At the end of the 2012 season, it looked like the AL East was in for a change at the top. The Yankees lost the cornerstone to their offense in the playoffs, Derek Jeter, and he was going to be gone well into the 2013 season. The Red Sox were coming off of one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory, and traded away three big pieces to their team in the process. The 2013 offseason made this look even clearer as the Blue Jays made a huge splash with free agent signings and a big time trade. The other two teams, the Rays and the Orioles were on the rise and ready to make a move as well, but now looking at the division at the break, no one could have predicted this.
Everyone who was anyone thought the Toronto Blue Jays were going to run away with the AL East this season. Those same people also thought the Miami Marlins were going to win the NL East last season, and we all know how that worked out. The Jays made a huge gamble in the offseason. They pulled the trigger and made the trade for Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes, John Buck and Emilio Bonifacio after signing Melky Cabrera and then later made a trade, that Buck was a part of, to get reigning NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey. Those moves made their lineup look like one of the best of the league and gave them a starting rotation that could match up with anyone. So what happened? The pitching did not live up to standards and the lineup has not fully meshed.
What do the Blue Jays have to look forward to in the second half? They have a tough go of it in the second half. They have five series against first place teams, three against the Red Sox, two against the Athletics and one against the Diamondbacks, which could be tough. At 11.5 games back, they also have 11 series left in the division, and that could very well put them on the fast track to a comeback similar to the one the Oakland Athletics made in the second half of the 2012 season. So while the outlook for the Jays doesn’t look great, they still have a chance if the offense can come around.
While the Jays have struggled when everyone thought they would shine, the New York Yankees have shined when everyone thought they would fall. The fans in New York may not think much of being in fourth place, but they’ve spent a little time in first and have held themselves until the cavalry has arrived, and it’s on its way. Jeter has made a short come back before the break, and could be very well be right back in the starting lineup when the second half resumes.
It has yet to be seen that Jeter can bring the Yankees offense back to life, but he couldn’t hurt. The Yankees are currently only six games back from the division and three games back from the wild card and if the returns of Jeter, and soon to return Alex Rodriguez, can do anything to improve the offense that puts them right in line to make the playoffs again this season. While it seems unlikely the way they have been up and down this season, it is easy to see the Yankees back on the big stage when October comes around. The only difference this season as oppose to last, they have a lot stiffer competition this year.
The big surprise of the 2012 season was the Baltimore Orioles led by manager Buck Showalter. After years of looking like they were ready to take the next step and being held back by the Sox and the Yankees, the O’s finally made the move and pushed the Yankees till the bitter end before ending up in the one game wild card playoff. This season the O’s have picked up right where they left off. Manny Machado, the league leader in doubles, and slugger Chris Davis, the league leader in home runs, have been a big reason why the O’s have continued to surge and be a force in the AL East. The two of them are catching plenty of notice, and making it known that the O’s are here to take the next step.
In the second half the O’s are in a perfect division to do just what they did in the 2012 season, make the playoffs. Last season they stayed in contention until the very end, and had the last series of the season with the team ahead of them with a chance to win the division. This season they have the same opportunity as the last series of the season for them is against the first place Red Sox. Whether it’s the division or the wild card the O’s are right where they need to be for the second half, only 4.5 games back of the top and 1.5 back of the wild card.
When no one was watching the Tampa Bay Rays snuck up behind everyone and walking into the second half as the second place team in the AL East. After a horrible start, the Rays did what they’ve done what they’re known for over the last few seasons, and continued to pitch well until the offense finally scored enough runs to win some games. What is most impressive about it is that they did it while reigning AL Cy Young award winner David Price struggled, and then went on the disabled list. Behind an impressive start to the season by all-star Matt Moore, the Rays had the fourth best ERA in the league at the break.
In the second half the Rays have the opportunity to keep it up as they have 10 series in the second half with teams that ended the first half with a losing record. With Price back and looking better and stronger than he did in the beginning of the season and the continued success of James Loney and Evan Longoria they have the easiest ride in the second half of all of the teams in the AL East. In second place in the division they are right there and ready to strike, and with a schedule like that and the way they are streaking it is easy to see them maintain the wild card lead or even win the division.
The biggest difference from last season to know is the Boston Red Sox. Last year, under then manager Bobby Valentine, the Sox were a train wreck. A new year brought a new manager, new players and a better outcome. The additions the Red Sox made in the offseason weren’t blockbusters like the Blue Jays, but the additions of Shane Victorino and Jonny Gomes have been huge additions to the team in the form of moral if nothing else. As witnessed in the 2012 season with the Oakland Athletics, Gomes is a clear leader in the clubhouse as well as a solid right handed bat, and after the turmoil of last season a good clubhouse guy is exactly what this team needed.
Can the Red Sox keep this up in the second half? It is hard to say yes after the collapse of 2011 and how poorly they played last season, but it is also hard to argue with the best record in the league at the all-star break. The biggest problem the Sox could have in the second half is their closer. They are on their third closer right now and if Koji Uehara cannot lock down the back end of the bullpen where Andrew Bailey and Joel Hanrahan have failed you can expect them to slip. As of right now, though, their destiny is in their own hands and all they have to do is stay on top.
The only thing that is certain about the AL East is that it will be fun to watch. As much as some of us on the west coast hate all the attention the AL East gets, this season it is living up to the hype. As of right now they will have two playoff teams coming out of this division, and if the Rangers or A’s slip in the second half, they very well could have three. Look out world, the AL East is again the best division in baseball.