The AL East is one of the best divisions in baseball and with the addition of players like Adrian Gonzalez, Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds, and Manny Ramirez, it looks to stay that way. Although Tampa lost many of its players from their magical 2008 World Series Run, they do a better job than any at scouting talent.
The NL East underwent a lot of personnel changes in the offseason. Jayson Werth goes from Philadelphia to Washington and Dan Uggla now resides in Atlanta, leaving the Marlins behind. However, those players pale in comparison to the acquisition of Cliff Lee by the Philadelphia Phillies. Their rotation has been dubbed as one of the best in baseball history.
2010 saw the Rays reemerge as one of the preeminent teams in the league, winning the AL East by one game over the Yankees. Their success can be credited to bullpen stability but the offseason saw a plethora of cost-conscious moves that were motivated by the front office’s endeavor to reduce payroll. How can the Rays be expected to fare in a competitive AL East?
The Texas Rangers finally broke out last year behind the magic of Cliff Lee and went all the way to the World Series, ultimately losing in 5 games. With Lee moving to Philadelphia, the Rangers have to fend off the upstart Athletics and the veteran Angels in their attempt to return to the World Series.
The NL West has been disrespected for years as one of the weaker divisions in baseball, but that changed when the San Francisco Giants made a magical run all the way to the World Series title behind dominant pitching and timely hitting. They look to defend their title in 2011, but they will have major competition from the Colorado Rockies and LA Dodgers.
The 2010 MLB offseason was one of the more shocking ones in recent history. The Red Sox loaded up by acquiring Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. The Phillies nabbed Cliff Lee right from the Yankees and Rangers’ noses. The Rays dismantled the team that led them to the 2008 World Series and an AL East title last year. Only one team gets the top grade.