AL East: All Upside Down - jmik58's Blog

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AL East: All Upside Down Stuck

Posted on May 24, 2012 at 10:24 AM.

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Take a quick look at the AL East standings and you might find yourself feeling disoriented.

For the first time in the last ten years, both New York and Boston are missing from the top two spots of the AL East standings with a week to go in May. Instead, the Yankees and Red Sox are cuddling at the bottom of the baseball pyramid below Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.

Since 2002, the Yankees have been lower than third in the standings only once at this point in the season. That same year, 2008, is the only year New York failed to make it back within the top two by the end of the season.

Much like New York, the Red Sox have struggled when finding themselves out of reach this time of year. Boston is currently in the middle of a two-year skid where they have been third or lower at this point in the season and failed to rebound within the top two by October.

But is it that New York and Boston have slipped, or that the new guard is making a move?

The Orioles � in last place at this point in 2009, �10 and �11 � find themselves atop the AL East for the first time since 2005 through this point in the campaign. Thanks to the tenth best ERA in baseball (3.53) and a surging offense � sixth best in runs scored (203) and fifth in SLG% (.437) � Baltimore is leading a youth movement.

The Rays, on the other hand, have established themselves as early season and postseason threats since the 2008 season when they won the division. Following six years at or near the bottom of the AL East, Tampa Bay has proven themselves worthy with top-ten offensive, pitching, and defensive production since their AL East crowning year.

Toronto, however, may be as much of a surprise as Baltimore considering how they�ve found themselves in third place with a 24-21 record thus far. The Blue Jays are well known for their power and explosive potential on offense. But it has been the ability of their pitching to stymie the bats of the opposition � fourth best .233 BAA -- that has kept them alive in an ultra-competitive division.

So are the standings really significantly flipped? Or is the AL East and its members a victim of their own high-level competition?

Currently, every team in the AL East has a plus-differential for runs scored versus runs allowed on the season. Only the NL East with the NY Mets (-29) have less than three teams in the red.

Not only are the teams in the AL East scoring more runs on average than their opponents, but they are also producing wins to back it up. Even at the bottom, the Boston Red Sox (22-22) have played well enough to earn a virtual tie for second in the AL Central, or sole possession of second in the AL West.

Unfortunately, winning records are worth very little in the AL East. The battle to the postseason starts with the grind for the division title and extends to the quest for the consolation of a wild-card birth.

Something the AL East may grab two of in 2012.

Should the Yankees and Red Sox start to panic? Who do you see winning the AL East?

Justin is a staff writer for Operation Sports. You can find him on the forums under the username jmik58. Follow him on Twitter @long_snapper.

Comments

# 1 Feldman011teen @ May 24

Check back in August.

# 2 Reed1417 @ May 24

maaaaaaan. as an O's fan i have to say that i'm really happy with the way they are playing right now. i'm only 20 so i've only seen old games on tv of when they were dominant in the AL East. i wont make a prediction i'm just going to sit back and enjoy this. go O's!!