. Not to say that there will be four 90 game winners - but those four teams, you can construct a realistic narrative for each that gets them to 90 wins.

[TradeAngelos]

Jays just signed Melky Cabrera, 2 years $16 million.

[weams]

I just want to know where the Rays are going to move to. And will they leave the East if they go West.